Microsoft Windows Server is the foundation of many of the applications that your business relies upon today, and owning and maintaining the hardware to run it has long been a cost you’ve had to endure.

But, the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud provides pre-configured virtual machines that can enable your business to start running fully supported Windows Server virtual machine instances in minutes without the cost and complexity of having to purchase or manage servers.

AWS is fast, instantly scalable, and dependable. By moving to the cloud, you can start saving costs immediately by reducing or eliminating your existing hardware and better invest those dollars in projects that will grow your business.

For more information about the benefits of cloud computing for your business or to trial this service please click here or contact us.

Cloud computing is a hot topic these days as it offers businesses, big and small, a cost-effective, pay-per-use service and a way to increase capacity or add capabilities on the fly without investing in new infrastructure or licensing new software.

GTcentral is an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Consulting Partner and is now offering implementation and support services for businesses looking for a reliable and secure cloud platform for hosting their online websites and applications.

With AWS, businesses can take advantage of features such as self-service, automatic provisioning, load balancing and scaling of their online applications as well as locally hosted, secure storage for databases, data processing, archive and offsite backup.

For more information about the benefits of cloud computing for your business or to trial this service please click here or contact us.

We all know that the tech industry is fast paced, always changing. The same goes for software; it's often released before it's 100% finished and updated with new features at a later date. This is the way the software industry functions, and will continue to do so well into the future. For example, Microsoft Office 365 was released in 2011 and has since seen numerous updates. There's a small update coming in March which will make it even easier to use.

The Office 365 update will focus largely on the sign-in process, and making it not only more efficient, but simpler. While this won't be a massive change, users who access their accounts on more than one device will find it much easier to do so.

Possibly the most intriguing thing about this redesign is that when you navigate to the login screen, the window will automatically resize to the resolution of your monitor or device. If you are on a handheld device like your tablet, the sign-in screen will now fit the screen size, instead of you having to zoom in to be able to see what you are typing.

This new layout will be best viewed on machines and browsers that are up to date, so be sure to keep the device/browser you use to access Office 365 updated.

Microsoft has also noted that this update will extend Single Sign On (SSO) for Office 365 capabilities. SSO can be boiled down to logging in once in order to access all services related to that software. For example, you can login to Office 365, and also be able to access SkyDrive, Lync or other Microsoft based services without having to individually log in to those sites. The update will expand the SSO capabilities, so employees won’t have to log in to multiple Microsoft programs once they have logged in the first time.

While not a huge update, it is one that makes the Office 365 system even more user friendly, which is great for those in your company who may not be the most tech savvy. You should notice this in early to mid March, or may have already been asked if you would like to try the new layout. You will have to opt-in on an individual basis.

If you would like to learn more about Office 365, or are interested in how it can help your business, why not contact us? We are happy to sit down and discuss your options with you.

The cloud is here to stay, and one of the of the popular cloud services is Google's Drive. Drive not only allows users to store files, but also create documents, presentations and spreadsheets. You can also share these files and collaborate on them in real-time. To further extend Drive's capabilities, you can install some pretty cool apps. A recent update makes these apps even more useable.

Starting in mid-February, you might have noticed a slight change to the layout of the drop-down window when your press Create in Google Drive. Now, you see all apps in a list, regardless of if they are Google's apps (Document, Spreadsheet, Presentation, etc.) or from another companies. You can add apps to Drive by:

1. Opening Drive and pressing Create - located in the left-hand side of the window.
2. Pressing Connect more apps.
3. Selecting an app you would like to add to Drive from the pop-up window.
4. Hovering your mouse over the picture of the app should show more information. Press Connect followed by Ok. You should now see the app when you press Create.

Most of the apps you connect to Drive will allow you to open files, edit and save them directly from Drive. If you connect an image editing app, you can right-click on any image in Drive and tap on the app's icon to open it using that app.

An app for everyone If you browse for programs to connect to Drive, you will see that there some really great ones that enhance what you can do with Drive. You will find these by pressing Create in Drive followed by Connect more apps. You can search for them by name, but you should see them all on the first page. Here's five that may help your business:

• Gantter - For project scheduling, it allows you to open, edit and save Microsoft Project documents directly from Google Drive. While it is free, there are a number of user permissions that are required that could go against your security plan, so be sure to read the permissions carefully. Free.
• SlideRocket - While Drive does have Presentation, it can be a little plain at times. If you want presentation software that rivals PowerPoint, and is even easier to use, this is a good choice. Free for the basic app, subscription plans start at USD$24 per user/month.
• HelloFax - The fax machine isn't as popular as it once was, but you will likely need to occasionally fax documents. This app allows you to fax documents directly from Drive, and you can also attach a signature to any document. Plans start at USD$9.99 a month for 500 faxes, and an unlimited number of users.
• Pixlr Editor - If you need to edit photos, and require something with more advanced features like those found in Photoshop, Pixlr has them. This app can open and save files directly into Drive. Free.
• Lucidchart: Diagramming - This focuses on one thing: diagrams. Create and collaborate on professional looking flowcharts for projects, visual work processes, etc. Free 14 day trial, monthly fee from USD$2 to $5 per user/month thereafter.

