One aftereffect of the COVID-19 pandemic is that it’s forever changed the way many of us work. First, there’s been a massive transition to remote work. Subsequently, 54 percent of employees want to continue working remotely. As a result, we’d all better get used to our virtual offices. The good news is that this also presents businesses with an opportunity to cut your remote overhead expenses.  

If your company was based in an office location before, it could be tempting to continue with your old practices, shifted to a remote setting. But, instead, take the time to carry out an expense audit. Then, see where you can cut your remote overhead expenses now that you’re committed to running your business remotely. 

1.   Remote work can improve productivity
According to some estimates, businesses lose $600 billion every year due to distractions in the workplace. Employees working from home are generally more productive because they don’t have to deal with as many interruptions, distractions, or noises. Not to mention no more office politics!
 
If your employees are working more productively, then your costs will naturally decrease. Remember that tax requirements can vary between in-office and remote workers. Make sure you meet your specific state’s regulations.

2.   Automate your accounts payable
Automating your accounts payable department can have the double benefit of cutting costs and increasing efficiency. For example, the Institute of Finance and Management (IOFM) estimates that manually processing invoices costs between $8.78 to $5.81 per invoice. Above all, automation can decrease this between $2.44 and $1.77. Added up, that’s a significant saving. Suppliers like AvidXchange, Bill.com, Corpay One, and Vic.AI each have unique offerings in this area. More options are listed at our website AccoutingSoftwareWorld.com in the Accounts Payable section.

3.   Outsource specific tasks to cut your remote overhead
Instead of hiring new contracted staff, consider outsourcing tasks to third parties. Outsourcing makes far more sense for occasional jobs as you’ll only need to pay for them as and when required. In addition, using freelancers can save you 20-30 percent per year, compared to paying an employee salary once you consider benefits like retirement funds and health insurance. We have discussed this concept in the past with our article on Outsourcing Tasks Can Do Wonders for Your Small Business.
 
Ensure you have a system for virtually onboarding employees. Use the same method for freelancers completing occasional tasks. 

4.   Update where necessary
Old website content management systems (CMS) might have been the right solution when you launched your business, but as technology changes, they can end up holding you back. The time and money needed to keep an old monolithic style CMS updated can end up costing you more than making the switch to a new version. CMS that provides microservices has the added benefit of helping to enhance your customer’s user experience.
 
It’s also worth checking through which subscription-based tools you might be signed up for yet not using. $10 per month for access to stock photography or graphic design tools might not seem like much, but by subscribing to a range of different services, they all add up. Make a note of your subscription services and how often you use them per month. For those that aren’t paying their way, either cancel or look at switching to a pay-per-use model instead.

5.   Keep meetings to a minimum to cut your remote overhead
​Meetings might be vital to keep everyone in the loop, but do we need so many of them? According to some estimates, businesses spend $37 billion every year in the US for unproductive meetings. Consider the far better impact if a portion of that time and money was spent elsewhere. The amount of time employees spend in meetings has been steadily increasing since 2008.
 
Remote meetings are particularly unproductive, as it’s hard for attendees to remain engaged. Cut down on all but the most important meetings, and make sure only required staff who need to be there attend. Use these tips to increase meeting productivity:

• Keep meetings under 30 minutes
• Send agendas and supplementary material in advance
• Start and end on time
• Stay focused
• Write down essential action points to distribute after the meeting

 
If you’ve decided to make a permanent switch to remote working, there are plenty of ways you can use this as an opportunity to cut your remote overhead expenses and increase your profits as a result. Cloud computing has certainly made this easier. Use these tips to get started!
 
Learn more about supporting remote work in K2’s Working Remotely – The New Normal or in one of our Technology Conferences.

Don't want to hire a bookkeeper ​or use outsourced Client Accounting Services (CAS)? That's okay. Here are some tips on how to simplify your bookkeeping if you are doing the bookkeeping yourself (hint: it's easier than you think). Be proactive, get organized, and create a simple system that works for your business.

