1)      Tweet Old Post:
This plugin is great if you don’t have much time to spend on Twitter, but want to regularly send out content and build up your audience. TweetOldPost pretty much does what it says on the tin; it randomly picks from a list of your old articles and posts them on your Twitter feed. This means you don’t have to manually post content in Twitter and it allows you to reuse old content, putting it out for newer followers or visitors who may have missed your post the first time round. Customisation options allow you to pick the tweets that go out, how often they are retweeted and a multitude of other settings.
REQUIRES: WordPress 2.7

2)      W3 Total Cache:
This plugin works behind the scenes to improve your overall user experience of WordPress, improving server performance to reduce download times and provide instant page loads. It also requires much less CPU processing than using WordPress all by itself, so should result in your PC running faster.
REQUIRES: WordPress 2.8

3)      Akismet:
Akismet is a filtering tool which will eliminate the time you spend trawling through spam comments on your blog. It works by checking any comments against the Akismet web service to identify which ones are spam, placing them in the spam category in your comment admin screen. After 15 days the plugin automatically deletes those comments it has marked, so if you’re worried about losing real comments by mistake you need to check your admin dashboard on a weekly basis.
REQUIRES: WordPress 3.0

4)      HeadSpace2 SEO:
Using this plugin will give you the features you need to maximise the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) potential of your blog and drive it to the top of searches. Quickly define tags and keywords, descriptions, page titles and more and then leave HeadSpace2 SEO to do the rest of the work, allowing you to spend less time on SEO and more time creating quality content for your blog or website.
REQUIRES: WordPress 3.0

5)      Thank Me Later:
Thank Me Later is another great time saving plugin which automatically sends emails to people who comment on your blog. You can customise the messages to say anything you want, using them to thank people for their comments or encourage them to connect with you through other media. This plugin can be configured to send multiple messages at predefined intervals, allowing you to stay connected to your audience in a friendly and personalised way.
REQUIRES: WordPress 3.1

6)       Artiss Youtube Embed:
Use this plugin to quickly and easily embed Youtube videos into your blog. Artiss Youtube Embed comes with features which will allow you to build your own playlists or give visitors the ability to include video clips with their comments, adding another layer of interaction to your site.
REQUIRES: WordPress 2.9

7)      SEO Smart Links:
Linking your blog posts together not only helps your audience find related articles but also builds Page Rank throughout your site. You can interlink your articles manually, but this plugin will save you time by automatically linking keywords and phrases with corresponding posts, pages, categories and tags on your blog or website.
REQUIRES: WordPress 2.3

8)      Digg Digg Social Sharing:
This plugin makes it easy for visitors and followers to share your content online, by embedding a social media share bar which will hover on your blog. Customisation options allow you to change where the bar is located and which social media sites you include.
REQUIRES: WordPress 2.3

9)      HumansNotBots – Easy, Accessible Email Cloaker:
The plugin converts email addresses in the format email AT address DOT com into a clickable address if JavaScript is enabled, whilst still hiding your email address from bots and spammers. Adding this plugin to your WordPress site will help minimise the amount of spam and junk mail you receive.
REQUIRES: WordPress 3.0.1

10)   Feedburner Circulation:
This is a plugin which basically allows you to show off about how good your blog or website is by displaying how many followers and subscribers you have in a prominent position for visitors to see. If you have been blogging for a while and have built up a significant following, displaying it may add to your online credibility. However if you’ve only just started you may not want to display the fact that you only have 2 subscribers!
REQUIRES: WordPress 2.7

11)   WordPress eCommerce – MarketPress:
MarketPress makes setting up an online shop easy, with stylish templates and customisable features to allow you to set up multiple payment options, product and shipping variations and digital downloads. If you sell products on your website but have little experience with setting up payment applications then this plugin is perfect for you.
REQUIRES: WordPress 3.3

12)    Revision Control:
If you have not yet realised the sheer size of your WordPress database, let me take a minute to explain how it works. The built-in WordPress revision function stores each revision of every article you write, making it easy for you to go back and find previous versions of your blog posts. Whilst this can be a useful feature, it will quickly overload and slow down your site. The Revision Control plugin provides a solution by allowing you to pre-set the number of revisions you wish to save and cut down on the amount of clutter on your site.
REQUIRES: WordPress 3.2

