10 things you can do to improve your application development

Takeaway: The dev landscape is changing to accommodate the demands of today’s apps. These strategies will help ensure the business value of your development projects.

Application development is rapidly changing so that mobile and Web-facing apps can meet the needs of outside customers. This means that IT has to adjust how it develops apps and also how it measures them for performance and for delivery of value to the end business. Here are 10 things IT should be doing NOW to make sure that its apps continue to deliver value in contexts (such as the Internet) that apps can no longer fully control and that can affect app performance.

1: Incorporate application development into business strategic planning

IT identifies application development projects within the overall framework of its own strategic plan. But it does not always ensure that major application development projects are linked into the corporate strategic plan, at least as objectives with forecasted results. When this is done, there is assurance that non-IT executives can see the vital applications work that is going on and that they understand and support how the work will contribute to the business.

2: Change the scope of responsibilities for application developers

The end user experience (EUE) is becoming so important that many shops are already expanding the responsibilities of application developers to include active testing for how end users experience the application. This work is being done as part of application unit testing. Moving some elements of QA into the application developer’s bailiwick gives them a more holistic view of what their applications should deliver to the end business.

3: Think about apps as business services and not as coding projects

If your application is intended to deliver a suite of real-time financial analytics to finance, it should be considered as a “service” that finance ultimately assesses for completeness, accuracy, and timeliness. Accordingly, the metrics for application success should be evaluations from the end user unit (in this case, finance) on how well the application meets end business objectives like managing the health of a financial portfolio. This is a different set of metrics than application developers are accustomed to (uptime, speed of throughput, mean time to repair, etc). Instead, a business service focus forces technically oriented staff to keep their eyes on what the application delivers to the end business.

4: Use outside end user experience tools in testing

Testing an application within your own IT environment doesn’t guarantee that an end user using it in a different geographical area over Internet will get the same results. In some areas, Internet traffic is slow, producing an unsatisfactory user experience with an application. Internet testing tool providers can help you identify communications weak spots outside the enterprise so you can understand and mitigate these vulnerabilities.

5: Stick with vendor best practices

Most hardware and software providers have presets in their products that optimize performance. There are also overrides to these default best practices that advanced users can activate. The recommendation is that application developers (unless they are highly experienced) stick with the presets on the software and hardware that their apps use. By doing so, they can avoid unforeseen performance issues that could arise when they move away from standard app development and performance practices on the platforms they are developing on.

6: Be judicious in how you employ “custom” code

If you are using a code generator for part or all of your app development and you need to customize code in certain areas of an app, strive to effect this customization within the customization “windows” that your code generator provides. This assures that the code you produce will continue to be supported by the code generator vendor. It also makes the tasks of later enhancing or maintaining the code less complex, because the customization is within the vendor’s guidelines and best practices.

7: Document

Although there is a plethora of automated application documentation tools, documentation continues to be one of the weakest areas of application development. Poor documentation makes it difficult to maintain or enhance applications at later dates. Most IT shops still spend more than 50 percent of their time on system and application maintenance. They need good documentation to carry out this work efficiently.

8: Standardize mobile devices

With many businesses now using BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies, it is imperative for corporate IT to standardize the list of mobile devices that employees can use within the enterprise. Nowhere is this standardization more important than in the development of applications for mobile devices. You simply can’t code for them all. By standardizing devices and device configurations, you set the targets for your app development and can ensure better results.

9: Learn from your help desk

Many IT departments continue to treat their help desks as spots for rookie IT’ers. Help desks are viewed as necessary evils that take people away from app development. But when IT takes a more engaging approach toward the help desk, help desk experience can enhance application development. The help desk is a rich source of information on apps, such as which ones get the most trouble calls and which ones seldom get calls. If application developers analyze these help desk reports, they will likely uncover app design and coding pitfalls that can be avoided in the future. The end result is greater end user satisfaction and fewer trouble reports.

10: Evaluate application utility

IT regularly assesses hardware utilization (e.g., only 20 percent of a particular server is being used on a daily basis). It should extend this utilization analysis to applications. Some years ago, I was working on a dairy ration app with a system engineer. We discovered that only 20 percent of the app was being used by users — and that the other 80 percent of the app (the richest part!) was not being used at all. The problem was that the user interface into the more robust part of the app was too difficult for users to navigate, so they avoided it altogether. As a result, the company was losing a valuable competitive edge. If IT assessed its apps like it does its hardware, it could gain valuable insights into how to build and improve apps for a maximum return on effort.

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10 underused Office features

Takeaway: Microsoft Office is so feature-packed, most users barely scratch the surface of its functionality. See if you’re using Office apps to their full potential.

There’s a saying that 80 percent of users will use only 20 percent of an application’s features. This is probably true of most Office users because they don’t know the features exist. Once they see the features in action, they put them to use. Here are 10 features that are among the most underused but easy-to-implement features in the Office suite. Most applications share many of these features; I’ve noted those that are application-specific.

1: Paste

Older versions had limited paste options. Now there are several, and they go well beyond simple pasting. They’re available via the Paste option in the Clipboard group on the Home tab. Paste is in all of the applications, but options are application-specific and contextual, as you can see inFigure A.

Figure A

The options are different, but Paste is available in all Office applications.

Perhaps the most helpful step you can take is to change the feature’s default. Office retains the source formatting when pasting content. To disable this behavior or customize it to suit your working style, access the settings as follows:

• Office 2010: Click the File tab, choose Options, and select Advanced in the left pane.
• Office 2007: Click the Office button, click application Options, and select Advanced in the left pane.
• Office 2003: Choose Options from the Tools menu and click the Edit tab.

