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3 Excel level-up tips

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Microsoft Excel’s new features now make it easier than ever to process data and present information visually. Help yourself to our three useful tips below.

Take advantage of Ideas in Excel

If you’re not sure which type of chart best tells a particular story out of a table of data, don’t worry — Excel’s artificial intelligence (AI) has got your back. Just click any cell in a data range, then go to the Home tab and click the Ideas button. A task pane will appear, showing recommendations for what data visualization you can use. Here’s a quick reference for what some of the most popular charts are for:

  • Column/Bar chart – compares categories with one another by depicting their numerical standing in terms of column height (or bar length, in the case of bar charts) side by side (think of lining children up and looking at how tall they are)
  • Line chart – shows how data changes over time or other variable that continuously increases at a regular rate (think of someone tracking their weight weekly during the entirety of their three-month diet)
  • Pie chart – sets items as being parts of the same whole to depict and compare how much each contributes to or partakes of that whole (think of a statistician showing a town’s composition by race)
  • Scatter diagram – sets two variables as axes on a Cartesian plane and plots data as points on that plane to show whether a relationship exists between the two variables, and if so, what kind of relationship they have with one another (think of recording the temperature at noon every day and noting sales of bottled water to see if increasing temperatures lead to increasing sales)

Coming soon: Intelligent answers for questions about your data

Thanks to natural language processing (NLP), users will soon be able to ask a specific question or make a visualization request to Ideas, and Ideas will respond by providing a chart that answers that question or fulfills that request. For instance, if you have sales data for shirts, sweaters, boxers, briefs, jeans, and socks, and you ask for “total sales for boxers, briefs, and socks,” Ideas will show you a pie chart showing how much those three items contributed to their total sales. You can thereafter revise the label of that chart into “Total sales for underwear.”

Save time by using dynamic array formulas

For the longest time, Excel users had to enter one formula in a cell to have something returned in that particular cell only. If, for instance, you opted to use formulas (instead of the Remove duplicates command) to obtain unique values from a list containing repeating names, you’d have had to nest all sorts of functions that only increase in complexity for every succeeding cell that you use. This is no longer the case, thanks to dynamic array formulas.

Simply put, dynamic array formulas let users obtain multiple results that “spill” over multiple cells by just executing a single formula. That’s the array part, but why is it called “dynamic?” Well, just like how a single-cell formula result changes when that formula’s source reference changes, the results of the entire array also stay in sync with the changes in the source reference.

To illustrate, let’s say that you use the Unique function to obtain a list of non-repeating names from a list that mentioned “Eric” a lot. The resulting array will be a list that mentions “Eric” only once, but if all instances of “Eric” were deleted from the source list, then “Eric” will be taken out of the results array.

Besides Unique, these are some of the other functions that showcase the dynamic array feature:

  • Filter – extracts all records that match the criteria you set (e.g., a list of names of people with green eyes)
  • Randarray – generates a table full of random whole numbers or decimals between two values that are provided by the user
  • Sequence – creates a table full of numbers that begin at a specified value and increase by an increment set by the user
  • Sort – extracts unique values from an array and rearranges them into a new array according to the ascending or descending order of a chosen column index (e.g., a list of billionaires and their respective net worth, sorted from lowest to highest net worth)

Make data extraction easier with XLOOKUP

Let’s say you have a table that records the meals that Mark, Martha, and Marion ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on July 4, 2019. People’s names are in Column A, while meal names for breakfast, lunch, and dinner are in Columns B, C, and D respectively.

JULY 4, 2019
NAME Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Mark Scrambled eggs, bacon, and home fries Pork chop and mashed sweet potatoes Shrimp and vegetable tempura with rice
Martha Avocado toast Aglio olio Salad Nicoise
Marion Pancakes and sausages Fried chicken and cheese grits Roast beef with baked potato

Finding out what Mark ate for lunch is easy enough to do manually, but now imagine his name among 20,000 other people, in a list that’s randomly ordered, in a table spanning the entire year of 2019. Instead of driving yourself crazy, do it programmatically via Excel’s XLOOKUP function.

