wendy gauntt’s tech zest

Why you need QuickBooks

I run into a surprising number of companies that rely on spreadsheets or paper ledgers to keep track of their financials. If this is you, PLEASE consider spending the small investment of time and money to switch to QuickBooks!

Accounting is a well established field, and it doesn’t change all that much from year to year. QuickBooks has been around for nearly 20 years, which means it’s rock solid and can only get better. It’s easy to use and has all the normal accounting functions and reports available via a single mouseclick.

Custom spreadsheets can break from time to time; changes can be tough and require close scrutiny. Paper ledgers are even worse because they require hours of time with your 10-key calculator. Once the data is in QuickBooks, the software tallies everything for you automatically.

What else can it do?

Need to send invoices or statements? You can email them.
Need to accept credit card payments? That’s integrated too.
Need to write checks or deposit slips? Print them out. It’s faster and more accurate.
Tired of retyping the bills that stay the same from month to month? Memorize the transaction and set it to repeat on the schedule of your choice.
Don’t want to deal with entering credit card statements each month? Download them instead.

We’re barely scratching the surface of what QuickBooks can do, but the point is that it can dramatically transform your accounting processes. Invest the time to set it up right, with your accountant’s help. Get training, so you are comfortable using the system and know its capabilities. Then enjoy the new-found productivity, accuracy, and up-to-the-minute financial reports that tell you exactly how your business is performing.

Microsoft vs Google: clash of the titans

Published May 19, 2009 Basics , Email , General , Productivity , Servers , Smart Phones , Software Leave a Comment
Tags: cloud computing, Email, exchange, google apps, iphone, microsoft, pop, spam filtering

boxing_glove A question that comes up fairly regularly in the small business world is how to handle email. Most companies start out with a simple POP account, or maybe even a free address from Google, Yahoo, or MSN. It’s an easy way to get started, but at some point you need more – integration with smart phones, shared calendars, links with company software, better security, and more.

Many companies are opting for Google Apps over Microsoft Exchange. It can be a good option in the right circumstances, and in fact we used Google Apps ourselves for over a year. The web portal is easy to use, the search is lightening fast, and I still miss the unique way Google organizes conversations. Google’s built-in spam filtering is excellent, and because they operate “in the cloud,” they manage the servers so you don’t have to. The downside is that if you have trouble, you are dependent on them for support. If you use a free account, good luck – it may take a while.

Microsoft Exchange is still the powerhouse in the email game, and the level of sophistication is hard to beat. It will take more technical skill to maintain your own in-house Exchange server, but if you take that on, you have far more options available to you. You can set security nearly any way you like, you can track down deliverability issues (generally difficult or impossible with a hosted solution), and most software packages that require email and calendar integration work with Exchange by default. Use a spam filtering service to keep your inbox clean, and with most services that layers in the redundancy you’d have with a hosted solution, to prevent lost email if your server or internet connection goes down.

Our Own Email: What We’ve Done

Like many companies, we started with a basic POP account. As we grew, we used some Exchange features but moved to Google Apps as our primary solution. As we continued to grow, it lacked critical features we needed, including security, integration, and ability to easily manage email settings across the company. We moved back to Exchange, and it was absolutely the right solution for us. We are operating far more efficiently, and our software is completely integrated so we can schedule and communicate with our clients seamlessly from our ticketing system.

My favorite (and unexpected) benefit of our return to Exchange? The integration with my iPhone is superb, night and day from what it was with Google Apps. I no longer have to sync my phone because it pulls directly from our server. That means that if someone in the office adds an appointment to my calendar, it’s automatically there next time I check my phone. Email and contacts too.

Expand your musical horizons for free

Published May 16, 2009 Personal , Productivity , Websites Leave a Comment
Tags: american idol, itunes, music, music genome project, pandora

computermusic I guess I’m getting older…I’m still a big American Idol fan, but I no longer listen to the radio. It seems like the hits I recognize are often a year old before I recognize them. But I’m not ready to settle for a steady diet of “oldies” from the 70s, 80s and 90s.

Here are my two favorite ways to keep up with the latest and broaden my horizons…

Pandora is a product of the Music Genome Project. This group of geeky music aficionados have broken down thousands of songs to their essential elements, or “genes.” Pick a favorite song, create a station, and Pandora will pick new songs with similar elements. Give a thumbs up to the ones you like, a thumbs down to the others, and you’ll find Pandora starts to get really smart about your tastes. I’ve set up about a dozen channels to reflect different moods, and the more I rate songs, the better it gets.

The iTunes Genius is somewhat similar although it bases recommendations on what people have put into playlists. It tends to provide fairly mainstream recommendations. What I prefer is to browse the iMixes that contain favorite songs – I find that if I listen to clips from a few different iMixes, I usually find one that seems to suit me well. I download the entire list and voila, I suddenly have a bunch of new favorite songs!

