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  • How to get the best out of Microsoft Word

    How to get the best out of Microsoft Word

    Microsoft Word has long been regarded as one of the best document processing applications in history. And Microsoft isn’t resting on its laurels, as it continues to bring more features for users to enjoy. Here are some productivity features you should take advantage of.

    Work online

    Don’t have the Word app on your computer, tablet, or smartphone? Go to office.com, sign in with your Microsoft account, and open Word Online, the web version of Word. This is particularly useful for users who have limited free storage space on their devices, as the Word app can be pretty hefty in terms of storage space (2.11 GB for Windows and 1.2 GB for Mac). It allows for the same level of functionality without the storage burden.

    Collaborate effectively

    You and your colleagues can now edit the same Word document simultaneously and in real time. Simply save the document to your Microsoft OneDrive account, click Share, and send the link to the file to your coworkers. People with the link can access and edit the document using the Word desktop app or Word Online.

    Maintain editorial control

    Use the Track Changes function of Word to monitor all edits made to your document. To turn on Track Changes, click on the Review tab, and then select Track Changes. You will then be able to view all changes made to the file by every user, and you will also have the ability to reject or accept suggestions and edits as you see fit.

    Use Smart Lookup for research

    The Smart Lookup feature helps you do online research while you’re working on a document — no need to open another tab and type in a query. Simply highlight and right-click the word or phrase you want to look up, and select Smart Lookup from the menu that appears. Word uses Microsoft’s Bing search engine to conduct a search on the selected word or phrase, and displays the results in a pane that appears on the right side of your screen.

    Format your documents

    The Styles gallery contains predefined formatting options for text. You can also add your own styles, or those you use frequently, to the gallery. By saving your own style preferences, you can apply them anytime without having to manually format everything. Just follow these steps:

    1. Select the text you want to format as a new style (e.g., a heading or a certain phrase).
    2. Specify the formatting you want on the mini toolbar that appears. For instance, click Bold and Red if you want the text to appear as such.
    3. Click the More arrow in the lower-right corner of the Styles gallery. Select Create a Style. This will open the Create New Style from Formatting dialog box.
    4. Give the style a name and click OK. Your new style will appear in the Styles gallery, ready for you to use anytime.

    Search and use images quickly

    With Word, there’s no need to open your browser to look for images for your document. Just place the cursor in the area where you want to insert the photo, click the Insert tab and select Online pictures (type “clip art” in the search box if that’s what you need), select an image, then click Insert.

    Edit PDFs

    Word’s PDF editing function allows you to make quick changes to PDF files without having to download and use a PDF editing app or software. But before you can edit a PDF file in Word, you have to convert it to a file format that Word can display. To do that, follow these steps:

    1. Click File > Open > Browse
    2. Choose the PDF file you want to edit, then click Open
    3. Click OK to make a copy of the PDF file and convert its contents into a format that can be opened in Word. (Note: The original PDF will be preserved.)
    4. Make edits to the copy of the PDF file.
    5. When you’re done, click File > Save as > PDF

    Microsoft is constantly rolling out nifty new features for its popular word processor. To stay updated on the latest Word features and functionalities, reach out to our Microsoft experts now.Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

  • How to secure your RIA firm’s Microsoft 365 environment

    How to secure your RIA firm’s Microsoft 365 environment

    RIAs are highly entrusted and work with sensitive and personal client information on a daily basis, so it’s crucial that they use secure solutions to process and store this data. Fortunately, most RIA firms already use Microsoft 365, a complete, intelligent business solution that comes with top-of-the-line productivity tools as well as extensive security, data protection, and user controls.

    But while Microsoft 365 is designed to address rigorous security and privacy demands, RIA firms must ensure that everything in their Microsoft 365 environment is implemented and configured correctly to make the most of its security advantages.

    If you’re not sure if your Microsoft 365 environment is set up correctly, you can easily find out by checking your Microsoft Secure Score. To learn more about what that is, you can check out our blog Check Your RIA’s Cloud Security Score, or go to the Microsoft 365 Security Center to check it now.

