Every computer user must be well-versed in various office programs, including Microsoft Excel. If you only know a few basic commands, you haven’t fully mastered Excel. Here are a few features that can make your life easier.

Pie and Sunburst Charts

Everyone knows that bombarding stakeholders with endless numbers and decimal points is the wrong approach. You need to compile data and develop comprehensive pie or sunburst charts to make life easier for clients and investors.

Here’s how to create a pie chart:

1. Select your data.
2. Click on the Recommended Charts tool to see different style chart suggestions for your data.
3. Click on the Chart Styles, Chart Filters, or Chart Elements button in the upper-right corner of the chart to personalize its overall look or add chart elements, such as data labels or axis titles.

Steps to create a sunburst chart:

1. Select all your data.
2. Click Insert > Insert Hierarchy Chart > Sunburst.
3. Go to the Design and Format tabs to tailor its overall look.

Pivot Tables

Pivot Tables might be one of the most powerful yet intimidating data analysis tools in Excel’s arsenal. It allows you to summarize huge chunks of data in lists or tables without using a formula. All you need to do is to:

1. Select the data, which must only have a single-row heading without empty columns or rows.
2. Click Insert > PivotTable.
3. Under Choose the data that you want to analyze, click Select a table or range.
4. In the Table/Range box, validate the cell range.
5. Under Choose where you want the PivotTable report to be placed, click New worksheet, or Existing worksheet and enter the location where you want to place the PivotTable.

Conditional Formatting

This tool highlights essential information within your dataset. For instance, you’re presenting the latest numbers on project efficiency and you use Conditional Formatting to highlight any number lower than 80%. The highlighted data will capture the audience’s attention, allowing them to identify the bottlenecks in your projects. To customize how the data is displayed, simply:

1. Select the cell.
2. Click Home > Conditional Formatting.
3. Click Format.
4. Change your formatting preference in the Color or Font style box.

Excel is one of the most commonly used business software on the market, yet not everyone knows how to fully utilize it. If you want to learn more about other handy Excel features, give us a call today and we’ll elevate your user status from beginner to pro.

Avoiding malware and online scams takes a lot of work. You have to treat every email with suspicion, manage a long list of convoluted passwords, and avoid public WiFi networks. Ideally, you follow several other cybersecurity best practices, but many users don’t believe they’re worth the time. If you’re one of those people, here are five ways to stay safe that won’t eat up all your time.

1. Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

This tool earns the number one spot on our list because it can keep you safe even after a hacker has stolen one of your passwords. That’s because MFA requires more than one form of identification to grant access to an account.

The most common example is a temporary code that is sent to your mobile device. Only someone with both the password and access to your smartphone will be able to log in. Almost any online account provider offers this service, and some let you require additional types of verification, such as a fingerprint or facial scan.

2. Password managers

Every online account linked to your name should have a unique password with at least 12 characters that doesn’t contain facts about you (avoid anniversary dates, pet names, etc.). Hackers have tools to guess thousands of passwords per second based on your personal details, and the first thing they do after cracking a password is to try it on other accounts.

Password manager apps create random strings of characters and let you save them in an encrypted list. You only need one complex password to log into the manager, and you’ll have easy access to all your credentials. No more memorizing long phrases, or reusing passwords!

3. Software updates

Software developers and hackers are constantly searching for vulnerabilities that can be exploited. Sometimes, a developer will find one before hackers and release a proactive update to fix it. Other times, hackers find the vulnerability first and release malware to exploit it, forcing the developer to issue a reactive update as quickly as possible.

Either way, you must update all your applications as often as possible. If you are too busy, check the software settings for an automatic update option. The inconvenience of updating when you aren’t prepared to is nothing compared to the pain of a data breach.

4. Disable flash player

Adobe Flash Player is one of the most popular ways to stream media on the web, but it has such a poor security record that most experts recommend that users block the plugin on all their devices. Flash Player has been hacked thousands of times, and products from companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google regularly display reminders to turn it off. Open your web browser’s settings and look for the Plugins or Content Settings menu, then disable Adobe Flash Player.

5. HTTPS Everywhere

Just a few years ago, most websites used unencrypted connections, which meant anything you typed into a form on that site would be sent in plain text and could be intercepted with little effort. HTTPS was created to facilitate safer connections, but many sites were slow to adopt it or didn’t make it the default option.

