How to Use Microsoft Forms for Your Year-End Satisfaction Surveys

One time-honored year-end tradition is the customer satisfaction survey. These give businesses valuable information about how they’re doing, what to improve, and new products or services that customers might be interested in.

Businesses that pay attention to what customers say and adjust their operations based upon customer feedback are more likely to be ahead their competition. Studies show that organizations that regularly measure their Net Promoter Score (How likely are you to recommend our business?) have a 10% higher growth rate than those that don’t.

But the year-end survey process isn’t always efficient and can be quite time consuming.

Companies often use something like a Word document that is emailed to each customer. Then as those surveys come in, someone has to open each one and enter the information into a spreadsheet where the data can be charted.

One thing that IT consultants like BrainStomp do is help businesses transition those manual processes to much more efficient automated cloud processes. By capturing important data the right way, it can be easily imported into other programs with no additional data entry needed. 

In this article, we’ll go though using a Microsoft app that’s available to anyone with a Microsoft or Microsoft 365 account for your year-end survey process. 

Run Your Year-End Surveys More Efficiently with Microsoft Forms 

Microsoft Forms is designed to make forms, surveys, and quizzes much easier to create, share, and collate. It’s a tool that hosts your data in a cloud interface, making it easy for both those filling out forms and surveys and those collecting the reponses.

Some of the advantages include:

·      Forms/surveys can be filled out from any device (PC and mobile)

·      Results can be imported into Excel at the click of a button

·      Using a template allows you to create a survey in just minutes

·      You can add images or videos to your form

Here are the steps to take to use Forms for your year-end customer surveys. 

Step 1: Sign Into Microsoft Forms

You sign into Microsoft Forms using your Microsoft account. Just go to: https://forms.office.com/

Step 2: Create a New Form from Blank or Template

You have two ways to begin your customer satisfaction survey. You can choose “New Form” to create one from a blank form or get a head start by using the “Customer Feedback Survey” template.

When you use a template, you’ll have several questions already added to the form, which you can leave as is or choose to edit.

Here is an example of the Customer Feedback Survey template.

Step 3: Build Your Survey 

The process to add questions to your customer satisfaction survey is pretty straight-forward. Microsoft Forms is designed to be very easy to use, even for those who may not be particularly technology minded.

You’ll use the “Add new” button to add a new type of question or to add a new section. You’ll find that you have options that are specific to gauging customer satisfaction, such as the Net Promoter Score.

Options for question types and form fields include: 

• Multiple choice

• Text field

• Rating

• Date

• Ranking

• Likert scale

• Net Promoter Score®

• Section (this adds a new section, and you can use an image or video)

When building your form, you’ll also find you have the option to add a background image. You can choose from available image options in the app or upload your own.

Step 4: Send Your Survey

Microsoft forms gives you several options for sending your form, which is another feature that adds to convenience and can save you time.

When you click the “Send” button, you’ll find the following options:

• Get a link that you can email or text

• Download a QR code image that links to your survey

• Get an embed code for embedding the survey in a webpage

• Email the survey directly from Microsoft Forms

• Send the survey link via Facebook or Twitter

You’ll also have the ability to share the form as a template for others to use. This can be handy if your business has more than one location and would like to send the same questions to all customers.

Step 5: Get Your Results in Real Time

The most time-saving feature of Microsoft Forms comes on the response gathering side. Responses will come in automatically in real time, and you can view them by opening your Survey and clicking the “Responses” tab.

You’ll see the number of responses, the average time to complete the survey, and you can view each survey result at the click of a button.

 You can also open your data in Excel, no extra input needed!

Save Time and Automate Your Manual Processes

BrainStomp consultants can help your business with smart and cost-efficient technology solutions that allow you to save time and be more productive.

Contact us for a consultation at 260-918-3548 or reach out online.

It’s Time for Year-End System Replacement Planning!

The end of year is coming up and your accountant is about to tell you to spend some money. Making any needed business purchases before the end of the year allows them to be deducted from your 2020 taxes.

To be deductible, the Internal Revenue Code simply requires that the business expenses be “ordinary and necessary” and technology definitely falls into those categories.

Additionally, technology purchases can be written off entirely, not just a percentage of them. Section 179 of the U.S. Tax Code allows businesses to deduct the cost of qualifying equipment and/or software that is purchased or finance during the tax year.

There is also a bonus depreciation that can be taken during the first year on new and used equipment.

Equipment/Software Deduction Limits:

·      You can deduct up to $1,040,000 of new equipment/software purchases

·      You can take 100% bonus depreciation on new/used equipment 

So, you can see how now is the perfect time to do an evaluation of your technology needs and invest in your IT infrastructure before the new year.

Smart Ways to Invest In & Upgrade Your Technology 

When approaching your year-end system replacement, you want to be strategic to ensure you’re getting the most value for your money. 

This includes potentially upgrading your work processes and expanding capabilities rather than just upgrading something to a newer version of what you currently have.

