Most people are aware of the benefits that come with using a dual monitor system in their personal lives. But what about in a business setting? Believe it or not, using two monitors per desktop can actually increase productivity and efficiency in the workplace. In this blog post, we will discuss the ways in which dual monitor setups improve employee workflow and overall performance.

Efficient multitasking and enhanced productivity

If you want to be an efficient multitasker, you need to be able to see multiple windows at once. One monitor might not be enough to give you the view that you need to do this. You’d probably end up spending valuable time scrolling up and down, switching tabs, or resizing windows, trying to make everything fit in a limited amount of space.

Having two monitors gives you the ability to view multiple windows side by side, which makes it easier to compare documents, look up information on the web, and more. As a result, you get to work faster while making fewer errors.

Better image and video editing experience

With dual monitors, you can have your editing tools on one screen and the presentation, image, or video you’re working on on the other. This way, you can make changes and enhancements to the media without having to switch between windows or constantly resize them. This is especially helpful if your work tends to look like a game of Mahjong due to having too many open windows.

Easy product comparison

Having two monitors is incredibly useful for side-by-side comparisons. For example, when you’re trying to pick between two different camera models, you can have their information pages open on either screen. This way, you can easily compare the models’ specs, features, and prices without having to go back and forth between tabs.

Improved ergonomics

Having two monitors can make it easier on your neck and eyes, as you don’t need to constantly move your head closer to the screen or strain your eyes to view different windows. You can also adjust each monitor’s height and angle for better ergonomics, reducing strain on your body and allowing you to work longer and more comfortably.

Investing in dual monitors is a great place to start if you’re looking to increase productivity and efficiency in your workplace. If you’re not sure how to get started, our team can help with the upgrade process from start to finish. Contact us today for more information.

Dual monitor systems can be great investments for your small business. By using two monitors, you and your employees can increase your productivity and improve your workflow. Read on to learn more about the advantages of using dual monitors and how this setup can benefit your business.

Efficient multitasking and enhanced productivity

If you want to be an efficient multitasker, you need to be able to see multiple windows at once. One monitor might not be enough to give you the view that you need to do this. You’d probably end up spending valuable time scrolling up and down, switching tabs, or resizing windows, trying to make everything fit in a limited amount of space.

Having two monitors gives you the ability to view multiple windows side by side, which makes it easier to compare documents, look up information on the web, and more. As a result, you get to work faster while making fewer errors.

Better image and video editing experience

With dual monitors, you can have your editing tools on one screen and the presentation, image, or video you’re working on on the other. This way, you can make changes and enhancements to the media without having to switch between windows or constantly resize them. This is especially helpful if your work tends to look like a game of Mahjong due to having too many open windows.

Easy product comparison

Having two monitors is incredibly useful for side-by-side comparisons. For example, when you’re trying to pick between two different camera models, you can have their information pages open on either screen. This way, you can easily compare the models’ specs, features, and prices without having to go back and forth between tabs.

Improved ergonomics

Having two monitors can make it easier on your neck and eyes, as you don’t need to constantly move your head closer to the screen or strain your eyes to view different windows. You can also adjust each monitor’s height and angle for better ergonomics, reducing strain on your body and allowing you to work longer and more comfortably.

Investing in dual monitors is a great place to start if you’re looking to increase productivity and efficiency in your workplace. If you’re not sure how to get started, our team can help with the upgrade process from start to finish. Contact us today for more information.

Today’s hybrid workplace poses many challenges, including maintaining employee productivity, streamlining communications, and facilitating collaboration. The good news is that Microsoft 365’s dynamic new features can help organizations overcome these problems. Let’s take a look at the productivity suite’s most promising upgrades, which make it better poised to support hybrid work than ever.

Excel Live

Last year, Microsoft introduced PowerPoint Live, a feature that allowed participants in a Microsoft Meeting to actively interact with presentations in real time. This year, Microsoft applies the same idea to the Excel app, giving us Excel Live.

To access Excel Live, simply select the Share tray in Teams, scroll down to Excel Live, and select the Excel workbook you’d like to share with the meeting participants. Whether you’re working on a sales report or analyzing financial data, your team can process data in real-time and jump right in to edit a workbook without switching between apps and leaving the meeting screen.

Microsoft Viva

Microsoft Viva is an employee experience platform that fosters connection, growth, purpose, and insight. It is included in the Microsoft 365 subscription, but can also be purchased separately at $9.00 per user per month.