13)   Email Newsletter:
If you often find yourself sending out mail to your followers or people who comment on your blog then the Email Newsletter plugin will save you loads of time. It’s designed to send one email to a large group of people, making it a perfect tool for distributing your regular newsletters.
REQUIRES: WordPress 2.8

14)   Image Widget:
This plugin was recommended for this list by Paul Keating, who uses it to good effect on his own WordPress blog. Image Widget provides an easy and quick way to upload images and embed them into your blog, adding interest to your articles and making them more reader-friendly. Added features of this plugin allow you to customise titles and captions, and link your images to a website, blog or article.
REQUIRES: WordPress 3.0

15)   Acobot Live Chat Robot:
When you’re away from the office this plugin is invaluable, welcoming website visitors for you and answering their questions in a helpful and friendly way. You can customise this plugin almost limitlessly to help eliminate waiting times, increase customer satisfaction and keep visitors on your site for longer.
REQUIRES: WordPress 2.0.2

Although these are 15 great WordPress plugins, the list is by no means exhaustive and there are hundreds more for you to browse through. Visit the WordPress website to see the complete list of plugins available to you, many of which have demo videos and step-by-step installation instructions too.

If you need help or have any questions regarding WordPress or any other IT related topic please get in touch with us at sales AT flint-it DOT com or call 0845 3309680.

Flint IT provide fixed-price IT solutions and support to small businesses in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

TIP #1: Auto-Completion

Microsoft Excel will complete a list if it recognises the values you are inputting, for example it will auto-complete a list of days of the week, dates or months of the year. To use auto-complete simply type the information you require into a cell. You will notice that the thick black line around the selected cell has a small square at the bottom right. Click this and drag it down as many columns as you need, it will then automatically complete the list. In this example Excel will auto-complete the days of the week.

TIP #2: Sort and Filter

One you have all the information you can easily sort it into any order you want. Highlight the column you want to sort and use the ‘Sort and Filter’ button on the Home tab, then choose how you want to sort. The standard options are to sort alphabetically or reverse alphabetically, or alternatively you can choose to custom sort. To custom sort highlight the whole table, select custom sort and then choose from the methods of sorting available.

TIP #3: Borders

It’s easy to put data into a spread sheet, but if you want it to look a little more presentable you need to add borders. To add borders highlight your list or table and click the border button on the Home tab.

Use the drop-down menu to select which type, colour and style of border you want. The border types I use most commonly are ‘All Borders’ and ‘Thick Box Border’ to create a table which looks neat and tidy.

To achieve this look highlight your table and use the drop-down menu to select ‘All borders’ then whilst the table is still highlighted select ‘Thick Box Border’ to create the bold border around the table. Finally, highlight the top row and select ‘Thick Box Border’ again. Make sure you do ‘All Borders’ first otherwise it will undo all the other borders you have done! Why not play around with the border button to select the width and colour of borders that best suits the task you are doing. All the tools you will need to do this are found in the same drop-down menu.

TIP #4: Picture

Sometimes adding a picture to the background of a spread sheet can be appropriate, making it look less formal and more friendly. Add a picture of your choice using the Page Layout tab and selecting ‘Background’. This will open up your picture library; simply double click on a picture to use it.

Alternatively add a picture to the foreground of Excel using ‘Picture’ on the Insert tab which will also open your picture library.

 TIP #5: Print Preview

To view your spread sheet before printing, use the Print Preview button which is found at the top left of Excel.

To return to your document click on the home tab. You will notice that Excel has now inserted page boundaries into your document in the form of dotted lines. This is useful as it helps you to make sure that your document will fit within the page’s printable area. If you want to turn off the page boundaries simply close and reopen your document. Alternatively turn off page boundaries permanently using File> Options> Advanced> Show Page Breaks.

If you have any problems whilst using Excel, or there are any more functions you want to learn more about please contact us at sales AT flint-it DOT com or call 0845 3309680.

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Windows 8 runs both Metro and Desktop interfaces; desktop being an updated version of what you are used to with previous versions of Windows, and Metro being the brand new user interface which is adapted from the Windows phone and based on a touch-screen user experience. The key to Windows 8 is that it has been optimised for tablet computers and so Metro takes the front seat here, meaning that for users accustomed to desktop Windows 8 could present a steep learning curve.