Here are the considerations you want to review when planning your equipment and software purchases.

Review Current Workstation/Laptops for Replacement Needs

First, you’ll want to see which computer workstations and laptops used at your business need to be replaced. Studies show that PCs older than four years can cost more to operate than purchasing a new one.

Look for PCs that are approaching the 4-year mark or those that are older. You also want to look for any that are running an older operating system (such as Windows 7, which no longer receives security patches). These are the types of systems that should be replaced. 

Consider Tablet Purchases 

Tablets can do more than they used to and are taking over more desktop/laptop market share incrementally each year. Are there some activities where an iPad or other type of tablet would improve flexibility and productivity?

For example, if you have a sign-in for visitors at your front desk, doing this electronically on a tablet with an app such as Microsoft Lists, would be much less time-consuming than a physical paper sign-in sheet.

Review Your Network Infrastructure 

How is your wireless network holding up? Many companies find that as they add more devices to their network, the bandwidth allocation gets less reliable, which can lead to dropped VoIP calls or frozen downloads.

Year-end is a perfect time to upgrade your network to improve speed and reliability. Here are two potential options: 

·      Switch to a Wi-Fi 6 Router: Wi-Fi 6 is now a year old and it’s designed for better multi-device handling and much better network security.

·      Upgrade to a Mesh Network: Going from one router to a mesh network can improve signal strength and reliability throughout your office.

Invest in Software Upgrades 

Most cloud software tools offer a discount when you pay for your subscription annually. This can then be deducted from your 2020 taxes using the Section 179 guidelines.

Here are some steps you can take to upgrade your software in a way that will directly impact your bottom line through productivity boosts:

·      Survey employees about what they like/don’t like about the software they use.

·      Work with an IT professional to identify areas for productivity improvements in your workflows.

·      Look for time-consuming manual processes that can be automated with the right software.

·      Consider all-in-one platforms like Microsoft 365 that give you several tools in one.

Improve Your Cybersecurity Posture 

80% of companies have seen an increase in cybersecurity attacks this year. Just one data breach or ransomware attack can leave a small business devastated, and many of them never recover.

Have an IT security audit done this fall to identify areas of vulnerability in your cybersecurity and what equipment or software is needed to address those and strengthen your protections. 

Equipment Needed for a Remote Workforce

This year saw the rise of the remote workforce due to the pandemic and resulting stay-at-home orders. While some companies are returning to office work, a majority plan to have more work-from-home employees either part-time or full-time than they did prior to the pandemic. 

Look at what’s lacking to fully support your remote team. Would they benefit from having company laptops issued rather than using their own devices, which may not be as powerful or secure? What about VoIP enabled desk sets? Or a VPN subscription for remote connection security? 

These are all considerations for investing the future and ensuring your business can continue operating from anywhere no matter what.

Get Help Planning Your Replacement/Upgrade Strategy

You don’t want to make technology purchases just for the sake of a purchase before year end. Work with BrainStomp to identify strategic purchases that can pay for themselves in productivity and security improvements.

Contact us today to plan your year-end technology purchases 260-918-3548 or reach out online.

Save Tons of Time by Searching in Windows 10 the RIGHT Way

Employees spend 1.8 hours every day just searching for information they need, which equates to approximately 36 hours per month, nearly one whole work week!

Looking for things is increasingly more complex the more data we have to sift through. On any given day, employees are searching for files on their hard drives, looking for information on websites, or trying to find a specific setting on their computer. 

Each of these activities can not only take attention away from the task at hand, it can also result in several minutes spent looking for something. Occasionally, this can lead to over an hour if the document or other data isn’t easily located.

If you use Windows 10, knowing how to use its powerful search capabilities can completely streamline your search experience. Part of any modern office is learning how to take advantage of OS and software updates, and the “super search” was one Microsoft added in 2019.

Searching for Anything in Windows - As Easy as Clicking START and Typing What You Need

What Microsoft did when it upgraded the search function in Windows 10 last year was to incorporate all types of searches a user could possibly do into one main area.

All you have to do is type your keyword or question into the search box and you’ll be able to find all types of information, whether it’s on your hard drive or online. 

This can significantly reduce the time it takes to search for all types of information.

Here are the things you can find from searching one simple place – the Windows search box on your task bar. 

Find Documents Faster

When you type your keyword into the search box, you’ll be taken to a page that has results from a variety of places, web, File Explorer, etc.

You can quickly find a specific document on your hard drive, by clicking the “Documents” tab at the top. 

What this will do is show you the documents on your hard drive that include that keywork either in the title or in the text of the document.  

This is a much faster way to find something than searching in File Explorer and going through different folders on your hard drive.

Note: You’ll also see documents you have saved in OneDrive.

Easily Find a System Setting

Trying to figure out where to adjust your microphone settings or turn on ransomware protection in Windows 10 can take time. Instead of having to search the web for the answer or stumble around your system settings until you land on it, just use the Windows 10 search box.

