Cohen Consulting Group

Cool Tech Tools: Automate Your To-Do List

November 25, 2015 by Mandy Leave a Comment

checklist Keeping a to-do list is a great way to be productive, avoid having things fall through the crack, and unclutter your brain. How you maintain your to-do list varies: some people use pen and paper because they love the feeling of crossing tasks off, others use Excel or Google documents. Still others might try Evernote.

If all of those still have you feeling unorganized, then you’re in luck. There’s a whole new genre of apps to automate your to-do list. Here is a list of things to consider:

Would it be great to access your to-do list from any device?
Do you need subtasks?
Would you like to set priorities and due dates?
Do you want notifications or reminders?
Do you want to share tasks with others?
Do you have repeating tasks that need to be handled differently?
Do you need to be able to make comments or notes for each task?
Would it be nice to forward an email to your to-do list and just have it logged?
Do you want to be able to print your to-do list?
Do you want to be able to set hash tags, filters, and labels for each task?

Once you’ve thought about your requirements, now you can look for an app that meets it. Here are two to get you started:

ToDoist.com
Wunderlist.com

If those don’t work out, Google “to-do list apps” and you’ll have a bevy of selections to choose from. These to-do lists will work for not only business projects but also major life projects like weddings, vacations, and more.

Try these new to-do list apps and let us know what you think.

Filed Under: Business Tips, Technology Tagged With: task automation, to-do list, todoist.com, wunderlist.com

Cool Apps: Zapier

October 1, 2015 by Mandy Leave a Comment

Do you need to get data from one app to another? If so, it’s time to check out Zapier.

You might be moving data manually from, let’s say, your shopping cart to your CRM or from Evernote to Google Docs, or something like that. Zapier allows you to automate the process with what they call a Zap.

In the Zapier app, click Make a Zap, and you’ll see two dropdown menus: Trigger app and Action app. Your trigger app is the one where the data is stored and your action app is the one where you want the data to be moved to.

Continuing the shopping cart example above, you would choose your shopping cart app as the trigger app. Zapier support BigCommerce, Ontraport, Infusionsoft, Shopify, Magento, and more. It will then ask you for details about the transaction and the type of data you want to port over. Your action app will be your CRM, and Zapier supports dozens of them. It will ask you for your user ID and password for each application and some more specifics about the type of data you want to transfer.

You can run your zap one time or every fifteen minutes, depending on the nature of your data transfer. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

From Evernote to Google Calendar, add an event.
From your blog to Facebook, post your latest blog entry.
Create QuickBooks Online sales receipt from PayPal
Create QBO customer from Salesforce (or other CRM)
Create Constant Contact contact from QBO customer
And several thousand more combinations!

The admin time you will save will amaze you. Data entry and moving data around is truly becoming a thing of the past. You can go to Zapier.com and create a free trial. There is a charge for a larger number of zaps.

And, as always, if you’d like our help, please reach out.

Filed Under: Technology

Cool Tech Tools: When There’s No Internet, Use Your Personal Hotspot

August 20, 2015 by Mandy Leave a Comment

iphone-mac Have you ever been in a situation where there’s no internet and you needed it? Or perhaps you’re at a hotel and don’t want to pay the extra $15 per day for wireless internet. If so, you’re not alone, and luckily, there’s a gadget for just about everything. This time, it’s a gadget you probably already have: all you need to do is whip out your cell phone.

iPhone

Your cell phone can act as your wireless modem. Plug the iPhone into your PC using your USB connection. Go to Settings on your iPhone and one of your settings will be labeled Personal Hotspot. Tap it and toggle it to “on.” Set a password.

On your PC, view your wireless internet connections, and the name you’ve given your phone will show up. Click to connect and enter the password you set on your phone.

Voila, internet!

Android

If you have an Android, tap More… and select Wireless and Networks, then Tethering and Portable Hotspot. Check Portable Wi-Fi hotspot. Tap Portable Wi-Fi hotspot settings and you can edit the Wi-Fi network name, and choose a password.

On your PC, view your wireless internet connections, and the name you’ve given the Wi-Fi network will show up. Click to connect and enter the password you set on your phone.

Fees

Ask your cell phone network provider if this hotspot feature is included in your package or is an extra charge. You may also have to call then to enable this feature.

Once you’ve used this once, you’ll be hooked. You now have a new internet access alternative anywhere you have cell phone coverage.