Suppose you're a sole proprietor or freelancer. In that case, it can be tempting to use a personal account for small business expenses like supplies or computer equipment that you'll deduct as home office expenses. However, it can take what feels like an age to separate out business expenses from personal items when tax season rolls around. Set up an account specifically for business expenses. A separate account will make things run a lot smoother. In addition, using this in tandem with accounting software can make tax season even easier to bear. Our overviews and reviews of accounting software is available on the website AccountingSoftwareWorld.com. 
 
Once you upgrade to an LLC (Limited Liability Company), you'll have to keep your personal expenses separate from your business expenses. Many sole proprietors choose to register as an LLC as this protects your personal assets if someone opens a claim against your company.    ​

Sending out invoices can soon eat up a large portion of time each month. Switching to an AI-based automated accounts payable system can help cut the approval time of invoices by one fifth. You can still monitor the process at every stage but drastically decrease the time spent on verification and approval. Automation also makes it much easier to track payment cycle times, reduce duplicate invoice payments, and any other metrics you might want to measure.  Suppliers like AvidXchange, Bill.com, Corpay One, and Vic.AI each have unique offerings in this area. More options are listed at our website AccoutingSoftwareWorld.com in the Accounts Payable section. ​

Rather than collecting a pile of receipts to capture deductions, get into the habit of tracking and filing these as they occur. Some accounting systems will allow you to scan a picture of the expense receipt and upload it to be processed, or you can store them in the cloud for processing in a batch later. Products like Zoho Expense, Tallie, Expensify, Nexonia, Concur, and more are all options. For K2, we use Zoho Expense today after using Concur for years. 
 
It's good practice to keep hold of the paper receipts for auditing purposes but try to adopt a "touch it once" method. For example, take a photo, upload it, and file the receipt away as soon as you get a receipt. Dext and Hubdoc are classic tools for QuickBooks and Xero. ​

If you're trying to keep track of multiple payment options, it can soon become extremely confusing when trying to reconcile your accounts. Having to trawl through check payments, cash payments, credit cards, and PayPal can feel like a huge challenge.  
 
Instead, consider switching to an all-in-one payment gateway, collecting all deposits through one channel. Then, when it comes time to reconcile your deposits, you'll save a notable amount of time!   ​

Keeping your website up to date is just good business management. But it can also make bookkeeping much quicker and easier if you have an eCommerce store or online shop. In addition, using a headless Content Management System (CMS) can make it easier to keep track of payments from multiple platforms, including your traditional website, smartwatches, and any other platforms you use.  
 
A headless CMS also makes it easier to update or add new products, helping you reach your customers quickly and hopefully increasing sales!  ​

Bookkeeping doesn't have to feel like a headache. Hopefully, these hints on how to simplify your bookkeeping, if you are doing the bookkeeping, yourself provide some action items. If you need help, consider Client Accounting Services. Further, by taking some time to simplify and streamline your systems now, you'll be thanking yourself when it's time to pay your taxes. 
 
Learn more about accounting software by choosing one of K2’s accounting software CPE courses, including the topics of accounting software, QuickBooks Online or desktop, small business accounting add-ons or in one of our Technology Conferences. ​

Business owners know how important it is to build trust and loyalty with their customers. Especially for small businesses, finding ways to enhance consumer confidence can help foster these lasting relationships. Similarly, these must-know facts and features of mobile wallet marketing can help you build customer relationships. Likewise, with more people keeping up with their favorite brands through websites and apps, mobile wallet marketing is one approach to creating a top-notch customer experience.
​
Mobile wallets are apps that store payment data using digital cards like Google or Apple Pay. For businesses, mobile wallet marketing is the use of these mobile wallets to boost consumer engagement. Are you interested in using mobile wallet marketing for your business? Then, keep reading to learn some facts and features that can help get you started.

