Windows Based Computers In Your Home Business.
May 29, 2008 by Glenn
Microsoft’s Windows Xp has been the mainstay of the business world for quite sometime.
Many business still run Windows 2000 as their business operating software.
The majority of business software comes only in Windows but that is really not a problem anymore.
Laptop or Desktop?
When I’ve been asked about which computer an individual should have, that question is really simple. What your budget will allow, if we have a large budget then of course we can afford a pricier computer.
Today you can pickup a new computer that really is cheap compared to years ago. The bad news is that when we want to use them in business “As this is being written Mid 2007″ they come with Vista preinstalled.
Now don’t get me wrong but Vista is not ready for Prime time in your business today. It still has many issues to be worked out.
Software support for Vista is lagging behind as most manufactures in my opinion and major business are waiting for the first service pack to come out. The same goes for Office 2007 mainly due to the lack of third party support but this will be getting better soon lets hope.
So for now Windows Xp still reigns as the champ here.
When it comes to a Laptop or Desktop computer, I use both. The major problem is in keep the information you have synchronized. If your using Outlook from office 2003 there is a company that produces a product I’ve used for many years.
Synchpst for Outlook - this product allows you to keep your email system synched as I’ve said but it also helps you incase of a computer crash. The odds of both computers failing at the same time is quite minimal but still you should always have a backup system, after all you are running windows.
Email System:
When you combine XP and Office 2003, you have a good start on your home business computer system. While you may not have office 2003 you still have one of the first tools you’ll need Outlook Express.
Most small businesses today use email programs that are located on the computer in question, shouldn’t yours also be on your computer. This will allow you to keep your email organized by creating rules etc.. that allow you to become more focused and productive.
Here is a link to one of my sites that can help you accomplish and understand this:
“Creating a Foundation For Success“
Contact Management:
As for a contact management system for Windows based computers you cannot go wrong with the program called ACT. Act is not inexpensive but you can find older versions at a reasonable cost.
One of the benefits of using ACT as your contact management program is that just as you can synchronize Outlook, ACT has it’s own built in synchronization function.
This allows you to keep all your appointments, contacts, notes etc. backed up and duplicated. Act works wonderful with Outlook, you can send an email to one of your contacts through Outlook and have a history of it recorded in your database.
This program is truly a lifesaver. To learn how to utilize this program I spent many hours teaching it to others that I finally took my own advice and produced a video series for it, you can find it here.
“Setting up ACT for Network Marketers.“
Related Posts- Computers Every Business Has One.
Computers are wonderful devices. Most people don't fully realize just how powerful a device that they have at their disposal. Building a successful Home Business... - Is The Apple Mac Right For Your Business?
Apple is the true sleeper in the home business world today in my opinion. My Wife and I have noticed that each and everytime we've... - Tools to Build our Home Business.
What tools do you really need? This is always a good question to ask yourself before you purchase anything for your home business! The good... - Perfect Home Office
Creating the perfect home office for your business should be high on your priority list. As we become organized, by its very nature we become...
Comments
Feel free to leave a comment...