If you type something like “microphone settings’ you’ll get a list of different system settings that you can jump to instantly in your PC settings area. 

Have a Question Answered

You can also use the search bar to ask questions in natural language and get an answer powered by Bing search.

For example, you can ask: “How much is $100 in Euros?” and instead of having to scroll through search results online, you’ll get the answer right in the search window, along with a money converter to type in another amount. 

This works with all types of questions, such as “Status of New York City to Orlando flights?”, which will bring up flight times.

Search Bing Without Opening a Web Browser

If you want to a fast web search for information without opening your browser, you can do this using the search bar as well for a less distracting interface.

Just type your keyword, and you’ll get multiple web results pertinent to your topic. 

Open Apps Faster

Instead of going to the Start menu and looking for an application, you can locate it much faster by typing the app’s name in the search bar.

If you’re looking for a specific Adobe app, but don’t know the app’s name, just type “Adobe” and click the Apps tab on the search result page and you’ll see all Adobe apps installed on your computer and can click to open. 

Search for a Specific Type of File 

There are times when you can’t remember what you’ve named something, but you know that it has a certain keyword in it and that it’s a certain type of file, like a video.

Windows 10 search makes it easy for you to narrow down your search results by clicking the “More” option and choosing the specific file type. Options include: 

·      Email

·      Folders

·      Music

·      People

·      Photos

·      Settings

·      Videos 

When you choose one of those options, Windows will only look for that specific file type and give you a list of matching results.

Get Help Optimizing Your Office Workflows

Just knowing how to use some of the productivity tricks in Microsoft or other applications can add hours of productivity time to your staff per week. BrainStomp consultants can help you find and deploy these to boost your capabilities. 

Contact us any time at 260-918-3548 or reach out online.

If You See: “You are Infected, Call Microsoft Support” - Don’t Call Them, Call Us!

You’re searching the web as usual and suddenly, you get to a site and a big warning message pops up saying, “You are infected, call Microsoft Support!” It may even include an “immediately” in there for good measure.

Your screen is locked, and you can’t seem to get out of the message. What should you do?

The last thing you should do is call the number that it gives you because it’s a fake. Instead, you should call BrainStomp for IT support so we can help you remove the malicious code from your system, which may infecting other devices on your network.

This “Microsoft Support” scam has been around for quite a while, but it still manages to get people to call the fictitious number and do whatever the person on the other end of the line tells them. 

This usually involves them having the user install a software that will allow the scammer to completely take over the victim’s device and access everything on it. 

It’s important to note that it’s not only Microsoft Windows users that get these fake support scams from malicious websites. Apple users also get them as well with notices to call “Apple Support.”

How Does the Microsoft Support Scam Work?

This type of support scan can also come via phone, but robocalls have caused many people to ignore calls from numbers they don’t recognize. So, often the scam comes when you land on a website infected with malicious code.

The code can be on a webpage put up by a scammer or it can be on a site you may have visited before from a trusted source, but a hacker has gotten into their server to add the code.

A pop-up window will appear, and it may lock your browser into full screen mode, making it difficult to get out of.

The scam will state that something is wrong with your computer and you should call Microsoft Support to get help. It will give a number to call, but that number is not to Microsoft.

How do we know? Because Microsoft states that real Microsoft error and warning messages never include phone numbers. 

Here is an example provided by Microsoft showing one of these support scam messages. This particular code automatically initiates any calling apps that you have on your computer, so that as soon as you hit the “OK” button, you’re connected to the scammer.

Notice the imagery is designed to look legitimate and like something that might come from Microsoft, this is how many people are fooled.

What are Scammers After?

There are a few different things that this type of scammer can be after once you call and they offer fake help for the “problem.”  

·      Payment Details: Some scams will ask you to pay a one-time fee or service subscription to resolve the issue. This scam is after your credit card information.

·      System Takeover: It’s common for the person you speak to after calling the number to direct you to a page that has you download a connection client on to your system. This will allow them to takeover your computer to use it for things like sending phishing, bot attacks, and more.

·      Steal Logins & Sensitive Info: Another thing that a scammer can do after getting you to download a digital gateway app to access your computer is steal sensitive information. This can be anything from your online banking login to company files.

How to Protect Against Fake Support Scams 

Here are several tips to help protect against these tech support scams.

Know that Microsoft Doesn’t Initiate Support Contact 

Microsoft states that it will not send any unsolicited email messages, make unsolicited calls, or offer to fix your computer without you asking first.

Any request for help or support from Microsoft has to be initiated by you. So, if you get an unsolicited pop-up or phone call purporting to be from Microsoft Support, it’s a fake. 

Do Not Call the Number in the Pop-ups

There are trained scammers on the other end of those fake phone numbers on the Microsoft support scam pop-ups and they know what to say to lure people in.

Do not call the number and do not click to initiate a call if the malicious site has brought up your calling app.