In addition, Paste is a versatile feature that can perform calculations, transpose text, and much more. To learn a few advanced Paste techniques, read 10 powerful ways to use Excel’s paste features.

2: Recent

Finding a file when it’s not where you know you put it is frustrating. You can use Windows Search feature, but that route can be hit or miss, and it’s slow. A quicker and easier way to find a lost file is to use the Recent option, shown in Figure B. Click the File tab and choose Recent in the left pane to view a list of recently used files. In 2007, click the Office button.

Figure B

Quickly access files using the Recent feature.

This area is enhanced in 2010:

• Click the Recover Unsaved Documents link at the bottom of the screen to recover recently unsaved files. It doesn’t always work, but it can be a lifesaver when it does.
• Don’t ignore the little pushpin icons next to the files. Use these to pin a file to the list and keep it there until you unpin it.
• To the right are recent places you’ve visited.

To learn more about this feature, read Put Word’s recent documents list to work for you.

3: Templates

Some users revamp similar settings every time they create a new document. In the moment, it’s only a few clicks; over time, it adds up. When new files share common properties and formats, it’s efficient to create a custom template (or adjust the default template). Most users know about templates, but they find them a bit confusing, so they avoid them. To learn more about using templates, read The right way to create a Word template and Modify Excel’s default sheet to fit your needs.

4: AutoCorrect

AutoCorrect automatically corrects common typos, such as replacing teh with the. But there’s more to this feature than just fixing a few typos. You can use it to enter repetitive text, symbols, and more. To learn how to apply AutoCorrect in unusual ways, read How to enter symbols using Office AutoCorrect, Five keyboard shortcuts for inserting arrows into a Word document, and Tweak an annoying AutoCorrect entry instead of deleting it outright.

5: Replace

Most users know how to use Replace, but they don’t realize how versatile and powerful the feature is. For instance, you can replace multiple spaces with a tab, append text to an existing phrase, change all instances of italicized text to bold, and much more. To move beyond this feature’s basic use, read 10 cool ways to get more from Word’s Find and Replace feature. Excel’s Replace feature is more limited than Word’s, but some of these tips will also work in Excel.

6: Word styles

Using styles can save a lot of time and ensure consistency throughout an organization. Although styles are the most efficient way to tame formats, most users hate them because they’re a bit unruly. To learn more about styles, read Microsoft Word 101: A quick look at formatting styles.

Excel has cell styles. They’re less complex to implement and manage but still underused. The article Use an Excel style to identify data input cells explains an interesting use of cell styles.

7: Word’s Document Map

Document Map is part of Word 2010’s Navigation Pane. Figure C shows a simple document’s outline. This feature reduces a document to heading nodes. That means you must employ the built-in heading styles for this feature to be of use. Clicking a node takes you to that heading in the document, so it’s a quick way to navigate a complex or long document. The map also highlights where you are in a long document. In addition, you can drag a heading in the map to move that heading and its text in the document. If you forget about this feature, open the Navigation Pane and leave it open so you’ll remember to use it.

Figure C

Use the heading nodes to navigate and manipulate a document.

Although the Navigation Pane was introduced with Word 2010, the Document Map is available in earlier versions — it’s just not quite as feature-rich. To display it in Word 2007, click the View tab and choose Document Map in the Show/Hide group. To display it in Word 2003, choose Document Map from the View menu.

8: PowerPoint’s Set As Default

Formatting a shape or text box can take a bit of time. To apply the same formats to subsequent objects, you can set the formatted object as the default for that type of object. Simply right-click the formatted object and choose Set As Default object. PowerPoint will remember the formatting defaults until you change them or close the presentation.

9: Outlook’s search folders

One of Outlook’s most underused features is the search folder. Using this folder, you can set search criteria and then quickly access the filtered mail in one spot. Doing so allows you to view all the filtered messages as a whole, instead of rooting through different folders. Search folders continue to group the filtered mail until you delete the folder. To learn how to use this feature, readFind Outlook messages quickly with an All Mail search folder.

10: Excel tables

Excel tables are new to 2007 and they’ve yet to catch on with users, despite their advantages. With a few quick clicks, you can turn any data range into a table, making the data easier to manipulate and manage:

• Format using AutoFormat.
• Insert a new row and the table extends formulas and formatting.
• Apply AutoFilter instantly.
• Add totaling rows with a quick click.
• Use table nomenclature to reduce errors in formulas.

Tables do have limitations, but if you can live with those limitations, tables make most everything you do a little easier. To learn more about Excel’s table feature, read Put Excel 2007’s new Table feature to work for you, Use Excel tables for quick formula auto-fill, and Use Excel’s table nomenclature to quickly create dynamic formulas.

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10 essential elements of BYOD training

Takeaway: Training is a critical part of any BYOD initiative, introducing users to security and policy guidelines and allowing IT and management to set expectations.

User training is integral to the success of any Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiative. The training needs to educate users on your BYOD policies, device access, device security, and any other particulars for using personal devices inside your enterprise. Here are 10 key aspects of BYOD training.

1: Define what BYOD means for the organization

BYOD training should start with an introduction explaining what BYOD brings to the organization. This leadoff to the training should sell the initiative to your users while relating the effort to what it offers the overall business and your customers.