Extracting data that corresponds to other pieces of data is what lookup functions are for. The very first was Vertical Lookup or VLOOKUP, a function that goes row by row to look from left to right to retrieve your desired information. Next came Horizontal Lookup or HLOOKUP, which did the same thing, except it went column by column to look from top to bottom.

The latest and best iteration of the lookup function is XLOOKUP. It combines both VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP and improves them by being able to go right to left and bottom to top as well.

Let’s go back to our 2019 meals table example above. With XLOOKUP, you can find out who ate roast beef with baked potato on April 1. However, if many people ate that meal that day, you’ll only be able to retrieve either the first or last match in the table depending on whether you specify that the search be done from first to last or in reverse order. Returning multiple matches is possible, but only by integrating other functions with XLOOKUP.

Despite XLOOKUP’s inability to return multiple matches on its own, it can, however, return multiple values from a single match (a la dynamic array). To illustrate, let’s limit our example table to just one day, and we want to extract what Marion ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you choose to use the older VLOOKUP function, you have to perform it three times — once for every meal. With XLOOKUP, you only have to do it once. This is such a huge time-saver, especially if you want to extract entire rows or columns of data from your source table.

Excel is now more user-friendly than ever before. To take full advantage of the best features Excel has to offer your business, contact us today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.


Source: Pronto

How AI can boost your eCommerce business

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How AI can boost your eCommerce business

Artificial intelligence (AI) is fast becoming an integral part of doing business. Experts predict that AI will be involved in as much as 85% of all customer interactions with a business in 2020. In fact, many eCommerce businesses today are already using AI to interact with and provide better service to their customers. Read on to find out how.

Predicting what your customers want

AI has many uses in eCommerce, benefiting both the business and the customers. For instance, machine learning, a subset of AI, can be used to identify customer habits and their interests based on search histories (both inside and outside of a specific business’s site).
With the proper configuration, machine learning can be used to analyze shopping behaviors to customize and tailor the online shopping experience to specific users. Product recommendations, pairings, and promotions can target individuals, improving the customer experience, and in turn, your bottom line.

“I’m looking for something a little more…”

Machine learning is also great for cataloging products. In the past, businesses would send out dense and cumbersome product catalogs where customers could find — often with difficulty — the items they were looking for.

Today, consumers are able to upload photographs of a product — say, an article of clothing — that’s similar to what they want to purchase or pair with another. Through AI, a website will be able to analyze the photographs and make suggestions based on data from the uploaded images.

Customers can still talk to a “representative”

More and more users are relying on eCommerce over face-to-face sales interactions, thanks to advances in “plain language” systems. Machine learning is getting better at interpreting conversations and answering with natural-sounding responses. By replicating the in-person shopping experience, eCommerce businesses can shift away from the overheads of brick-and-mortar stores. This will allow them to make significant savings in capital expenditures and human resources, all while reducing the opportunity for costly human error as well.

AI has the potential to improve your eCommerce business. If you’re ready to integrate more of this tech into your business model, give us a call. Our experts will be happy to assist you and provide the cutting-edge IT solutions that will drive your business forward.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.


Source: Pronto

How virtual reality helps small- and mid-sized business

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How virtual reality helps small- and mid-sized business

Virtual reality (VR) has many benefits. Its immersive sensory experience is being applied in healthcare, gaming and entertainment, fashion, the military, and the media, just to name a few. Small- and mid-sized businesses are no exception, as this technology is changing how they normally do business in wonderful ways.

Create your own VR prototypes

With the help of VR, you’ll no longer have to rely on manufacturing when you want to see what your product physically looks like and how it might work. These virtual products allow you to make any changes before production. Model creation in VR, for example, can save company resources, as these virtual prototypes allow manufacturers to examine a product and make changes without the time and money of building a physical model.

VR for engineers

As with manufacturing, VR is also time- and cost-efficient for engineers, architects, and other professionals who work with building large structures. It replaces traditional approaches, such as rendering small 2D models, and offers a more immersive experience that helps in designing structures.