    This guide will help your RIA firm stay ahead of cyberthreats and protect your Microsoft 365 environment, users, devices, applications, and data.

    How can RIAs secure Microsoft 365?

    Microsoft recommends these best practices to increase the security of your RIA firm’s Microsoft 365 environment.

    1. Set up multifactor authentication

    Using multifactor authentication (MFA) is one of the easiest and most effective ways to boost the security of your RIAs’ email accounts and Office 365 access. By setting up MFA, you are adding an extra layer of security to the sign-in process, as this requires RIAs to type a unique code generated by an authenticator app or one sent via text message. This can prevent hackers from taking over your RIAs’ accounts even if they manage to get hold of the latter’s passwords.

    2. Use Message Encryption

    Office 365 Message Encryption is already set up with Microsoft 365, and it allows RIAs to send and receive encrypted email messages from clients, colleagues, and other people outside your firm. Message Encryption helps ensure that only the intended recipients can view the contents of an email, which is especially useful if the email contains proprietary or confidential information. This feature works with Outlook.com, Yahoo!, Gmail, and other email services.

    3. Disable email auto-forwarding

    Automatic email forwarding is a feature that comes in handy at times, but it can also pose a serious threat to your firm’s data. If a hacker gains access to an RIA’s account, they can steal personal or corporate information by auto-forwarding email messages to a different account. An IT administrator can disable this feature in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

    4. Protect against harmful attachments and files with Safe Attachments

    It can be difficult to tell whether an email attachment is safe or malicious just by looking at the message it came with or the sender’s email address. This is where Microsoft Defender for Office 365’s Safe Attachments feature proves useful, as it uses a virtual environment to check email attachments for malware before they’re delivered to recipients.

    If nothing malicious is found, the attachment will be sent as normal; otherwise, the attachment will be removed and the email body will be delivered along with a notification that the malicious attachment has been removed.

    Safe Attachments is not turned on by default, so an IT administrator must configure this feature. But even if you have this security measure in place, it pays to always be cautious of suspicious and unsolicited email attachments.

    5. Protect against phishing attacks with Safe Links

    Safe Links is another useful feature in Microsoft Defender for Office 365. This scans inbound email messages for malicious hyperlinks and URLs, especially those that are commonly used in phishing and other attacks.

    If a link is identified as suspicious or malicious, users might be blocked from opening the link when it’s clicked. Or instead of being directed to the indicated URL, users might see a warning page. In any case, it’s prudent to avoid clicking on any links within suspicious or unsolicited email messages in the first place.

    6. Check your Secure Score

    Secure Score uses machine learning to determine how well-aligned your current security configurations are with Microsoft’s security best practices. Based on this measurement, your IT staff or partner can take specific recommended actions to protect your RIA firm from a variety of threats.

    7. Train your users

    The simplest way to secure your Microsoft 365 environment and keep threats at bay is through user education. It’s crucial to establish a strong culture of security awareness within your firm. This involves training RIAs to identify phishing and other social engineering attacks and teaching them how to secure devices and email communications, among other things.

    While Microsoft 365 comes with enterprise-level security features, these are often misconfigured or underutilized. It takes expertise, knowledge, and experience to ensure that your Microsoft 365 environment is configured securely — all of which we at RIA WorkSpace have in abundance. Contact us today to learn more!

  • How RIAs can secure access to web-based applications

    How RIAs can secure access to web-based applications

    Today’s RIAs are always on the go, so it’s no surprise that more and more RIA firms are relying on the cloud to stay in touch with clients, store data, and run business applications. Not only are web-based, pay-as-you-go services more affordable and accessible than on-premises IT systems, but they’re also far more secure, more agile, and easier to use.

    Unfortunately, many RIAs assume that since cloud solutions are managed by cloud vendors, then the latter must handle all aspects of data security for them, too. While these vendors certainly develop cloud apps with robust and holistic security in mind, this doesn’t mean they have complete responsibility and accountability over their users’ data. RIAs still play a big part in safeguarding the wealth of information they have on investors and their finances.