Viva in Microsoft 365 offers two key services, Viva Connections and Viva Engage.

Viva Connections

Viva Connections provides employees with timely news, relevant conversations, and other resources all in one place. Not only does it offer a personalized and branded employee experience, but it also appears in the apps that employees use every day, like Microsoft Teams. 

By connecting everyone in the company, Viva Connections unites employees around the organization’s vision and mission and top priorities. Viva Connections can also be deployed with minimal effort, as it builds on Microsoft 365’s existing capabilities, like Yammer and SharePoint.

Viva Engage

Viva Engage bonds people throughout the company regardless of location or time. By using the Viva Engage app in Teams, organizations can strengthen community ties, leadership engagement, and knowledge sharing while employees build their own professional networks.

Viva Engage can also serve as the platform where employees connect with mentors and colleagues, brainstorm or crowdsource ideas, highlight their experience, and find belongingness in various communities at work.

Teams Connect Shared Channels

With this feature, you can work together with people both in and out of your organization in one central space. It pushes the boundaries of what’s possible when it comes to collaboration, as it enables everyone to communicate, meet, share files and ideas, and create apps together regardless of location and which company they work for.

To start collaborating with users from an external Microsoft 365 organization, you’ll need to set up B2B direct connect. Note that you need to configure this setting for every company you wish to communicate with. Another way to connect with all external organizations is to enable shared channels with them.

Microsoft Digital Contact Center Platform

The Microsoft Digital Contact Center Platform is a modern contact center solution that helps service teams engage customers through voice, video, and other digital channels. It is powered by trusted Microsoft services, such as Teams, Dynamics 365, Microsoft Power Platform, and Azure, taking engagement to the next level.

In addition, Nuance’s conversational AI and automation bring faster issue resolution times and more personalized service to the contact center. Nuance can also help safeguard customer experiences by streamlining contact center security with integrated biometric authentication and fraud prevention.

These are just some of the many new features in Microsoft 365 that cater to hybrid workers To get the latest updates on this topic, drop us a line. Our experts are always ready to help.

Hybrid work is quickly becoming the norm, and Microsoft has responded to this shift by improving Microsoft 365 to address the challenges that come with the hybrid work setup. Specifically, Microsoft has added tools and features that allow hybrid workers to be more efficient and collaborative. If you’re implementing hybrid work, here are some Microsoft 365 updates you should be excited about.

Excel Live

Last year, Microsoft introduced PowerPoint Live, a feature that allowed participants in a Microsoft Meeting to actively interact with presentations in real time. This year, Microsoft applies the same idea to the Excel app, giving us Excel Live.

To access Excel Live, simply select the Share tray in Teams, scroll down to Excel Live, and select the Excel workbook you’d like to share with the meeting participants. Whether you’re working on a sales report or analyzing financial data, your team can process data in real-time and jump right in to edit a workbook without switching between apps and leaving the meeting screen.

Microsoft Viva

Microsoft Viva is an employee experience platform that fosters connection, growth, purpose, and insight. It is included in the Microsoft 365 subscription, but can also be purchased separately at $9.00 per user per month.

Viva in Microsoft 365 offers two key services, Viva Connections and Viva Engage.

Viva Connections

Viva Connections provides employees with timely news, relevant conversations, and other resources all in one place. Not only does it offer a personalized and branded employee experience, but it also appears in the apps that employees use every day, like Microsoft Teams. 

By connecting everyone in the company, Viva Connections unites employees around the organization’s vision and mission and top priorities. Viva Connections can also be deployed with minimal effort, as it builds on Microsoft 365’s existing capabilities, like Yammer and SharePoint.

Viva Engage

Viva Engage bonds people throughout the company regardless of location or time. By using the Viva Engage app in Teams, organizations can strengthen community ties, leadership engagement, and knowledge sharing while employees build their own professional networks.

Viva Engage can also serve as the platform where employees connect with mentors and colleagues, brainstorm or crowdsource ideas, highlight their experience, and find belongingness in various communities at work.

Teams Connect Shared Channels

With this feature, you can work together with people both in and out of your organization in one central space. It pushes the boundaries of what’s possible when it comes to collaboration, as it enables everyone to communicate, meet, share files and ideas, and create apps together regardless of location and which company they work for.

To start collaborating with users from an external Microsoft 365 organization, you’ll need to set up B2B direct connect. Note that you need to configure this setting for every company you wish to communicate with. Another way to connect with all external organizations is to enable shared channels with them.