Filed Under: Technology

What to Do About Spam

July 23, 2015 by Mandy Leave a Comment

spam-signs Unfortunately, spam is an inevitable part of today’s digital world. The bad news is if you have your spam settings set too tightly, you will lose good emails. If you receive new prospects via email, you may miss out on good clients and revenue. If you have your settings too loose, you have to take up extra time to wade through the spam emails.

Here are some tips and facts that can help you control it.

Anti-virus software

Desktop-based (not cloud-based) anti-virus software is a must anyway, and most have an anti-spam component that can be activated to mark spam and move it to a junk folder in your Outlook or email software. You can then periodically review and delete the items in the junk folder.

Web hosting software

Many website hosting packages come with SpamAssassin which you can set up via your website’s control panel. You can choose whether to delete the spam and you can set the level of deletion which is based on an email scoring system as to how spammy it is. Your webmster can help you set this up.

Third-party email

About half of all businesses have gone to third-party email solutions such as Google mail, Rackspace, Office 365, and many others. Many of these have built-in spam protection on their servers.

Gmail, which is free, is also very popular and filters the spam automatically. You can set up your gmail account so that it sends from your business email.

Challenge and response software

Some business owners have gone to a challenge and response software such as SpamArrest. All emails coming in require validation via a captcha (those boxes that have you prove you’re a person and not a robot by entering letters and numbers) on the sender’s part.

Old email addresses

Older email addresses are subject to more spam than newer ones. Also, if you use common emails such as info@yourdomain.com, you probably get more spam than most. Start over every 3-5 years with new emails. It is worth the time.

Too many email addresses

Spam will come in to all the email addresses you use, so if you have two email addresses, you may get twice as much spam. Keep the number of email addresses you use to an absolute minimum.

Scrapers

Avoid placing your email address on your website or in public forums where it can be “scraped” by robots that will place your email on lists without your permission. Even so-called reputable companies employ scrapers; it’s more common than we’d like to think.

Also, some of the more aggressive websites will capture your domain and/or email address from cookies, so beware. With Google Chrome, you can browse “incognito,” and we recommend you do that.

If you’re challenged with spam, try one or more of these ideas to save time.

Filed Under: Business Tips, overwhelm, Technology

Cool Tech Tools: Customer Portals

June 25, 2015 by Mandy Leave a Comment

If you have a business where you have to send documents of any kind to your customers, then you may benefit from a portal. You can save time on customer service and possibly postage and labor. You will also look most professional while increasing service delivery.

What Is a Portal?

A portal is software in the cloud that allows users to upload and download files from a secure space that only they have access to. For each client you have, you can set up a private virtual filing cabinet where only you and the client will have the key. Your client will have their own user ID and password into their area of the portal. There, they can upload and download documents. Some portals also have secure signature capability to help you take the paperwork out of obtaining signatures.

How Can I Use a Portal?

Think of all the paperwork that occurs between you and your customer, and that will give you several ideas about how to use a portal. If your business is data-intensive, you will definitely benefit from a portal; imagine moving all of those documents out of email and into a clean, private filing folder in the cloud.

Businesses that would benefit the most include:

Any small business with remote employees: a portal can be where they pick up and drop off work.
Mortgage companies where the loan officers are collecting a great deal of information for the underwriters.
Construction companies: each subcontractor could access the schedule, estimates, material details, invoices, and certificates of insurance.
Real estate agents to collect the details of home purchases and sales
Accountants, attorneys, consultants, coaches, and other professionals who deal with private customer information.
Web design, ad agency, and marketing companies

Types of documents and files you can upload and download from portals include:

Contracts, estimates, and legal documents
Invoices and credit card authorizations
Instructions and training materials and aids
Company policies and procedures
Brochures and marketing materials
Reports and spreadsheets
Forms and applications, blank and completed
Graphics, drawings, and photos

You don’t necessarily have to set up a portal for every client; perhaps it’s cost-effective to use a portal on your largest customers or vendors.

Where Can I Find a Portal?

One of the leading vendors in the portal space is Citrix Sharefile. You can find them here: http://www.sharefile.com/. Your industry may have specific solutions for you as well, especially if you have regulations such as HIPAA that you need to follow.

You may also have heard of DropBox and Box.net. These companies offer file transfer and don’t have a dedicated user area, so they are useful, but a bit different than a portal.

Look for software that provides each user with their own unique login, and that will distinguish the software as a true portal.