Do Not Download Software from Unknown Third-Party Sites

In many cases, the scammer will ask you to download software from a site that is NOT an official Microsoft site. This can be malware, a remote connection app, or another type of dangerous application. 

You should never download software from non-official websites.

Did You Get a Microsoft Pop-Up or Error Message?

If you’ve visited a malicious site and received an error message or other Microsoft tech support pop-up, your system may already be infected with malware. Call BrainStomp right away and we’ll take care of the problem.

Contact us any time at 260-918-3548 or reach out online.

How to Avoid Falling for COVID Email Scams

There have been several legacies of the pandemic, including mask wearing and employees working remotely. One that’s particularly dangerous has been a new slew of coronavirus-themed email scams.

During March of 2020, COVID-related spear phishing attacks increased 667%. The alarming level of phishing scams also caused the U.S. Secret Service to issue a warning. 

The Secret Service warned about phishing emails that pose as messages from legitimate medical organizations. One scam is sending emails using the logos of well-known entities like WHO or the CDC and offering supposedly pertinent information via attachment or link regarding the coronavirus outbreak. 

If the unsuspecting victim opens the link or the attachment, it can inject their computer with spyware, ransomware, or deploy a credential stealing form.

These scams are directed both at individuals and companies, using ploys such as: 

·      Offering a map of “outbreaks in your area”

·      Asking employees to read a “new company policy” related to coronavirus

·      Directing employees to enter their email address and password to “confirm your account so it’s not deleted” due to new COVID security 

·      Offering sale of masks and other protective equipment

·      Directing the recipient to “coronavirus testing locations”

·      Offering fake vaccines or cures

·      Emails posing as contact tracers for COVID-19

It’s important to know what to watch out for and to put safeguards in place through IT security strategies targeted against phishing emails.

Tips for Identifying Coronavirus Phishing Emails 

There are no lack of email phishing scams to look out for and best practices can apply for any type of phishing email identification. However, the COVID email scams are on another level because people want to know everything that they can to stay safe.

Here are some ways to ensure you don’t fall victim to the coronavirus-related phishing attacks that are prevalent. 

Don’t Trust the “From” Address

One of the common ploys used by phishing scammers is to use a legitimate company email in the “From” line of an email. 

The recipient will look at who sent the email and see that the email address looks legitimate and trust the message, clicking a malicious link or downloading a malware file.

Email spoofing is the official name of this tactic, and if your mail server doesn’t have email authentication in place people can easily be fooled.

One way to confirm the actual sender’s email address is to view the header or source code of the message to look for the routing information.

Hover, Without Clicking Links

Scammers will often use hyperlinks on buttons and text that hide the true website to which it’s directing the victim. The link might say “View Map” and it takes you to a non-sensical web address that has nothing to do with coronavirus or the promised information.

You can view the real URL of a link by hovering over it with your cursor rather than clicking on it. This is a quick way to reveal an email message as a scam.

Beware of Any Contact Tracing Email with a Link or Attachment

One of the newer ploys is a scam where the email states that the person has been in contact with someone that’s tested positive for coronavirus. It then directs them to fill out a form asking for personal information (like their SSN). 

The Federal Trade Commission warns that a real contact tracer will only email stating they will be calling. They will not send file attachments or links. And they will only ask for things like:

·      Your name & address

·      Health information

·      Names of places or people you’ve been in contact with

They won’t ask for credit card information, your SSN, your bank details or any other personal information. 

Look for Anything “Off” (Grammar, Misspellings, etc.)

Scammers have become increasingly sophisticated so it’s more difficult to tell a real message from a fake. However, some are novices or emailing from other countries and don’t use perfect translation software. So, sometimes you can still spot a phishing email by things like: 

·      Misspelled words

·      Poor English or grammar

·      Grainy or blurred images

·      Incorrect information (such as using Denver, FL instead of Denver, CO) 

Don’t Get Taken In by Emotion or Urgency Tactics

Phishing scammers often deploy tactics to get users to act immediately and will play on emotions such as fear.

For example, one COVID-19 related scam purports to be from a firm’s HR department and instructs employees to read a new HR policy on infectious diseases “by X date.” It further states that it’s mandatory that this be done.

The need to click the link and read the attachment by a certain date is a big red flag that it’s a scam email.

If you feel you have to act out of fear, urgency, or a sense that you’ll miss out on something, don’t react to an email from an unknown sender, and instead assume that this is most likely a phishing email.

Learn How to Keep Phishing Emails Out of Your Inboxes

Email filtering and anti-phishing are both strategies that can help you reduce the risk of employees falling for a phishing scam. BrainStomp can help you put those protocols in place to keep inboxes scam-free.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation! Call 260-918-3548 or reach out online.

How to Safely Prepare Hard Drives, Computers & Other Devices for Recycling

Computers and electronic devices can’t just be recycled like your old cans or cardboard boxes. When computers are recycled after a person has upgraded to a new system, they often put back into use by someone else. 