Microsoft Digital Contact Center Platform

The Microsoft Digital Contact Center Platform is a modern contact center solution that helps service teams engage customers through voice, video, and other digital channels. It is powered by trusted Microsoft services, such as Teams, Dynamics 365, Microsoft Power Platform, and Azure, taking engagement to the next level.

In addition, Nuance’s conversational AI and automation bring faster issue resolution times and more personalized service to the contact center. Nuance can also help safeguard customer experiences by streamlining contact center security with integrated biometric authentication and fraud prevention.

These are just some of the many new features in Microsoft 365 that cater to hybrid workers To get the latest updates on this topic, drop us a line. Our experts are always ready to help.

Microsoft constantly innovates its products according to the changing times. In fact, it has added new and improved features to Microsoft 365, enabling the productivity suite to better support hybrid work. From creating collaborative experiences to improving efficiency, here’s a quick guide on the latest in Microsoft 365 for hybrid workers.

Excel Live

Last year, Microsoft introduced PowerPoint Live, a feature that allowed participants in a Microsoft Meeting to actively interact with presentations in real time. This year, Microsoft applies the same idea to the Excel app, giving us Excel Live.

To access Excel Live, simply select the Share tray in Teams, scroll down to Excel Live, and select the Excel workbook you’d like to share with the meeting participants. Whether you’re working on a sales report or analyzing financial data, your team can process data in real-time and jump right in to edit a workbook without switching between apps and leaving the meeting screen.

Microsoft Viva

Microsoft Viva is an employee experience platform that fosters connection, growth, purpose, and insight. It is included in the Microsoft 365 subscription, but can also be purchased separately at $9.00 per user per month.

Viva in Microsoft 365 offers two key services, Viva Connections and Viva Engage.

Viva Connections

Viva Connections provides employees with timely news, relevant conversations, and other resources all in one place. Not only does it offer a personalized and branded employee experience, but it also appears in the apps that employees use every day, like Microsoft Teams. 

By connecting everyone in the company, Viva Connections unites employees around the organization’s vision and mission and top priorities. Viva Connections can also be deployed with minimal effort, as it builds on Microsoft 365’s existing capabilities, like Yammer and SharePoint.

Viva Engage

Viva Engage bonds people throughout the company regardless of location or time. By using the Viva Engage app in Teams, organizations can strengthen community ties, leadership engagement, and knowledge sharing while employees build their own professional networks.

Viva Engage can also serve as the platform where employees connect with mentors and colleagues, brainstorm or crowdsource ideas, highlight their experience, and find belongingness in various communities at work.

Teams Connect Shared Channels

With this feature, you can work together with people both in and out of your organization in one central space. It pushes the boundaries of what’s possible when it comes to collaboration, as it enables everyone to communicate, meet, share files and ideas, and create apps together regardless of location and which company they work for.

To start collaborating with users from an external Microsoft 365 organization, you’ll need to set up B2B direct connect. Note that you need to configure this setting for every company you wish to communicate with. Another way to connect with all external organizations is to enable shared channels with them.

Microsoft Digital Contact Center Platform

The Microsoft Digital Contact Center Platform is a modern contact center solution that helps service teams engage customers through voice, video, and other digital channels. It is powered by trusted Microsoft services, such as Teams, Dynamics 365, Microsoft Power Platform, and Azure, taking engagement to the next level.

In addition, Nuance’s conversational AI and automation bring faster issue resolution times and more personalized service to the contact center. Nuance can also help safeguard customer experiences by streamlining contact center security with integrated biometric authentication and fraud prevention.

These are just some of the many new features in Microsoft 365 that cater to hybrid workers To get the latest updates on this topic, drop us a line. Our experts are always ready to help.

Microsoft 365 is chock-full of features that can help businesses stay organized and connected. One of these is the ability to share calendars with co-workers. In this blog post, we will walk you through the steps in sharing calendars using Microsoft 365.

What is Outlook?

Outlook is a personal information manager from Microsoft, available as part of the Microsoft 365 suite. Aside from managing multiple email accounts, Outlook also allows users to quickly access calendar and task features. Users can also customize their view of Outlook through several ways, including the use of add-ons and plugins that improve productivity. Overall, Outlook is a powerful tool that can help individuals and organizations stay on top of their communications.

Use Outlook on the web

Outlook on the web is a free, web-based version of Microsoft Outlook that includes many of the same features as the desktop version. You can use Outlook on the web to access your email, calendar, contacts, and tasks from any computer with an internet connection.

