Happy retirement Windows XP

As Windows XP is coming to 'End-of-Life' in March 2014 more and more companies are taking stock of their IT with a view of how to move forward
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It isn't always as easy as upgrading the operating system, or replacing the computer.

As part of our IT Support Services we offer advice and consultancy on how to manage the upgrade process. From choosing the right operating system, to considering in-line business applications. A site visit is often carried out to assess what you already have, this is then followed up by a written assessment and recommendations.

Working with our partners Microsoft and HP and we are also able to bring you the best deals for sourcing your IT. From cash-back offers on hardware, to discounts on software. Microsoft Get Modern is a great source of information. Also see the Windows XP retirement site.

Let Eitex take stock of your IT, and we'll do the hard work for you.

Office Mobile for Android Phones is now available!

Users who have an existing Office 365 subscription can now download and use Office Mobile on Android devices.

Office Mobile is the official companion to Microsoft Office. Gain full access to Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents with feature rich charts, animations, graphics and shapes.

A True Office Experience:

Easy Access:

Office Mobile Features:

 > Access documents from anywhere using SkyDrive, SkyDrive Pro or SharePoint
 > Open Recent Documents from anywhere
 > Email attachments
 > Resume Reading, pick up where u left off from any device
 > Edit while offline, and sync later
 > Share information
If you want to try Office Mobile for Android phones, but don't have an Office 365 subscription, you can sign up for a free Office 365 Trial.

What’s next with Office 365

We’re visiting Microsoft again this week to discuss future changes with Office 365 and their online services.

As a leading Cloud Accelerate Partner in the UK we are in the privileged position of finding out what’s next with Office 365, this is often between 3 and 6 months ahead of our competitors.

Unfortunately we are under NDA so we are not able to let you know what these changes are, but what it does mean is that we are able to ensure you are heading in the right direction with regards to your IT and Office subscriptions. We have implemented some changes for customers which aligns them perfectly for the future.

Microsoft Office 365 currently includes the following technologies:

Front-End Applications (Desktop or device, i.e. laptop / tablet):

Microsoft Office Pro Plus:

          • Outlook
          • Dynamics CRM (Outlook Client)
          • Word
          • Excel
          • OneNote
          • Lync
          • Access
          • Publisher
          • InfoPath
          • SkyDrive Pro (new)

Also available is:

          • Microsoft Visio
          • Microsoft Project

 

Back-end Technology: 

          • Exchange Online
          • SharePoint Online
          • Lync Online
          • CRM Online

If you want to work with a leading UK Office 365 Partner – get in touch!

IT Support for Solicitors Law Firms

Legal IT Support

Eitex offer IT Support, network and computer maintenance for a number of leading solicitors and law firms in Leeds and throughout Yorkshire.

Our pro-active services are geared around your legal practice and fit in with existing case management software such as Eclipse, Proclaim, Bighand, Opsis, Select Legal and more.

From on-site visits, scheduled walk-arounds, IT Outsourcing, or working alongside your existing IT department, we have a proven track record and are able to help!

Server Support, desktop, network and user support are all included, or can be tailored to suit your particular practice need.

Our services are cost-effective and won’t break the bank.

If you would like to arrange a free network assessment please get in touch.

Office 365 for Hospital Group John Munroe

We recently implemented Office 365 and IT Support services for John Munroe Hospital and were very thankful to receive the following testimonial:

I have worked as IT and Communications Coordinator for John Munroe Hospital for four years now. The network was littered with various operating systems and legacy equipment, and the Board decided to take action regarding this situation. I was asked to investigate options for replacing the legacy equipment and also upgrading the system in general.

My inquiries into Microsoft Office 365 and associated HP Equipment led me to Eitex, and I was put in contact with Dean Spencer.

Dean was friendly and approachable, and quickly arranged a meeting to discuss the network requirements and associated equipment required.

We met and discussed a plan moving forward that included a hybrid deployment of Office 365 for our company and the lease of the new PC’s, Laptops and Servers required. Along with Chris Thompson, we started to plan the deployment of the solution.

Chris was there every step of the way during and after the deployment, and Dean was always on hand to answer any questions relating to the finance of the solution and any further solutions available. I enjoy working with Eitex, as being Microsoft Partners they are very knowledgeable regarding the solutions on offer from Microsoft, and their deployment. If they are unsure, they are confident enough to tell you they are unsure, and can quickly put you in touch with someone who does.