Virtual tours

Let’s say that you’re a real estate agent showing houses to potential buyers. Your buyers may be in a different state or simply don’t want to spend time going from house to house. VR allows customers to see what the property looks like in a three-dimensional setting without them having to actually be there.

Showing all the angles of a product

In order to entice buyers into making a purchase, you must first give them an idea as to what your product actually looks like, and they need to see as many angles as possible. With VR, customers see your product from all angles without touching it. Furthermore, it allows customers to see a product in action. Shoppers can thoroughly examine a product before purchasing it.

Take customers on an adventure

If you are in a tourism or adventure-based business, you can use VR to give customers a taste of what to expect from the attractions. Imagine that you have an amusement park, and you want to attract customer attention. You can offer a short VR simulation of one of your rides so people can see whether or not they’d like it. Or if you own a resort or campground, you’ll also be able to create VR versions of whatever activities you offer.

If done properly, VR has the potential to take your small- and mid-sized business to the next level. If you have any questions about how you can mesh VR with your company, don’t hesitate to send us an email or give us a call. We’ll be more than happy to assist you.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.


Source: Pronto

Defend against this new Office 365 threat

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Defend against this new Office 365 threat

Some hackers have become so skilled that they don’t even need you to give up your credentials to hack into your account. One recent cyberthreat is targeted towards users of Microsoft Office 365. You don’t want to be the next victim, so read up.

A phishing scam that harvests users’ credentials

The latest cyberattack on Microsoft Office 365 involves harvesting users’ credentials. Scammers use this previously unseen tactic by launching a phishing message to users, asking them to click on an embedded link. What makes this scam more insidious than traditional phishing scams is that the URL within the message links to a real Microsoft login page.

How does it work?

The phishing message resembles a legitimate SharePoint and OneDrive file-share that prompts users to click on it. Once they do, they are taken to an Office 365 login page where they will be asked to log in if they haven’t already.

After they’ve logged in, they’ll be prompted to grant permission to an app called “0365 Access.” Users who grant permission effectively give the app — and the hackers behind it — complete access to their Office 365 files, contacts, and inbox.

This technique can easily trick lots of users since the app that requests access is integrated with the Office 365 Add-ins feature. That means that Microsoft essentially generates the request for permission. No, Microsoft is not aiding hackers to breach systems. Rather, the scam is made possible by a feature that allows users to install apps that are not from the official Office Store.

Ways to protect your Office 365 account — and your business

Given their fairly advanced approach, these scammers could effortlessly prey on careless employees. There are ways to make sure that doesn’t happen.

  • Always check the email’s sender account before clicking on any link or granting apps access.
  • Implement a policy that prevents staff from downloading and installing apps that are not from the Office Store.
  • Regularly conduct security awareness training that covers essential cybersecurity topics. Educate employees on how to spot phishing scam red flags (e.g., unknown senders, grammatical and typographical errors, suspicious requests, and the like). Increase their knowledge about more sophisticated attacks and keep everyone informed about current and future cybersecurity risks.

Successful attacks could result in an unimaginable catastrophe to your company. For tips on how to spot this and other nefarious scams and how to plan thorough security practices, contact our experts today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.


Source: Pronto

Office 365 hacking: What you need to know

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Office 365 hacking: What you need to know

There really is an app for almost everything — including one that cybercriminals use to hack into businesses’ systems. Cyberattacks have become so advanced that they are now aided by an app, like this one that poses serious threats to Office 365 users. If you’re using Office 365, here’s what you need to know.

A phishing scam that harvests users’ credentials

The latest cyberattack on Microsoft Office 365 involves harvesting users’ credentials. Scammers use this previously unseen tactic by launching a phishing message to users, asking them to click on an embedded link. What makes this scam more insidious than traditional phishing scams is that the URL within the message links to a real Microsoft login page.

How does it work?

The phishing message resembles a legitimate SharePoint and OneDrive file-share that prompts users to click on it. Once they do, they are taken to an Office 365 login page where they will be asked to log in if they haven’t already.

After they’ve logged in, they’ll be prompted to grant permission to an app called “0365 Access.” Users who grant permission effectively give the app — and the hackers behind it — complete access to their Office 365 files, contacts, and inbox.