This introduction is also the time to clear up any misconceptions of BYOD at a high level. Unfortunately, a lot has been written about the downsides of BYOD. The training needs to tell the benefits BYOD is bringing to your organization.

2: Cover the process of onboarding BYOD devices

Onboarding devices into a BYOD program can be done in conjunction with BYOD training.  Even if you choose to onboard devices at another time, users need to know exactly what software their organization is installing on their personal device(s). This part of training also addresses:

• Supported devices
• Supported mobile operating systems
• Supported apps, such as mobile office suites and productivity apps

Likewise, the training needs to cover what happens to corporate network access on a BYOD device when the employee leaves the organization.

3: Explain expense reimbursements and/or stipends

I put expense reimbursements high up on the training list because corporate usage of personal mobile devices means reimbursement for minutes and data usage that a user with a BYOD device might incur. While service management and expense reporting policies should be clearly documented, BYOD training is the time to open up the discussion about the expense policies.

If your organization is choosing to offer users a stipend for BYOD expenses, training is a good time to cover the stipend in detail. You can even have attendees apply for their stipend while they are attending the training session.

4: Define BYOD device security policies

User security across personal laptops and other mobile devices might run the gamut, but using the devices for BYOD means the organization needs to set security policies for them with the documentation to back up the security decisions.

When you include BYOD device security policies as part of BYOD training, it’s important to cover the following topics:

• BYOD device password policies
• Corporate WiFi network security
• Hotel/public Wi-Fi security
• BYOD device loss or theft policies

5: Review data ownership policies

Corporate data ownership policies should be in place when you launch a BYOD initiative. When corporate and personal data intermingle on a personal device, BYOD training should cover what the user can expect for corporate control over the data residing in their data. The training over data ownership policies could extend to the following:

• Corporate vs. personal email
• Social network access and account ownership
• Business vs. personal contacts
• Corporate data residing on the mobile device

6: Define what MDM is (and what MDM isn’t)

Mobile device management (MDM) provides security, management, and provisioning tools for BYOD devices that exist in the corporate enterprise. Introducing MDM onto a personal device is also the one element where corporate security and personal property interact and can lead to some big misconceptions.

While the overall BYOD policy should define the role of MDM, you can use time during the BYOD training to reinforce MDM understanding, including:

• Break down a typical BYOD device and show how MDM affects the device features and security.
• Describe MDM features and how they benefit the BYOD user.

7: Teach how to use mobile office suites on corporate documents

Tablet users might be interested in using mobile office suites, such as Quickoffice Pro HD and DocsToGo Current. Next-generation iPads and Android tablets are packing in the horsepower, with the mobile office apps adding new features. However, there are still questions to address during BYOD training, including:

• Document security, such as policies set to prevent BYOD devices from having editing access to certain corporate documents.
• Recommended mobile office app(s) based upon a test of accessing a selection of your organization’s documents.
• Using a SharePoint iPad client such as Harmon.ie or one of the other apps I profiled in Top apps for accessing SharePoint to access documents.

8: Define the responsibilities of BYOD device users

Responsibilities for BYOD users should be defined in the policy guidebook, but BYOD training is the time to address the more technical responsibilities — including logging in to the network to receive software, security, and app updates.

9: Teach how to access corporate resources from BYOD devices

If a BYOD initiative is prompting an influx of new mobile users into your organization, training should encompass how to use mobile devices to access the standard corporate enterprise resources that the BYOD users have permission to access, including:

• Virtual private network (VPN)
• Corporate email
• Sales force automation tools
• Customer relationship management (CRM) system

Even if some of these systems are already familiar to your users, putting them in the training and in the context of BYOD is what’s important.

10: Teach about technical support and escalation paths

The lines of support for BYOD devices may not always be clear when you first embark on a BYOD initiative. Tech support responsibilities most certainly have their place in the overall corporate BYOD policy, but they also need a spot in BYOD training to address:

• Escalation paths for BYOD device issues that happen during the course of business.
• Escalation paths for lost or stolen BYOD devices when the event occurs during the course of business.
• Level of support that the organization offers per device type.

One other suggestion is to include any self-help sites for device users, especially those who travel frequently.

Final thoughts

BYOD training is a critical element of the overall BYOD initiative because it gives users, management, and the IT department an opportunity to address and learn essential security and policy elements at the program kickoff. It can also set the stage for an open dialog between BYOD users and management that can contribute to the success of the program.

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10 tips for coping with blue screen errors

Takeaway: Tracking down the cause of a BSOD can be tricky. Here are some steps that may help you zero in on the problem.

Anyone who has ever experienced the notorious Windows Blue Screen of Death knows that finding a solution to the problem can be tricky. Fortunately, there are some relatively simple things you can do to help diagnose the problem.

1: Try to reproduce the error

The first thing I recommend doing is to try to reproduce the error. If the error happens consistently every time you try to perform a specific task, the problem is likely software related. If the error is inconsistent, the problem is likely to be hardware related.

2: Check your computer’s event logs

It’s also a good idea to check your computer’s event logs. Review the System log and any application-specific logs to see if any strange errors or warnings occurred just prior to the blue screen error. If such errors or warnings exist, they can be useful in diagnosing the problem.

3: Research the error

Every blue screen error contains an error message (usually the first or second line of text that is displayed). Even though these messages are often cryptic, they can point you to the cause of the error. Searching the Web for the error message will help you determine some possible causes of the error. If you have trouble figuring out what the blue screen error means, I recommend checking out my TechNet article Demystifying the Blue Screen of Death. The article is old, but much of the information is still relevant.