Since the first mobile wallet launched in 2011, the apps have transformed the way we make payments. That’s why knowing how to best use mobile wallets is a smart business strategy. To help you understand what makes mobile wallet marketing so critical for businesses today, check out these statistics:
​

• At least 100 million Americans are expected to use mobile wallets this year.
• By 2022, the mobile wallet market size around the world is projected to reach $3 trillion.
• By 2027, the worldwide mobile wallet market could be worth over $12 trillion.
• There will likely be over 14 million new Apple Pay users and over 10 million new Google Pay users between 2020 and 2025.
• Approximately one in three consumers have three or more mobile wallets downloaded.
• Last year, almost one-half of millennials used digital wallets for online purchases.
• All of the participants in a survey reported that they would keep mobile wallet content on their devices if it were personalized.

Once you understand the potential of mobile wallets, you might wonder how your business can use them. The mobile format offers features designed to promote the brands most relevant to users, from alerts to location tracking. Here are some elements of mobile wallets to consider in your marketing strategy:
​

• With the ability to easily save and track points on a cell phone, mobile wallets can simplify customer loyalty programs.
• Cellular devices can monitor your location, so mobile wallets can show customers certain content depending on where they are.
• In addition to in-app use, mobile wallets can translate to customer engagement on your business’s website or in-store.
• Mobile wallets allow coupons to be accessible at your fingertips so that retention rates could be higher.
• Since cell phones can learn a user’s preferences, mobile wallets can personalize content based on the customer’s interests.
• Push notifications provide customers with updates about their loyalty points and reminders to use certain offers.
• Mobile wallets eliminate the need to carry loose papers and make ideal destinations for boarding passes and concert tickets.

By learning the must-know facts and features related to mobile wallet marketing, you can better understand the value of this new digital payment method. From there, you’ll be able to create a marketing strategy that can elevate your business’s customer experience.
​
Eager to learn more about mobile wallet marketing? Look at the infographic above for all the information you need. Then, apply these must-know facts and features of mobile wallet marketing to help you build customer relationships.

Learn more about supporting eCommerce in our article 5 Ways to Improve Your eCommerce Business, how to get started with Zoho Commerce, or in one of our Technology Conferences.

When working with a range of related cells in Excel, my first step is to create an Excel Table. In addition to the benefits noted in my post “Excel – My Favourite Things - Excel Tables,” slicers is another feature available for Excel Tables that I often use.

Slicers are an interactive method to filter Excel Tables, PivotTables and related charts. It provides a quick way to filter data, see how it is filtered, and quickly clear the filter.

For this example, we will use a chart created from the data in an Excel Table to demonstrate the creation and configuration of a slicer.

On the Table Design tab (must have a cell within the table selected for the tab to show), click Insert Slicer. The following dialogue will open; we will select month from the list and click OK for this slicer.

Your slicer will now be an object on the Excel sheet that you can move and resize. To configure the slicer, with it selected, click on the Slicer tab on the ribbon. The Slicer tab provides configuration options, including Slicer Styles, align, and set the columns, button size, and overall size of the slicer.

One setting I find very useful under Slicer Settings is to change the Display header and check Hide items with no data.

With the slicer options completed, you can quickly filter the table and chart and clear the filter by clicking on the  icon at the top of the slicer.

Multiple slicers can be connected to the same Excel Table to allow advanced filtering.

Enjoy the simplification of filtering with Slicers in your workbooks.

Companies spend hundreds of hours every year trying to find out how to manage and keep track of their money. It’s stressful for business owners to think of the time, money, and effort they put into daily status reports, monthly financials, and yearly tax preparations. Artificial intelligence in accounting software, pre-accounting tools, and robotic process automation (RPA) optimize how transactions flow through systems. Do you want to take advantage of this improved automation? You’ll learn how with our 5 Easy Steps to Automation of the Accounting Process.

One can get to know about automation testing with the help guides found online. Automation testing paved the way for implementing automation in business processes. Repeatable business process workflow adds value to each step of the process.

However, we can’t automate every single business process. But some operations are perfect for automation. Luckily for business owners, bookkeeping, tax computations, and accounting are just some of these processes.

Businesses often make use of accounting software programs to automate accounting tasks.  These computer programs can do in a minute what an average person can do in a day. With the correct data inputs, you can make complex reports within minutes or seconds. You may not even need to touch a calculator to get your work done.