Methods of recycling include donating electronic devices to a good cause, trading them in to a retailer for some type of credit, or taking them to a recycling center, where they may get scrapped or may be sold to a new user. 

The danger to you if you don’t properly clean your electronics before disposing of them is that your confidential information could end up being used for identity theft, credit card fraud, or something else.  

If a business that’s upgrading to modern office technology doesn’t properly wipe its technology, it could result in a major data breach and violation of data privacy guidelines.

80% of company desktop computers and laptops contain sensitive information.

Any type of electronic hardware is going to have a digital footprint. In order to securely get rid of electronics, that footprint needs to be completely removed. 

Deleting Your Files Is Not Enough 

Just deleting the files on a USB drive, removable hard drive, or computer is not enough to ensure your device is properly secure. 

There are file recovery tools designed to retrieve files that a user accidentally deleted that could be used to restore those files you thought were gone.

Here are some tips for securely wiping your digital devices before they’re recycled or donated to ensure your data is completely removed.

Mobile Devices – Sign Out & Reset

Smartphones and tablets will typically have a factory reset that you can do that wipes all the data off the device.

It’s important to sign out of any cloud storage accounts before doing a reset (like iCloud), otherwise, you may find that your photos are gone from the cloud because you deleted them from your phone during the reset.

This hard reset back to original factory settings is generally how cell providers wipe your phone if you trade it into them when upgrading.

You also want to be sure that you’ve removed the SIM card in the device before recycling it.

Printers, Scanners, Faxes – Remove Memory Cards & Reset

Printers, scanners, and faxes will also typically include the hard reset back to factory conditions. You’ll also want to make sure you’ve removed any memory cards that the device may be using.

It’s also a good idea to check the device after the reset to make sure it’s not retaining any information, like the Wi-Fi password or your company name/number.

Steps for Properly Wiping Computers 

The steps are a little more detailed when it comes to wiping your desktop or laptop computer. There are multiple areas on a hard drive where data can reside and be extracted.

Just think of all that autofill information that makes your life convenient, like passwords or credit card details. It could make a hacker’s life pretty convenient as well if you hadn’t properly wiped your device before they got their hands on it. 

Here are steps you can take to make sure your computer is ready for recycling without any of your data on it. 

Back Up Your Data First

You don’t want to wipe your device and then realize your data wasn’t properly backed up. Make sure to back up data to a trusted service prior to cleaning your device.

You may also want to have your data migrated by BrainStomp to your new device before cleaning your old one. We’ll ensure everything is transferred over safely and completely.

Sign Out of All Your Accounts

To be completely secure that syncing accounts won’t cause data loss and that a stranger can’t get into your Facebook account, sign out of all accounts that you’re signed into on your computer. 

This can include: 

·      Social media accounts

·      File storage accounts (like Dropbox)

·      Cloud accounts (like Microsoft 365) 

·      Web accounts (like Amazon.com)

Use a System App or 3rd Party App to Wipe & Reset Your Device

You have a few options for resetting your device and removing all the data, including your files, and browser and system footprints.

In Windows 10:

·      Go to Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC

·      Chose “Remove everything”

·      Click the “Change settings” options on the Additional settings window

·      Toggle on the “Data erasure” setting

·      Click the Confirm button and follow the prompts to erase your device

For those on a Mac, the instructions are a little more detailed for resetting your computer. You can find them on Apple’s site here.  

You can also choose to use a 3rd party tool that wipes your device. Some popular ones include DBAN and Eraser.

Have a Professional Wipe Your Device

If you’re not computer savvy, then you may want to have your device professionally wiped by an IT pro. We can confirm that all data is completely removed and can’t be recovered using data recovery tools.

Need Help Migrating to a New Computer?

Upgrading to a new computer can be frustrating if you’re trying to handle all the data transfer and disk wiping yourself. Make the process much simpler by coming to BrainStomp. We’ll ensure that your new device is set up properly and your old one is safe to recycle. 

Contact us today to schedule a technology consultation! Call 260-918-3548 or reach out online.

Don’t Just Throw Electronics in the Trash! (Proper Disposal Tips)

Do you remember back when you had your first computer or smartphone? You most likely held onto it for several years because it was such a big investment. 

When technology first came on the scene, devices seemed to last a little longer. Now days, computers are usually replaced every three to five years and some people replace phones and other mobile devices every year or two. 

Companies need to upgrade hardware to keep up with the demands of newer software, cloud systems, and other technology advancements that come much faster than they did in those early days. 

But what this march of innovation leaves in its wake is a lot of electronic trash that people aren’t sure how to dispose of.  

There is approximately 50 million tons of electronic waste tossed out globally each year, but only 20% of it is disposed of properly. 

What can happen if you just throw your old electronics out in the trash? 

Fines for Illegal Disposal

You could possibly face a fine if you don’t dispose of your electronics properly. There are 25 states that have enacted electronic recycling legislation, and some of them make it illegal to improperly dispose of electronics. For example, California bans the disposal of old TVs, batteries, and computers in landfills.