START-UP AND SHUT-DOWN:

On start-up Windows 8 will reveal a lock screen which matches the one on the Windows smart phone, simply slide it up to reveal the customary log-in screen. Once you have logged in you will see that the Start button has disappeared and you are faced with the ‘Start Screen’ instead. The ‘Charms’ menu  on the right hand side has replaced the old ‘Start’ menu and allows you to search apps, settings and files, share content from any app and access your devices and settings.

Shutting down your computer is also now less intuitive, because Windows 8 is designed to be put into hibernate mode like you would with a tablet, rather than actually shut down or rebooted. This could cause problems for office users as we recommend you reboot your PC at least once a week to keep everything running smoothly. A complete shut-down is possible of course but you have to go through settings to get there, making a shut-down or reboot more of a chore.

SECURITY:

Windows 8 comes with a full anti-virus suite built-in which is said to be better than Microsoft’s previous built-in security programs, and is designed to protect users from malware regardless of what internet browser you use. The system also runs anti-malware checks while your computer boots up, meaning that if you are using a USB device which is infected your computer will identify the threat before the device is loaded. If you decide to install alternative anti-virus software, Windows 8 security will automatically turn itself off to prevent your anti-virus solutions working against one another.

APPLICATIONS AND FEATURES:

Windows 8 features the ‘Windows Store’, like the App Store on an Apple device, which will allow you to purchase and install apps. The OS also utilises the latest in cloud technology and wireless synchronisation meaning that any changes to your files, photos and settings will automatically be saved to the cloud as well as synchronised across all your devices.

Although Windows 8 has a version of the taskbar you are used to, it does not allow you to switch between apps in the same way. You can cycle through open apps in one direction but there is no way to switch back and forwards between two apps without going through the whole cycle, meaning that using copy and paste between two documents could become quite time consuming. There is no easy way to close apps either; you have to go through task manager to do it and this does present the slightly worrying possibility that inexperienced users could accidentally delete essential programs or applications.

Windows 8 is set to show significant improvements in its power consumption which could mean a longer battery life for your devices. The system also offers you a host of customisable power management options so that you can decide how best to use the power you have.

This post represents a brief summary of the main changes you can expect. To try out the consumer preview of Windows 8 and see for yourself how it works click here. It is important to remember that the current release is only a beta, and that several changes and improvements are likely to be made before the final release at the end of the year.

When you’ve tried out the preview, why not let us know what you think? We’d be very interested to hear your opinions.

Get a free problem prevention audit worth £295 when you contact Flint IT now.

STEP 1: Create a Table

 Click on the ‘Insert’ tab and choose ‘Table’. You then have three options, if you want a small and simple table then roll your mouse over the tool at the top of the menu to select the number of rows and columns you need. Once you have the size you want, click once and the table will appear on your page.

Alternatively if you want to define your table more specifically use the ‘Insert Table’ option. This allows you to select how many rows and columns you want, but also lets you define column width. For an even more personalised table, select ‘Draw Table’ and use the pencil tool to draw in the lines where you need them. Whichever of these options you choose, you should then end up with a table on the page in front of you.

STEP 2: Add or Remove Cells

If you make a mistake you can delete and start again by highlighting the table, right clicking and selecting the ‘Delete Table’ option. Alternatively delete a row or column by highlighting it, right clicking and selecting ‘Delete Row’ or ‘Delete Column’. If you need to insert extra rows or columns right click on the table, select ‘Insert’ and choose from the options.

STEP 3: Input Data

Now you can input data into the cells of your table. Simply click to place your cursor in a cell and start typing. Quickly move to the next cell across using the ‘Tab’ button at the top left of your keyboard.

STEP 4: Format Data

You can format the text in your table using the normal tools in Word, simply highlight the text in the cell and use functions such as Bold, Italic, Delete, Change Colour etc. in the usual way. Most of the other functions you will need can be found by right clicking on the table. Using this menu you can merge or split cells, change the alignment of the text in the cell and auto-fit the cell size to the text among other things.

STEP 5: Re-size the Table

The final step is to move and resize your table to fit neatly onto the page. Hover your mouse over the table and two buttons will appear as shown by the red arrows; the move button at the top left and the re-size button at the bottom right. Use them one at a time by clicking, holding and dragging with your mouse until the table is where you want it to be.

You should now have created a table and put in the data you need, all in five easy steps. If you are still struggling or have any questions please contact us at sales AT flint-it DOT com or call 0845 3309680.