There’s a long list of benefits to automating business processes like bookkeeping and tax calculations. But, before we dive into how you can automate accounting, let’s take a quick look at why you should turn to automation.

In most businesses, saving time equates to saving money. For example, suppose an accountant uses a software program that helps them crunch the numbers and prepare a report. What used to take the whole day will now take them less than an hour.

There may be minimal reconciliation needed. The accountant only needs to double-check what the system prepared. Confirming the classifications are right, and that the system has posted transactions in the right account initially while remaining in balance are the critical steps. Pre-accounting tools like Vic.ai or Dext are currently doing this type of work. The accountant can then spend the rest of their day doing more productive tasks.

Even the best accountants make mistakes. If you catch the error early, the worst that can happen is you spend a few more hours rectifying the mistake. But accounting blunders can be costly. Automation reduces human errors, making way for more accurate reports and calculations.

Learning how to utilize automation properly for accounting tasks can help streamline business processes. Making sure your automated processes are correctly working is key to ensuring the accuracy of your reports.

But, whether you’re planning to optimize your existing accounting program or you’re looking at the top accounting software systems in the market, it’s best that you also learn automation testing. Learning automation testing allows you to check whether your automation efforts are working and how well they’re performing to achieve your goals. Automation testing also helps ensure the accuracy of your reports and the reliability of your data.

You’re more productive when you can perform more tasks in a shorter amount of time. It’s the exact meaning of productivity. So external, contracted, or freelance accounting professionals who get billed by the hour may start to think that automated accounting will take their jobs away. News flash: It could be the complete opposite.

When you learn to make computer programs work for you, you can get more things done for more clients with less effort. You even free up your schedule for something you’re more useful for — like guiding clients and helping them manage and grow their financial wealth. If you have built a Client Accounting Services (CAS) practice, you can add Advisory Services for greater client satisfaction.

The transition from manual processes and Excel files to automated accounting systems may be difficult. It’s no small change you’re planning to undertake here. But it doesn’t have to be so complicated. So, are you ready to take your first step into accounting automation? Here are the five easy steps to get you from manual to automated accounting:

How much of a change you can expect depends on where you currently stand in terms of accounting processes. For example, how much of your accounting is done manually, and how much of it can be automated?

This task may take you a while, but you need to understand how the people involved in accounting processes do their jobs. These aren’t just your junior and senior accountants. First, you need to list all the tools that you currently use, who uses them, and what you use them for.

For example, you might be using Excel for budgeting, forecasting, and expense management. The finance department, accounting department, and finance manager use Excel for one or more of these functions.

On the other hand, payroll managers and junior accountants may be using another software for payroll management. Therefore, if secondary tools are required for any core accounting tool to function, you should include them in the list.

Now that you know your business needs, you’ll be able to choose an accounting system that works for your business. Full automation of accounting processes can take you a considerable amount of time and money to implement. Still, implementing a new accounting system may prove to be the best course for your business.

Consider your accounting goals, your budget, and your workforce when you’re choosing a core accounting system. Aside from the basic features, it would help to consider security features, customer support, automation integration, and user experience.

After you’ve chosen a core accounting software system, the next step is to start data migration. Data migration plans should help you identify what and how much data needs to be transferred. You might also need to put older data into archives.

This step should also allow everyone involved in the accounting process to adjust to the new system. Training should be provided to employees. Primary users should learn the best way to navigate the system because they will work with it more often than any other employee.

Adjustment can take weeks or months, depending on how much of a change you’re implementing. However, by the end of the adjustment period, primary users of this core system should already be confident in the automation performing basic and complex accounting tasks.

As time passes, you get fewer questions from your core users. The reduction in questions occurs because they have become familiar with the features and already know how to use the accounting system. However, your secondary users may be having problems. They may have even found other manual tasks to automate. It is at this point that you can add pre-accounting tools and robotic process automation (RPA).

An accounting system that isn’t customized for your business is doubtful to serve as an all-in-one solution. However, it’s typical for business owners who already use an off-the-shelf accounting system to integrate additional automation functions.

