Cyber Corner by Keno Ogbo

Conquering paper mountain

If I came into your church office and asked how many sheets of paper do you have lying around, would you know? I bet the answer would be No, but think about it. The amount of letters we receive is increasing daily – from bills, to reminders, to junk mail, and then letters from various providers, from partners, from church members; or, if you own a business, letters and paperwork relating to clients and suppliers.

Even the Inland Revenue contributes to a massive file of paperwork in my office. So how do we deal with our paperwork and yet save time? This is the issue several online tools are trying to solve, and the tool leading the way for most people is ‘Evernote’.

Evernote is a software application that could help you control and maximise the use of information effectively. Its easy-to-use interface provides you with a structured method of organising your paperwork in ‘Notebooks’.

Think of Evernote as a filing cabinet and Notebooks as a file folder. Create a folder Notebook for each aspect of your paperwork; for example, Bills, Inland Revenue, Sermons, Departments, etc.

You can then create notes within each Notebook and these could be: relevant website clippings, scanned documents, emails, photographs, voice memos, file attachments, to-do lists and more. Each piece of information can be edited, searched and tagged, so you can easily find the information you want, when you want it.

You can also share your Evernote account with your team, making this a collaboration tool to ensure your office is truly virtual. Team members can work remotely – even from another country – as Evernote can be accessed through your Internet browser or downloaded as software on your computer.  Each time you save a note, it is automatically synced to your Evernote account, which means that all your compatible devices are updated.

Time saving, connectivity and optimisation are three important factors for running an efficient business. We all know how fast the world works, and the speed at which we receive information. Rather than simplify our lives, we now have more complicated days at work, filled with demands from emails, social media and other communication channels.

Evernote’s benefit is its effectiveness in helping you to organise your notes and keep your information in one place: your workspace.

Evernote is suitable for writers, pastors, businesses, entrepreneurs, teachers . . . anyone who receives loads of information and needs to be keep it handy.  It is a useful tool for growing companies that would like to share information between employees, but are not yet able to invest in an intranet system.

Technical considerations:

• You can access Evernote from your web browser
• Download the Evernote application to your desktop
• Download the Evernote app to your mobile device
• Evernote is compatible with most operating system platforms

The free version offers up to 60MB of storage per month, with up to 250 Notebooks and 100,000 notes. Note that it is a pretty large install, and pay attention to the terms and conditions, as they reserve the right to use or modify your data.

 

Must-have technology for small businesses

It is an accepted fact that IT is a key driver for business growth. Small businesses especially have to start thinking about what technology they use, and how to keep that technology relevant. Top areas for investment are:

Website improvements

Most small businesses have a website, but when was the last time you improved yours, or reviewed the effectiveness of your website in bringing you business? It is extremely important that your website shows your business in the best possible light.

Software for business

Have you thought about the specific software that aids effective working in your industry sector?

Backups

An area of investment every small business must invest in is a backup solution, whether a physical hard drive or a cloud solution. It is vital that your business data is backed up.

My Choice App

If you are an avid student of the Bible, you might want to download Accordance, an app that will enhance your study of Scripture. It will give you access to concordances, commentaries, and enable you to view Greek and Hebrew versions of the Bible. It also features photographs of countries mentioned in the Bible, as well as objects people in Bible times would have utilised.