Additionally, you can connect your Microsoft 365 or another email service based on Microsoft Exchange Online to Outlook. Through this integration, you can then easily share your calendar by following these steps:

1. To access the Calendar, click on the calendar icon at the bottom of the page.
2. Go to the Calendar page and find the toolbar at the top of your screen. Click on Share and then select which calendar you want to share with others. Remember that you can only share calendars that you own.
3. Enter the email address or name of who you’d like to share your calendar with.
4. To secure your calendar, determine the permission levels of your recipients. These options include:
   • Can view when I’m busy ⁠– allows users to view only certain details of your calendar when you’re busy
   • Can view titles and locations ⁠– shows users when you’re not available, including additional details such as the event’s title or location
   • Can view all details ⁠– lets users see all details about an event in your calendar
   • Can edit ⁠– enables permitted users to modify details in your calendar
   • Delegate ⁠– authorizes users to edit your calendar and share it with others
5. The final step is to click on Share. You can cancel sharing your calendar by clicking on the Trash icon.

Another method of sharing your calendar is by publishing it and sending the URL to others. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Go to Settings, then View all Outlook settings in Calendar.
2. Click on Shared calendars.
3. After you select Publish a calendar, choose which calendar to make public and how much information recipients will be able to see.
4. Once you’ve set the permission levels, you can click Publish.
5. Next, choose between an HTML or an ICS link. The HTML link allows recipients to view your calendar through a browser like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Meanwhile, users can use an ICS link to import your shared calendar and view it on their own Outlook calendar.

Share via Outlook.com

Just like Outlook on the web, Outlook.com allows you to share your calendar directly or publish it. The methods for sharing on these two platforms are similar, with the exception that you have just two choices for how recipients may utilize your calendar: Can view all details and Can edit.

Here’s how you can publish your calendar on Outlook.com:

1. Open the Calendar view by clicking on the calendar icon.
2. Go to the Settings menu and choose View all Outlook settings.
3. Go to Calendar and choose Shared calendars.
4. In “Publish a calendar,” choose the Calendar you want to publish and how much information it will show.
5. Once you’re done, click on Publish and share your calendar either through an HTML or ICS link.

Easy access through Outlook on iOS and Android

If you’re on the go or don’t have access to your desktop, you can still share your calendar via Outlook’s mobile app by following these steps:

1. On your Outlook app, select Calendar from the hamburger menu at the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Go to Share then, under Add People, select the recipients you’d like to invite by inputting their names or email addresses.
3. Next, go to the top-right corner of the app and tap on the Check button.
4. To edit the permission level of a certain user, you can tap their name on the list of recipients. Like with Outlook on the web, you can choose the permission options such as “Only When I’m Busy,” “Only Titles and Locations,” “All Details,” “Can View,” “Can Edit,” and “Delegate.”
5. If you want to remove a user from your recipients, go to the bottom of the page and tap on Remove.
6. After you’ve set permissions, tap on the Check button at the top-right corner of the page to share your calendar with your selected users.

There’s no doubt that Microsoft 365 offers a variety of tools that help you stay organized. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of Microsoft 365, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our IT experts will be glad to help.

Microsoft 365 offers a convenient way to share calendars. In this guide, we will walk you through how you can quickly and easily do so to let others — even those without a Microsoft 365 account — view your calendar.

What is Outlook?

Outlook is a personal information manager from Microsoft, available as part of the Microsoft 365 suite. Aside from managing multiple email accounts, Outlook also allows users to quickly access calendar and task features. Users can also customize their view of Outlook through several ways, including the use of add-ons and plugins that improve productivity. Overall, Outlook is a powerful tool that can help individuals and organizations stay on top of their communications.

Use Outlook on the web

Outlook on the web is a free, web-based version of Microsoft Outlook that includes many of the same features as the desktop version. You can use Outlook on the web to access your email, calendar, contacts, and tasks from any computer with an internet connection.