4: Check the computer’s Reliability Monitor

If the blue screen error is occurring on a computer whose history you are not completely familiar with try checking the Reliability Monitor. The Reliability Monitor is a tool that is included in Windows 7 and Windows 8 that allows you to track a system’s stability over a period of time. The Reliability Monitor reports on things such as application installations, system updates, and hardware upgrades. Any of these factors could potentially contribute to a blue screen error. The key is to determine whether any major changes were made to the system just prior to when the blue screen error started occurring.

5: Take the computer’s temperature

I never cease to be amazed by all of the strange things that can happen when a computer overheats. If you suddenly start getting blue screen errors for no apparent reason, check to make sure that the computer is not overheating. While you’re at it, take the time to verify that all the fans (internal and external) are working and that none of the case vents are clogged or blocked.

6: Run a memory test

The vast majority of the blue screen errors I have encountered over the years have been related to faulty memory, so it can be helpful to run a memory diagnostic. Windows 7 and 8 include a memory diagnostic utility, and there are free third-party tools you can use, such as Memtest X86.

7: Try running the software on another computer

If you suspect that the blue screen errors you are receiving are related to a specific application, try running that application on another computer to see whether the blue screen occurs there as well. If the blue screen errors follow you from computer to computer, the application is either poorly written or the problem is related to software or a configuration setting that is present on both machines. If the problem does not follow you, the blue screen error is unique to a single computer.

8: Swap out the computer’s memory

As I mentioned earlier, the vast majority of blue screen errors I have encountered have been related to faulty memory. Unfortunately, memory diagnostic tools do not always detect memory problems because such errors can be intermittent. That being the case, you might consider replacing the memory in a computer that is experiencing a stubborn blue screen error. Often times, this will correct the problem, even if there was no obvious indication of faulty memory.

9: Scan for malware

Blue screen errors can sometimes be triggered by malware (especially on Windows XP). About 10 years ago, I saw someone in Redmond demonstrate a proof-of-concept virus that caused a blue screen error by forcibly shutting down a critical system service. Since that time, the same concept has been used on a number of viruses in the wild.

10: Reseat hardware components

One last trick worth trying is to power down and unplug the computer and then reseat hardware components such as memory and PCI cards. As strange as it may sound, I have run into several instances over the years (especially on older hardware) in which components were slightly loose and reseating them resolved the blue screen error.

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10 steps to a multi-column search in Excel

By Susan Harkins

Takeaway: This illustrated walk-through (with a demo worksheet) shows how easy it is to create a multi-column search solution using validation lists and conditional formatting.

Excel offers numerous ways to search, sort, and filter data, and they’re easy to combine and automate. For instance, you can create a user-friendly multi-column search solution by combining validation lists and conditional formatting. It’s simple to implement and easy to enhance as you grow.

First, you’ll create a unique list of values based on the data you want to search. Next, you’ll use the data validation feature to create drop-down lists based on those unique lists. Once all the pieces are in place, you’ll add a conditional formatting rule that pulls them together.

Because this technique derives lists using the data validation feature, save this technique for static (or mostly static) data. You’ll have to update the lists and conditional formatting range if you change the data range. Of course, you could create dynamic lists and a dynamic input range to handle frequent updates — but that’s more work.
Note: You can download an Excel demo file that illustrates this technique.

1: Define the search

The first step is one of thought; you must define the search requirements. For this example, we’ll create a two-column search based on the submitted date and status in the sheet shown in Figure A. (The data is from the Purchase Order table in the Northwind Access database application. I changed a few of the status values to add more contrast.) The search will highlight submitted or approved orders for a specific date.

Figure A

Determine your search requirements.

2: Make room

Adding the search drop-down lists above the data makes the most sense, most of the time, but it’s not a requirement. To add a few blank rows above the data range, select rows 1 through 3. Then, on the Home tab, choose Insert Sheet Rows from the Insert drop-down in the Cells group. In Excel 2003, choose Rows from the Insert menu.

3: Create a unique list for each search column

This technique uses a data validation list based on the natural data, so you’ll need a list of unique values for each search column. First, create a list of unique dates from the Submitted Date column, as follows:

1. Select the data you want to list. In this case, that’s D4:D32.
2. Click the Data tab and then click Advanced in the Sort & Filter group. In Excel 2003, choose Filter and then Advanced Filter from the Data menu.
3. Select the Copy To Another Location option.
4. Enter H4 as the Copy To range
5. Select the Unique Records Only option, as shown in Figure B. (Search! is the sheet name identifier; I used the click method, so Excel is showing complete and absolute references.)
6. Click OK. Figure C shows the resulting list next to the data.

Figure B

These settings will create a unique list of Submitted Data values.

Figure C

The resulting list is easy to see next to the data range.

You can copy the list anywhere, but to simplify the example, copy it close to the data range. When applying this to your own work, you might want to copy the list to another sheet so it doesn’t distract users.
Repeat the process to create the second list, shown in Figure D. This time, the list range is E4:E32 and the Copy To range is I4. (The border between the data range and the two lists isn’t required; it simply visually separates the lists from the data range.)

Figure D

You’ll need a unique list for each search column.

4: Add descriptive labels for each validation list

You’re ready to add the validation lists, but first add labels to identify them. Just copy the header text for each search column to the corresponding cell in row 1 (D1 and E1), as shown in Figure E.

Figure E

Set up the validation lists.

