Click on the video below for a light-hearted and fast-paced overview of Microsoft Office 365 for Education.
Contact us for more information on migrating your educational establishment over to Microsoft Office 365 for Education. T: 01335 81 80 81 or E: cloud @ dovecloud.co.uk
Google+ Author LinkEmails and Documents: anywhere, anytime, on any device. Try Microsoft’s Office 365 cloud services.
We’ve all been without our machine and needed that all important email or document, right at that critical moment in time. Frustrating, I know. If only you had access to your emails and files via a Windows Phone or iPad? Office 365 users can using Office Web Apps, plus many other time and cost saving perks. Yes, it’s secure too. Microsoft helps keep your data safe and private.
Now is the time to look at how Office 365 can streamline your business communication, making life easier, saving you time and the big one, saving your business money. The future is to move away from big costly in-house servers and move towards cloud computing. Why, you ask? Previously you would need a capital investment (CapEx) of £5,000-6,000 for a server, which would give a live expectancy of say 6 years. Compare that against cloud computing and its Office 365 – emails and documents are stored via the cloud. Giving you 24/7 access no matter where you are, and from any device. How much you ask? Forget the costly upfront investment, it’s more of an utility cost (OpEx), costing from £5.25 per licence (user), per month. So if staffing levels change, licences can be added or cancelled to suit you. Automatic patches, updates and back-end upgrades ensures that you always give your users access to the latest capabilities.
Don’t be put off by the cloud, the team at Dove Cloud are the experts and will gladly talk through how your business could benefit. Call today and we’ll arrange for a free one to one meeting.
What’s next?
Hallmark Power Limited are a renewable energy engineering company who offer a variety of renewable energy systems including wind turbines, solar PV and anaerobic digesters, as well as land rental opportunities.
Hallmark Power Ltd
They found themselves growing at a much faster rate than they had expected, with their staff going from 1 employee to 15 in less than a year. They needed to find a way for their small office and basic IT system to support all these new employees, as well as finding a way to cope with the new found rush in client demand.
They found that Microsoft Office 365 allowed them to bring together online office collaboration for email, document sharing and web conferencing.
Microsoft Office 365
They also found that DropBox cloud storage could be used to transfer large computer aided design (CAD) drawings between themselves and clients. This, plus the web conferencing feature of Office 365 allowed them to cut down travel costs and have more time to work on client projects, and allowed them to take on more clients to further grow their business.
For more information on how Dove can help your business, contact us on 0845 22 605 22 or email yjli@dovecomputers.com
Google+ Author LinkBacking up your data is becoming increasingly more important, with viruses and hacks causing people to lose valuable business documents and information, as well as irreplaceable photographs, etc. of sentimental value.
Cloud online backup
But the recent innovation in backup services have brought about off-site backup, and with it comes Cloud online backup. Cloud backup involves sending your data via a secure internet connection, at which point it is encrypted and sent to the ‘cloud’, a safe password protected place which can be accessed by login and password from anywhere with an internet connection.
It is fast and easy to use, and can also be utilised for sharing files with family and friends, clients and co-workers all over the world remotely and safely.
Mozy provide top cloud backup services
Dove Computer Solutions has teamed up with Mozy online back up providers to offer you the safest and most cost effective backup solution for your personal and professional needs.
We chose to partner up with Mozy because we know they are one of the top cloud online backup service providers. Below are just a few reasons why:
Visit DoveCloud or ring us on 0845 22 605 22 to find out more about the wide range of cloud online backup services Dove and Mozy can offer you.
Google+ Author LinkEvery business, even the big shots like Apple and Microsoft, all had to start somewhere. Dove Computer Solutions are a small company, and we understand how stressful and costly it can be when starting out, so any saving is a big saving. That’s why we have compiled a guide to help you save money without sacrificing quality where it matters, on your business software.
Every penny counts for a new business
When it comes to starting up your own business, one of the first and most vital tasks is to set up your business’s IT systems, meaning you need all the necessary software to run your business. But the cost of even the most basic software needed for any business, before you have even considered any specialist software that may be key to your field, the cost can shoot sky high.
Typically a standard business would need at least Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Microsoft Outlook (email, contact manager, calendar). Then there is the accounting software and a customer relationship management (CRM) system that can keep track of your customers, prospects and sales pipeline. This software alone would amount to over £2,000, then add on the cost of the PCs you already had to purchase to run the software on, and any installations, maintenance and upgrade costs you may incur. Looking pretty steep isn’t it?
The good news is there are plenty of cheap and in some cases free alternatives to the conventional and expensive software, ideal for avoiding some of the major costs of a business start up.
Office 365 cloud services can be a cheap alternative to Microsoft Office Software
There are various web apps, sometimes refereed to as cloud services, that are a cheap and hassle free alternative to the usual purchase of software on a CD. Rather than having to buy the CD, and run it on your PCs, Macs or business severs, etc to install it you can use applications that are delivered over the web. The product vender hosts all the applications and data on their servers meaning there is no need for software installation and maintenance, you simply access the system via your web browser, and the product’s vendor handles all the updates and backups. These systems are ideal for new start ups as they allow you to pay a monthly fee for their use, which can be cancelled at any given moment, and saves paying a large lump sum up front for software. Some of the recommended web apps are Office 365 to replace Microsoft Office (email, word processing, and spreadsheets) and KashFlow Accounting for bookkeeping.
Mozilla Firefox Web Browser is a popular open source alternative
Open source software products are those developed by a community of programmers and then offered free to the world, with the option to donate to them to aid the cause and help with the creation of updates and more open source software. There are many of these types of products that are very technical and require a high level of competence to use and get the most out of, such as Linux operating system designed as an alternative to Windows, and MySQL database application that’s a free alternative to Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server. There is also plenty of less technical free software available out there, Open Office, an alternative to Microsoft Office, which is easy to download and use, as well as the FireFox alternative web browser and Thunderbird alternative email client, which are popular offerings from the Mozilla foundation.
Dropbox is a popular 'freemium' product
Freemium products can be very useful for business start ups as they offer free basic version software with a choice to upgrade to the premium version at any time. They are worthwhile as they have no time limits, unlike free trials, and mean if you do decide to purchase the premium version if your needs grow and alter, you have already sampled the software before you buy. In many cases there is no need to ever upgrade to the premium, as the basic software covers all the needs of the business. Recommended freemium products to consider include DropBox for file back-up, access and sharing, Really Simple Systems for CRM and Skype for video calling and instant messaging.
Dove Computer Solutions offer business security from people they trust, such as Sonic Wall and MessageLabs
As your business grows and your needs start to exceed those available to you through free and cheap software, you can then look into creating a tailored made business software package at Dove Computer Solutions. If you find you need a business server, Dove Computer Solutions offer honest prices for small businesses, and can also help you find the right level security to protect your data and your client’s data at a reasonable cost that will fit easily into your new start up budget.
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