The IT Support team are always available, and have responded to any queries or issues I have raised at any time in a timely and concise manner, addressing and resolving the issue to the best of their ability.

I would highly recommend Eitex for any company who wish to deploy any form of Microsoft solution, as they listen to your requirements and act upon them with your interests at the heart of what they offer. They are friendly, approachable and have a no-nonsense approach to IT Support. I look forward to continuing to work with them and a prosperous future together.

Yammer Enterprise Networking...

What's new from the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in America last week:

Communicate better, internally!

Yammer! Yammer enables you to communicate with your workforce better than ever before. This is ‘Social Networking’ for the enterprise.

Like Facebook it allows users to post updates, about themselves, the company, what they are working on, anything, but with the added benefit of being confined within your organisation!

The system bridges communication gaps between staff and departments, and can be extended to customer and supplier networks as well.

Yammer is now part of Office 365, and it’s free to subscribe.

If you would like more information on getting started and setup, please let us know.

Information at your Fingertips!

The new version of Microsoft CRM is the fastest and slickest yet. Whether you are using it on your PC, tablet or mobile phone you can have all customer information at your fingertips, wherever you are!

Microsoft CRM is now part of the Office 365 suite and integrates within Microsoft Outlook and Office perfectly.

To open your mind to the possibilities of MS CRM, get in touch!

New Release:

Some none Microsoft related news: Sage 50 Accounts 2014 is due for release 1st August!
Some of the new features can be found here: http://blog.eitex.co.uk/2013/07/new-features-of-sage-50-accounts-2014.html

If you would like a price to upgrade, please email me your Serial Number.

New Features of Sage 50 Accounts 2014

The new version of Sage, which is apparently the fastest and most feature-rich version yet is due out for release 1st August.

So why should you upgrade? What are the new features of Sage 50 Accounts 2014?

 

Some of the New Features of Sage 50 Accounts 2014:

VAT:
- Show me how: this guides you through the VAT submission process to give confidence when submitting
- VAT verifier: 8 VAT checks at the click of the button
- New look at Year and Month End Screens
- Save Time! Submit your return in just 3 clicks!

Manage Stock:
- Holding stock ties up your cash flow, so Sage 50 Accounts 2014 gives you an up-to-date view of what you have; how profitable items are and helps keep your customers happy by making sure you never run out.
- Focus on your business and allow Sage Accounts to manage your stock efficiently.

Products:
- Show only current products
- Easily calculate the value of stock
- Save Time! Import stock takes from Excel

Foreign Trader module*
- Keep all the information you need to manage foreign trading in one place including sales, purchases and invoices
- Stay on top of tax legislation for trading abroad
- Manage fluctuating exchange rates
- Reconcile multiple currencies in your accounts

Manage Charity Donations:

Make the most of every penny donated, manage your finances for different funds, and complete Trustees Annual returns.

New gift aid legislation means you can now claim back more money from HMRC, so it’s even more important to make sure that you’re recording the right information about your donors and your small donations. With Sage 50 Accounts 2014 you can be confident you’re accounting for all your funds properly so your charity benefits.


Want a price for upgrading, just send us your Serial Number and we'll do the rest!

IT Support for Leeds based AvantaUK

We received a testimonial from workspace design company AvantaUK. The company is based in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

The brief was to improve communications by moving systems to the cloud. Avanta also require IT Support and management on an on-going basis.

Eitex implemented Office 365, and now provide Pro-Active Technical Support and Management.

Testimonial:

We approached Eitex and 2 other companies to pitch for our IT maintenance and to put forward proposals including ideas to improve certain key business processes including communication.  From the offset I was very impressed with Dean and his approach.  He put forward a very competitive proposal based around the Microsoft Office 365 Cloud based solution.

We have worked closely with their engineers on install and the after support has been first class.

We would recommend Eitex to anyone.


If you would like to discuss Office 365, and / or IT Support please don't hesitate to get in
touch!

Office 365 for Oxford College, Gibraltar

We were asked to provide a cloud computing solution based around Office 365 for Oxford College.

The head office is based in Gibraltar, and so the entire job was designed and implemented remotely.

