IT

  • Choosing Accounting Software

    Choose the right accounting software package and you will save time and money, make fewer mistakes, and obtain useful management information. The most recent breakthrough has been in making the software easier to use — you no longer...

  • Computer Printers

    There is a huge choice of printers available to businesses. Different models of laser, inkjet and impact printers offer different speeds, qualities — and prices. Every business must have at least one printer to produce high-quality...

  • Designing Your Website

    You can design your website yourself, using modern software that makes it no harder than using your familiar word processing software. You can hire a web design agency to do it for you. Or you can use a service that gives you a fixed-price deal for a set...

  • Email

    Email is a cheap, easy-to-use and fast communication tool. It can improve productivity and help with marketing. This briefing is aimed at users who are looking to install a new email system or to upgrade an existing internal system to...

  • Getting the Most Out of Your PC

    If you have a PC in your office that you only use for running out invoices, writing the occasional letter and browsing the Internet, you could be missing out on substantial business benefits that would cost you little more than a modest investment of time....

  • Going Online

    Connecting to the Internet can vastly improve your business’s communication with the outside world. Every firm, however small, should consider using email at the very least. And there is a mass of invaluable business information freely available through...

  • IT Disaster Prevention

    Many small and medium-sized businesses rely heavily on their IT networks, but not all take adequate steps to safeguard them. System crashes, data corruption and other problems can have disastrous consequences — and could even cause a business to fail...

  • Internet Service Providers

    For most firms, a direct connection to the Internet is too expensive. Instead, an Internet service provider (ISP) acts as a gateway, providing the link between your own computer system and the Internet. An ISP can also host your website, making it permanently...

  • Intranets

    An intranet is like a private Internet, sealed off from users outside your business. It is a company network which shares information using the same point-and-click approach as the World Wide Web. An intranet does not have to be large. It...

  • Maintaining Your IT System

    Buying the equipment and applications is only the start of your investment in IT. Throughout the life of any system, the cost of maintaining hardware and software will form a significant part of the total cost of ownership. ...

  • Marketing on the Internet

    Using the Internet gives you access to a number of powerful marketing techniques. The Internet can improve the reach and cost-effectiveness of your marketing. It can help you build your company’s reputation and win new customers....

  • Mobile Computing

    For the increasing number of employees who spend time working away from the office — at home, travelling, or simply attending a meeting — mobile computing can be a powerful tool. This briefing covers: ...

  • Network Servers

    Most businesses with three or more computers will benefit from having a computer network. The network server is the computer that manages the network. It is also where all your shared files are stored. Buying a...

  • Networks and Communications

    A network can link all the computers in your office, allowing users to share files, programs and resources such as printers and modems. Even businesses with fewer than ten computers find they benefit from installing a network. This...

  • Payroll Software

    Good payroll software does more than just calculate wages and print payslips. It enables you to gather information on your employment costs and to keep track of individual employees. One of the strengths of the best packages is the range...

  • Security and the Internet

    Your IT system, and the information you hold on it, is valuable. Accidental or malicious damage is at best inconvenient and at worst disastrous. Simply using a computer to hold and process business information creates a security risk....

  • Setting up a Basic IT System

    Every business should specify and source an IT solution which meets its immediate requirements, but which can also act as a base for expansion as the business grows. This briefing covers: Basic requirements....

  • Software Use and Your Legal Liabilities

    Computer software is a central part of many businesses’ operations. But its increased importance brings new risks. Fraud, viruses, legal challenges and simple mistakes can all have catastrophic effects on your profitability. An...

  • Specifying and Purchasing IT

    Buying IT unwisely increases costs and reduces system effectiveness. Aim to acquire a solution which meets your business needs and you feel comfortable managing. IT-related services can be as important as the hardware and software themselves. ...

  • Telecoms for Competitive Advantage

    Today’s telecoms technology can do more than simply save time and money. Alongside computing, telecoms form the backbone of an efficient business. The technology allows you to talk, leave messages, hold conference calls, send data, use the Internet and...

  • Trading on the Internet

    The Internet enables you to sell 24 hours a day to customers anywhere in the world and the sales process can be fully automated. Your Internet shop can attract new customers and provide better service for existing customers. The...

  • Useful Internet Sites

    Among the millions of interconnected sites that make up the World Wide Web, there are many that can save business people time and money. You can source information and contacts for any aspect of your work. This briefing lists various...

  • Using Accounting Software

    Good accounting software should put you in control of your business. You can automate the tasks you have to do, including keeping records and completing statutory returns. And once the data is recorded, it will be easy for you to access and manipulate it for...

  • Your Website Strategy

    A website lets you put your products in front of a worldwide audience. It can help you generate new revenue, cut costs and build better relationships with both customers and suppliers. The costs of setting up a website are relatively low,...