Computer Repairs: A Las Vegas Prevention Plan

Computer repairs in Las Vegas are recommended if your system is not functioning normally. Is it possible to avoid many of these repairs even before they happen? Yes.

Three areas where costly Las Vegas computer repairs can be prevented:

1. Infection: Even computer systems that have adequate protection against malware, spyware and viruses can fall prey to these threats if the system is not upgraded on a regular basis. Some threats are sophisticated and can infiltrate your system on the very same day that it becomes vulnerable. The computer performance might slow down, or the system may have trouble starting normally. Las Vegas computer repairs can locate and eliminate these infections.

2. Security: Computer security can be compromised if the protections used against malware are inadequate. Other security concerns may arise if you are using file sharing software, multiple printers on a network, wireless routers or other networking devices. Professional computer repair in Las Vegas can help protect against potential threats in the future as well as resolve critical problems now.

3. Data Recovery: A data recovery and backup plan should be an essential strategy for businesses and individuals who wish to avoid expensive computer repairs in Las Vegas. Sudden accidents, natural disasters, power surges or a hard drive crash can be devastating. If you do not have a backup and recovery plan in place, the loss could be permanent.

Microsoft Word: Computer Repairs Las Vegas

Computer repairs in Las Vegas may provide you with a responsive computer system that can access many of the advanced features in Microsoft Word. Follow these instructions to learn how to make the page numbers begin on the cover page:

1. Insert Cover Page: Click the insert tab. Click the pages tab first, and then click on the cover pages option. Here you can select whatever page suits your tastes. Cover pages can be inserted at any time, and it does not matter where you are in your document at the time.

2. Click in the Header Area: When you do this, the design tab appears and you can open it. Go to the options tab and uncheck the box for a different first page.

3. Click on Page Number: This option is on the far left side of the design tab underneath header and footer. Scroll to the top of page selection and place the numeral on the right side of the header. It should appear as the number 0.

4. Click on Page Number: This time, select the format page numbers option. Look for the page numbering options and select continue from previous section.

This basic skill allows you to determine where the page numbers will appear. Experiment with these options for even more precise control before assuming that you need Las Vegas computer repairs.

Microsoft Word 2010: Mail Merge for Business
Prepare a form letter that is to be sent to everyone on your list. It contains the salutation and date, but does not contain any information that is specific to any given recipient.

Go to the tab called mailings and select start mail merge, which will bring a list of options to the screen. Select the last one, which is called “step by step mail merge wizard.”

On the right side of the screen, you can select the kind of mail merge you wish to perform. This can be done in several forms. It can be done via letters, envelopes, labels or even through email messages! Look to the bottom of the panel where there is a link that says “next: starting document.”

After you have made your selection, you are given three choices. You can use the current document, start from a template or start from an existing document. There is a button next to each of these choices.

Open your form letter and click the “next: select recipients” link. If you do not have a list ready, just select “type a new list,” and click create. If you choose customize columns, you can deselect any items you do not want to be printed. Save the data.

Move the cursor to the address block position and click on the address block link. Reformat the page to your liking. Follow the next steps until you see “edit individual letters” and then choose“merge records all,” which will let you preview before printing.

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Microsoft Outlook: Attaching Files, Business Cards
Using Outlook email provides several advantages including the ability to send picture files that might be too large for other email applications to handle. Hotmail, yahoo and other email services are often unable to process certain files in email attachments for a variety of reasons.
Outlook is effective at providing users with functional and professional-looking correspondence.

If the file is formatted in rich text instead of HTML or plain text, the file will appear as an icon inside of the body of the message. It will probably be placed between the last line and the signature. Just drag it below your signature line to preserve that classic-letter look.

If the attachment is HTML or plain text, it will appear inside what is called the attached line, which exists underneath the subject line. You can also attach a picture file. The GIF file format often triggers a virus or junk filter alert, but JPEG files will usually get through.

Certain files types include programming code. Examples include HTML, GIF or moving picture files, which can still be sent through email. However, taking certain precautions will improve the outcome. Zipping up the files might help you get through these alerts. The zipped files render the file types inside invisible to the email system.

To attach a business card, just go to the insert tab and look at the three icons stacked to the left of the table icon. They are arranged vertically. Selecting the top icon will allow you to insert a business card.

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Find Your Files Quickly!

Partitioning in Windows 7 Libraries: Advanced Features

If you have recently upgraded your computer’s components in Las Vegas, organizing all of the information on your hard drive is essential. To do this, go into the main library folder. All partitions will be displayed in blue. Files from one partition can be dragged and dropped to another partition. The default location for saving files is on the private folder, which also called my documents.

Underneath is the public documents folder. Go to the location where you have a picture you want to move. Right click on the picture you want to send to the library and then click on the option that says send to my library. Check to make sure that it arrived in the pictures library.

Go back to the main library screen and right-click on documents. Enter its properties panel. This screen will show you the total file size of that library. If you plan to move or save these folders to another location, it is good to know the exact size of the folder! The same can be done for the other libraries. You can also reset the default save location in this panel. The normal default setting is private and is indicated by a check mark.

No matter how many folders you create, the properties window will always display the check mark next to the default save location. This can always be changed for convenience. In addition, the button labeled “optimize this library for“ has a pull-down menu that will allow you to change the way information in the libraries is displayed. This is a handy feature for SharePoint users.

Please give us a call if you need computer repair help in Las Vegas or Henderson NV!

Find Freedom in File Organization!