If you decide to implement portals for your business, you can private-label them with your logo and place a direct link to your portal login page for easy client access.

Using portals will keep your inbox cleaner, save time looking for lost emails and documents, and help you look professional in the eyes of your clients.

Filed Under: Blog, Technology Tagged With: customer portal

Cool Tech Tools: Google Drive

April 16, 2015 by Mandy Leave a Comment

googledrive Google Drive, which used to be called Google Docs, is a great way to collaborate with team members and stakeholders that are in a different location than you are. Here’s a quick introduction (or refresher) on how to use this powerful collaboration tool.

Google Drive is a browser-based application that allows you to create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and other documents that reside in the cloud. They can easily be shared with others, and both of you can see and edit the document at the same time.

Using Google Drive

To get started, you’ll need to have (or set up) a Google account. If you have a gmail account, you can use it. Log in to your gmail or Google account, and at the top right corner of your screen, you will see a square made up of nine small squares. You can click on it and select Google Drive. Alternately, you can go to drive.google.com.

Time to Create

Once you’re on the Google Drive main page, you’ll see a large red CREATE button on the top left. Click it to create your first Google document. Select among the choices of spreadsheet, document, presentation, and more. Give the document a title, and start editing. The commands are very similar to Microsoft Office®, so there’s no learning curve.

Time to Share

When you are viewing a document, you’ll see a blue SHARE button on the top right side of your screen. Click it to enter the email address of a person you’d like to have see and/or edit the document.

You can tell who else is viewing the document at the same time you are because you’ll see a colored box and perhaps their picture on the top right side. You can also tell where their cursor is in the document; it will show up in another color.

As you create documents, you will see your list growing under My Drive. If someone else created the document and shared it with you, you’ll see it under Shared With Me.

So Many Uses

Here are a couple of ideas on how you can use Google Drive.

As a bulletin board for your employees or customers
For status reports on projects
As a to-do list when multiple team members are involved – they can check off the items as they go
As a collaborative note-taker when you’re brainstorming with another person
With a client when you need to explain part of a document – you can copy and paste from Word or Excel to Google Drive (but check to make sure everything came over)

Google Drive is great for productivity and makes communications easier. Try it and let us know how you use it.

Filed Under: Blog, Business Tips, Favorites, Technology Tagged With: google drive

Mobile Accounting

August 1, 2013 by Mandy Leave a Comment

mobilephone If you are the type of person who loves mobile apps, texting, and getting your email on your phone, then you’re in for a treat: accounting has finally come around to your smartphone. Here are a couple of great developments you can try so you can stay on top of your numbers.

Accounting Apps

For users of QuickBooks desktop and QuickBooks Online, an app is available to help you stay on top of your accounts receivables. You can send invoices, view and update customer information, mark an invoice paid, and check up on customers’ balances.

Examples of other accounting apps that you can access through your phone and sync seamlessly with QuickBooks are: Concur Expense Reporting and ExpenseCloud for expense reports from credit card charges. Bill.com automates your payables, receivables and cash management. SmartVault is a secure document management system. TSheets Time Tracking for Employees.

These apps work on the iPhone, iPad, and Android. Most have a small monthly charge after a free trial.

Bank Apps

If you’re banking with a major bank, chances are “there’s an app for that.” Downloading your banking mobile app will allow you to stay on top of balances, receive alerts, and manage your cash flow more effectively.

Payment Apps

More and more businesses are collecting customer payments via their smartphones. You don’t even need a merchant account for some of these payment apps, like Square, PayPal, or Intuit Mobile GoPayment, but it is cheaper if you do. If you’re not already taking credit cards, it’s an effective way to get started; your customers can pay via Visa, American Express, MasterCard, and Discover.

With many of these payment apps, you download the app, receive a reader in the mail, and are then able to swipe or key in a client’s credit card information. You are charged by the transaction, or monthly, if you sign up for a merchant account. Plus, you can often customize the receipts the client receives with your logo to make them look professional.

Add-on Apps

There are many other mobile apps that can increase your accounting capabilities. Both ADP and Paychex have payroll apps for their clients. There are numerous apps to extend many of your accounting functions, such as expense management, document management, invoicing, time-tracking, bill payment, and even work order management.

Accounting to Go

Now you have a choice with your accounting: you can “eat here” or take it “to go.” If we can help get you equipped as an accounting road warrior, give us a shout.

Filed Under: Cloud Accounting, Mobile Accounting, Technology