    For RIA firms to enable employee mobility while ensuring secure access to web-based apps, they must implement proper endpoint protections. Using single sign-on (SSO) is a great option for simplifying access to cloud apps while minimizing the risk of breaches and advanced targeted attacks.

    What is single sign-on?

    SSO is an authentication method that allows users to use one set of login credentials (e.g., a username and a password) to conveniently access several related yet independent apps. It’s most useful when a user needs to access multiple accounts or systems and they want to keep from reentering their credentials each time they’re disconnected from a service.

    Advantages and disadvantages of using single sign-on

    For the most part, enabling SSO means saving RIAs time and freeing them from the burden of remembering several username/password combinations. There are also significant benefits to efficiency and security when using SSO, such as:

    • Streamlines the process of signing into and using business apps
    • Simplifies the management of login credentials
    • Reduces the risks of phishing and other social engineering attacks
    • Leads to fewer password issues and complaints for IT staff to resolve
    • Allows IT staff to establish custom security protocols (e.g., password strength requirements and session timeouts) across systems and apps

    But as with all technologies, SSO has its limitations and drawbacks. These include the following:

    • Disregards certain levels of security each app sign-on may need
    • Locks users out of the various connected apps if SSO fails
    • Endangers connected apps and data if SSO credentials are cracked

    To prevent credentials from being compromised and breaches from occurring, it’s essential that SSO is implemented along with other identity and access management (IAM) solutions. Essentially, IAM tools and technologies enable organizations to comprehensively manage user identities and regulate access to corporate assets on premises and in the cloud.

    Single sign-on with Azure AD

    Microsoft has long been the industry standard, and its cloud-based IAM service, Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), is packed with security and other features that RIAs need, including SSO.

    With Azure AD SSO, RIAs can access all their apps from anywhere, through a centralized portal on any device. And because sign-in prompts are reduced, there are fewer distractions and RIAs can access the right apps and data in an instant. This means they can allocate more time for direct client activities and follow-through client servicing tasks that bring more value to the firm.

    In addition, Azure AD has a gallery of thousands of pre-integrated business apps that make it easy to deploy and configure SSO. These include popular cloud apps such as Google Workspace, Salesforce, and Adobe. With Azure AD’s pre-built integrations, it’s easier for IT staff to manage various apps, tighten control, and close critical security gaps. And with Azure AD’s strong authentication techniques, RIA firms can protect critical data while ensuring compliance.

    Secure your RIA firm with the help of our experts at RIA WorkSpace. Set up a session for exploring our cloud and managed IT solutions here or give us a call at (855) 752 5212.

  • It’s time to rethink your password strategy

    It’s time to rethink your password strategy

    In 2003, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) stated that strong passwords should consist of upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. However, the institute has now reversed its stance. Find out why and learn what their new recommendations are.

    The problem

    The issue isn’t that the NIST advised people to create easy-to-crack passwords, but their previous advice inadvertently made people generate weak passwords using predictable capitalization, special characters, and numbers, like “P@ssW0rd1.”

    Such a password may seem secure, but the string of characters it’s made up of could easily be compromised by hackers using common algorithms.

    Furthermore, while the NIST also recommended that people change their passwords regularly, they did not specify how and when to change them. Without proper guidance, many people assumed that this meant adding or changing one or two characters every year or so.
    The NIST essentially forced everyone to use passwords that are hard for humans to remember but easy for a hacker’s algorithm to crack.

    Eventually, the institution admitted that their recommendation creates more problems than it solves. The NIST has then reversed its stance on organizational password management requirements, and is recommending banishing forced periodic password changes and getting rid of complexity requirements.

    The solution

    Security consultant Frank Abagnale and Chief Hacking Officer for KnowBe4 Kevin Mitnick both see a future without passwords. Both security experts advise enterprises to implement multifactor authentication (MFA) in login policies.

    MFA requires a user to enter one or more valid credentials aside from a password to gain access to an account. This could be a physical security key, a login prompt on a mobile device, or a facial or a fingerprint scan. Without the additional security requirements, hackers’ attempts to crack passwords would be futile.

