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Ferrum Technology Services Blog

Ferrum Technology Services has been serving the Elgin area since 2007, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Tip of the Week: Setting Up Excel to Track Changes

Tip of the Week: Setting Up Excel to Track Changes

Today’s software solutions are hugely benefited by the collaborative capabilities that are now included in them, but this is not to say that there isn’t the potential for confusion as people make changes to documents. Some software lets you track these changes, which is particularly useful in particularly dense applications like Microsoft Excel.

A History of Android’s Many Versions

A History of Android’s Many Versions

Android has been around in one of its many forms for over a decade, and looking back, the changes that have been made over time is remarkable. Let’s go through each version to review some of the adjustments and improvements that each new version has introduced.

Which is a Better Spreadsheet Option, Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel?

Which is a Better Spreadsheet Option, Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel?

Spreadsheets are a supremely useful tool for businesses to use, but it is important for you to consider which option will work out best for your particular needs. Let’s consider the biggest two spreadsheet applications available today—Microsoft’s Excel and Google’s Sheets—to familiarize yourself with your options.

What to Expect Out of Android 11

What to Expect Out of Android 11

While there’s been no “official” date set for the release of Android 11, there have been plenty of indications so far of its features in its ongoing beta tests. We decided to look forward into the near future to see how some of these features could help us to be productive.

New Features are Appearing in G Suite Applications!

New Features are Appearing in G Suite Applications!

The G Suite is clearly a project that Google is far from finished with, as they have consistently made improvements to the suite and its included software. Recently, a few were added that could very much benefit a business’ users. Let’s go over a selection of these updates, and the benefits you could see as a result.

Software Integration Enhances Business Efficiency

Software Integration Enhances Business Efficiency

The agility of a business to adjust to ebbs and flows in the market is extremely important. One way businesses are making this happen is by integrating their operational software with their management software. This tactic allows data to move faster, providing businesses with some very specific benefits. Let’s take a look at how integration works.

Three Reasons to Seriously Consider Software-as-a-Service

Three Reasons to Seriously Consider Software-as-a-Service

The cloud has allowed businesses access to an astounding amount of resources. One of these resources that has proven exceptionally beneficial to businesses is Software-as-a-Service, or SaaS. Here, we’ll examine SaaS and go over how it can benefit your operations.

An Introduction to Bloatware

An Introduction to Bloatware

Getting a new computer or smartphone is always exciting for the individual. For the growing business, however, getting new computers can be a giant pain in the neck. That’s not to say that a hardware refresh isn’t an exciting time for a business, it’s just that to get the new hardware to a point where it can be usable takes some doing. Today, we’ll talk a little bit about bloatware, why manufacturers install it, and how to get rid of it quickly. 

Signs Your Business Is Ready for Customer Relationship Management

Signs Your Business Is Ready for Customer Relationship Management

Properly managing and maintaining a relationship with clients, customers, and contacts is a critical part of any business, especially if the business in question is actively working to grow. This is what makes a customer relationship management system, or CRM, so useful. Let’s review a few of the signs that your business needs a CRM to stay organized.

How You Can Leverage G Suite to Your Business’ Advantage

How You Can Leverage G Suite to Your Business’ Advantage

Google’s offering is much greater than that of a simple search engine. It is hard to even imagine a time when the extent of the services offered by Alphabet, Inc. were just the search functionality that introduced a new verb into the public lexicon. Now, the applications that make up what is known as the G Suite are used by businesses everywhere. Here, we’ll go over some of the included features, and how your business can benefit from them.

Microsoft is Releasing Out-of-Band Security Updates

Microsoft is Releasing Out-of-Band Security Updates

Patching your software is one of the most important, yet ignored, tasks in computing. Keeping all of your software up to date with the latest threat definitions can help your business’ IT stay secure. Recently, in a somewhat atypical move, Microsoft has announced that they have released an emergency out-of-band security update to fix two critical security issues. 

Delivering Efficiency with Managed IT, Part V

Delivering Efficiency with Managed IT, Part V

Information technology has a critical role in any business. The key part of an outstanding IT system, is the technology itself. Businesses greatly benefit from IT support that procures the latest and greatest technological developments. So, is your IT provider delivering the best value possible?

The Hardware and Software Behind the Retail Business

The Hardware and Software Behind the Retail Business

When you talk about line of business software, you are typically talking about the unique applications that your business uses to manage their business. In the retail space, line of business software would typically refer to your Point of Sale (POS), or Point of Purchase (POP) software. This month we will talk about how businesses implement their POS software and how it works to manage different aspects of a retail business.

Patch Procedure Insight

Patch Procedure Insight

Patches are one of the most important aspects of your technology. As with anything, technology is constantly changing, so shouldn’t your software? Today we will discuss three tips, sharing advice on optimizing your patch management process. 

You Need to Have Your Software Licenses in Check

You Need to Have Your Software Licenses in Check

When you own a vehicle, you get a little document called a vehicle title. This certificate establishes the legal owner of the vehicle. When you own software, you are given a software license. Like any contract, things can go south if you violate the terms.

Any Business Should Leverage Certain Software Solutions - Does Yours?

Any Business Should Leverage Certain Software Solutions - Does Yours?

Businesses rely on a lot of different software solutions to complete their processes. Many are based on a given business’ industry, but there are a few types that every business should involve in their operations. Let’s review what they are, and how they can be beneficial to you.

Should You Consider Microsoft 365?

Should You Consider Microsoft 365?

The story of Microsoft 365 unofficially starts with millions of individuals that still use workstations that run Windows 7. Microsoft had to come up with a plan to get the millions of people that didn’t upgrade to Windows 10 onto the platform before they retired Windows 7. What better way to accomplish that than making it easier than ever to upgrade?

We Get You the Right Tech

We Get You the Right Tech

What kind of hardware and software solutions make up your technology infrastructure? You should know that all businesses have different needs, and not everyone will manage and acquire the same tools. Some businesses don’t even know what their needs are, prompting many to turn to technology professionals for assistance. We want to be the ones you turn to for your hardware and software needs.

Remove Productivity Barriers with Software

Remove Productivity Barriers with Software

Productivity. Your company needs it. Your employees are measured largely by their ability to effectively turn their effort into a tangible product or service that creates revenue. In short, it means everything to your business. Why then, if it is so necessary, is it so hard to get the people you depend on to realize just how important their productivity is to the success of the business? This month we will talk about what makes a business productive, and what technology will mitigate the major barriers to productivity.

Tip of the Week: Slack Shortcuts

Tip of the Week: Slack Shortcuts

The modern workforce depends on collaboration, which is one reason why solutions like Slack have taken off in recent years. Another reason for this is that it’s very user-friendly with many shortcuts built right into the interface. Here are just a few of these shortcuts that can save your business time during the workday.

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