5: Create a drop-down list for each search column

Next, add a drop-down for each search column. We’ll base the Submitted Date list on the list in column H, as follows:

1. Select D2 — that’s where you’ll display the drop-down list, just below the descriptive text in D1.
2. Click the Data tab and then choose Data Validation from the Data Validation drop-down in the Data Tools group. In Excel 2003, choose Validation from the Data menu.
3. On the Settings tab (the default), choose List from the Allow drop-down.
4. Specify =$H$5:$H$11 as the source, as shown in Figure F.
5. Click OK.

Figure F

Specify the unique list in column H as this drop-down’s source.

Repeat the process to create a second list in E2, using =$I$5:$I$6 as the source. Figure G shows the resulting validation lists.

Figure G

You just created two drop-down lists using the data validation feature.

6: Add the conditional formatting rule

All the pieces are in place. Now it’s time to add the conditional formatting rule:

1. Select the data range. In this case, that’s A5:G32.
2. Click the Home tab and choose New Rule from the Conditional Formatting drop-down in the Styles group. In Excel 2003, choose Conditional Formatting from the Format menu.
3. Select the Use A Formula To Determine Which Cells To Format option in the top pane. In Excel 2003, choose Formula Is from the Condition 1 control.
4. Enter the formula =AND($D$2=$D5,$E$2=$E5), as shown in Figure H.

Figure H

This AND operator combines two conditions.

Using the AND operator, you can specify more than one condition. The first expression, $D$2=$D5, returns True when a value in column D equals the selected item in the drop-down list in D2. Notice that the reference to D5 uses mixed referencing to accommodate all the values in the data range. The second expression, $E$2=$E5, performs similarly for column E’s drop-down. When both expressions are True, the conditional formatting rule is true and Excel applies the conditional format, which we’ll specify next.

7: Specify the conditional format

To continue, click the Format button and from the Fill tab, specify a banding color. Then, click OK to return to the original dialog, shown in Figure I, which displays the formula and the format. Click OK to return to the sheet.

Figure I

This rule will apply the specified format when the conditional rule is True.

8: Try it out!

The search solution is ready to test by choosing an item from both lists.  If the date in D2 returns a numeric value instead of a date, apply the Short Date format to D2. Figure J shows the result of choosing 3/24/2006 and Approved. As you can see, the conditional formatting rule highlights those records submitted on 3/24/2006 with an approved status. It’s amazing how much you get for such little effort!

Figure J

Choose an item from each list to trigger the conditional formatting rule.

At this point, you might think you’re done — but you can easily expand this technique to include several search columns.

9: Add another search column

Let’s suppose that you want to expand the search by highlighting records for specific personnel. In this case, you’d repeat steps 3, 4, and 5 to generate a unique list and a third drop-down. Use the settings shown in Figure K to add column C to the search solution. Then, apply the settings shown in Figure L to add a validation list to C2. Figure M shows the results of adding a third search column to the solution.

Figure K

Use these settings to create a unique list of values from the Created By column.

Figure L

Use these settings to create a third drop-down.

Figure M

Add a validation list for the new search column.

10: Update the conditional format rule

You’re just about finished. Add a third expression to the conditional format rule, as follows:

1. Select the data range (A5:G32).
2. Click the Home tab and choose Manage Rules from the Conditional Formatting drop-down in the Styles group. In Excel 2003, choose Conditional Formatting from the Format menu.
3. Select the appropriate rule and click Edit Rule, as shown in Figure N. (There’s no manager in Excel 2003, just edit the rule appropriately.)
4. Position the cursor between the last 5 and the closing parenthesis in the formula.
5. Add a comma and the expression $C$2=$C5, as shown in Figure O.
6. Click OK twice.

Figure N

Use the Rules Manager to change an existing rule.

Figure 0

Add the expression that adds column C values to the search.

Now you can search by three columns at once. Figure P shows the result of choosing Nancy Freehafer from the new list.

Figure P

Add as many search columns as you need; generate a unique list, build a drop-down on that unique list, and then update the conditional formatting rule to accommodate the new column.

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10 things I wish I'd known before becoming an IT consultant

By Erik Eckel 

Takeaway: Careful research, thoughtful planning, and honest self-assessment can help you make a successful leap into the IT consultant role. But the realities of the job will still surprise you.

Before opening an IT consultancy, I did my homework. I interviewed lifelong consultants. I read books. I even took personality tests to confirm that my psychological constitution matched the challenges I’d face as an entrepreneur owning and operating my own business.

Some lessons, though, you just have to learn yourself. If you’re a technology consultant, or if you’re considering branching out on your own, take a few tips from my experience of supporting hundreds of companies of all shapes and sizes. Here are 10 things I’d wish I’d known before becoming an IT consultant.

1: Some people are never happy

You probably already know that some people just aren’t wired for optimism or happiness. That’s all fine and good, you may think. But the problem for you, as an IT consultant, is that these unhappy people may never be satisfied with the services you provide, the equipment you deploy, or the rates you charge. The first few times you encounter such clients, properly and efficiently diagnose and repair their technology failures, and promptly forward a reasonable invoice for the work — only to be told your work is unacceptable — may leave you feeling perplexed. Don’t let it. Such clients will never be satisfied, regardless of who performs the work and how. Avoid such shenanigans by insisting clients sign well-written estimates up front that explain project and payment terms.