While many of these apps aren't free, they are affordable, especially since you can use them directly from Drive, which means there is no need to purchase extra programs. If you find that you don't want to use apps you have installed, you can remove them by clicking the cog at the top right of the Drive window and selecting Manage Apps. Find the app you no longer want and press Options followed by Disconnect from Drive.

If you would like to learn more about how Drive can help improve your company's ability to collaborate, why not contact us? We may have a plan that fits your business.

Did you know that February 5 was Safer Internet Day? This initiative hopes to make the Internet a safer and more responsible tool for all users. While based in the EU, many companies are supporting the initiative, including Google, who released some great Internet security tips that all users should follow.

Here's are five tips Google recommends:

1. Use a good password Your password serves a dual purpose, it identifies you and also allows access to your information, websites, etc. If you have a weak password, or use the same one across different accounts, you are at a higher risk of being hacked. Google recommends that you use an unique password that's long and contains numbers, symbols and letters.

The main idea here is to use unique passwords. You shouldn't be using the same password for your work computer/accounts for online banking or personal accounts. This advice doesn't just pertain to you, as your company's systems should also have strong, unique passwords. If you don't adopt this advice, the chances of someone being able to hack into different systems once they have one password increases.

2. Practice password common sense Having a strong password isn't enough, you also need to take steps to protect it. You should never send your password over email or share it with others if it can be helped. If you receive emails from your bank, service companies, friends, etc. asking you for your password, they are likely phishing emails, and should be deleted.

It would also be beneficial to change your passwords on a regular basis. There is no set limit, but once a year at the very least is a good idea. If you have trouble remembering long passwords, Google suggests that, "Writing down your passwords isn’t necessarily a bad idea. But if you do this, don’t leave notes with your passwords in plain sight, on your computer or desk."

3. Monitor security settings Almost every website that you have an account with, Google included, upgrades their security policies on a regular basis. This means that your security settings could change, or more powerful settings could be introduced without you being notified. Therefore, you should periodically review your security settings to see what, if anything has changed, and to update them if new settings are introduced.

4. Be socially responsible When it comes to online presence, nothing is more powerful for a company's brand than social media. While a great tool, it's all too easy to post something inflammatory, offensive or inappropriate, which could negatively impact your business. Before you post something on either your business or personal site, be sure to look over it and ensure it isn't embarrassing or harmful to your business reputation.

5. Log off/lock it It's advisable to either turn your computer off after you're done using it, or at the very least log off. This will prevent unauthorized users from being able to gain access. If you use a mobile phone and are constantly signed in to different services/apps, it's a good idea to set your phone to lock itself after a certain period of time. This can be done by going into the security settings on your phone.

These are just five recommended tips from Google's security experts which are well worth taking note of if you want to ensure you and your company's data is safe. If you would like to learn more about how you can make the Internet safer, please contact us today.

There is little doubt as to the most popular office production suite. Microsoft Office has been the program of choice for almost two decades and shows no sign of giving this status up in the near future. In late January Microsoft officially released Office 2013, and as usual released numerous versions aimed at meeting the needs of different users.

Here's a brief overview of the different versions of Office 2013 released last month.

A tale of three Offices There are three different types of Office: Standalone, Subscription and RT. The standalone versions are similar to older versions of Office, as you will be able to buy these in stores. You pay once, and have access to the software that comes in that bundle, as you would with older versions. The only difference is that older versions came on CDs or DVDs, while the newer versions are really a code that you enter on the Microsoft website to download Office.

Subscription based versions are referred to as Office 365 for home, and are sold on a per month/year basis. You will be able to buy a year subscription in stores, which will come with an activation code you can enter in the Office site to download the software. This option is heavily integrated with the cloud and users will be able to store and access documents by signing into their SkyDrive account. You can also store files on your computer.

The RT version of Office is a tablet specific version engineered for use with touchscreen devices. This version comes installed on all RT tablets like the Microsoft Surface. This will only work on tablets running ARM processors and will only be available to users who buy a specific tablet. You won't be able to buy the software in stores, or online.

