Here’s one for the geeks! Windows “God Mode”. Microsoft created a management tool which pulls together a whole load of advanced functions; called the Advanced Control Panel which contains overs 250 configuration options and tweaks to customise your system. To get it, create a new folder on your desktop and rename it to:
Advanced Control Panel.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}
The icon will change to a Control Panel style icon. Open it to access configuration options.
Please be careful with your new divine powers, we cannot be held responsible for any damage done using god mode.
How to keep in contact with the office whilst away
This week I have been out of the office, away on holiday. As with any business manager its vital for me to be able to keep an eye on things back home.
Using Office 365 has proved invaluable as I can work from anywhere with an internet connection. The hotel and most bars and cafes here have free wifi available.
I can check and respond to my emails from my smartphone, tablet with Exchange Online.
For more real-time communication, Lync Online allows me to send and receive instant messages, have free voice and video calls and screen sharing allowing me to stay in contact with the rest of the team.
If I need to access any proposals or check on any documentation, I can log into our SharePoint site. This also provides version control allowing my colleagues to track any changes I make.
All this means I can dip in and deal with any issues, giving me the peace of mind to allow me get on with enjoying my holiday.
Contact us today for your free 30 day trial of Office 365
Support for IE 8 in Office 365 ending April 2014
From 8th April 2014, Microsoft will end support for Internet Explorer 8 in Office 365.
Although Internet Explorer 8 users will not be blocked from connecting to Office 365 after 8th April, users should expect slower performance with Office 365’s Outlook Web App, SharePoint and Office Online.
For the best, richest experience with Office 365, Microsoft recommends that users upgrade to Internet Explorer 11, the latest version of Internet Explorer which offers faster web browsing, integrated spell-checking, improved security, and more.
If you experience a technical problem connecting to Office 365 from Internet Explorer 8 after the cutoff date, Microsoft Support may need you to reproduce the problem on a supported browser before investigating further.
To find out which version of Internet Explorer you are using, tap the Alt key on your keyboard, then click help -> About Internet Explorer.
For more information, you can visit the Office 365 and IE8 wiki
Download Internet Explorer 11 here
For help upgrading, contact us
Windows XP is retiring soon
Support for Windows XP and Office 2003 ends soon
On April 8, 2014, Microsoft will end support for the decade-old operating system, Windows XP.
This means that after this date, you will no longer receive updates, including security updates, for
Windows XP from Microsoft. Support for Microsoft Office 2003 also ends at the same time.
Potential business implications
The security and privacy implications of this could have significant impacts on your business, so if you’re running either of these products you should plan to take action soon.
Down time
The risks of system failure and business disruption could increase because of the end of support, lack of supported software, and the increasing age of hardware running Windows XP.
Security risk
Without critical Windows XP security updates, your PC may become vulnerable to harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software which can steal or damage your business data and information. Anti-virus software will also not be able to fully protect you once Windows XP itself is unsupported.
Software Issues
Many software and hardware vendors will no longer support their products that are running on Windows XP as they are unable to get the Windows XP and Office 2003 updates. For example, the new Office leverages the modern Windows and will not run on Windows XP.
No one to call
When problems arise, online and phone-based technical support will unfortunately no longer be available to assist you or your IT partner, leaving you on your own to deal with the problem.
Newsletter – Feb 2014
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Optimal CRM qualifies for the Microsoft Cloud Accelerate Program
Optimal CRM earns distinction through demonstrated technology success and customer commitment.
Optimal CRM is proud to announce that it has qualified as a member of the Microsoft Cloud Accelerate program by demonstrating its ability to meet Microsoft’s customers evolving needs in today’s dynamic cloud marketplace. To qualify for the Cloud Accelerate program, partners must successfully demonstrate their cloud services expertise through rigorous sales and technical assessments; and ensure the highest quality of services, Microsoft requires customer references to demonstrate successful customer implementations and satisfaction.
Optimal CRM provide cloud-based productivity solutions including Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Office 365 which incorporates Exchange for Email and shared calendars, Lync for Instant Messaging (IM) and video conferencing as well as SharePoint for file storage and collaboration to companies across the North of England.
“Joining the Cloud Accelerate demonstrates our knowledge of Microsoft’s Cloud solutions, and puts us in the top tier of Microsoft’s cloud partners” said Lead Consultant, Keith Cockerham.
“Attaining the Cloud Accelerate Badge demonstrates the partner’s ability to implement solutions that solve today’s customers’ business challenges utilizing cloud services,” said Jon Roskill, corporate vice president, Worldwide Partner Group at Microsoft Corp. “By joining the Microsoft Cloud Accelerate program, this partner has proven its understanding of Microsoft cloud technologies and is poised to drive business opportunity in today’s cloud era”
The Microsoft Partner Network helps partners strengthen their capabilities to showcase leadership in the marketplace on the latest technology, to better serve customers and, with 640,000 Microsoft partners in their ecosystem, to easily connect with one of the most active, diverse networks in the world.
Microsoft CRM and Office 365 How to Guides
Recently I have been creating a number of how-to guides for our Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Office 365 customers.
You can find them on our Optimal CRM SlideShare account
These include:
How to View Invoices in Office 365
How to change your Office 365 password
How to set up Office 365 on an iPhone
How to set your Office 365 Partner of Record
How to set up your office 365 email on a Windows Phone
More Office 365 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM guides coming soon!
How to change your password in Office 365
Go to http://portal.microsoftonline.com and log in with your details.
Click the settings cog, top right.
Click “Office 365 settings”
Click the password option
Enter your old password and confirm your new one.
Your password has now been changed!
Microsoft SkyDrive renamed to Microsoft OneDrive
Microsoft have finally announced the new name for SkyDrive. Last July, a UK judge ruled “there was a likelihood of confusion in the average consumer” between Sky’s products and Microsoft SkyDrive. Sky said 17 customers had contacted it assuming it ran the service.
At the time, Sky said it would give Microsoft “a reasonable amount of time” to rename SkyDrive. Yesterday, Microsoft announced the new name – OneDrive and OneDrive for Business.
You can read more information on the SkyDrive changes here at the Microsoft Office Blog
We also hear that Microsoft may be renaming Office Web Apps – the web versions of Microsoft’s Office Suite to Office Online. The new product names will be Word Online and Excel Online respectively.
Microsoft CRM 2011 Rollup 16 Released
Update Rollup 16 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is available. This article describes the hotfixes and updates that are included in this update rollup. We are told that this may be the last update for Microsoft CRM 2011.
Rollup 16 can either be deployed via Windows Update or manually installed. You must have a minimum of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Update Rollup 6 (build 5.0.9690.1992) installed to apply this update rollup.
We maintain a list of all rollups on our Microsoft CRM 2011 Resources page.