This technique can easily trick lots of users since the app that requests access is integrated with the Office 365 Add-ins feature. That means that Microsoft essentially generates the request for permission. No, Microsoft is not aiding hackers to breach systems. Rather, the scam is made possible by a feature that allows users to install apps that are not from the official Office Store.

Ways to protect your Office 365 account — and your business

Given their fairly advanced approach, these scammers could effortlessly prey on careless employees. There are ways to make sure that doesn’t happen.

  • Always check the email’s sender account before clicking on any link or granting apps access.
  • Implement a policy that prevents staff from downloading and installing apps that are not from the Office Store.
  • Regularly conduct security awareness training that covers essential cybersecurity topics. Educate employees on how to spot phishing scam red flags (e.g., unknown senders, grammatical and typographical errors, suspicious requests, and the like). Increase their knowledge about more sophisticated attacks and keep everyone informed about current and future cybersecurity risks.

Successful attacks could result in an unimaginable catastrophe to your company. For tips on how to spot this and other nefarious scams and how to plan thorough security practices, contact our experts today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.


Source: Pronto

The right way to set up guest Wi-Fi

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The right way to set up guest Wi-Fi

Customers, partners, and vendors expect Wi-Fi access when they’re visiting your office. This is why having guest Wi-Fi access is common for most companies. But setting it up the wrong way can create a frustrating experience for people looking to connect to the internet. In some cases, it can even leave your company exposed to cyberattacks. Here’s how to do it right.

Never give guests access to your primary Wi-Fi

Giving your guests access to your company’s main Wi-Fi connection might seem like a good idea, but you should avoid this at all costs.

Anyone with a little technical know-how can potentially access everything on your company network, including confidential data. In addition, if any of your visitors’ mobile devices have been compromised, it’s possible that they can transmit malware to your entire network.

Ways to create secondary Wi-Fi for guests

If your router comes with built-in guest Wi-Fi support (you can check this feature through a quick web search), you can use it to create a separate “virtual” network. This means guests will have access to the internet without directly connecting to your company’s primary network.

If your router doesn’t support multiple Wi-Fi networks, you can implement a separate wireless access point that bypasses the rest of your network and connects directly to the internet, thus preventing any outsider from accessing your company’s private data.

Keep in mind that guest Wi-Fi still uses your ISP connection, so you should limit bandwidth usage on your guest network. Visitors streaming videos can slow down your internet connection, which can affect the productivity of your employees. With that in mind, you can even have your employees use the guest Wi-Fi on their mobile devices to minimize the chance of them hogging company bandwidth for personal use.

Remember, your guest Wi-Fi should only provide outsiders with internet access, nothing more. While the proper setup isn’t rocket science, it can be a tedious process. Having said that, if you need a team of experts to take care of it, or if you simply have questions about how else to leverage your hardware for better efficiency and security, just give us a call.

2020January15Hardware_A, business Wi-Fi, guest internet, Guest Wi-Fi, internet setup

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.


Source: Pronto

Rediscover Office 365 with Surface

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Rediscover Office 365 with Surface

Microsoft’s Surface line does not only have the most powerful Intel Core processors, but it also offers unprecedented integration with Office 365. With unique touchscreen capabilities and advanced accessories, Surface devices enable you to work with the popular productivity suite in new and exciting ways.

Audio transcription in Word

This new feature allows audio files to be uploaded into Word, which will then be broken down and transcribed on a side panel using Azure Speech Technology. If you want, you can also record directly on Word using the Dictate function. The app will automatically transcribe it. To review the accuracy of the transcription, simply select a piece of the transcribed text and the audio version of that part will be played back.

This technology will be available in Word for web in early 2020, and can be enjoyed on desktop and mobile in the spring. This feature isn’t free, but researchers, students, and professionals will find that this feature is worth the cost. It can also be of help to people with disabilities.