    Moreover, Mitnick recommended implementing long passphrases of 25 characters or more, such as “recedemarmaladecrockplacate” or “cavalryfigurineunderdoneexalted.” These are much more difficult to guess and less prone to hacking. Simply put, passwords should be longer and include nonsensical phrases and words that make them almost impossible for an automated system to crack.

    What’s more, the NIST recommends making screening of new passwords against lists of common or compromised passwords mandatory. This is because a complex, 25-character password is already considered weak the moment it has been compromised.

    Finally, you should also enforce the following security solutions within your company:

    • Single sign-on – allows users to securely access multiple accounts with one set of credentials
    • Account monitoring tools – recognizes suspicious activity and locks out hackers from the network OR keeps hackers from accessing the network.

    When it comes to security, ignorance is your business’s kryptonite. If you’d like to learn about what else you can do to remain secure, just give us a call.

    Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
  • Microsoft 365 is now better poised for hybridity

    Microsoft 365 is now better poised for hybridity

    To address the challenges of the post-pandemic workplace, Microsoft has added several new features in Microsoft 365 that are aimed to improve the productivity of hybrid workers. Here are some of the new M365 updates you should be excited about.

    Work seamlessly with Windows 365

    Windows 365 is a cloud service that allows users to experience a more powerful and more agile version of Windows 10 or 11. Also called the “Cloud PC”, Windows 365 will enable you to access your entire PC — including personalized apps and settings — from any device. This means Windows 365 users can start working from anywhere right away, which is especially useful when finishing an urgent task or getting the most out of a productivity streak.

    Windows 365 eliminates logistical complexities and security concerns that often get in the way of efficient hybrid working. With a Cloud PC, you can start working on your office computer, pick up where you left off on your tablet during your commute, and jump right back in on your desktop if you’re working from home the next day.

    Experience a more powerful Teams app

    Teams is now loaded with new apps that are sure to make Microsoft’s communication platform even more collaborative. One of the new apps coming to Teams is Confluence Cloud by Atlassian, which allows users to take notes during a Teams meeting. The notes can be formatted as action items, mentions, tables, and the like to make the salient parts of the meeting more digestible. On top of this feature, the notes are also easily shareable in the Teams channel, allowing everyone to immediately access a copy of the minutes of the meeting.

    Salesforce will also be available for Teams. With the Salesforce for Teams app, you can integrate Salesforce records into different chats, calendar meetings, or channels so you can access and refer to the documents during discussions.

    There’s also a new Q&A app that will help improve question and answer sessions in meetings or webinars with a large number of participants. Attendees can now ask questions and reply to other participants’ questions throughout the meeting, and organizers can moderate discussions by filtering responses, marking the best answers, and pinning posts. This gives the Q&A more structure and makes it easier for everyone to search for relevant information.

    Get better organized to improve productivity

    It’s easy to get disorganized when you have several things on your plate. With Microsoft 365’s new features, it is a lot easier to prioritize tasks, organize events, and take necessary breaks in between.

    For one, you can now pin emails to the top of your inbox so you can readily find important emails later. Message reminders in Outlook will also help you stay on top of your tasks by nudging you to take action on emails that you might have missed.

    There’s also no need to sift through thousands of documents to find the right files to attach to your plan in Microsoft Planner. The app can now show you a list of files related to your agenda that you might want to attach, helping you save time and effort.

    What’s more, a new setting in Outlook lets you schedule meetings early or late so you can carve out essential breaks between back-to-back engagements. Scheduling breaks between meetings gives you and your employees time to breathe and prevents you from feeling overwhelmed or burned out.

    We’ve only just scratched the surface of Microsoft 365’s newest features. If you want the latest updates on this topic, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our tech experts are always ready to answer your queries.

    Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.
  • PODCAST: What’s Your RIA’s Cloud Security Score?

    PODCAST: What’s Your RIA’s Cloud Security Score?