Save time: customize your Internet Explorer bookmarks

Published May 1, 2009 General , Personal , Productivity , Websites Leave a Comment
Tags: bookmarks, browser, internet explorer, keystrokes, toolbar

When you do many of the same tasks from day to day, it makes sense to find ways to increase efficiency. With computer-based tasks, it’s all about reducing keystrokes. That may not sound like much, but it’s surprising how these small changes can add up.

Since most of us access the Internet regularly for a variety of tasks, let’s look at how using bookmarks with your toolbar can save time. What we want to do is make your favorite sites accessible in a single click, so you don’t have to retype the address every time.

This will only take a few minutes to set up (I promise!), but it will save time every day, especially if you (like me) don’t necessarily remember the exact address for each site you regularly visit, which means you have to search for it each time.

These instructions assume you have Internet Explorer 8, which looks like this:

ie8-sample

Even if you use a different browser, you can set up bookmarks on your toolbar, but the instructions are a little different. If the tips below aren’t enough you can look up the instructions using the help feature.

So, let’s start saving time! The first step is to figure out which 5-10 sites you visit most frequently. For each one, click the “plus star” button (top left) to bookmark it so you have them saved. If the “name” is really long or confusing, take a moment to change it to something better – this is what will show up on your toolbar, so you want a name that’s short and sweet. (In other browsers you’ll generally find a bookmarking option somewhere on the menus.)

Once you’ve got your list, click the “star” button to show everything you’ve bookmarked. Drag your favorites up to the “links” folder, where you can order them any way you like. I ordered the sites based on how often I use them, left to right.

Finally, add your links list to your toolbar: look for the tools button on the top right, select toolbars from the drop-down menu, then select links from the next menu that shows up (it should be checked when you are done). You will see a new line show up at the top of your screen that lists your favorites. (In other browsers, you’ll probably find this on the View menu.)

See the toolbar added in below, just below the address bar? Now my favorite sites are all one click away.

ie8-with-toolbar2

Need more help? If you’ve never done this before, you’ll probably find a link already in the Links folder: Customize Links. This will take you to a Microsoft page that has more detailed instructions.

Lock down your computer security

Published April 28, 2009 Basics , Computers , General , Software Leave a Comment
Tags: credit cards, password, security, social security numbers

Something all business owners face from time to time is an employee who doesn’t work out. And every so often, one of these employees turns vindictive. As a tech consultant, I’ve heard stories that blow my mind, things I never thought someone would really do.

Possibly the worst – an ex-employee from an internet service provider wiped out all their email. When I say all their email, I mean ALL their email, including all their customers’ email! Not only did the company pay, they lost tons of business and had to work their tails off to make good with all the rest who stayed. No lawsuit makes up for that kind of damage.

While we like to think we work with good, trustworthy people, what if we don’t? Financial motivations in this economy are leading to a steep increase in employee data theft. What if one of our employees is angry and wants to get back at the boss? A dissatisfied employee can very quickly cause serious damage by deleting data files, corrupting your financial records, or downloading viruses to your network. A good security policy is a necessity.

Secure confidential data files by setting up password-protected directories. Take advantage of built-in software capabilities to designate specific users for any software with sensitive data (financials, social security numbers, credit cards, etc.), and limit access so they have just what’s needed to do their job. Change your firewall settings to limit Internet downloads. And most important – promptly remove security access for any employees who leave your company.

You’ll have to balance safety versus productivity. Too much security can cause administrative headaches, creating employee frustration that eventually may lead you to remove important security settings. However, it’s far better to spend a little time being proactive than to find out the hard way you should have been more careful.

Why I love my new wii fit

Published April 25, 2009 Personal Leave a Comment
Tags: balance board, ski slalom, wii fit, yoga

One week ago today I purchased a Wii Fit (and the Wii itself). Being in a techie job, the most active part of my day is walking to and from the office. The rest of the day my butt sits in a chair, no activity in sight.

As a hard-core geek, I am proud to say technology has come to my rescue – this game can really make you sweat!

The daily body test will measure your BMI and weight, and I like how it charts progress. It promptly told me I was obese, but it was so friendly and cheerful I didn’t mind. Not much, anyway.

The activities? There are plenty to choose from: yoga, strength training, aerobics, and balance games. The balance board is quite sensitive, which makes yoga an entirely different experience – seeing how your balance shifts right on the screen in front of you is a tremendous help in refining your skills. My favorite is the ski slalom, although surprisingly I love heading the balls in the soccer game.

As you collect “Wii fit credits,” the game unlocks more activities, so I don’t expect to be bored anytime soon. According to the charts, I’ve already lost 5 pounds – pretty impressive results. I’ve never found it so easy and motivating to work out, which is why I love my new Wii Fit!