Additionally, you can connect your Microsoft 365 or another email service based on Microsoft Exchange Online to Outlook. Through this integration, you can then easily share your calendar by following these steps:

1. To access the Calendar, click on the calendar icon at the bottom of the page.
2. Go to the Calendar page and find the toolbar at the top of your screen. Click on Share and then select which calendar you want to share with others. Remember that you can only share calendars that you own.
3. Enter the email address or name of who you’d like to share your calendar with.
4. To secure your calendar, determine the permission levels of your recipients. These options include:
   • Can view when I’m busy ⁠– allows users to view only certain details of your calendar when you’re busy
   • Can view titles and locations ⁠– shows users when you’re not available, including additional details such as the event’s title or location
   • Can view all details ⁠– lets users see all details about an event in your calendar
   • Can edit ⁠– enables permitted users to modify details in your calendar
   • Delegate ⁠– authorizes users to edit your calendar and share it with others
5. The final step is to click on Share. You can cancel sharing your calendar by clicking on the Trash icon.

Another method of sharing your calendar is by publishing it and sending the URL to others. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Go to Settings, then View all Outlook settings in Calendar.
2. Click on Shared calendars.
3. After you select Publish a calendar, choose which calendar to make public and how much information recipients will be able to see.
4. Once you’ve set the permission levels, you can click Publish.
5. Next, choose between an HTML or an ICS link. The HTML link allows recipients to view your calendar through a browser like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Meanwhile, users can use an ICS link to import your shared calendar and view it on their own Outlook calendar.

Share via Outlook.com

Just like Outlook on the web, Outlook.com allows you to share your calendar directly or publish it. The methods for sharing on these two platforms are similar, with the exception that you have just two choices for how recipients may utilize your calendar: Can view all details and Can edit.

Here’s how you can publish your calendar on Outlook.com:

1. Open the Calendar view by clicking on the calendar icon.
2. Go to the Settings menu and choose View all Outlook settings.
3. Go to Calendar and choose Shared calendars.
4. In “Publish a calendar,” choose the Calendar you want to publish and how much information it will show.
5. Once you’re done, click on Publish and share your calendar either through an HTML or ICS link.

Easy access through Outlook on iOS and Android

If you’re on the go or don’t have access to your desktop, you can still share your calendar via Outlook’s mobile app by following these steps:

1. On your Outlook app, select Calendar from the hamburger menu at the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Go to Share then, under Add People, select the recipients you’d like to invite by inputting their names or email addresses.
3. Next, go to the top-right corner of the app and tap on the Check button.
4. To edit the permission level of a certain user, you can tap their name on the list of recipients. Like with Outlook on the web, you can choose the permission options such as “Only When I’m Busy,” “Only Titles and Locations,” “All Details,” “Can View,” “Can Edit,” and “Delegate.”
5. If you want to remove a user from your recipients, go to the bottom of the page and tap on Remove.
6. After you’ve set permissions, tap on the Check button at the top-right corner of the page to share your calendar with your selected users.

There’s no doubt that Microsoft 365 offers a variety of tools that help you stay organized. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of Microsoft 365, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our IT experts will be glad to help.

Microsoft 365 has made it easier than ever to share calendars. With these few simple steps, you can efficiently and securely share your calendar with co-workers, family members, or anyone else you choose.

What is Outlook?

Outlook is a personal information manager from Microsoft, available as part of the Microsoft 365 suite. Aside from managing multiple email accounts, Outlook also allows users to quickly access calendar and task features. Users can also customize their view of Outlook through several ways, including the use of add-ons and plugins that improve productivity. Overall, Outlook is a powerful tool that can help individuals and organizations stay on top of their communications.

Use Outlook on the web

Outlook on the web is a free, web-based version of Microsoft Outlook that includes many of the same features as the desktop version. You can use Outlook on the web to access your email, calendar, contacts, and tasks from any computer with an internet connection.

Additionally, you can connect your Microsoft 365 or another email service based on Microsoft Exchange Online to Outlook. Through this integration, you can then easily share your calendar by following these steps:

1. To access the Calendar, click on the calendar icon at the bottom of the page.
2. Go to the Calendar page and find the toolbar at the top of your screen. Click on Share and then select which calendar you want to share with others. Remember that you can only share calendars that you own.
3. Enter the email address or name of who you’d like to share your calendar with.
4. To secure your calendar, determine the permission levels of your recipients. These options include:
   • Can view when I’m busy ⁠– allows users to view only certain details of your calendar when you’re busy
   • Can view titles and locations ⁠– shows users when you’re not available, including additional details such as the event’s title or location
   • Can view all details ⁠– lets users see all details about an event in your calendar
   • Can edit ⁠– enables permitted users to modify details in your calendar
   • Delegate ⁠– authorizes users to edit your calendar and share it with others
5. The final step is to click on Share. You can cancel sharing your calendar by clicking on the Trash icon.