Improved Ink Editor

Ink Editor lets you edit and highlight documents by using your finger or a digital pen. Previously, you could already do simple commands with it, like delete and add words in a document, split a word, or link two words together. With Surface devices, the editing gestures become even more natural. When the technology arrives on web and desktop in Spring 2020, you will be able to insert comments anywhere in the document, as well as add graphs, drawings, or dictations.

Digital pen support for Excel

Microsoft takes advantage of the touchscreen capabilities in Surface devices by offering digital pen support for Excel. With this capability, you can now use your digital pen to write letters and numbers directly into Excel. This is perfect for people who are always on the go and those who want to save time when taking down notes.

Powerful Earbuds

Surface Earbuds are wireless earbuds that allow you to control music and calls by using signature gestures and voice commands. And because it integrates with Office 365, you can also use these gestures and commands on Office apps, such as when controlling a PowerPoint slideshow. Go to the next slide on PowerPoint by swiping on your Earbuds, or play and pause a video with a single tap on your device. Access apps like Outlook calendar and email without a screen. You can also use its built-in mic for dictation in apps like Word and Teams. The possibilities are limitless.

With Surface and Office 365 working together, you can expect improved productivity and more efficient workflows. Want to learn more about Office 365 and other necessary business technologies? Contact us today. Our technology experts are always ready to answer your questions.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.


Source: Pronto

Manage your WordPress with this checklist

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Manage your WordPress with this checklist

WordPress is one of the most powerful blogging and content management systems (CMS) today. Since 35% of the internet is powered by WordPress, there’s no room for sluggish load times, potential security vulnerabilities, or search engine delistings. Follow this checklist to avoid those problems.

Make backups

It’s crucial to perform a daily off-site backup of your WordPress files and database. This ensures data security in the event of a network breach or natural disaster, and it will facilitate the resumption of your business’s regular operations. Although plugins like BackUpWordPress and hosting servers like SiteGround automate the backup process, manual backups are still necessary.

Verify backups

Not only should you be making backups, but you should also be verifying them. By doing so, you are making sure that the backed up files are going where they are supposed to, and backups are being updated. The last thing you need is a failed backup strategy on the day you need it most!

Daily security reports

If you ask any cybersecurity expert, “Is it crucial to maintain a daily network security report?” the answer will be a resounding “YES.” While you might not have enough time to carry out thorough inspections and create these reports yourself, you can use security monitoring services like Sucuri. Not only does it carry out the inspections, but it also sends an SMS to notify you of any suspicious activity and emails you a daily status report.

Malware scans

Cybercriminals are growing in both number and sophistication. With every passing day, new strains of malware are developed and released onto the systems of small- or medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Unless you are a bonafide hacker yourself, detecting malware might be a little tricky. WordPress plugins like Wordfence keep your website safe using the latest firewall rules and flagging the latest malware signatures and malicious IP addresses.

Speed audits

Slow and steady may be qualities valued by some, but not so much for your website. Plugins like Google PageSpeed Insights test how fast your site loads. If it takes more than five seconds, you should consider implementing caching and other measures to speed up your site. Slow sites put off visitors, and that further lowers their search rankings.

Review your site

For this step, sit down with an impartial friend and let them explore your website. A fresh pair of eyes will highlight issues you may have overlooked, such as forgetting to update the copyright date in your footer.

Forbes, National Geographic, and The New York Times are all powered by WordPress, which means you are in good company. By sticking to the checklist, you too can harness the power of this online, open-source website creation tool. Or, instead of signing up for half a dozen services that need daily check-ins, why not have us take care of all of it for you? If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to send us an email or give us a call!

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.


Source: Pronto

The business benefits of IAM

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The business benefits of IAM

Your employees access applications and confidential business data every day. Hackers, on the other hand, are trying to do the exact same thing but for more malicious reasons. What’s worse, even employees can go rogue and steal your data, which is why it’s crucial that you have an identity and access management (IAM) solution in place.

What is IAM?

Identity and access management is a system that secures, stores, and manages user identities and access privileges. It ensures that users are who they say they are and will grant access to applications and resources only if they have permission to use them. System administrators can make it so that employees can only access apps and data they need for work.