Businesses rarely use just one system for all their financial management needs. While you already have a core accounting system, you may want to utilize additional tools to help your employees. In addition, some accounting systems allow automation integrations. As always, automation testing should be performed before any of these functions deal with any actual data.

Monitoring your systems and making sure that they’re working as they should is key to maintaining accurate and reliable accounting. In addition, you should observe the following results of automating your accounting process:

• Data reports are more accurate, and there are fewer accounting errors.
  
• Accounting teams are more efficient and productive. They should be spending less time generating results and more time performing analysis.
  
• Redundancies are found, and accounting processes are optimized.
  

You should be seeing an increase in the quality of work produced, an increase in employee productivity, and a decrease in human errors. In other words, the business should now benefit from automating the accounting process.

Automating accounting isn’t an easy feat, but doing so can help businesses save time, money, and effort. In addition, it boosts productivity and greatly reduces human error, and these benefits apply to freelance and remote accountants. With the 5 Easy Steps to Automation of the Accounting Process, you have a formula to make your processes easier and automated.

Accounting automation isn’t just about choosing the most expensive or the most popular accounting system in the market. Instead, it’s about knowing where you stand and choosing an automated accounting system that helps you achieve your goals.

Learn more about emerging technologies, RPA and accounting software with K2E Canada Inc. CPD courses.

Clicking the command shows the Table formats available. Select the one you would like to use. Now confirm the range chosen by Excel is correct and that it has identified your first row has headers.

The range of related cells is now an Excel Table. Note the Table Design tab at the end of the ribbon. This tab is only available when you have selected a cell within the Table. The tab provides access to the Excel Table tools, including the place to change the table name, which I recommend doing.

To demonstrate one of the significant advantages of Excel Tables, we will summarize the data using the sumifs function. The sumifs function sums a range of cells based on up to 127 different criteria.

For our example, we will summarize the sales data by region. The Table has been renamed to Sales, and the resulting formula is as follows.

The sum range in the formula is the table name plus the column header in square brackets sales[Amount]. When typing the formula, the autocomplete will show the table name in the list of options. Then after entering the opening “[“ the list of headers is displayed in the autocomplete for selection.

Excel Tables make it much quicker and easier to input formulas correctly.

If you would like to bring your Excel skills to a new level with Excel Tables, please check out our webinar K2’s Excel Tables – Database Technology Comes to Spreadsheets – On Demand (2 hours)

Enjoy Excel Tables within your workbooks.

By now, most are familiar with the ransomware attack committed against Colonial Pipeline. While the aftershock of this event will last for years, there are immediate lessons we can – and should – learn from this cybersecurity incident. In this article, we will examine what happened and what Colonial did in response. We will also look at what we can do to reduce the likelihood of becoming another ransomware victim.

As reported by multiple news outlets, Colonial Pipeline fell victim to a ransomware attack on May 7, 2021. The hacking group DarkSide claimed responsibility for the attack, which forced Colonial to shut down a major pipeline that carries gasoline, diesel fuel, and jet fuel throughout the Southeast and Atlantic Seaboard portions of the United States. As a result, millions in affected states experienced fuel, food, and other materials shortages. Colonial has not disclosed how the ransomware infiltrated the network. However, DarkSide purportedly stole 100 gigabytes of data from Colonial the day before the attack and allegedly threatened to leak portions of that data unless the Colonial paid the ransom.

Colonial paid $5 million in ransom within several hours of the attack and received the necessary tools from Darkside to begin recovery operations. However, the tools provided ran too slowly to be effective. Therefore, Colonial pivoted to restoring the network using company-made backups. On May 12, Colonial indicated that they had begun restoring pipeline operations, and all pipeline operations were running normally as of May 15.

Ransomware is a form of malware that infects a computer or a network, encrypting the data, rendering it unusable. Generally, the attack’s perpetrators offer to provide a “key” to the victim so they can unencrypt the data and return it to a usable state. However, to receive the key, the victim must pay a ransom. The perpetrators typically require the victim to pay the ransom with cryptocurrency. This requirement exists because of the presumed untraceable nature of cryptocurrency. If the victim pays the ransom and the hackers provide the key in return, the victim can recover their data. Unfortunately, in some cases, the hackers receive the ransom but do not provide the recovery key, leaving the victim without their data and the money paid.