Another method of sharing your calendar is by publishing it and sending the URL to others. Here’s how you can do this:

1. Go to Settings, then View all Outlook settings in Calendar.
2. Click on Shared calendars.
3. After you select Publish a calendar, choose which calendar to make public and how much information recipients will be able to see.
4. Once you’ve set the permission levels, you can click Publish.
5. Next, choose between an HTML or an ICS link. The HTML link allows recipients to view your calendar through a browser like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Meanwhile, users can use an ICS link to import your shared calendar and view it on their own Outlook calendar.

Share via Outlook.com

Just like Outlook on the web, Outlook.com allows you to share your calendar directly or publish it. The methods for sharing on these two platforms are similar, with the exception that you have just two choices for how recipients may utilize your calendar: Can view all details and Can edit.

Here’s how you can publish your calendar on Outlook.com:

1. Open the Calendar view by clicking on the calendar icon.
2. Go to the Settings menu and choose View all Outlook settings.
3. Go to Calendar and choose Shared calendars.
4. In “Publish a calendar,” choose the Calendar you want to publish and how much information it will show.
5. Once you’re done, click on Publish and share your calendar either through an HTML or ICS link.

Easy access through Outlook on iOS and Android

If you’re on the go or don’t have access to your desktop, you can still share your calendar via Outlook’s mobile app by following these steps:

1. On your Outlook app, select Calendar from the hamburger menu at the top-left corner of the screen.
2. Go to Share then, under Add People, select the recipients you’d like to invite by inputting their names or email addresses.
3. Next, go to the top-right corner of the app and tap on the Check button.
4. To edit the permission level of a certain user, you can tap their name on the list of recipients. Like with Outlook on the web, you can choose the permission options such as “Only When I’m Busy,” “Only Titles and Locations,” “All Details,” “Can View,” “Can Edit,” and “Delegate.”
5. If you want to remove a user from your recipients, go to the bottom of the page and tap on Remove.
6. After you’ve set permissions, tap on the Check button at the top-right corner of the page to share your calendar with your selected users.

There’s no doubt that Microsoft 365 offers a variety of tools that help you stay organized. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of Microsoft 365, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our IT experts will be glad to help.

Meetings are essential to helping teams, especially remote or hybrid ones, stay in touch. But too many meetings can become unproductive, as shared information and action items get buried underneath all the other stuff workers have to do. Productivity platform Loopin wants to help by integrating with work apps and gathering information from across multiple meetings, making it easy to find and share. The Washington State-based startup announced it is launching out of stealth mode today after eight months, during which it worked with 450 companies in the United States.

The startup, backed by Venture Highway and angel investors, was founded in April 2021 by college friends Anurag Varma, Parth Pareek and Mehul Dudi. Before Loopin, Varma was a product lead at Venture Highway at Upgrad, Pareek was a product lead at Samsung and Dudi worked as an engineering manager at Freshworks.

The startup came about because the three realized their meeting hours had increased at the start of the pandemic, but felt the meetings became less productive. They had trouble keeping on top of what decisions and updates had been made in different meetings and action items that needed to be done.

During a call, the founders went down a “rabbit home of discussing unproductive meetings and how our work is scattered in the number of apps we use at work,” said Varma. “This ultimately led us to think what if we had a super-app that could pull information from all the apps and provide us the context we needed at the right time—the stuff to discuss in meetings, pending tasks that need action, or follow-ups with other team members. This would massively ease the cognitive overload and free up our bandwidth on low leverage tasks.”

Loopin founders Parth Pareek, Anurag Varma and Mehul Dudi

Varma added that on average, an organization uses more than 250 apps, with each teams using about 40 to 60, leading to information fragmentation. For example, the lifecycle of a meeting typically starts with a calendar invite that may have an agenda from another app. During meetings, team members use various note-taking apps to write down takeaways and next steps, then share those over email and Slack and create tasks in a project management apps. This means that before the next meeting, each person has to refer to multiple apps to prepare and check the status of different tasks.

“In short, the knowledge you created is disconnected from the meeting,” Varma said. “Which leads to loss of context and unproductive, duplicative discussions.”

To fix these issues, Loopin integrates with Slack, Zoom, GMeet, Gmail, Notion, Asana, Trello, Jira and other work apps. Its features include a meeting management component that records and shares meeting outcomes with attendees.

Notes are organized by meetings and previous discussions are resurfaced in future meetings, making sure important tasks don’t get lost. Meanwhile, Loopin’s tasks feature helps each person track their action items by adding tasks to their calendar. If workers are wondering how they spend their time, they can look at Loopin’s calendar analytics. This means all participants are up-to-date before the next meeting, saving the whole team time.

