How do you stop programs loading at startup

One of the reasons windows can take ages to start can be due to the number of programs or apps trying launch automatically at startup. Over time you install programs and they decide they should add something to your startup list. Our new video shows how to manage this.
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Help plan 2021 with Microsoft Planner

Microsoft 365 has some amazing productivity and collaborative tools already built in.Did you know that within Teams there’s a useful project planning tool?Watch our short video for the lowdown on how to use Microsoft Planner.
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What does ransomware mean to you?

It's one of the fastest growing crimes in the world.. but what does it mean to you? Ransomware can be scary. What if you switch on your work computer tomorrow morning and instead of the screen you normally see, the screen goes totally red. Your then shown a message saying that your business's data has all been locked and that the only way to retrieve it will be to pay thousands in Bitcoin. Statistics suggest is not a rare event. It happens to businesses every day - everywhere - even in Ryedale. Every business is at risk. And it can be one of the hardest things for us as your IT support company to fix. We’ve written a brand new guide.
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Is your phone system ready for the hybrid workplace?

When was the last time you upgraded your business phone system?If it’s been 5 years or more, then you’re overdue an upgrade.You probably update your laptop and mobile phone every few years. Business phones are no different.Designed to work in the office, from home or on the move, watch our new video to see the benefits from installing a 2020 VoIP system for your business.
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tKnowITman

Working From Home: Slow Internet? Try hotspotting your phone

I've had a few people saying that their broadband is slower than normal at home. This can be because you are normally not working from home at this time of day but more likely due to the increased volume of people using the internet for surfing, watching Netflix, Prime, YouTube, etc. First, try rebooting the router, check the microfilters on phone outlets and try an ethernet cable if wi-fi is poor. If you are using a laptop over wi-fi and you also have a smartphone with a decent 4G signal then try creating a local HotSpot on the phone and then connect your laptop to the hotspot rather than your normal router. See if things run any quicker Remember to check your data tariff and allowance though
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tKnowIT: Services mostly as usual

With the latest announcement from the government, it is important that you know that tKnowIT is able to provide you with your normal IT support, monitoring and maintenances services. This includes businesses who currently don't have a support agreement with tKnowIT but need help on a pay as you go basis. tKnowIT can help with IT systems, assistance with staff working from home, auditing and securing their machines, etc. It is sad to see so many businesses are having to shut their doors until this all blows-over but I’m in the fortunate position that a lot of IT tasks can be performed remotely.
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MS Teams: Here’s how to make project communication as easy as possible

Managing multiple projects with lots of different contributors can be a real headache.Unless you use one of the world’s favourite collaboration tools – that you may already be paying for.
Read more

New Utility: Has your email address been stolen?

Has your email address been stolen?We have put together a new tool for you to use for free that can tell you if your email address has been stolen.If it has been stolen you can use the contact form to request more information from us.
Read more

Office 365: Checking for updates

Start MS Word Click File menu option then click Account Click Update Options followed by Update Now A message will then appear
Read more

How do you stop programs loading at startup

One of the reasons windows can take ages to start can be due to the number of programs or apps trying launch automatically at startup. Over time you install programs and they decide they should add something to your startup list. Our new video shows how to manage this.
Read more

Help plan 2021 with Microsoft Planner

Microsoft 365 has some amazing productivity and collaborative tools already built in.Did you know that within Teams there’s a useful project planning tool?Watch our short video for the lowdown on how to use Microsoft Planner.
Read more

What does ransomware mean to you?

It's one of the fastest growing crimes in the world.. but what does it mean to you? Ransomware can be scary. What if you switch on your work computer tomorrow morning and instead of the screen you normally see, the screen goes totally red. Your then shown a message saying that your business's data has all been locked and that the only way to retrieve it will be to pay thousands in Bitcoin. Statistics suggest is not a rare event. It happens to businesses every day - everywhere - even in Ryedale. Every business is at risk. And it can be one of the hardest things for us as your IT support company to fix. We’ve written a brand new guide.
Read more

Is your phone system ready for the hybrid workplace?

When was the last time you upgraded your business phone system?If it’s been 5 years or more, then you’re overdue an upgrade.You probably update your laptop and mobile phone every few years. Business phones are no different.Designed to work in the office, from home or on the move, watch our new video to see the benefits from installing a 2020 VoIP system for your business.
Read more
tKnowITman

Working From Home: Slow Internet? Try hotspotting your phone

I've had a few people saying that their broadband is slower than normal at home. This can be because you are normally not working from home at this time of day but more likely due to the increased volume of people using the internet for surfing, watching Netflix, Prime, YouTube, etc. First, try rebooting the router, check the microfilters on phone outlets and try an ethernet cable if wi-fi is poor. If you are using a laptop over wi-fi and you also have a smartphone with a decent 4G signal then try creating a local HotSpot on the phone and then connect your laptop to the hotspot rather than your normal router. See if things run any quicker Remember to check your data tariff and allowance though
Read more

tKnowIT: Services mostly as usual

With the latest announcement from the government, it is important that you know that tKnowIT is able to provide you with your normal IT support, monitoring and maintenances services. This includes businesses who currently don't have a support agreement with tKnowIT but need help on a pay as you go basis. tKnowIT can help with IT systems, assistance with staff working from home, auditing and securing their machines, etc. It is sad to see so many businesses are having to shut their doors until this all blows-over but I’m in the fortunate position that a lot of IT tasks can be performed remotely.
Read more

MS Teams: Here’s how to make project communication as easy as possible

Managing multiple projects with lots of different contributors can be a real headache.Unless you use one of the world’s favourite collaboration tools – that you may already be paying for.
Read more

New Utility: Has your email address been stolen?