The problem with not handling the disposal of electronics responsibly is that they can often contain hazardous materials like: 

·      Lead

·      Nickel

·      Mercury

Security Risk

With the pace of hardware and electronics replacement, most companies can’t afford to keep storing outdated equipment. Keeping that equipment onsite can also pose a security risk.

If someone accidentally turns on an older computer running an outdated operating system that never had a Windows upgrade to the current version, a hacker could easily exploit an unpatched vulnerability to breach your entire network.  

How to Dispose of Electronics the RIGHT Way

You have a few different options when it comes to disposing of your old computers, routers, printers, and mobile devices. By making sure to follow best practices for electronics disposal, not only are you ensuring you’re not violating any local laws, you’re also being a more sustainable business. 

Take Electronics to a Recycling Center or Retailer

You’ll find two types of electronics recycling outlets that you can use for responsible disposal of old computers and other devices. These are typically either local recycling centers in your city or county and major electronics retailers.

Companies recycling electronics remove usable materials for reuse and then responsibly dispose of any parts that can’t be recycled. 

The US EPA has a large list of retailers, like Best Buy, that will take your electronics off your hands. Many of these recyclers won’t charge you for disposing of your electronics. 

Donate Your Electronics 

If your computer or other electronics still have a few years of usable life in them, there are a number of charities that will be happy to have them as a donation and put them to good use.

Donating your electronics may even give you a tax deduction that you can claim when you file taxes.

Locally, you may want to check non-profits in your area, schools, churches, or after-school programs that could use computer donations.

Here are some of the nationwide programs designed to facilitate electronics donations:

·      Goodwill & Dell Reconnect Program

·      World Computer Exchange

·      American Cell Phone Drive

·      Human-I-T

Use an Electronics Buy-Back Program

If your electronics qualify, you could end up getting some money for an older computer or mobile device while responsibly disposing of it at the same time. Several electronics retailers offer buy-back & trade-in programs for qualifying devices.

If your devices qualify, you can add to your business bottom line and use the money towards an upgrade of your hardware. 

Here are a few of the retailer trade-in/buy-back programs to check out: 

·      Best Buy

·      Apple

·      Amazon

·      Sprint

·      Target

Don’t Forget to Wipe Your Device

Make sure that before you sell, donate, or recycle your old electronics that you’ve wiped them properly.

This includes removing all files on the hard drive, clearing browser history and saved passwords, and removing any other data may be saved in system or software folders.

Some devices will have the ability to reset back to “factory conditions.” If you’re unsure that you’ve removed everything, then it’s a good idea to have an IT pro clean your device so you can ensure there’s no information on it that could be seen by someone else that may use the computer after it’s recycled. 

Get Help with Hardware Upgrades & Computer Disposal Preparation

BrainStomp can help your company with strategic technology upgrades and help you ensure older electronics are cleared of all data and disposed of properly.

Contact us today to schedule a technology consultation! Call 260-918-3548 or reach out online.

Pro Shortcuts That Make Excel Much Less Frustrating

Excel is one of those applications that’s fairly indispensable to most offices. It’s used for budgeting, email lists, and all other types of things like charts and data analysis. But it can also be frustrating and cumbersome to use if you don’t know some shortcuts.

Something such as separating a first name and last name that were entered into the same field on a list of 1,000+ records can take over an hour to do manually. But it you’ve got some Excel know how, it can take just a minute or two. 

Part of improving your business productivity and IT processes is making sure you and your team know how to navigate the software you use every day in the most efficient way.

Our BrainStomp team is going to help you do that with some time-saving pro shortcuts for Excel below. Enjoy!

Excel Tips That Will Make Your Life Much Easier

We’re going to start off with one of the biggest time-saving tips, which is automatically separating data from one cell into several, then move on to other tips that will make your life easier and your Excel use more productive.

Separate Values in One Cell into Several Cells 

Have you ever slapped your forehead in dismay when a colleague sends you a spreadsheet for a mail merge that has data grouped in one cell instead of several? “Do they even know how a mail merge works?!” you might silently mumble to yourself, because you know you’re in for a lot of work fixing that data. 

Unless… you know this tip.

Say that your spreadsheet has the first and last name in the same column, but you need them separated into different columns. Here’s what to do.

·      Make sure you have enough empty columns to the right of the one holding the data for each piece of data you’re separating out. 

·      Select the cells or whole column that contains the text values that you want to separate.

·      On the Data tab, in the Data Tools group, click “Text to Columns.” 

·      Follow the prompts in the Convert Text to Columns Wizard, it will ask you things like, if the values are separated by a space or comma.

·      The Wizard will automatically separate the data for you down the entire column or selection at once.

Put Data from a Row into a Column

Trying to figure out the best way to display data can take some trial and error. If you’ve typed several rows of data that you now think would be better displayed in columns, that can mean a lot of copy/pasting. 