Office 365 versions

• Office 365 Home Premium - This version has two pricing schemes: USD$9.99 a month or USD$99.99 a year. Users who chose this option will be able to install it on five different computers, and will be able to use: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Access and Publisher. You will also get 20GB free storage with SkyDrive and 60 Skype minutes a month. Office on Demand - a 'streaming' version of Office that you can access over the Internet is also included.
• Office 365 University - This version is the same as Home Premium but is for university students and staff. The subscription costs USD$79.99 for four years, and can be installed on two different machines. If you are doing a part-time course, you should also be eligible for this.

Office 2013 standalone versions

• Office Home & Student 2013 - This is the more traditional version of Office which costs USD$139.99 and can be installed on one computer. Users who purchase this version will get Word, PowerPoint, Excel and OneNote, but won't have the cloud based Office 365 extras.
• Office Home & Business 2013 - At USD$219.99, this version comes with the same software as Office Home & Student, and also includes Outlook. It can be installed on one computer. This is the likely version small businesses will purchase if they don't want to pay for a subscription.
• Office Professional 2013 - Like other versions of Office 2013, this is a single install and costs USD$399.99. Primarily aimed at businesses, this version comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access and Publisher.

It should be noted that the standalone versions of Office have a perpetual license which means that you can use them for as long as you like.

Is this Office 365 for business? The new versions of Office, including Office 365 Home Premium are technically for home use. While this new version contains the name 'Office 365' it is actually different from the Office 365 used in businesses. If you currently use the business offering in your company (email servers, instant messaging, SharePoint, etc), there are new versions coming February 27. If you don't use Office 365 in your business, and are just looking for a new version of Office, Home Premium could be a good option.

Looking to upgrade to a new version of Office, or would like to learn more about how they can help your business, contact us today.

One of the most popular features of the office suite is the ability to print documents. This is an essential requirement for all businesses that many take for granted. When you switch from a physical system to one hosted in the cloud, it can be a little challenging to set up your documents to fit your printing needs.

If you use Google Apps to create your documents you can easily optimize them to meet your printing needs. Here's how:

Before printing You can do a number of things, before you hit the print button, to ensure your document will meet your needs. The following formatting options can all be selected from Page Setup which is accessed by clicking File followed by Page Setup from the drop-down menu.

• Set your margins - By default, the page margins are 1-inch for Top, Bottom, Left and Right. If you want to fit more text on the page, decrease the margins. Be sure that you don't go below 0, as anything outside 0 will not be printed. If you want to save paper, or won't be printing documents, reducing the margins is a good idea.
• Select your page size - You can adjust the page size to meet your requirements. If your company uses A4 paper, you can select relevant page size by pressing the up/down arrows under Paper Size.
• Select your document's orientation - There are two orientations you can apply to your documents: Landscape and Portrait. Portrait is the default orientation with the doc being longer than it is wide, while Landscape is wider than it is tall. If you are creating pamphlets or documents you plan to fold, landscape is the better choice, while documents like contracts are better suited to portrait.

If you plan to keep the same format for all documents, you can press Set as default and all future documents will follow this same formatting.

Printing When you go to print a document you can do so by pressing File followed by Print. This will open Google's print panel. You can select the destination printer if there is more than one on your network under the Destination field. Under Pages you can select to either print the whole document or pick the pages you would like to print.

You can also set the Margins and review how the document will look printed on the page. Finally, if you want more options, select Print using system dialog... to open the printing program your printer uses. You should be able to set different page sizes, change print quality, choose black and white, etc.

If you would like to learn more about using Google Apps in your office, please contact us today.

Before the increasingly heavy adoption of cloud based office apps like Google Drive, many businesses had issues with the different versions of Microsoft Office. Users of older Office versions had trouble reading documents created on newer versions. When Google Docs, later renamed Drive, was introduced users could export documents in older Office formats. That's recently changed however.

When using Microsoft Office you often run across two file types. There are  files created using Office 1997-2003 (.doc, .xls, .ppt), and files created using newer versions of Office (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx). Many companies are still using the older versions of Office and until January 31 Drive users could view these files.

As of February 1 Google will stop supporting the exporting of Google Docs as older Office file types. This means that if a Drive user wants to download a document as a file that Office users can read, they can no longer download as a file with a .doc extension i.e., File.doc.

This change only affects exporting of documents from Drive. If you want to import older file types, you should still be able to do so. Just be warned that the formatting may be off, so you will likely have to reformat documents, and rebuild tables/charts/graphs.

Businesses who use newer versions of Microsoft Office (Office 2007 and beyond) are in the clear as Google Drive now can read, edit and export .docx, .xlsx and .pptx files. If you are a Drive user who frequently works with other parties using older versions of Office, you may run into a slight bit of trouble. Don't worry however, there is an option for you.