Has your email address been stolen?We have put together a new tool for you to use for free that can tell you if your email address has been stolen.If it has been stolen you can use the contact form to request more information from us.
Read more

Office 365: Checking for updates

Start MS Word Click File menu option then click Account Click Update Options followed by Update Now A message will then appear
Read more

If you have a Windows 7 machine and you use it for business, you MUST replace it by the end of this year.
Why? Because it’ll be a major target for hackers in January next year (2020).
This is a serious threat to many businesses in Ryedale and beyond. It will leave their entire computer network open to hackers.
We’ve created a new short video to tell you why it’s such a problem, and why you mustn’t wait too long to replace your old tech. Remember what happened when the NHS were still running Windows XP?
To comply with GDPR you should also have a plan to replace any machines running windows 7.

It might have only just turned 2019. But we want you to look ahead to next January, in 2020.
Because there’s a major software problem on the way… and it’s going to affect half of all businesses and organisations in Ryedale.
In January 2020 Microsoft is ending the life of lots of old versions of popular software.
This includes the 2010 version of Office, some popular server software – and Windows 7.
If you have even one computer that runs any of this software, you’ve got a major headache from next January.
In fact, your business will be at severe risk of being hacked, as well as no longer being GDPR-compliant.
We’ve put together a brand new guide to help you see if your business will be affected – anyone can check, regardless of technical ability.
Plus we tell you why you mustn’t wait till next year to take action. This problem has to be tackled now.

21 ways to help your staff get more done, in less time – with Office 365
Do you already use Microsoft Office 365 in your business?
Lots of people already do. It’s now got 120 million active users across the world. And 50,000 small businesses sign up every month.

Super-deduction ends soon

Did you know there’s a temporary tax relief called Super-deduction that limited companies in the UK can benefit from?(BUT it runs out at the end of next month… that’s just 51 days from today)When limited companies buy certain new equipment (including computers) they can claim 130% capital allowance.So if you spend £1,000 on computers, it will reduce your corporation tax bill as if you had spent £1,300.

Young employees have different attitudes to cyber crime

If you employ anyone aged between 16 and 19, you need to pay special attention to the cyber security training you’re giving your team.A new study has revealed that a host of worrying online behaviour has become almost normalised among many young people. And much of this activity is illegal.We’re not talking serious cyber crime such as ransomware attacks or stealing data.But one in three 16 to 19-year-olds have admitted to digital piracy; and a quarter have tracked or trolled someone online.Most of these behaviours may not directly affect your business. But some are so commonplace that too many young people view them as a part of everyday life.

Take action to avoid a devious new phishing scam

Another day, another scam. And this is a sneaky one.Cyber criminals are getting smarter. This recent malware threat is unusually smart. It impersonates a highly trusted brand name to get a foot in the door.Targets receive a convincing looking email that appears to come from a widely used e-signature platform.Attached to the email is a blank image that’s loaded with empty svg files, which are carefully encoded inside an HTML file attachment (stay with us here).In short, it’s very clever and it’s tricking its way past a lot of security software.

3 steps to better cloud security

Cloud services are become more common for business use. They are convenient, make working remotely easier and have more and more features added over time.However, are you sure that your business data is secure?Our latest video will tell you about 3 things you can do today to make sure that your data is as secure as possible

When did you last have a health check?

How’s the January health kick going?Lots of us take our health seriously – once a year, anyway – and it’s good to spend time thinking about whether you’ve been looking after yourself (and better still, doing something about it).Your doctor would probably like to see you once a year for a health check, just to pick up any small problems and stop them getting worse.It’s exactly the same principle with your technology.So why not book in for an IT check-up, to make sure everything’s in great shape for the journey ahead?You do this for yourself, you do it for your car, and it’s a good plan to think the same way about your workplace tech. Because it might have to work pretty hard in the year to come.Getting everything checked out now will pay dividends later.

Are your younger employees experiencing ‘tech shame’?

It seems that Gen Z and even some Millennial employees are less tech savvy than many employers might expect. It’s an assumption that’s leading to a sense of ‘tech shame’.Younger workers may have grown up using Snapchat, TikTok and Minecraft, but they’re not always equipped with the skills they need to adapt to the workplace.A recent study has found that one in five employees aged 18 to 29 feel judged when they encounter technical issues at work. That’s compared to just one in 25 employees aged 40 or over.The solution may lie in providing better training, not just for younger colleagues and first-jobbers, but for the whole team. Some Gen Z workers may have started their careers during the pandemic. That means they will never have experienced anything other than a digital working environment. Especially if they work remotely or in a hybrid role.

Your need-to-know guide to cloud security

The growth of cloud computing has completely changed how we work. But security in a cloud environment can create a long list of its own challenges. In our new guide, we cut through the jargon to give you all you need to know to protect your business. You’ll discover what you can do for yourself to stay safe in the cloud, and where some professional help will make a big difference.

A little trust can go a long way

Countless employers still don’t trust their people to do their best work unless they’re physically in the office. But while managers may be struggling to adjust to our new hybrid world, this perception is a long way from the truth.Research from around the world reveals that greater flexibility from remote and hybrid working often results in a major boost to productivity. Yet still some firms are bringing back an office-only policy.Employers may be grappling with the fallout of the last few years and hoping that a return to the office will result in a post-pandemic productivity boost.But seeing as hybrid workers show improved morale, greater creativity and better collaboration (compared with pre-pandemic levels), this could be a big step in the wrong direction.

Season’s Greetings from tKnowIT

Season's Greetings to one and all, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.As in previous years, be caution from calls or emails claiming to be from BT or Microsoft suggesting that your computer has been hacked. If your computer pops up a message to say you are infected and to call a number, or it even talks to you, turn it off and call me for advice, it's usually a browser 'pop-up' trying to scare you into thinking your computer is infected.