2: Not all IT pros make good consultants

Some technology professionals prefer to focus on just a few projects at a time, working uninterrupted on a task until it is complete and maintaining expertise in a few core areas. Those IT pros don’t make good consultants. Unfortunately, the nature of consulting requires consultants to support a vast range of clients operating numerous and different business models at unpredictable times of day, while leveraging a tremendous variety of hardware, software, and network technologies. Consultants are the ultimate multitaskers who must thrive on the numerous and ceaseless challenges, fires, and crises that arise when supporting a broad client base.

3: Some clients never intend to pay

Over time, it’s become clear that some owners and managers simply resent having to leverage technology to operate their businesses and organizations. They don’t want to pay for hardware. They don’t believe they should have to pay for software. And they’re not keen on paying for a consultant’s expertise, knowledge, and time. But that doesn’t stop them from asking for systems and software and demanding assistance! I’ve learned never to deliver hardware without having first received payment for the equipment, and the same is true for software. As for services, it’s best to receive deposits from clients until the client demonstrates a reliable payment history.

4: Vendors abandon you

Vendors, especially when working to sign your consulting firm as an authorized reseller of their products, act like they’re your best friend. They take you to lunch, send you free products, and shower your office with promotional materials. They may even help customize sales estimates and quotes. But when the rubber meets the road, the product’s been sold to a client, and the technology doesn’t work as advertised, you may well find yourself speaking to a self-employed support desk technician working out of a Cold War-era flat in eastern Europe — and that’s if the vendor’s even willing to answer your call. In other words, while there are exceptions, vendor-provided technical support usually isn’t very good, especially for complex technical issues. Your best bet is to develop considerable skill and expertise with a few critical products in each product category (switches, routers, servers, email platforms, backup software, antivirus, etc.) and try to explain to clients why those are the platforms you repeatedly recommend.

5: Clients expect a know-it-all

Clients don’t differentiate technologies. They don’t appreciate differences between routers and switches, databases and applications, and systems administration and software development. This is especially true in smaller businesses. Nor is it unusual for a client to call a technology consultant for assistance troubleshooting a stalled email server and expect the responding technician to also expertly troubleshoot and repair a seven-year old digital video recorder, a failed PBX phone system whose manufacturer long ago went bankrupt, and a closed-circuit television system that integrates with a legacy access control system for which documentation never existed.

6: And one more thing…

Technology consultants increasingly serve as the de facto IT staff for small and midsize organizations. Salaried IT staff members are frequently eliminated as organizations struggle to contain costs. As a result, when a consultant shows up to eliminate a virus infection or install a software application, end users starved for support almost always pelt the technician with additional service requests. My consulting office has learned that the phenomenon is so widespread, we schedule additional time for engineers to complete ancillary unplanned tasks when responding to clients who don’t have in-house technical support. It’s the only method we’ve found effective for ensuring that we can make the next scheduled appointment on time.

7: Immediate service, but 60-day payment terms

We’re a microwave society. Everyone’s expectations are immediate. No one wants to wait. And it’s understandable. Small and medium-size businesses struggle to remain competitive, profitable, and relevant. When systems fail, email stops flowing, or printers don’t work, operations seize. The technology consultant is expected to correct issues immediately. The expectations include making new laptops, desktops, network equipment, and servers materialize instantly. Consultants, to be successful long-term, must learn to stock equipment and software that clients typically require. The only drawback to consulting is that clients typically don’t expect to have to pay as quickly as their needs are met. Most clients require 45 to 60 days to pay invoices, in my experience. So it’s important that consultancies manage cash flows accordingly.

8: Clients only remember what didn’t work

Unfortunately, human nature is such that we often don’t remember the days that go well. Instead, what often stands out are the trials, tribulations, and tragedies. A consultant’s clients are much the same. If a client suffers a hard disk failure on a critical system, you might get lucky and have an appropriate system with which to immediately replace the failed machine. You might get lucky and find that, even though the disk failure corrupted Windows, you’re still able to migrate email, documents, spreadsheets, financial data, and applications, as well as printers, from the failed system to the new computer. But forget to migrate the client’s iTunes and that’s all the client will remember: “You’re the computer guy who forgot to transfer their music. How hard is that? Duh.” Grow thick skin if you intend to make it as a consultant. You’ll need it. Oh, and migration checklists work well, too.

9: You’re almost always working

Once you’re labeled as a consultant, it’s hard to escape the industry. I can’t go anywhere without being asked computer questions. I receive computer questions everywhere, including at parties, family gatherings, church, the gym, restaurants, airports, and doctors’ and dentists’ offices (as a patient!). Because my consultancy wraps its vehicles with vinyl decals announcing the organization’s name, I’ve even been asked complex computer questions by volunteers collecting for charity at stoplights. Consultants must embrace the “geekiness” and develop enthusiasm for those having tech interest and questions. Otherwise, I fear consultants will become bitter and resent the relentless intrusion on their personal lives.

10: Follow-up is not optional

Everyone knows follow-up is an important part of customer service. It’s a critical component, though, for consultants. Because consultants aren’t on site with clients every day, consultants must circle back to ensure that new servers, desktops, laptops, routers, and other software and equipment are working as the client requires. Frequently, clients believe a feature or component was forgotten or doesn’t work, only to find out it’s because they weren’t aware how to trigger the new functionality on a new system. Only by stopping on site and physically reviewing operations can consultants truly follow up well. While a quick email is a tempting solution, consultants will find quick pop-in visits almost always welcomed, and needed, by clients.