Oxford College commented on the work we carried out:

Oxford College provides high quality online learning for over 20,000 students, including BTEC HND and A level students. As such it is essential that our students are able to access their work at any time and that we can provide support to assist their studies. Eitex ensures that we can maintain a high level of service to our students by working quickly to deal with any problems as they arise and ensuring that we can provide uninterrupted service to our students.

If you would like to discuss your Cloud Computing requirements, please get in touch.

Office 365 - Meeting the Developers

Dean went down to Reading last Friday to Microsoft to the Office 365 launch event. Bringing a change in plans and newer ways to implement Office into your business. After watching a demo presented by James Akrigg, Head of Technology for Partners, Dean got the rare opportunity to meet James afterward.

 

After this opportunity Dean said "Having this opportunity to talk to the developers who can answer these questions is golden. This knowledge that I now have from asking the right people will now allow me to progress and show customers that Office 365 is truly the way forward."

 

If you have any questions regarding Office 365 please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Follow us on Twitter @EitexUK

 



Windows XP End-of-Life

Windows XP and other software soon to be ‘end-of-life’.

In just over 12 months Microsoft will be retiring the following products:

• Windows XP
• Office 2003
• Server 2003

This means that Microsoft will no longer provide Support for this software, and will no longer provide Security Updates!

See Windows Lifecycle for more information

What does this mean to me?

Any devices which are running this software will be at a significant risk from viruses and malicious software. It is imperative that this software is replaced or upgraded.

As well as the security risk you will not be able to run newer software including Internet Explorer 9, Internet Explorer 10 and Office 2013. 

What’s next?

Over the next 12 months Eitex will be upgrading devices which are installed with Windows XP and Server 2003. This will be done by either carrying out a software upgrade, or replacing the machines.

To book a slot between March 2013 and March 2014 please get in touch, we have already taken a number of bookings so please let me know ASAP to secure your date/s.

An upgrade plan will be discussed prior to your confirmed date, along with any associated costs.

How much will it cost?

There are a number of options available to you to upgrade including:

• Windows 7 or 8 and Microsoft Office via subscription
• Purchased upgrade
• Machine replacement

If you choose to replace your machines we are also able to offer Microsoft subsidised finance at very competitive rates!

The new Office 365

Why should you care about the new Office 365? If the e-mail, document sharing and storage, instant messaging, Microsoft Office and more cloud based solutions doesn’t get you excited, then how about a fancy new interface to make it even easier to get around than it was before.

As Microsoft prepare for the release of the latest cloud upgrades for Office 365 for business tomorrow, people are eagerly awaiting Office 2013 which will roll out alongside upgrades. Office Professional Plus will now be 2013 instead of 2010, and people who already have the subscription will be updated and upgraded if they haven’t already.

New interfaces within the portal will arise as newer ways of getting around and offering its social prowess as people are able to update the social feed when an important document is uploaded. Getting to grips with the newer and more fluid interface will be a smooth learning curve, there are few differences and things that are different are easy enough to learn about. You can now preview documents before opening them in SkyDrive Pro and SharePoint, allowing you view the document in a window when you click on more options, this saves time as opening and closing documents that were labelled badly or incorrectly can be inefficient.

I cannot wait to move our customers to this newer version of Office 365, giving them a neater and more aesthetic experience, still with all the great functionality of previous software.

 

If you have any questions on the new Office 365, please give us a call.

Follow us at @EitexUK

With the release of Service Pack 3 previously this month, Office for Mac can now partake in the Office 365 subscription offerings.

The subscriptions service are best suited for customers who use Office on an array of devices as it will allow any combination of Mac/PC installs using 5 re-usable licenses; although, if you do have only the one device there is a lot of value consisting of free version upgrades etc.

Please do note that the minimum requirement for Office 365 subscriptions on Mac is OS X 10.6; while lasting Office for Mac 2011 remains 10.5.8. This difference is due to some of the Office 365 services functionality that are included within the subscription offer.

I am aware some people will be wondering when the next version of Office for Mac will be available now that Office 2013 has launched; unfortunately Microsoft are not ready to make an announcement at this moment in time, but know they are working hard on the future of Office for Mac. The most current version of Office for Mac is 2011.

If you are interested in Office 365 and have any questions please get in touch.

Eitex leading the way with Cloud Computing

Eitex were invited to an exclusive Microsoft Event where top performing Microsoft partners were rewarded and recognised for their efforts.