We can learn many lessons from the Colonial Pipeline ransomware event, and these lessons extend to individuals and businesses alike. First and perhaps most importantly, we should understand that no individual, company, computer, or network is immune from the threat of ransomware. In fact, ransomware attacks increased 62% from 2019 to 2020, with 304,000,000 attacks reported in 2020, according to Statista. In business environments, ransomware knows no boundaries, impacting businesses of all sizes in virtually all industries. Therefore, if your company has not yet developed a response plan, now is time to do so.

One of the most common means used by cybercriminals in ransomware attacks is phishing emails. With this attack vector, the criminals send emails containing malicious links or attachments, and if recipients click those links or attachments, they become yet another ransomware victim. Therefore, do not click links or attachments in emails received from persons you do not know or if you were not expecting links or attachments in the message. Better still, enable spam filtering to block inbound emails containing links or attachments.

The nature of ransomware is such that it often evades anti-malware tools. Ever-evolving strains of ransomware frequently morph so that new versions of the malicious software continually appear. Because these versions are fresh and the anti-malware tools have not yet seen them, they do not classify them as dangerous and block them. Therefore, recently-introduced strains of ransomware often go undetected by anti-malware software. To help address this issue, consider enabling “white-listing” software, which only allows pre-authorized applications to run on your computer. In this scenario, unless the ransomware is on a device’s white-list, it cannot execute on that device.

AppLocker and Controlled Folder Access are two forms of white-listing tools, and Microsoft includes both these tools in business-oriented versions of Windows 10. AppLocker is a tool usually administered by IT staffers. With this tool, you can specify all the approved applications authorized to run on a given device. If ransomware gets installed onto the device – by clicking a malicious link, for example – AppLocker should block it from running because the ransomware will not be on the approved software list.

Similarly, Controlled Folder Access blocks unapproved applications from making changes to data files in folders designated explicitly by a user. By doin so, Controlled Folder Access minimizes the risk that ransomware compromises your data. Of course, no method of preventing ransomware is fool-proof. However, using one or both of these techniques may reduce your chances of becoming another victim of a ransomware attack.

Despite our best efforts, it is altogether possible that you or your organization may become a victim of ransomware. If you do, the malware will encrypt your data and hold it hostage until such time you pay the ransom. The best way to recover is by restoring your data from a recent backup. As identified above, this is the strategy Colonial reportedly used to recover their data, even though the company paid the ransom.

Of course, restoring from a backup is only an option if you have a backup strategy that is appropriate and all-encompassing. To that end, ensure that that your backups capture all necessary data files. Further, your backups should have an “air gap.” In this context, an air gap is a backup configuration that ensures companies store their backups offline, disconnected from the network. This step is necessary to ensure that the same ransomware that affects the data does not encrypt the backup media. Without an appropriate air gap, ransomware can compromise a company’s data and its backups.

Ransomware, unfortunately, remains a real and persistent threat. If you fall victim to ransomware, you have three options: 1) recover your data from a backup, 2) pay the ransom, or 3) lose your data forever. To effectively mitigate ransomware risk, ensure that you do not click on links or attachments in suspicious emails. Further, do not get lulled into a sense of false security that your anti-malware tools will prevent such an attack. Additionally, take advantage of tools such as AppLocker and Controlled Folder Access, both of which can mitigate the risk associated with ransomware. Finally, despite all your best efforts, you should assume you will become yet another victim of ransomware and, given this assumption, ensure that your backup strategy will allow you to recover your data files. It’s your data, and it’s your decision. Choose wisely because the future of your business may hinge on your decision.

Concerned about cybersecurity? Consider one of the cybersecurity learning options available from K2 Enterprises.

The life of a successful entrepreneur may feel like an imaginary and unreachable world, especially during and after COVID. However, success is built by following the 5 daily habits of successful entrepreneurs.

