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Write It Down!
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Greetings!

This week, we continue our multi-part series on network troubleshooting.

We talk about something--that you aren't doing--that can significantly reduce the hassle of technology problems.

Read on to learn how this simple procedure can save time, reduce stress, and generally make computer troubleshooting a lot easier than it is right now...
Leave Your Competition Behind
Lease Your Network...

Do you have a small business--even one with five employees or less?

Are you tired of limping along on used computer equipment, with substandard service, just because you can't afford the IT budget bigger companies enjoy?

If you could make your computer problems vanish with a simple, affordable, reliable solution, would you do it in an instant?

Of course you would!

That's why PerAspera is pleased to introduce the Turn-Key Network Lease!

Get all of this:
  • Workstations
  • Server
  • Multifunction Printer, Scanner, Copier, Fax
  • Software
  • Professional, Reliable Service and Support
For one low monthly payment.

Stop throwing money away by purchasing equipment outright--equipment that will just be obsolete in two or three years.

Keep your cash in the bank, not tied up in your computer system.

Put your capital into the parts of your business that will generate revenue directly, while you still enjoy the advantages of a state-of-the-art information system.

Call PerAspera and ask us about the Turn-Key Network Lease today!
Put Microsoft Outlook To Work,
So You Don't Have To...

It's the computer program you use more than any other.

You open it several times a day. You could not run your business without it.

Microsoft Outlook--it's a vital part of your business communication strategy. You may use email more than you use your cell phone, more than you meet your customers face-to-face.

How much do you really know about Outlook?

Certainly, you know how to create and reply to messages...but that is only the beginning.

How familiar are you with benefits such as:
  • Rules
  • Alerts
  • Contacts
  • Distribution Lists
  • Appointments
  • Tasks
  • Archiving
  • Distribution Lists
Outlook may be the most powerful tool you have--and you are leaving most of its potential untapped.

By utilizing the full capabilities of a program you already own, you can significantly decrease the amount of time your job requires, and significantly increase the number of new opportunities you are able to pursue.

PerAspera Consulting is pleased to announce the introduction of training classes for Microsoft Outlook, as well as Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft Busienss Contact Manager.

Don't let the competition roll over you because they know software secrets you don't.

Call PerAspera at 913-385-7102, Option 1, and ask about our Business Productivity Training Classes today!
FeatureNetwork Troubleshooting:
Write It Down!
Brian S. Pauls
Brian S. Pauls

Overland Park, KS

I am about to share with you the single most important step in network troubleshooting.

We have covered a lot of suggestions in this series. We have learned that the simplest things break first, that the trouble has probably happened before, that Google Groups is your friend, and that you should not hesitate to call technical support.

All of this pales next to the following rule:

Write it down!

Have you got that?

Print this column out. Tack it to the wall over your desk. Read it before you tackle any computer problem.

This simple procedure can significantly reduce the time it takes to resolve your technology problems--if you do it!

What do I mean when I say "write it down"?

  • When you set a password--for anything--write it down!
  • When you install new software, and you have a product serial number or activation key--write it down!
  • When you make a configuration change--write it down!
  • When you discover the solution to any technical problem--write it down!
  • When you are given an account number by your hardware or software vendor--write it down!
  • When you find a technical support number--write it down!
  • When your technical support representative gives you an incident number, ticket number, service order number, or any other sort of number--write it down!
Get the picture?

If you do not write down this information, you will not remember it. Every time you try to troubleshoot a computer problem, you will waste time tracking down the information you need--and that you had the last time.

Also, remember Computer Troubleshooting Rule #4: It Has Probably Happened Before.

Why make yourself solve the same problem more than once? If the issue occurred previously, whoever fixed it should have documented the solution. The next time it happens, it should not be a problem--it should simply be a matter of implementing a known solution!

All the information mentioned above--and anything else that occurs to you--should be stored in the same place, so you know when to find it when you need it. This may be in a binder on your desk, in a file on your computer, or in a large note field in your business database. "Write it down" doesn't mean you have to physically write the information--but it should be recorded somewhere. None of it should be at the mercy of anyone's memory.

If you choose to record the information electronically, make sure you have multiple backup copies of the file--and they should not all be stored on the same machine! What happens if that machine is the one that has the problem? You should be making multiple backup copies of your vital business data, in any case--just make sure this information is part of those backups. This may be the most critical business data you have!

If you make a habit of writing down crucial technology-related information whenever you encounter it, you can transform computer troubleshooting from a frustrating emergency into an urgent, but manageable task.

Do yourself a favor, and write it down today!

Next Week: Learn From Experience
Don't make technology harder than it needs to be.

Write down anything related to your computer network. You will thank me (and yourself,) the next time something goes haywire on your system...

Sincerely,
 

Brian Pauls
PerAspera Consulting, LLC

Mission

Our mission is to enable organizations and individuals to make good technology decisions by providing them with complete and accurate information, as well as reliable products and services, at a reasonable price.

We hold ourselves responsible for delivering what the client expects within an agreed-upon time-frame.

Earning our clients' continued trust through honesty and integrity is the foundation of our business.

We aspire to be the most accurate, reliable, honest, and trustworthy computer consulting firm in the Kansas City area.

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