As examples of what Loopin can do, Varma gave a few case studies. For example, a design agency uses Loopin to to track customer calls and share next steps internally at the end of each meeting. The platform tags tasks to meetings, so designers have easy access to their context without having to each for it.

A mentor for a startup accelerator uses Loopin to document coaching sessions, which are mostly ad hoc, so Loopin helps by linking back to previous calls and surfacing past conversations and action items. Meanwhile, the marketing team of an e-commerce company uses Loopin to do asynchronous updates, which meant they could eliminate their status update meetings.

Varma said Loopin’s target customer are founders, senior executives and managers in cross-functional roles who spend a lot of time in meetings, plus knowledge workers in general. The startup is currently pre-revenue. Its early beta users will be free for the next six months, then Loopin will operate on a freemium model starting in the second quarter of 2023. Loopin’s team is currently working on APIs so its users can build their own integrations.

Productivity platform Loopin helps work teams wrangle meetings by Catherine Shu originally published on TechCrunch

When it comes to choosing the right work device policy for your business, you will likely come across two options: bring your own device (BYOD) and choose your own device (CYOD). Both of these solutions have their own unique benefits, but which one is right for your business? Let’s take a closer look at both BYOD and CYOD.

What is BYOD?

With BYOD, employees use their own devices, such as smartphones and laptops, to connect to the company network, access business data and applications, and perform work-related tasks. Since staff members are already familiar with these devices, your employees can get right to work, which leads to higher efficiency and better employee experience.

BYOD also gives employees greater flexibility and increased mobility, enabling them to work anywhere, anytime. They don’t have to be chained to a desk in order to do their tasks. Instead, they can use their smartphones to check emails or their laptops to edit documents even when they’re on the go.

Your business stands to gain a lot from BYOD as well. Aside from enjoying enhanced employee productivity, you don’t have to buy new equipment and spend on maintenance and upgrades. The money you save can be invested in other things that further improve your bottom line.

However, there are a few risks to consider before implementing a BYOD policy in your workplace. First, there is the potential for data breaches. If an employee’s device is lost or stolen, sensitive company information could be at risk. Additionally, BYOD policies can lead to increased support costs, as employees may need help troubleshooting issues with their personal devices.

If you’re considering adopting BYOD, you must implement a BYOD security policy to ensure that your company’s assets are well protected. This policy should outline key elements such as:

• Access rights ‒ What are the apps and data that employees can access from their personal devices?
• Security requirements – What security measures must an employee’s device have to be deemed fit to be used for work?
• Mobile device management (MDM) solution – What MDM solution must your IT team use to remotely wipe company data from lost or stolen devices?

What is CYOD?

CYOD allows users to choose from a list of devices provided by the company. In this regard, CYOD is similar to BYOD — it gives employees freedom of choice. While not everyone may like the selection of available devices, they may appreciate having a say regarding what computer or mobile device they’ll be using for work. You can also offer employees the option to purchase the device from the company, paying in installments or upfront.

For businesses, the biggest advantage of CYOD is security. You can equip devices with security features to ensure that sensitive data is properly protected. However, since you own the devices, the responsibility of spending on security and optimization will fall on you. This may not be ideal for small businesses or those with a limited budget.

Which policy should your company adopt?

Ultimately, the choice between BYOD and CYOD boils down to what your business needs. If you’re operating on a tight budget, a BYOD policy is the right option for you. On the other hand, CYOD is perfect if you want to ensure the security of your data and other company assets.

Whichever policy you choose, it is essential to carefully consider the implications before making a decision. Call us today and our IT experts will be happy to guide you.

When it comes to what IT equipment your staff uses, you can implement one of two policies, namely bring your own device (BYOD) and choose your own device (CYOD). Let’s explore the pros and cons of both BYOD and CYOD, so you can make an informed decision about which option best fits your business needs.

What is BYOD?

With BYOD, employees use their own devices, such as smartphones and laptops, to connect to the company network, access business data and applications, and perform work-related tasks. Since staff members are already familiar with these devices, your employees can get right to work, which leads to higher efficiency and better employee experience.

BYOD also gives employees greater flexibility and increased mobility, enabling them to work anywhere, anytime. They don’t have to be chained to a desk in order to do their tasks. Instead, they can use their smartphones to check emails or their laptops to edit documents even when they’re on the go.