Flint IT provides IT help for small and medium businesses in Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas

Email and internet connection are essential to most of the things we do these days, and loss of connection can turn your working day into a nightmare. Next time this happens try our tips to get your PC back online.

1. Right click the network icon shown below and select ‘repair’ or ‘troubleshoot problems’.

2. Unplug your modem, wait one minute and plug it back in. Once this is done retry step 1.
3. Check computer cables are plugged in properly and are not bent or trapped.
4. Check cables aren’t faulty by replacing or swapping them.
5. Your firewall could be blocking internet connection software. Find the IP of your domain name server by clicking Start>Run and typing ’cmd’ and then ’ipconfig/all’. Add the IP to the firewall trusted zone.
6. Click Start>Run and type ‘cmd’. In the command window type ‘ipconfig /release’ followed by ‘ipconfig /renew’ to see a status message which could help identify the problem.
7. Restart your PC and try to connect to the internet again.
7. Move your router nearer the computer or buy a wireless repeater to boost signal.
8. Your router may be faulty or just old. If so you will need to buy a new one.
9. Run an anti-virus scan to quickly identify and eliminate any malicious software.
10. Minimise interference by moving your router off the floor and away from metal objects.
11. Air Conditioning Units or Voice-Mail machines can confuse your wireless signal. Switch your router onto a different channel.

For more details or if you have any questions contact us at sales AT flint-it DOT com or call 0845 3309680.

Flint IT can set up broadband and backup broadband for businesses in the Bedfordshire or Buckinghamshire area.

By replacing your analogue phone lines with a VOIP based phone system you could save up to 40% on call costs; ideal for businesses who spend a lot of time on the phone or have multiple office branches in different locations.

VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)

VOIP is a system which converts analogue voice signals into digital data packets to send voice calls over the internet. This is quickly becoming the standard way for businesses to make calls as it offers faster, more cost-effective and more flexible ways to transfer voice and video data.

Advantages of VOIP

-          Outstanding call quality and resilience
-          Choose from a wide range of telephony applications and get the system best suited to your needs
-          Flexibility; scale handsets up or down easily as you need them
-          Voicemail, call forwarding and free site-to-site calls
-          Single system working over multiple business sites
-          Easy to use and install
-          Install and operate for less than 40% cost of a traditional phone system

SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) Trunking

SIP trunking connects VOIP calls to the mainstream telephone network. Numbers from any dialling code can be delivered to your office regardless of its location, which is ideal if you want to give a local presence to your business. SIP trunking also provides its own disaster recovery capabilities as calls can be forwarded securely to a backup broadband connection if your primary connection fails, or to home or mobile numbers if your office is compromised or inaccessible for any reason.

Advantages of SIP Trunking

-          Use multiple new and existing numbers anywhere in the UK
-          Keep your numbers when you move office
-          Reroute calls to backup broadband, local telephone numbers and home or mobile numbers
-          Get unlimited DDI numbers so frequent callers get straight through to the person they want
-          Quicker and cheaper to send large documents, graphics or video files

Both VOIP and SIP trunking require you to have a high-quality internet connection such as EFM, as more traditional broadband options such as ADSL will tend to lose call quality if the network gets congested. However some providers do offer voice approved ADSL which may be ideal for smaller companies with lower call requirements.

It is advised that you use the same provider for your SIP trunking and your broadband connection, as passing voice and data through multiple networks may result in delay and loss of quality. For more information on broadband and for help deciding which line is right for your business click here. If you have any questions about VOIP and telephony solutions please do not hesitate to contact us at sales AT flint-it DOT com or call 0845 3309680.

Give Flint IT a call and let our cutting-edge backup and disaster recovery service give you peace of mind

Most people who use computers come up against error messages; some can be easily bypassed by clicking OK or Cancel, whilst others are more persistent. Every error message indicates a problem with your PC and ignoring one could lead to computer failure in the long term.

Here are the meanings of some common error messages, and what you should do about them.