Other solutions that go into identity and access management include single sign-on (SSO) and multifactor authentication (MFA). The former allows users to securely log in to multiple applications that they are authorized to access. Meanwhile, MFA sets an additional method of user verification other than passwords. This includes fingerprint scans, facial ID, or a one-time security code from an SMS.

These security solutions are designed to protect digital assets even if users attempt to access company accounts through mobile devices and the cloud.

Centralize access control

Too much access to certain systems is risky, while too little can hamper productivity and frustrate users. IAM strikes the perfect balance by letting you set centralized policies for the right access privileges. For example, you can deny your design team access to the accounting system while granting it to your CFO.

Each user’s role and attribute can be used to determine which resources they’re allowed to access and to what extent. This not only offers better security, but also more flexibility and ease of management.

Lower chances of data breaches

With SSO and MFA, your employees will no longer have to remember multiple passwords. Instead, they’ll be able to prove their identity using evidence-based authorization such as answering a personal question that only they would know. IAM also comes equipped with advanced encryption tools to protect sensitive data, reducing the risk of compromised user credentials.

Improve user experience

Customers today interact with your company across multiple channels, whether in the cloud or via third-party applications. This is where IAM helps provide a better experience through SSO, self-service capabilities, and unified customer profiles that make communication processes quick and easy.

Your employees, on the other hand, will be able to access the information they need securely and conveniently no matter where they are. This means productivity will no longer be confined to their office desk.

Achieve regulatory compliance

Businesses today must meet the constantly changing regulatory requirements concerning data access governance and privacy management. IAM was designed with just that in mind and provides control over who can access data and how it can be used and shared.

Reduce IT costs

IAM automates and standardizes many aspects of identity, authentication, and authorization management. This means you’ll be able to minimize significant labor costs associated with keeping your business environment secure.

An identity and access management solution equips you with much-needed security without compromising on usability and convenience. To operate in a digital business environment, it’s not a matter of “if” but “when” you’ll adopt IAM within your company.

If you’re looking to enhance company-wide security, whether with IAM or other solutions, why not give us a call? We’re sure we can help.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.


Source: Pronto

Mitigating cybersecurity insider threats

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Mitigating cybersecurity insider threats

Did you know that in some industries the biggest cybersecurity threats come from inside a breached organization? Sometimes it’s motivated by financial gain and sometimes it’s plain-old ignorance. So how can you protect your organization from insider threats?

#1 Educate

You must teach your team to recognize personally identifiable information (PII) and understand the financial implications of a breach. Each employee needs to grasp the risks associated with violating specific state or federal regulations regarding data privacy and security. For example, when a celebrity is admitted to the hospital, employees may be tempted to sneak a peek at their medical records. As innocent as that may seem, it could result in a hefty HIPAA fine.

#2 Deter

You must put easy-to-understand policies in place to prevent an insider from breaching company data. And those policies must be strictly enforced. In fact, almost every regulatory framework pertaining to data security requires that these policies are published where they can be easily found and that you present them in company-wide meetings. In some case, you may be forced to put a person in charge of holding everyone in the company accountable to following the policies.

#3 Detect

Businesses must have systems in place to identify data breaches and their sources as quickly as possible. You should be able to see any time someone accessed PII. This speeds up the breach response time by revealing when unauthorized personnel viewed something they shouldn’t have. It’s significantly easier to stem the spread of a breach with an effective audit trail in place.

#4 Investigate

When a privacy or security breach is detected, certain actions must be taken to limit the damages. For example, after the cause of a breach has been identified, your team should create new policies and procedures to ensure it can’t happen a second time. In the case of an insider threat, that might mean revoking data access privileges to a department that never actually needed them.

#5 Train

Since IT systems are constantly evolving and easy to accidentally bypass, your employees must undergo regular data security training. A one-day seminar is a great start, but incorporating short, weekly reminders or activities will go a long way toward keeping everything fresh in their minds. Consider using a variety of media, such as emails, break-room posters, and even face-to-face interviews.

Is your company’s data secure from insider threats? Call us today for a quick chat with one of our experts for more information.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.


Source: Pronto