HTTPS Everywhere is a browser extension that ensures you use an encrypted connection whenever possible and are alerted when one isn’t available on a page that requests sensitive information. It takes less than one minute and a few clicks to install it.

If you run a business with 10 or more employees, these simple tips won’t be enough to keep you safe. You’ll need a team of certified professionals that can install and manage several security solutions that work in unison. If you don’t have access to that level of expertise, our team is available to help. Give us a call today to learn more.

Cloud computing has become an indispensable component in business IT because it’s cost-effective, flexible, and secure. Thanks to hybrid cloud solutions, organizations have access to even more agile computing resources.

Hybrid clouds are a combination of private and public clouds. In the former, data and applications that require tighter controls are hosted either internally or privately in an offsite facility. Public clouds are managed externally by third-party providers with the express purpose of reducing a company’s IT infrastructure.

A recent study indicates that 75% of companies have adopted hybrid cloud solutions, mainly because of their numerous benefits. Here are the four most significant advantages of moving to a hybrid cloud environment.

Adaptability

Having the ability to choose between on-site/privately-hosted cloud servers and public ones let you pair the right IT solution with the right job. For example, you can use the private cloud to store sensitive files, while utilizing more robust computing resources from the public cloud to run resource-intensive applications.

Scalability

The hybrid cloud allows you to “scale up” or “scale down” computing resources on an as-needed basis. So if there are last-minute computing demands that your hardware can’t support, or if you’re planning for future expansion, hybrid cloud solutions allow for on-demand increases or decreases in capacity.

Cost efficiency

Does your business struggle to meet seasonal demands? With a hybrid cloud solution, you’ll be able to easily handle spikes in demand by migrating data from insufficient on-premise servers to scalable, pay-as-you-go cloud servers whenever needed, without incurring extra hardware and maintenance costs.

Security

Last but not least are the security advantages of a hybrid cloud solution. You can host sensitive data such as an e-commerce details or an HR platform within the private cloud, where it will be protected by your security systems and kept under close watch. Meanwhile, routine forms and documents can be stored in the public cloud and protected by a trusted third-party.

Here’s how SMBs can set up a hybrid cloud model based on their requirements and the providers available to them:

1. By employing one specialized cloud provider who offers comprehensive hybrid solutions
2. By integrating the services of a private cloud provider with those of a separate public cloud provider
3. By hosting a private cloud themselves and then incorporating a public cloud service into their infrastructure

Our experts can help you transition to a hybrid cloud solution without interruption and without the huge costs. Contact us today to learn more about the benefits that a hybrid cloud can bring to your business.

Technological advancements have brought us much closer to artificial intelligence (AI), such as cars that drive themselves and robots that interpret and summarize the news. AI is helping humankind in various industries, and healthcare is close to the top of that list.

Virtual personal health assistants

At the helm of the AI revolution are virtual personal health assistants. Many people already use these apps so often that they’ve forgotten how revolutionary they are. We call them by their names — Siri, Cortana, Alexa, etc. — and address them via our phones, TVs, and computers.
When applied to the healthcare industry, virtual assistants help users in various ways. You can ask medical questions or document your symptoms for upcoming appointments. You can also set reminders for health-related tasks, like a doctor’s appointment or an alarm for taking medicine.

Health coaching

Virtual health coaches are a great help to people with chronic illnesses. For example, patients struggling with obesity, diabetes, and other long-term health conditions can find encouragement and comfort in an AI coach that regularly monitors and analyzes their vital statistics. Virtual health coaches can also provide accurate dietary and medical advice based on the patients’ collected health data.

Healthcare bots

Healthcare bots are also making waves in the healthcare industry because they provide quick answers when healthcare providers are not immediately available. Bots are accessible via the internet or over the phone 24/7, and can provide immediate, affordable, and legitimate medical advice to those who need it.

Moreover, bots help healthcare providers minimize administrative and billing tasks, so they can focus more time on medical care. Bots can ask patients about their medical history, allergies, and what medical concerns they have.
With all the technological advances discussed in this article, it is apparent that AI brings innumerable benefits to patients and healthcare providers. Our team specializes in IT support for the healthcare industry. Whether you need help achieving regulatory compliance or taking advantage of the latest technology, we can help. Give us a call today to get started.