1. Program Not Responding: Wait a few minutes for the pop-up box then click ‘wait for program to respond’. If still not responding click ‘end now’ and reopen the program.
2. Access Denied: You do not have the privileges to access a file, or have been locked out of it. If you need access speak to IT support or whoever sets up passwords on your network. They will obtain the relevant permissions and get you the files you need.
3. The Device Is Not Ready: Your PC is trying to run a disk which is not in the disk drive. Insert the relevant disk or check you are running the correct program.
4. File Not Found: The file may have been moved or deleted. Check you have not mistyped the file nam. If a file has been deleted by mistake you will probably find it in the recycle bin.
5. Low Disk Space: There is not enough space for your PC to continue running. Delete any temporary and unwanted files or get a bigger hard drive.
6. Out Of Memory: Your computer has run out of memory or is trying to load a file which is too big. Close some of the programs which are running or purchase extra memory.
7. 404 Error (server not found): Your server can not find the site you requested. You may have mistyped the address, or the site may have been deleted or moved. Use Google to find the information you want elsewhere, or try to find the web page at a later date.
8. Run-Time Error: The program you are trying to run is conflicting with another program. CTRL+ALT+DEL to open the task manager and close all programs you don’t need. Check that you have the latest update of the program, if not then update and reinstall. If this still doesn’t work you could have a virus; run an anti-virus scan.
9. EXE Error Messages: If your computer cannot find FileName.exe check that you have typed the file name correctly. If you have then there may be a virus altering file associations in your computer’s registry. Run an anti-virus scan straight away to identify and fix any problems.
10. Driver Errors: Could be due to outdated, corrupt, incompatible or missing driver files. Error messages coded with the numbers 37, 39 and 10 commonly relate to driver problems. Ensure that all your programs and applications are updated and installed properly, and that you have the correct versions for the operating system you are running.

Let us look after your IT systems while you get on with running your small business in Luton or Milton Keynes.

Small files which store data specific to a particular client or website, typically a site name and a unique user ID. They are downloaded onto your PC when you visit websites, allowing that particular site to recognise you if you visit again. This allows the site to display information tailored to you and can mean your interaction with sites is a lot smoother, especially on internet shopping sites which may display content according to your past browsing preferences.

What Are The Risks?

The kind of information cookies store is unlikely to result in identity theft or bank fraud but it does mean that companies can access your details, allowing them to add your name to marketing lists and target you with offers.

How Can I Protect Myself?

You can block cookies by changing the privacy settings in your web browser. If you are using Internet Explorer click on the tools icon, go to Safety and choose Webpage Privacy Policy and Settings. These options will be similar if you are using Chrome of Firefox.

Blocking all cookies will keep your details private, however you should be aware that this may slow down your browsing speed and some websites may not function properly with cookies blocked.

For more details or if you have any questions contact us at sales AT flint-it DOT com or call 0845 3309680.

Flint IT provides 24/7 IT monitoring for businesses in Luton and Dunstable

If your primary broadband does fail you will simply be able to reconnect by plugging the backup cable into your router in place of your current cable, giving an almost seamless changeover to your backup broadband. Your business can be practically guaranteed broadband connection at all times in just 4 simple steps:

STEP 1: Find out if your office has a second data cable, get one installed if not
STEP 2: Get your broadband provider to supply a backup broadband service. Not all do so you may
need to change
STEP 3: In the event of failure, unplug primary data cable from router
STEP 4: Connect secondary cable to router

Steps 3 and 4 are quick and simple to do, reconnecting your business to the internet in a matter of minutes, but you can only reap the substantial benefits of this system if you have put steps 1 and 2 in place before the problem occurs; forward planning is the key to minimising downtime and ensuring business continuity.

Just think how much panic you could save yourself by knowing that in the event of a broadband failure you could still access the internet. Do you really want to risk not having backup broadband? It’s easy to ignore right now but the most common thing we hear from customers who experience significant broadband failure is that they wish they had set up a backup broadband service beforehand so that their business did not suffer. Read more about different types of broadband and how to decide which one is right for your business by clicking here.

For more details or if you have any questions contact us at sales@flint-it.com or call 0845 3309680

Find out more about our backup email service and keep your business connected

As you can see, there are positives and negatives to both of the above options, so should you upgrade or not?

This will primarily depend on how intensively you use your computer. If you produce documents and surf the internet then an upgrade won’t make much difference to you apart from a slightly faster boot time and application launch.

However, if you use multiple applications at once or use video editing or heavy graphics applications then upgrading to an SSD will give you a noticeable performance boost. If this description fits your company, why not think about investing in SSDs for your computers?

If you have any questions or want some free advice on whether an upgrade would benefit your company, please get in touch on 0845 3309680 or email sales AT flint-it DOT com

Flint IT is an IT support company serving small and medium businesses in Luton, Dunstable and the Bedfordshire area.