Many entrepreneurs started off small. In addition, they were making minor adjustments to their daily lives and their businesses until they could take bigger calculated risks that ultimately resulted in success. It’s a commonly held perception that these individuals hit it big one day and made millions overnight, either through luck or brilliance.

It can be tough to start a habit from scratch and stick with it over time. These inspiring individuals have modeled the power of building 10 good daily habits and have provided tips regarding how to do each well. Read on to learn some life-changing habits that you can start implementing into your own life. On the other hand, you can skip down to Thimble’s infographic illustrating these habits.

We know that exercise is good for our bodies, but don’t do it. In other words, we often neglect the benefit of exercise to our minds in the middle of a workday. Above all, studies show that the areas of the brain that oversee thinking and memory tend to be larger in those who exercise than those who don’t.

Several entrepreneurs, including CEO of Artitudes Design Andrea Heuston, include an exercise routine every morning. Heuston explains, “my best ideas come to me when I exercise.” Likewise, even if you can’t fit an entire exercise routine into your mornings, consider going for a walk or riding your bike to work in the morning.

It’s common for busy people to leave reading for vacation, if at all. However, some of the world’s most successful people, including Warren Buffet, dedicate huge portions of their day to reading. This habit allows you to accumulate knowledge about your industry and the world at large. Above all, reading helps you start the day feeling refreshed and mentally stimulated.

Where can you find reading time? First, consider the time you spend watching television. Second, consider time spend on social media. Third, consider your commute time. If you are on public transit or in an airplane, you have an opportunity to read.

When you’re making quick decisions left and right, it can be easy to experience cognitive overload and start to make poor decisions. Take time away from the pressure, pace, and the technology. Build a quiet space in your time each day. If you start your day with reading and exercise, perhaps having lunch without technology or a meeting would be wise. Others prefer to be unplugged late in the evening. You will sleep better by avoiding the blue light exposure from television, tablets, or mobile devices.

Efficiency experts have recommended listing your primary tasks for the next day before heading to bed. A quiet time unplugged may be just the ticket for this. This process also helps with habit five below.

A wise mentor to me took Wednesday through Sunday off every six weeks. Why? “You need to get away from everything and clear your head!”

Alternatively, meditation is a self-care practice that’s all about staying grounded. Similarly, you are in the moment, regaining focus and moving forward with clarity. If you’re skeptical about the power of meditation, check out the studies that have linked mindfulness training to improvement in memory and executive functioning.
Founder of Athlete Desk Darryl Higgins claims that meditating every morning helps him relax, multitask and keep his business operating smoothly.

Entrepreneurs do a lot to ensure that their business’ internal operations are functioning smoothly. Still, many external factors can make or break a company’s long-term success. In the accounting profession, both regulations and current events can impact business.

By staying up-to-date on current events, entrepreneurs prepare for competition, economic turmoil, and industry developments that could otherwise be detrimental. For example, CEO of Caspian Agency Heather Mason reads her industry’s trade publications every morning to stay current with important trends.

Most habits are best completed in the morning. Therefore, you want to devote your mornings to prepare for the day ahead of you. Many entrepreneurs, including the owner of The Dog Adventure, Peter Schoeman, organize their thoughts and make a checklist for the following day on a nightly basis. Above all, creating a list will take significant stress off your shoulders when it’s time to focus again in the morning.

Your daily action plan should be aligned with your overall business goals. You need to plan for your success whether that is in service and product sales or people management.

Success requires patience and diligence. These 5 daily habits of successful entrepreneurs are a good starting place. Rather than crossing your fingers and hoping for a win, start building the habits that have proven successful today.

By now, you have likely heard that Microsoft will release Windows 11 later this year. Although more evolutionary than revolutionary, Windows 11 will impact businesses and individuals alike. Therefore, whether you plan to upgrade immediately or wait a while, now is the time to develop your upgrade strategy. Read on to learn five key things about Windows 11 to help you create that strategy.

One key new feature in Windows 11 is a redesigned user interface. In particular, the Start button and the taskbar have relocated to the bottom center of the screen. Also, the Start button will show recently used files.

