Have you ever had a project "go sideways" on you? When it happens to you, it feels like you are treading water. You're working hard, but going nowhere. After building a beautiful coordinated project plan in Microsoft Project or Microsoft Excel, your dates start slipping. You can see that too much time is being wasted on unnecessary communications, but how do you take back control? Typically, the problem isn't in the upfront planning, it's in the ongoing communication and collaboration.

Follow these three steps to ensure all team members are on the same page, making progress to your mutual goal.

1. Create a collaboration site. Endless hours are wasted and bandwidth consumed from circulating documents via email. The larger the project, the worse this problem becomes. Because the document isn't centrally stored, multiple versions are created, and that's where questions and confusion pop-up.

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Protecting your wireless network
reprinted with permission from the HP Small Business Center

Why wireless security?
When you have a wireless network, you need to make sure it's kept secure. An unencrypted network presents the potential for security breaches.

Wireless technologies that provide long-range connectivity can't be contained within an office. When you use a network that's not secure, hackers could potentially "capture" the information you're sending back and forth. This means passwords, records, and more.

Isn't my network already secure?
With some older wireless technologies, like Bluetooth, access is limited by physical proximity to the corporate network. However, wireless technologies that provide long-range connectivity, such as 802.11n, can't be contained within an office space. That means anyone within range of a non-secure network can gain access.

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Print more easily, find files faster, and send email right from your desktop!

1. Print from Windows Explorer
If you need to print a document, let’s say a Microsoft Word document, there’s no need to launch Word first. Browse your hard drive for the file that you want to print, right-click its icon, and then click Print. This will automatically send the document to your printer without launching Word.

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Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 lets you create your own slide masters. A slide master is part of a template that controls how slides appear throughout your presentation. When you make changes to a slide master, they're applied universally to the presentation.

Learn more about slide masters and how to use them in this video tip.

And the
WINNER is. . . !

The WINNER of October's "Online Portal Challenge" is David Reilly! We will be sending you a $50 Visa Gift Card prize!

Don't forget, by using TS TECH's online portal and email system to create/track service tickets online, you not only receive a quick and efficient response, but you will be entered for a chance to win! Each month, we will hold a drawing of online portal users. To enter, just submit your service tickets via our Customer Portal at www.ts-tech.com.

Business
Continuity Tip

A Plan to Rely On
During a disaster, you, your family, your employees, and your neighbors will rely on each other for help. There is a shared responsibility when it comes to your level of preparedness. To be truly prepared, everyone has to work together as a team.

The Red Cross encourages three actions with their "Be Red Cross Ready" campaign: Get a Kit, Make a Plan, and Be Informed. The worst time to scramble for solutions is during an emergency. Start making personal, family, and community preparations now, so you know who to rely on.

Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is better than two doubles.

- Steve Jobs

Just for Laughs