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10 things you can do to keep from looking stupid

Takeaway: You might be the brightest person in the world, but you can still come across as a bit dim. Calvin Sun shares 10 tips for making a smarter impression.

Like it or not, your co-workers, clients, and bosses form an impression of you based on what you say and do. And if you come across as stupid, your career is likely to suffer. Here are a few tips to help keep that from happening.

1: Know the material

As obvious as it sounds, nothing does more to prevent problems than knowing the subject you are discussing. The more you know, and the more insight you can provide based on your own experience, the less likelihood that you will misspeak or state an incorrect position. Even more important, knowing the material will give you confidence, and that confidence will show in the tone of your voice and in your body language. Do you know how to reduce the chances of being burned while working with a particular product? Don’t be afraid to share that knowledge.

2: Think three steps ahead of the other person(s)

This point relates to the first one. Not only must you know what you’re talking about, you also must anticipate the most likely questions you will get and prepare answers. In other words, you must do more than simply repeat information. You must be able to analyze it and show how it relates to the objectives and concerns of your listeners. If you are talking about a software implementation, what are the most likely areas where a problem will occur? What combination of hardware and software will be the most difficult to troubleshoot? If you have these answers, your listeners will appreciate your information more.

3: Don’t fake an answer

No matter how much you prepare, you might get a question for which you don’t know the answer. In such a case, resist the urge to guess. You might be right, but the chances are greater that you will be wrong, and an initial wrong answer followed by a correction will be worse than stating that you do not know the answer. Of course, if the question involves a complicated situation, people will be more understanding of your inability to answer than if you lack an answer to a basic question.
At the same time, try to answer what you can. If the question involves the interaction of multiple software products, for example, answer what you can about the individual products, then simply state that explaining the way they interact would take additional analysis.

4: Put a positive spin on lack of knowledge

Even though you might not know the answer, try to avoid saying so. Instead, try the old standard “That’s a good question.” Then explain the issues involved. If the answer will vary depending on different sets of circumstances or system configurations, you could talk about one specific circumstance or configuration and explain that one in detail. Then caution your listener that the results might be different in other circumstances.

5: Mention what steps you already took

Let’s say that you are a level one help desk analyst and you are escalating an issue to level two or beyond. When discussing the issue with the next analyst, make it clear what initial troubleshooting steps you already took and that they failed to work. If you don’t, that level two person might think that you neglected those steps and will think that you are incompetent. Better to be in front of the situation and explain what you already did than to have to react to the other analyst’s questions.

6: Incorporate alternatives when you ask a confirming question

If you are unclear about something you heard, incorporate into your question the possible alternatives. The person who is explaining might not be aware of those other alternatives and mistakenly believe your question is stupid.
For instance, suppose someone is explaining that a supplier is based in Arlington, and that person is aware of only the Arlington in Virginia. If you were to ask, “Do you mean Arlington, VA?” that person, and possibly others, might consider it a stupid question. If you instead ask, “Do you mean Arlington, Virginia, Texas, or Massachusetts?” you subtly make it clear that your question is not stupid at all. In the same way, rather than asking, “Do we need PowerPoint to run the presentation?” consider instead “Do we really need PowerPoint or just the viewer?”

7: Be clear in your answer about assumptions and limitations

Any answer you give will depend on specific facts and circumstances. Therefore, be clear about them, because in other cases the answer might be different.
For example, let’s say that you are vendor management person for your IT organization, and an issue has arisen with a vendor. Suppose someone in the organization asks you about the timeframe your company has in which to sue a vendor, and you know the answer. In giving it, you probably would want to qualify your answer to say, “In state X, the time limit to sue is y years, but in other states it might be different.”

8: Remember that “definitely [not]” can come back to haunt you

As soon as you say something “definitely” will or won’t happen, events will prove you wrong. As a result, you will end up with the proverbial egg on your face. A better alternative to “definitely will happen” is a response such as, “It might not happen, but the chances of that are really small.” An alternative to “definitely won’t happen,” might be, “It’s possible but extremely unlikely.”

9: Consider the Captain Renault “would be shocked” response

In the immortal movie Casablanca, Captain Renault declared that he was, “shocked, shocked I tell you” to find that gambling was occurring at Rick’s Café. You can use this dialog yourself to avoid looking foolish.
While the previous answers of “possible but unlikely” are better than the “definitely” or “definitely not,” they still carry an element of uncertainty. For that reason, my own preference is to answer so that the answer does have certainty. However, the certainty is not about the result, but about my reaction if the result is different. It also lets people know that you’re already aware that you might get egg on your face, so if you’re wrong, you don’t look quite as foolish.
So, for example, in response to the question “Does this Microsoft product have security issues?” I might answer, “If it doesn’t, I would be shocked.” If I am positive that a project will be late, I might say, “If this project comes in on time, I will be shocked.”

10:  Have data and citations in writing

If you are using data to support your points, have that data with you in writing or least have a citation to it. That way, you are not seen as making up numbers. Furthermore, people who disagree with you also have to disagree with data that came from someone other than you. Having the data and the citations gives you added credibility.

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10 new HTML5 tags you need to know about

By Justin James

Takeaway: HTML5 offers new tags and attributes that provide more power, efficiency, and flexibility for your Web development. Here are 10 tags you’ll want to check out.

HTML5 brings a host of new elements and attributes to allow developers to make their documents more easily understood by other systems (especially search engines!), display data more uniquely, and take on some of the load that has required complex JavaScript or browser plug-ins like Flash and Silverlight to handle. Here are 10 new items in HTML5 that will make it easier for you to write your Web sites.