Your business stands to gain a lot from BYOD as well. Aside from enjoying enhanced employee productivity, you don’t have to buy new equipment and spend on maintenance and upgrades. The money you save can be invested in other things that further improve your bottom line.

However, there are a few risks to consider before implementing a BYOD policy in your workplace. First, there is the potential for data breaches. If an employee’s device is lost or stolen, sensitive company information could be at risk. Additionally, BYOD policies can lead to increased support costs, as employees may need help troubleshooting issues with their personal devices.

If you’re considering adopting BYOD, you must implement a BYOD security policy to ensure that your company’s assets are well protected. This policy should outline key elements such as:

• Access rights ‒ What are the apps and data that employees can access from their personal devices?
• Security requirements – What security measures must an employee’s device have to be deemed fit to be used for work?
• Mobile device management (MDM) solution – What MDM solution must your IT team use to remotely wipe company data from lost or stolen devices?

What is CYOD?

CYOD allows users to choose from a list of devices provided by the company. In this regard, CYOD is similar to BYOD — it gives employees freedom of choice. While not everyone may like the selection of available devices, they may appreciate having a say regarding what computer or mobile device they’ll be using for work. You can also offer employees the option to purchase the device from the company, paying in installments or upfront.

For businesses, the biggest advantage of CYOD is security. You can equip devices with security features to ensure that sensitive data is properly protected. However, since you own the devices, the responsibility of spending on security and optimization will fall on you. This may not be ideal for small businesses or those with a limited budget.

Which policy should your company adopt?

Ultimately, the choice between BYOD and CYOD boils down to what your business needs. If you’re operating on a tight budget, a BYOD policy is the right option for you. On the other hand, CYOD is perfect if you want to ensure the security of your data and other company assets.

Whichever policy you choose, it is essential to carefully consider the implications before making a decision. Call us today and our IT experts will be happy to guide you.

Bring your own device (BYOD) and choose your own device (CYOD) have become popular options in the workplace. But what do these terms mean, and which one is right for your business? In this blog post, we will define both of these options and explain their benefits.

What is BYOD?

With BYOD, employees use their own devices, such as smartphones and laptops, to connect to the company network, access business data and applications, and perform work-related tasks. Since staff members are already familiar with these devices, your employees can get right to work, which leads to higher efficiency and better employee experience.

BYOD also gives employees greater flexibility and increased mobility, enabling them to work anywhere, anytime. They don’t have to be chained to a desk in order to do their tasks. Instead, they can use their smartphones to check emails or their laptops to edit documents even when they’re on the go.

Your business stands to gain a lot from BYOD as well. Aside from enjoying enhanced employee productivity, you don’t have to buy new equipment and spend on maintenance and upgrades. The money you save can be invested in other things that further improve your bottom line.

However, there are a few risks to consider before implementing a BYOD policy in your workplace. First, there is the potential for data breaches. If an employee’s device is lost or stolen, sensitive company information could be at risk. Additionally, BYOD policies can lead to increased support costs, as employees may need help troubleshooting issues with their personal devices.

If you’re considering adopting BYOD, you must implement a BYOD security policy to ensure that your company’s assets are well protected. This policy should outline key elements such as:

• Access rights ‒ What are the apps and data that employees can access from their personal devices?
• Security requirements – What security measures must an employee’s device have to be deemed fit to be used for work?
• Mobile device management (MDM) solution – What MDM solution must your IT team use to remotely wipe company data from lost or stolen devices?

What is CYOD?

CYOD allows users to choose from a list of devices provided by the company. In this regard, CYOD is similar to BYOD — it gives employees freedom of choice. While not everyone may like the selection of available devices, they may appreciate having a say regarding what computer or mobile device they’ll be using for work. You can also offer employees the option to purchase the device from the company, paying in installments or upfront.

For businesses, the biggest advantage of CYOD is security. You can equip devices with security features to ensure that sensitive data is properly protected. However, since you own the devices, the responsibility of spending on security and optimization will fall on you. This may not be ideal for small businesses or those with a limited budget.

Which policy should your company adopt?

Ultimately, the choice between BYOD and CYOD boils down to what your business needs. If you’re operating on a tight budget, a BYOD policy is the right option for you. On the other hand, CYOD is perfect if you want to ensure the security of your data and other company assets.

Whichever policy you choose, it is essential to carefully consider the implications before making a decision. Call us today and our IT experts will be happy to guide you.