 

The event held at The Paramount in London was a high profile event and Dean Spencer owner of Eitex got the rare chance to meet with the General Manager of Microsoft Cloud Services, amongst other key Microsoft personnel.

 

Dean Spencer (on right) with Brian Ridgeway, General Manager of Microsoft Cloud Services

 

 

“The insights into products and services which are not yet available are invaluable for my business and my customers. There are some exciting developments with Office 365 and CRM Online. Cloud services help get the economy moving as companies can invest in their IT infrastructure without capital outlay. We are proud to demonstrate that Yorkshire Business can compete and win in the global marketplace!” commented Dean

Move to Office 365 for Free!

Office 365 is Microsoft’s fastest selling product of all time, have you moved over to Office 365 yet?

Millions of businesses are already enjoying the benefits, and now you can too!

Between now and 24th Feb 2013 Eitex are offering free setup* of Office 365 for the first 50 customers to sign-up! This is a saving of £325.00

If you’re interested in moving your business to the cloud there has never been a better time.

To take advantage please email me back with the words ‘Move me to the Cloud’ in the Subject Line. If you are one of the first 50 we will email you back letting you know you qualify for free setup.

Offer includes the following:
• Office 365 Subscription Setup
• Domain Setup and validation
• User Account Setup (please supply usernames in Excel Format)

Need to chat about it first? Please call Dean directly on 01924 918 419.

*Offer is available to Small and Medium Sized businesses only and is subject to terms and conditions.

Kind Regards,
Dean Spencer

Sage 50 Accounts Solution for WFS Farm Supplies

WFS is growing company and as such needed to roll out Sage 50 Accounts to all users to allow them to process orders, produce delivery notes and pass this information to the Accounts department for Profit & Loss, month end accounts and produce VAT returns.

Sage was previously installed on only one computer and to allow everyone to have access a server had to be installed.

As the business suffers from Slow broadband speeds Eitex installed a Small Business Server to minimise broadband usage, manage file shares, email, and of course provide Sage to all users. The work originated from our telephony partner Yorkshire Telecom who provided network cabling and a new phone system as well.

“The service offered by Eitex was fast and efficient, what’s more is that all work was carried out over a weekend to minimise disruption to our business” commented Elizabeth.

As part of the cloud solution Eitex are also offering Pro-Active IT Support.

If you would like to enquire about the products and services offered by WFS please get in touch!

If you would like to see what Sage 50 Accounts can do for your business please contact Eitex.

Office 365, Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Sage 50 integration for Hygiene Company Branta

Following a company restructure The Branta Group needed to bring their IT up to date to fit with their new dynamic business model.

Branta chose Eitex as they were able to offer everything from hardware leasing to Cloud Solution Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft CRM Online and Sage 50 with full CRM Integration. Both companies are also located in West Yorkshire which is an added bonus.

“We were pleased to be offer a complete solution which was designed by our engineers and senior development team, and all within budget.” commented Dean from Eitex.

As part of the cloud solution Eitex are also offering Pro-Active IT Support.

The Branta Group own the following brands:

If you would like to enquire about the cleaning and hygiene products offered by Branta please get in touch!

If you would like to see what Office 365 and Cloud Computing can do for your business please contact Eitex.

IT Support and Office365 for Mezzanine Floor, Racking and Shelving Company

A leading workspace solutions provider were interested in the opportunities Cloud Computing would provide the company. Avanta UK offer mezzanine and racking solutions globally and traditional office based servers were too restrictive and didn’t seem to fit the bill for consultants when travelling to far reaches of the world!

The company became aware of Eitex via Microsoft as they are a leading Cloud partner in the UK. Marketing manager Neil mentioned “the demo Eitex provided on Office 365 blew us away. As the solution is implemented information will become available to all our staff on their laptops, tablets and even mobile phones from anywhere in the world. What’s more and surprisingly is that you don’t always need an internet connection to access your work and emails. Amazing!”

As part of the cloud solution Eitex are also offering Pro-Active IT Support for existing servers and infrastructure as well as bespoke development for in-house ERP systems.

If you would like to enquire about the leading workspace solutions offered by Avanta please get in touch!

If you would like to see what Office 365 and Cloud Computing can do for your business please contact Eitex.