1: <video> and <audio>

One of the biggest uses for Flash, Silverlight, and similar technologies is to get a multimedia item to play. With HTML5 supporting the new video and audio controls, those technologies are now relegated to being used for fallback status. The browser can now natively display the controls, and the content can be manipulated through JavaScript. Don’t let the codec confusion scare you away. You can specify multiple sources for content, so you can make sure that your multimedia will play regardless of what codecs the user’s browser supports.

2: <input> type attributes

The venerable <input> element now has a number of new values for the type attribute, and browsers do some pretty slick things depending on its value. For example, set type to “datetime” and browsers can show calendar/clock controls to pick the right time, a trick that used to require JavaScript. There is a wide variety of type attributes, and learning them (and the additional attributes that go with some of them) will eliminate the need for a lot of JavaScript work.

3: <canvas>

The <canvas> tag gives HTML a bitmapped surface to work with, much like what you would use with GDI+ or the .NET Image object. While <canvas> isn’t perfect (layers need to be replicated by using multiple canvas objects stacked on top of each other, for example), it is a great way to build charts and graphs, which have been a traditional weak spot in HTML, as well as custom graphics. And that is just a start!

4: <header> and <footer>

The <header> and <footer> tags are two of the new semantic tags available. These two tags do not get you anything above and beyond <div> for the actual display. But they will reap long-term rewards for your search engine efforts, since the search engines will be able to tell the difference between “content” and things that are important to the user but that aren’t the actual content.

5: <article> and <section>

The <article> and <section> tags are two more semantic tags that will boost your search engine visibility. Articles can be composed of multiple sections, and a section can have multiple articles. Confusing? Not really. An article represents a full block of content, and a section is a piece of a bigger whole. For example, if you are looking at a blog, the front page might have a section for the listing of all the posts, and each post would be an article with a section for the actual post and another for comments.

6: <output>

The new <output> tag is unique, in that it expects its content to be generated dynamically with JavaScript. It has a value attribute, which can be manipulated through the DOM with JavaScript to change what is displayed on the screen. This is much more convenient than the current ways of doing things.

7: <details>

It seems like every Web site needs to have an expanding/collapsing block of text. While this is easy enough to do with JavaScript or server-side code, the <details> tag makes it even easier. It does exactly what we’ve all been doing for years now: makes a simple block that expands and collapses the content when the header is clicked. The <details> tag does not have widespread support yet, but it will soon.

8: <figure> and <figcaption>

<figure> is a container for content (typically images, but it can be anything), and <figcaption> (which gets put inside the <figure> tag) provides a caption or subtitle for the contents of the <figure> tag. For example, you could have four images representing charts of sales growth within a <figure> tag, and a <figcaption> with text like “Year-to-year sales growth, 1989 - 1993.” The images would be shown next to each other with the text running below all four.

9: <progress>and <meter>

<progress> and <meter> are similar. You use <progress> for a task or a “measure how complete something is” scenario. It also has an indeterminate mode for something that has an unknown duration (like searching a database). The <meter> tag is for gauges and measurements of value (thermometers, quantity used, etc.). While they may look alike on the screen in many cases, they do have different semantic meanings.

10: <datalist>

The <datalist> tag acts like a combo box, where the system provides a pre-made list of suggestions, but users are free to type in their own input as well. There are tons of possible uses for this, such as a search box pre-populated with items based on the user’s history. This is another one of those things that currently requires a bunch of JavaScript (or JavaScript libraries) to handle but that can be done natively with HTML5.

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The top 10 apps being blacklisted in the enterprise

By Gina Smith

Takeaway: Whether they’re regarded as productivity killers or security risks, many apps have made it onto company blacklists.

Thanks to the invasion of personal apps, services, and hardware in enterprise, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that smart IT pros out to protect data are conducting a wholesale blacklisting of the apps they find most threatening to data security.

Zenprise, a mobile device management company that specializes in BYOD, recently released itsZenprise MDM Cloud Report. The report includes the top 10 apps that enterprises are blacklisting (or attempting to blacklist) in the United States and globally. The list is theirs. The snide commentary, mine. So here they are. The 10 most blacklisted apps this month, in descending order.

1: Angry Birds

Would someone please muster up the courage to tell the CEO to stop with the slingshot already?

2: Facebook

Imagine an update like, “I am sitting here listening to our blowhard manager give a talk that could fell a tree.”

3: Google Play

Buying apps on company time? And potentially with company money? Hard stop.

4: Dropbox

Worst case: Employee walks off with your company data and Dropbox is installed on four of her computers. Nuff said.

5: Skype

Now this is what you want. Folks texting and calling relatives all over the world. It puts a whole new spin on the idea of personal calls at work, doesn’t it?

6: YouTube

Imagine a Google+ Live Hangout saved and shared on YouTube. It’s a recording of your confidential board meeting. Yikes!

7: The App Store

Just … too easy to get a game even more addictive than Angry Birds. If such a thing exists, it is in the App Store.

8: Evernote

Social, shareable note-taking screams take our secure company information and share it with the world the next time you get angry at your boss. Or quit.

9: Cydia

An Apple iOS app that lets your users browse and download applications for a jailbroken Apple iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. Lovely.

10: Twitter

Sure, users, tweet all day. Gain more followers. Lose work time.

Your list

What apps have you blacklisted? How about whitelisted apps? Share your thoughts with fellow TechRepublic members.

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