·      You can do this with a lot less effort by using the Transpose function in Excel. 

·      Copy the row or range of cells you want to transpose.

·      Move your cursor and click into a blank column where you’d like to put the data.

·      Go to Home, Paste, and choose the Transpose option. 

Add an Extra Line Within a Cell

It can be frustrating when you’re trying type a lot of text into a field and instead of being able to hit “enter” to add a line, you’re forced to have all the text just run together.

You CAN add an additional line inside a cell in Excel, just do this: Hold down the ALT key while pressing Enter.

Let Excel Convert Your Decimals to Fractions

Would you like to give your team a report that displays data both in decimals and fractions? Doing all those conversions yourself can take a while, even if you’re using an online calculator. 

Let Excel do the conversion work for you.

·      Copy the cells with the decimal values you’d like to convert and paste them into a new column.

·      With the data highlighted that you want to convert, on the Home tab, Numbers group, click the drop down to get the pop out window.

·      Choose Fractions from the options and voila! Your conversion is done for you. 

Add Protections to Your Excel Workbook

If you’re sharing your Excel workbook with others, you may want to protect certain elements, such as:

·      Encrypting with a password

·      Making it read only

·      Protecting the workbook structure

·      Marking it as a “Final”

You can access all these options easily by opening your Excel workbook file and then going to File > Info > Protect Workbook drop down.

Use Format Painter to Easily Expand Row/Column Formatting

Using things like cell background colors can make reading rows and columns of data much easier and make your presentations look better as well. If you’re struggling with copying formatting over and over down a row, use this trick to copy as many times as you like. 

·      Highlight the cell/row/column that has the formatting you want to copy.

·      Double click the Format Painter icon on the Home tab.

·      Drag your cursor down the rows or across the columns that you want to paste the format to.

·      Click once more on the Format Painter icon to turn off the paste function.

Improve Your Everyday Processes with BrainStomp 

Optimizing the processes that your team does day in and day out can make a big difference in your company’s overall productivity. We can help you uncover tips, tricks, and optimizations to make your business better than ever.

Contact us today to schedule a technology consultation! Call 260-918-3548 or reach out online.

2020’s Newest Excel Features in Microsoft 365 to Power Your Work

One of the value propositions of subscribing to Microsoft 365 is that you continue to get new features that can make a significant difference in your productivity. That’s one of the benefits that has made the software so popular with businesses.

As of February 2020, there were approximately 595,935 companies in the U.S. using Microsoft 365 for their business workflows. 

There are so many features being added to the platform regularly, it’s easy for users to miss one and not even realize a tool like Excel can now make their work even easier to do and improve business processes.

We’ve reviewed all the Excel feature updates that Microsoft has rolled out so far in 2020 to bring you the lowdown on some nifty new tricks you can do in this popular spreadsheet application. 

Have You Seen These New Excel Features?

XLOOKUP Function  

The XLOOKUP function in Excel allows you to find values that are located in a spreadsheet range or table.  

For example, if you have a spreadsheet of employee names and ID numbers, instead of having to scroll up and down to find specific ID’s, you can do an XLOOKUP instead.

What this will allow you to do is create two cells side-by-side. One will be where you would input the employee’s name, and the second would be filled in automatically by Excel with that person’s ID.

·      In an open cell type: =XLOOKUP

·      Select an empty cell where you’ll put the lookup value (i.e. where you’ll type the person’s name that you want to find the ID for)

·      Type in a comma

·      Select where to look up the value (i.e. select a series of cells in a column where employee names are listed)

·      Type in a comma

·      Select the data you want to see (i.e. select the cells containing the employee ID numbers)

·      Press Enter

Now you can type in any employee’s name to automatically see their ID number (or any other data you like). Here’s a handy video about XLOOKUP from Microsoft. 

Workbook Statistics

Get a quick bird’s eye view of your Excel workbook with a new feature option. Just click the Review tab in Excel and you’ll see Workbook Statistics in the Proofing area.

Clicking the feature pops up a window with details on both your current sheet and entire workbook like: 

·      End of sheet cell

·      Number of cells with data

·      Number of tables

·      Number of formulas

More Images, Icons, Backgrounds, Templates

Around the same time that Office 365 was renamed to Microsoft 365, thousands of new design “goodies” were added to the Office programs.

When you use the Insert > Illustrations menu option in Excel, you’ll find many royalty-free stock photos, icons, and other design items to use. Templates have also been expanded. Microsoft said they added “thousands” more of these design items to the platform for users. 

Ideas in Excel

Need some help deciding how to express your data or put it into a visualization? You can now get help from Excel using the new Ideas function.

Just highlight any data that you have in your spreadsheet and from the Home tab, click Ideas. A pane on the right-hand side will open offering several different ways that you can express that data and the ability to click to add a chart to your sheet. 

You can also go a step farther and ask about your data, such as “What are the sales by region?”, and Excel will answer you with a chart if all the variables are there to create it. 