Windows 7 Libraries: Powerful Organizational Tools

Computer users in Las Vegas can benefit from the advanced applications of the libraries in Windows 7. These libraries provide an increased sense of functionality and organization. They are essentially containers that point to various data that is located all over the hard drive. Files and folders are now stored and retrieved by new searching and indexing technologies.

The four default libraries are:

• Documents
• Music
• Pictures
• Videos

These virtual folders serve as pointers that automatically retrieve the specified files wherever they are on the hard drive. Many users are still unaware that there are two folders inside of each library. One of them is a public documents folder and the other is a private folder.

To access these libraries, just click on the file icon right next to the start button in Windows 7. This will take you into documents. You can also click the start button to get to documents. In the window labeled documents library, underneath this title there is a link that shows the number of locations where the files get retrieved. Open the link and you will see the private and public locations where your files can be stored.

Pay attention to the add button. This button will allow you to create another partition in addition to the public and private folders that are set there by default. This is a convenient way to organize documents that might not easily fit into the pre-defined categories set by Windows 7.

If you need computer help in Las Vegas or your small business is fed up with your computer problems, give one of our knowledgeable account managers a call to see what ITS can do for you to make your computer repairs easier!

Create Your Own Thermometer

Microsoft Excel: Creating a Fundraising Goal Thermometer or Sales Quota Thermometer

This post is designed for people with marginally good Excel skills, if you need further help, you can always give us a call for any computer questions in Las Vegas!

Creating a thermometer in Excel is fun and easy. Begin by inserting a normal stacked column, and be sure to use the final cell from your goal data set. Next, delete the legend on the chart. Right-click and select Format Axis. Take the axis out by clicking None from the menu next to Axis Label. Next, right-click and select Format Data Series. Reduce the Gap Width by sliding the bar to zero percent.

Now you can resize the chart from the border, and you can narrow the body of the thermometer within the border as well. To get rid of the grid lines, just right-click inside the border to Format Gridlines and select No Line. If your original cell value is not close to 100%, go into Axis Options with a right-click. Change the Maximum option from Auto to Fixed, and then change the numerical value to 1.0. If you had .6 here, your thermometer would display 60%.

For the top of the thermometer, select the plot area of the data points, right-click and put in a solid fill color. This will show you how far you have to reach your goal. Finally, go to the Insert tab, select an oval shape for the base, and format the colors and gradients. Remove the shape outline border. This will blend the base with the tube. Grouping them together will allow you to move the tube and base as one unit.

If you need computer repair in Las Vegas, please give us a call!

Microsoft Word 2010: Applied Trivia

It is always fun to learn helpful Word 2010 trivia. Did you know that double-clicking a word will highlight it, and triple-clicking will highlight the entire paragraph? Wow.

Two other features in Word deserve a closer look.

1. Customizing the Toolbar

If you have ever looked at the ribbon with chagrin, then why not customize? It’s easy enough to do. Just go to the File tab and click Options. It is close to the bottom of the list. Then, click on Customize Ribbon. You can Add or Delete items just by highlighting them and then clicking the appropriate button. You can also add a New Group. Just click the button, but be careful. The last item highlighted in your list will be the one where the New Group appears. To remove, click the Remove button in the center of the page to delete your last action.

2. Templates

If you have not yet discovered the templates, you have to see this! Just go to the File tab and click on New. Scroll through and double-click on any of these templates. You will be amazed!

When customizing, you can always go back to click on another item within the list on the left. Then simple click Add to apply it to your New Group. Voila! It will then show up on your toolbar.  We hope this will help your computer skills improve on this common program!

If you need computer repair in Las Vegas or Henderson, please give us a call!

Using Technology: Small Business Strategies

Technology has the capacity to help small businesses, but only when the goals of the business are clearly defined. Small businesses often turn to technology as a means to survive downturns in the business cycle.

The most pressing issues facing small business concerns:

• Lowering Operating Costs
• Attracting and Retaining Customers
• Enabling Employment of a Remote Workforce

Small businesses interested in using technology for one of these purposes might find it impractical, expensive and time-consuming to acquire and utilize the most advanced technologies available on the market. The needs of small businesses certainly vary by industry, but pervasive technology trends can help identify specific areas where small business owners are likely to invest their precious resources.

Business Server and Software

A small to midsize server can reduce costs and help the business to gain access to virtual customers as well as harness the expanding virtual remote workforce.

Software products designed specifically to address the needs of the small business operation are surging in popularity. Their excellent functionality and low maintenance provide new avenues for businesses to track various transactions, reach new customers and even prepare for the tax season.

Give us a call to see if this technology can help you!

Social Networking and Small Business: Marketing Choices

With the wide variety of applications and online platforms that businesses could potentially utilize to their advantage, sometimes it might seem that there are too many choices available. Every business decision is an investment of a resource; if it is not money, it surely is time. So, which media is right for your company?

There is no one solution that will work for all businesses; however, consider the following baseline concepts:

1. Show, Don’t Tell:
It is more effective to show your customers the end value of your product/service than to merely tell them about it. Why not outsource the creation of vimeos or animated videos that could easily be displayed on your social network?

2. Interactive Interfaces:
Inviting participation through the use of touch-sensitive devices allows users of social media to receive their most desired experience: Connection.

3. Maintain Brand Recognition:
Whether you decide to tweet, email or blog, it is important that your image and brand get reinforced so that you become a familiar sight to your customers.

It could be Facebook, Twitter, iPhone, Kindle Fire, or even article marketing and SEO. One of the keys to a successful marketing experience is narrowing the field to ensure that the tactics used are the ones most relevant to your business enterprise.