Are You Using Office Suites and Document Sharing to Increase Efficiency in the Workplace?
Ever since Microsoft introduced the Microsoft Office suite in 1990, with Apple joining with their iWork suite in 2005, individuals and businesses alike have been using it to enhance their productivity. This includes word processing, creating presentations, and implementing function-driven tables of data, to name a few. As networking has expanded, the ability to share documents has grown from email and file transfers to the ability to simultaneously edit over a live connection and the use of network-oriented storage.
NAS and Cloud Storage
To promote productivity, it is common to store files in mutually accessible areas. This enables employees on different computers, even in different geographical locations, to access and manipulate files. Network attached storage (NAS) is one way to provide access to data for many different computers. It is a simplified version of a server environment, and is typically much more cost effective for small businesses to use.
Cloud storage of shared documents is another popular method, allowing for truly universal access of your materials online. This could be through Office 365's OneDrive, iCloud for iWork, Dropbox, Google Drive, and a host of other options. This can be very beneficial, but a NAS can also work locally, even when the internet connection is down. NAS devices can also host cloud syncing options similar to the functionality of cloud storage. More details regarding cloud storage are discussed in this blog post.
Document Sharing and Review
The ability to share documents has grown to include advanced document review options. This allows others to access the document, write comments, track formatting changes, and suggest insertion/deletion, and any other changes therein. The convenience of this feature helps business productivity with minimal time spent physically "sharing and reviewing" the document. The document review options are a great way to show what changes you have recommended, without the need to explain or list each item changed. Be sure to view this blog post for more information on document review in Microsoft Word.
The process of creating the document as a team has also been implemented into document sharing. People can now edit over the internet, making live changes in front of each other. Creating and editing in real time with a conference call allows each user to contribute to the process in a whole new way. Meetings can be more precise with content in full view; controllable by everyone present. The extent of these features vary based on which software is utilized.
What Will You Use?
Time and efficiency are keys to successful business practices, and using your word processing programs to their full potential allows for enhanced communication and document organization in an efficient manner. Microsoft Office and iWork have both developed various forms of this communitive technology and each has various benefits over the other. However, Microsoft Office is definitely the most popular and most common, as all Apple devices can also carry Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, etc. Are you considering setting up Microsoft Office or looking into a NAS system to maintain your shared files/directories for your company? Contact Igniting Business today for an easy quote to take your business to the next level!