This can be a huge shortcut when you’re creating various KPI analytics for your team to review.

Stocks & Geography Data Types

Pull in stock and geographical information without having to do a Google search. When you convert your data to one of these data types, it will automatically connect it to an online database to pull in information.

For example, say you are building a report on cities and need to look up things like population, average household income, etc.  All you have to do is convert your city names to the Geography data type, and you can bring in all that information from the online database in a click. 

·      To convert to a datatype, just highlight the data you want to convert, like city or state names, then on the Data tab, click either Stocks or Geography.

·      Then, highlight the data again and you’ll get a box at the top of your selection. Click that, and it opens a drop down of options based on the data type you selected (like population). 

·      Click to choose, and the data is populated in the next open right-hand column.

Are You Making the Most of Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 is so feature rich that often companies miss optimization opportunities. BrainStomp experts can help you uncover those features that can save you time and money in your daily operations.

Contact us today to schedule a technology consultation! Call 260-918-3548 or reach out online.

7 Microsoft Word Productivity Power User Tips

Microsoft Word is a mainstay in offices around the world. But many users have been working with Word throughout their careers, yet only scratching the surface when it comes to using it to its fullest. 

Often, all it takes is just knowing where to look to save tons of time when creating and editing documents. A few minutes saved here and there can really add up and help you get the most of your software solution.  

Word has multiple tips and tricks that can save time and make you more productive. Plus, Microsoft is adding new features all the time with usability in mind. 

63% of surveyed professionals say that MS Word is “crucially important” to their daily work.

Save Time & Get More Done with These MS Word Tips & Tricks

Have you ever spent 20 minutes just trying to fix paragraph spacing in a Word document? Wished you could have Century Gothic instead of Calibri as the default font? 

These tips will help you do all that and much more to power your productivity.

Set Your Default Font

Do you end up having to change the font in your documents all the time because you don’t like the default or it’s not the one your company uses?

Choose your default font and size by opening a Word document and pressing Ctrl + D. This will bring up a default font window

Choose your font, size, and style and then click “Set As Default” and you’ll always have the font you want when you open a new document.

Add a Calculator in Word 

Do you sometimes wish that Word made it as easy to calculate something as Excel? You can add a Calculator to Word which will calculate an equation for you at the click of a button.

First you need to add the feature to your Quick Access Toolbar. Go to File > Options > Quick Access Toolbar.

Edit the drop down at the top and choose “All Commands.” Locate “Calculate” and click Add to add it to your taskbar. It will show up as a small circle at the top, left side, next to things like Save and Undo.

Now, just type an equation, like: 1+2 

Highlight the equation and you’ll see that circle turn white. Click the circle and the answer to your equation will display at the bottom left of your screen, e.g. “The result of the calculation is: 3.”

One-Click Paragraph Fixes

One of the most frustrating things to happen while working on a document is when text on a page won’t behave the way you want it to. There might be bullets and tabs that aren’t lining up or paragraphs that have strange spacing. If you don’t know where to look, it can take forever to figure these out. 

Hidden in a pullout menu is an easy way to find all those paragraph settings. From the Home tab, click the small arrow to the right of the word “Paragraph.” You’ll get a pull-out menu where many of those spacing and tab features are tucked away.

Automatically Capitalize Words in Headings

If you’re working on a document with various headings and subheadings, you’ll most likely be holding down shift, to capitalize each word, slowing down your overall typing speed. 

Take a shortcut by using the case drop down option on the Home tab, Font area, and choosing Capitalize Each Word. You can type as you normally do, and the caps will be taken care of for you. 

Quickly Insert Links

How many steps do you take when you want to hyperlink text in a Word document? Do you right click then choose Link > Insert Link?

You can cut the time it takes to hyperlink in half by using this keyboard command. Just highlight where you want the link and type: Ctrl + K to bring up the link window.

Use the Search Box (The One at Top)

Users often mistake the “Search” Box in the top blue bar for the “Find” in the Edit menu. Find is for finding words within your document, Search is for getting quick help, and it can be a real time saver.

For example, if you want to quickly insert an arrow, instead of navigating to the insert menu and trying to find the arrow, just type “insert arrow” into the Search. 

Think of the Search like a helpful guide, there to take you where you need to go in Word. 

Be a Research Pro with Smart Lookup

Click over to the References panel in Word and you’ll find a magnifying glass icon indicating a feature called Smart Lookup. 

You can save time switching from Word to your browser to research items in your document using this helpful tip. Just highlight the text that you want to know more about (like Stonehenge, for example), and click the Smart Lookup. You’ll see a panel open up in Word to the right of your document with online Bing search results for webpages and pictures. 

Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Office Programs?

Often, businesses are only using a fraction of the power of their productivity tools. Work with the experts at BrainStomp to unleash your software’s full potential.

Contact us today to schedule a technology consultation! Call 260-918-3548 or reach out online.