Volume 5

Issue 4

2014

Technology Advice for Accounting Professionals from AccSys Solutions

Time to Upgrade from Microsoft XP
Technologist Tips and Tricks
Have You Considered Video Conferencing?

Why It's Time To Finally Upgrade From Microsoft XP

Microsoft desperately wants you to upgrade from Windows XP to one of its more modern operating systems. While you may be resistant to the prospect of installing and running a new operating system, the fact that the technology giant has pulled support for the 13-year veteran of operating systems means that it is now very much in your best interest to make that change.

The most compelling reason to upgrade from XP is the absence of security updates. As an XP user, you will no longer receive new security packs. Security experts at Avast Antivirus say that XP users are six times more likely to get hacked than Windows 7 users. Furthermore, they also believe that many hackers have held back the release of malware and viruses until support stops completely. This means that an operating system already dogged by security concerns is going to get a lot more vulnerable very soon.

It's easy to forget that Windows XP is now 13 years old. In technology terms, it is virtually an antique, designed before the days of modern hack attacks. In contrast, Windows 7 and Windows 8 have modern architecture, and are better equipped to protect your precious data.

For the business user, no security updates means that business and employee data, as well as client and prospect data, are at risk. Upgrading may mean a brief interruption in operations, while new software is installed and systems are manually migrated, but it also means that you can protect the data that you hold along with your organization's reputation. That reputation will inevitably suffer if your customers find their data has been put at risk because you didn't upgrade your IT infrastructure.

Upgrading from XP to a more recent operating system will require some effort. Files and folders will not migrate during the upgrade process, so you will need to back them up yourself. You will also need to ensure that your computer has the hardware capabilities to run either of the new systems, and if it doesn't then this will mean paying extra for new hardware upgrades like RAM and a better graphics card. The alternative, of course, is to invest in new PCs that already come with either Windows 7 or, Microsoft hopes, Windows 8, installed and ready to go.

Microsoft has continued to offer support for the Windows XP platform for a long time in the technology and software world. Finally, and possibly as part of a plan to encourage users to migrate to newer operating systems, they have withdrawn security and system updates from April 8th, 2014. While computers running XP will still continue to work, there is a much greater security threat for those that do not upgrade. Upgrading may not be as simple a process as most would appreciate, but it should be considered crucial for individual consumers and businesses alike.

Do you need help? Contact AccSys Solutions and we can help you plan and execute this long overdue upgrade. Email douglas@accsyssolutions.com, or call 1.888.534.4344 to get in touch.

Save Time With Excel AutoFill

Have you ever started to type in a series of some sort of repetitive data, like dates or sequential numbers, and wondered if there is a better way to fill them all in? Try this: begin the series and move the cursor on the screen to the lower right part of the last cell, the "fill handle". When it turns into a plus sign (+), click and drag down to select all the cells you need to fill. They'll magically fill in the pattern you started. It can also go up a column, or left or right on a row as well.

You can even Auto Fill without much of a pattern. Again, pick a cell or cells, move to the fill handle, click, and drag. You'll get a menu of options. The more data you input at first, the better the Fill Series option will do at figuring out your pattern.

Excel: Paste Special to Transpose

Let's say you have a bunch of rows, and you decide you want those rows to be columns instead. Or perhaps you need the opposite. Moving things cell-by-cell is inefficient and tedious. Fortunately, instead, you can copy that data, select Paste Special, check the Transpose box, and paste with a different orientation.

For more TechnoTips, you can find backissues of the Technologist here:

http://www.accsyssolutions.com/technologist.html

Have You Considered Online Conferencing?

Before widespread internet access, business trips were the norm. Employees all over the world traveled to meet with colleagues and clients, spending large travel budgets and losing enormous amounts of time at airports in the process. Nowadays, while business trips are still common, many companies are choosing to meet online instead. There are many advanced web conferencing tools that help make staff and clients feel like they are all together in the conference room, regardless of how far away they might be from each other.

Web conferencing saves time, money, and improves client and colleague relationships. Coworkers can collaborate more often, and clients get more "touches". If you haven't considered this option before, consider investigating your options. GoToMeeting is a market stalwart, but there are many providers to choose from.

If you have a technology question, please get in touch. We probably have the answer, and if we don't, we most certainly know where to find one.