    It doesn’t have to be difficult to get a cyber security assessment for your RIA.
    If you’re on the Microsoft platform, this podcast will tell you how to easily get a snapshot of your RIA’s Cloud Security Score. It’s free and accessible to all companies on the Microsoft platform.
    Get your Security Score from Microsoft here: security.Microsoft.com/securescoreIf you’re happy with your score, congratulations. If you’re not, in this podcast we share 5 things you can do to improve it. Three tips to do easily and quickly and two tips that might take a few days to complete.
    This podcast is specifically for RIAs and Financial Advisors with between 5 and 25 employees.
    If you have any questions about your firm’s cloud security score, or would like our help with your security, please contact us today.

    Join David Kakish, President of RIA WorkSpace in this podcast.
    David’s fundamental belief is that small and mid-size firms have similar IT and technical challenges as large enterprises, but with limited resources. He wants to help.
    Connect with David on LinkedIn

    READY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW RIA WORKSPACE CAN MOVE YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD? CONTACT US TODAY AND GET A FREE QUOTE!


    GET A FREE QUOTE

  • Educating kids on cybersecurity

    Educating kids on cybersecurity

    It’s never too early to start educating our youth on cybersecurity threats. If they are old enough to pick up a tablet or play with our devices, they are old enough to receive some information on electronic device security as well.

    Whether you have kids, grandkids, nieces, or nephews, it’s never too early to discuss cybersecurity.

    Let’s look at 6 tips for educating our youth on cybersecurity:

    1. Know the three big scam methods: Emails, text messages and phone calls

    These methods are the most common mediums for scams, so consider showing some examples – safely of course. Point out what makes this a probable scam, what they should be looking/listening for, and what dangers could come if they take the bait.

    2. Learn the lesson of something being “too good to be true”

    Children and young adults may not grasp this concept yet, which can be dangerous in a world full of scams. Feed them an extra scoop of skepticism – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

    3. Be smart on social media

    Set up their social media profiles to be as private as possible. Caution them to never accept friend requests from anyone they do not personally know.

    4. Use strong passwords

    As they begin creating more accounts, kids may be more inclined to reuse the same often week, password. Teach them how to create a strong and unique password or passphrase for each account. Consider purchasing them a password manager subscription for their birthday to help manage these passwords securely.

    5. Protect your devices

    Smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other such devices should be continuously updated to ensure critical updates are received. Make sure these devices are protected with anti-virus solutions and consider setting up parental controls where necessary.

    6. Get a second set of eyes

    Make sure they know they can come to you as a resource for any questions they have and to avoid rush decisions.

    It may seem like kids and young adults know more about technology than us sometimes, but many in this younger generation do not understand the dangers faced from a cybersecurity perspective. So, take a few minutes to talk about some of these dangers to ensure our younger generation is well equipped to battle a scammer.

  • Grandparent Scams – SCAM OF THE MONTH

    Grandparent Scams – SCAM OF THE MONTH

    Mary is a recently widowed grandmother living at home alone but receives love and support from her close family. One day, Mary receives a phone call from an unknown number. The voice on the other line sounded a bit strange, but they say they are her grandson Bobby who got in trouble at their college and needed money or else they would be expelled. He pleaded with her to not tell his parents until he was able to get back and explain it to them himself. Mary loved Bobby and wanted to ensure he got a good education, so she agreed to help. Bobby told Mary she needed to go to her nearest convenience store and purchase gift cards then provide him with the numbers on the card. Mary completed this and called Bobby back on the new number he provided and transcribed the card numbers to him. Turns out the caller was not Mary’s grandson Bobby, but a scammer

    Did you spot the red flags?

    • The caller asked for Mary to purchase gift cards and send them the card information.
    • The caller mentioned he did not want Mary to tell his parents.
    • The caller gave Mary a new phone number to call when she got the gift cards, rather than calling Bobby directly.

    What you should know about this scam

    Watch out for Grandparent Scams, which is what this event was. Scammers pose as a younger relative to prey on seniors with fake stories that need immediate attention. Talk to your older relatives about the real possibilities of these types of scams and a plan they should follow if they do occur. Consider setting up and using a family codeword.