One workaround you could employ is to ask users of the older versions of Office to install a compatibility plug-in from Microsoft's download page, which allows users of Office 2003, Office XP or Office 2000 to open, edit and save files as the newer file type. Most users should already have this, as it is highly likely that they work with others who use newer versions. This should pretty much eliminate the issue, as files from you can still be opened. You don't need to worry about asking users to change the Office file type, as Drive can still read the older versions.

If you would like to learn more about Google Drive and other Google Apps in the office, please get in touch with us, we are happy to sit down and go over the options with you.

There are many things we do with our online time. We check and answer emails, research that new Mexican cantina recommended by a colleague and reach out to and connect with other people. Basically, we’re busy people online. One thing that can be frustrating is when you’re logged into one Google account on Chrome, but have an important email stored on another. This usually means logging out and logging in again, however, there is a way around this.

If you use Google Chrome and have more than one Google account, or more than one user on the same computer, you can utilize Chrome’s functionality to access different Google accounts at the same time. Here’s how:

1. Open Chrome and press the three lines to the right of the URL bar, and select Settings.
2. Scroll down to Users and select Add new user.
3. Put the account information (user name and password) of the account you want to add and click Sign in.
4. It will take a few seconds, but you’ll get a note saying that you’ve signed into a new account.
5. Pressing Ctrl + Shift + M (⌘ + Shift+ M on Mac) will change your profile. Alternatively, you can press the icon at the top right and select the profile to switch to.

You’ll notice that Chrome now has an icon on the top right of the window. Clicking this will allow you to select which account you want to represent the window you have open. The original account you linked with Chrome will be labeled as First User and any other accounts will be randomly named upon setup. To change this, press the face icon on the top right of Chrome and hover your mouse over the account you’d like to change. The name will change to Edit and clicking it will bring up the editing screen. You can change the account name, icon and import settings and bookmarks.

This is a great feature that allows each user of a single computer to have their own customized version of Google, or for you to access your different accounts without needing to have different browsers open. What this doesn’t do is secure your data or settings from other users on the same computer. They can see everything you’ve searched, or even switch to the windows you have open. Think of this as more of a convenience feature than a security feature. If you’re looking for a more secure way to access two accounts at the same time, open another window in incognito mode, it will allow you to access another Google account.

To learn more about using Chrome in your business, please contact us.

The Internet is great and we really take it for granted, relying on it so much that when it’s not available, many people are unsure of what to do. Luckily, it’s hard to find a place these days that doesn’t have some form of Internet connection. How do you access the Internet? If you’re a Google user, you most likely use Chrome. Did you know Chrome has some great keyboard shortcuts?

Below are 12 of the handiest shortcuts.

• Ctrl + N: Will open a new window in Chrome.
• Ctrl + Shift + N: Will open a new window in incognito mode, which won’t track browsing or download history, and will delete cookies upon closing the window. Note that if your Internet Service Provider or company tracks the pages you visit, they’ll still be able to do so.
• Ctrl + T: Will open a new tab in the window you currently have open.
• Ctrl + W: Closes the tab you currently have open.
• Ctrl + Shift + T: Opens the last tab you closed. You can reopen the last 10 tabs closed. If you have recently closed and reopened Chrome, this will not work.
• Ctrl + Tab or Shift + Tab: Goes to the next tab and previous tab, respectively, in the window you currently have open. If you have one to eight tabs open in the same window, you can hit Ctrl +1-8 to switch to the corresponding tab. I.e., pressing Ctrl+3 will switch to the third tab from the left.
• Ctrl + Shift + B: Will toggle your bookmarks bar on/off. If you want to add a page to bookmarks, drag the tab onto the bookmarks bar.
• Ctrl + H: Opens the History page.
• Ctrl + Shift + Delete: Will bring up the Clear Browsing Data tab.
• Ctrl+Enter: Will add www. and .com to your entry in the address bar and open the website. Note: For those on Macs, hitting Return (the Mac version of the Enter key) will not work.
• Ctrl + F: Opens the Find bar which will allow you to enter a term you would like to find on that tab. If you’re looking at a page with lots of text, this is a fast way to find what you need.
• Shift + Esc: Will bring up Chrome’s Task Manager which allows you to see what tabs are using the most resources. A great option for when Chrome is sluggish, or to see if Chrome is causing your computer to run slowly. This command will only work on the Windows version of Chrome – there is no Task Manager for the Mac version.

While these shortcuts are for the Windows version of Chrome, all except Shift + Esc also work on Mac. On the Mac, hit Command (⌘) instead of Ctrl. If you’d like to know more about Chrome and how it can help your business, please contact us.