Another key new feature is integrated Chat and videoconferencing tools from Microsoft Teams. Thus, if you use Teams, you can access your tools directly from the taskbar. Also, surprising many, Microsoft announced that Windows 11 can run apps designed for the Android operating system. You will be able to search for and install these apps from the Microsoft Store.

Additionally, Windows 11 improves how computers arrange windows. For instance, Snap Layouts and Snap Groups allow you to quickly arrange multiple open windows on your device. Further, if you disconnect from a second monitor, icons for the apps open on that monitor will appear in the taskbar.

Also, laptop and tablet computers may get better battery life with Windows 11. With the updated operating system, users may be able to manage how often the screen refreshes. Reducing the number of refreshes per second improves battery life.

A potential drawback for some, the new version of Windows requires more computing power than its predecessors. Specifically, Microsoft released the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11, and they are substantially more demanding than for prior versions. 

• An Intel 8th Generation Coffee Lake or Zen 2 CPUs, or higher
• Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 support
• 4 GB of Random Access Memory (RAM)
• 64 GB of storage

The practical implication of these requirements, should Microsoft stick to them, is that millions of existing devices will not be eligible to upgrade to Windows 11.

Like previous versions of Windows, the upgrade to Windows 11 will be free for existing Windows 10 customers. In a July 24 announcement, Microsoft announced that consumers would begin to receive the update during the 2021 Holiday Season. However, some IT professionals speculate that update could start arriving as early as October.

If you are running Windows 10, you can check your Windows Settings to see if the upgrade is available to you at any point. To do so, go to Settings, Update & Security, Windows Update, and click Check for Updates. If it is available to you, you will see Feature update to Windows 11. If you see that, click Download and install.

In an ever-risky cybersecurity environment, one of the most critical enhancements in the new version of  Windows is better security. More to the point, with the Windows update, Microsoft seems to embrace the concept of “zero-trust” security models. The requirement of a TPM chip for Windows 11 devices seems to confirm this strategy. With a TPM chip in place, the operating system can create and store encryption keys. Further, the TPM chip can assist with authenticating a device, a key component of zero-trust security models. Moreover, the new version of Windows enables other security measures by default, rather than relying on end-users to activate them, further improving security.

Many consider operating systems a “necessary evil” of computing – perhaps rightly so! However, refinements continue to appear that make them more palatable and contribute to efficiency and security. The next version of Windows seems to offer such advances. While it’s not as revolutionary as some of its predecessors, the enhancements promised in Windows should make computing easier and safer for potentially hundreds of millions of users. However, keep in mind that older devices probably not be upgradeable, so there could be new hardware costs on the horizon. So begin planning now for your migration to Windows 11 to ensure no unpleasant surprises along the way.

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During a recent support call with a person at a consulting firm, I was disappointed to see that they were not using the supplied password manager. The firm provides a license to LastPass; however, the person did not want to be bothered using it or any other password manager. The result, frankly, is that the firm is at significant risk.

The firm uses a remote desktop connection to provide access to a custom line of business application. The only security in place was a username and password to log in. With the security flaws found and patched last year for remote desktop services, hackers are still busy looking for and finding remote desktop connections to attack. Since a password manager was not used to create the password, the password is insecure. I recommend reading the blog post “Your Pa$$word doesn’t matter” to understand how insecure passwords alone are.

So the first thing the firm did was confirm that log-in attempts for a user were limited to 3 before locking out the account. The next step was the implementation of multi-factor authentication (MFA).

There are lots of great options for the implementation of MFA. The MFA chosen by the firm is called Duo, and the reason it was selected is the simplicity of setup. On a test system, I learned how and completed the configuration in under an hour.

You can have password policies, provide password managers, train people on the use of the tools, and in the end, they may or may not comply. There is no choice for an organization but to implement MFA on every computer, application and service. MFA will provide a significant increase in security and, in this case, is now a requirement to connect to the remote desktop. A significant improvement over just using a password, which was most likely not secure.

Organizations must take the necessary steps to protect their networks and data. Implementation of MFA is the least we can do.