    Tell the entire family to avoid oversharing on social media sites. Many of these details are used by scammers in their attacks to trick our older relatives. With valid information such as where the grandchild goes to school, a trip they may be taking, or other details, the scam can be much more believable. All family members should accept friend requests wisely and keep accounts private.

    Never purchase gift cards and provide the card information for an unsolicited call. It will ALWAYS be a scam. Other obscure payment methods to avoid include wire transfers or social payment platforms. For in-person variations of these scams, which do occur, avoid providing cash or checks to the individual requesting the payment.

  • What are the IT costs for new RIA firms?

    What are the IT costs for new RIA firms?

    Managing the costs involved in starting your own RIA practice can be overwhelming. The toughest part is not knowing whether you’re spending too much on things like IT infrastructure. So we’ve compiled a list of the most essential IT components your RIA startup will need and the expected costs they entail. Check out the full details below, but expect something similar to the following:

    • Physical IT infrastructure (switches, routers, firewalls, servers, etc) $5,000
    • Staff laptops fully configured $2,000 each
    • VoIP phone system $35 per user per month
    • Microsoft licensing and comprehensive IT support $165 per user per month

    FREE eBook!

    If your RIA firm is looking for an IT support services firm to take care of your unique tech needs, this guide will equip you with the tools you need to find a competent firm that you can trust: The RIA’s Guide to IT Support Services and Fees.

    Download now!

    IT infrastructure setup

    Your IT infrastructure will be the backbone of your business and includes hardware and software necessary to meet your information management needs. While no two RIAs are exactly alike, all of them will have the essential components for IT service delivery, such as switches, routers, firewalls, servers, computers, and the assorted peripherals that ensure all the parts work together seamlessly.

    Setting up the IT infrastructure for a small RIA can cost around $5,000. This includes assessments and infrastructure strategy by your IT provider, which aim to maximize the capabilities of your equipment and office layout.

    End-user devices

    It’s advisable for a RIA startup to provide staff with laptops, as most RIAs need to take their work out of office to meet with clients. These laptops need to be configured so that your IT team has complete control over each device, which is critical when recovering sensitive data from lost or stolen devices. It’s also useful for ensuring that data cannot be taken or tampered with by exiting employees and for building an audit trail in case information is needed in an investigation.

    Laptops alone will set you back between $1,000 and $1,800 apiece, and their required software and configurations will push the total to between $1,700 and $2,500 per device.

    Related article: Hiring an IT Services Company for your RIA? Here are the things you should know

    VoIP system

    A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system is an affordable but reliable phone service that your RIAs can use to connect with clients and colleagues alike. If you can, use VoIP from the start instead of using a traditional phone line first then switching to VoIP. Even if your RIA startup already has an analog phone system, you may still want to consider upgrading to a VoIP system.

    VoIP brings a wider range of solutions than a standalone phone line. A VoIP telephony system can easily be integrated with a unified communications suite, so you can have your voice phone, teleconferencing, chat, and other communications tools in one place. Furthermore, using VoIP allows you to do away with the expensive recording and storage equipment you need to record calls.

    A VoIP phone service costs only $35 per user per month — and that’s already with the full suite of services. This includes unlimited calls anywhere in the United States.

    Licensing and support

    Most RIAs with 5-25 employees operate on a Microsoft-based platform. You’ll require IT support to set up and manage that platform for you. And because the financial industry has stringent security, compliance, and data management requirements, it’s best to partner with an RIA-focused IT solutions provider. RIA-focused providers have a better understanding of how to configure hardware and software to meet the productivity and compliance needs of RIA firms. The support you get should include configuring your Microsoft subscription, day-to-day IT support via a helpdesk, compliance and security, and backup and recovery.

    We offer an RIA WorkSpace’s Monthly Service Plan for $165 per user per month. This robust plan includes the workspace platform, Microsoft licensing, IT support and service, and more.

    Make sure your RIA startup hits the ground running with IT support and services from RIA WorkSpace. Our comprehensive, RIA-focused services will surely meet your needs without hurting your budget. Contact us today for a FREE quote.