OneNote for iPad: Goodbye 2x, hello tabbed interface & expanded language support.

The market is flooded with note-taking applications, but OneNote consistently ranks at the top (see Lifehacker’s recent list). That’s because the PC version is free with MS Office, which most corporate employees use anyway, and syncing is a cinch with a SkyDrive account, which is also free. Other plusses include automatic save (for those of us who forget to hit CTRL+S regularly), sharing capabilities, and the ability to view and take notes on mobile phones.

Keep in mind that with the free iPad version, you will only be able to create a total of 500 notes. If you want to create more, you will need to pay $14.99 (compared to $4.99 for the iPhone version). Features new to the iPad version include a tabbed interface and expanded language support.

Here’s how to use it:

• Open the OneNote for iPad app.
• Sign in with your Windows Live ID (Hotmail, MSN, Xbox Live, Zune pass, Windows Live Messenger, etc.).

To create a note:

• On the navigation bar at the top right of the screen, click the icon that looks like a document with a plus sign.
• A new note appears, into which you can add text, images, checkboxes and bulleted lists.

OneNote for iPad will automatically sync your notes to your Windows Live SkyDrive account, but you can also manually sync notes. Here is how:

• On the home screen of OneNote for iPad, tap Settings (in the upper left area of screen).
• Tap Sync Now.
 When the sync is completed, you will see a time stamp with last updated date and time.
• You can also email a note from your iPad. Just click the envelope icon in the upper right corner of an open note.

To view your synced notes on your PC:

• Open a web browser and go to http://skydrive.live.com.
• Sign in with your Windows Live account.
• Click on My Files on the left side.
• Click to open a folder, and double-click to open a OneNote file.
• With a Note open, click on the Home tab, and choose “Open in OneNote.”
• Any changes you make will automatically be synchronized.
• If you want to save a copy to your PC, go to File, select Save As, and choose a file type and location.

Note: Any notebooks you create on your mobile device will be automatically synced to your SkyDrive, but not files you create on your PC. To share a PC-created notebook, open it, go to File and choose Share, then select the notebook you want to share, where you want to share it, sign in and click Share Notebook to complete the process. It will sync automatically once this step is completed. Also, if you save your notebooks on a network drive rather than locally, you may encounter syncing problems.

Note to Apple OS users: Microsoft has not created OneNote for Mac.

By Joe Puckett, director of recruiting and training at PC Helps

The Rave:
One of the ongoing frustrations with the iPad has been that, for a mobile device, it has been extremely dependent on being attached to a traditional computer through a wire. The most frustrating evidence of this was that there was no way to do the initial set up on an iPad except through a wired connection to a computer running iTunes. Quite time consuming if you are provisioning dozens of iPads. Day-to-day synchronizations, updates and imports were also wire-centric.

That all changes with iOS 5. Wireless activation and iTunes Wi-Fi sync go a long way towards making an otherwise delightful device capable of going it alone.

Part 2 in the series: Cutting the Cord with iOS 5.

The Rant:
Today’s forecast — cloudy. Tomorrow’s forecast — even cloudier. Google wants your data in their cloud. Amazon wants your data in their cloud. Microsoft wants your data in their cloud. With iOS 5, Apple makes an offer of putting your data in their cloud that you have to actively refuse if you don’t want it there. You want to back up the data on all these iPads, don’t you? Well, then, just accept the default of backing up through iCloud and all your problems melt away. What? You have security concerns about having a big company like Apple (or Google, Amazon or Microsoft) handle the security of your data? You think the HIPAA people or whatever compliance body governs your industry expects you to take personal responsibility for the security of that data? You will never get to be an IT cool kid thinking that way.

The Conclusion:
That iOS 5 enables the iPad to be more of a standalone device definitely moves it in the direction of being enterprise-worthy. That the default for using that newfound independence includes keeping data that may be proprietary, sensitive or regulated in the cloud may rub up against a corporate sore spot.

***

Read Part 1 in the series: iOS 5 is like going to the gym — no pain, no gain.

About the author: Joe Puckett is PC Helps’ director of recruiting and training. He grooms the talent here, and creates our internal and client-facing corporate training courses. A 15-year PC Helps veteran, Joe is the one to ask if you ever have a software question.

But some tech journalists aren’t sold just yet. Microsoft Office still reigns, they say. Tablets don’t match the PC’s versatility or durability, they add. Here’s a rundown from some of the naysayers. Read and make your own judgment.

He maintains that Microsoft’s biggest competitor isn’t Google Apps, but earlier versions of Office.

What Revolution?

InfoWorld’s Eric Knorr is on fire. In his recent article, “The IT Revolution that Isn’t,” he picks apart the three biggest trends bit by bit.

On the cloud: “[L]ast time I looked, Microsoft Office still had over 80 percent market share. Will there be a rush to the cloud when Office 365 launches later this year? No way: Office 365 puts Exchange, SharePoint, and Lync servers in the cloud, but Office itself is meant to stay on the desktop.”

He maintains that Microsoft’s biggest competitor isn’t Google Apps, but earlier versions of Office.

On tablets: “Some pundits argue the desktop doesn’t matter anymore — and that recent PC sales numbers show a decline year over year, while sales of tablets and smartphones have skyrocketed. But have you ever tried doing heads-down work without a real keyboard? When you come down to it, mobile devices add new capability — they don’t replace much in the way of existing desktop functionality.”

Read Knorr’s piece for yourself here.

Tablet, Schmablet

CIO’s Al Sacco has had enough of all this talk about tablets. For the average worker, who doesn’t use the device for business, he writes, “the sheen… is wearing thin.” Which leaves users with “just another boring old piece of hardware.”

In his June 13 article, “Four Reasons Why You Don’t Really Need a Tablet PC,” he makes his case: tablets aren’t particularly portable; they’re just one more piece of hardware to carry; the device has browser limitations; and most aren’t built to last.

Sacco concedes in his piece that tablets are fun to use and have valuable application in some fields (healthcare, sales), but reiterates his bottom line:

“Though unquestionably fun to use and valuable in some specific situations and environments, tablets are still just a luxury item for most people; nobody really needs them, because they don’t truly offer anything that some form of smartphone/laptop combination doesn’t offer.”

You can read Sacco’s piece here.

Now I’m off to play Angry Birds on my iPad…

But concerns remain, mostly about security, and also about software compatibility. Here’s a look at some of the recent news regarding consumerization of IT:

A look at some of the recent news regarding consumerization of IT.

Top Security Nightmares: Privately Owned iPhones, iPads and Other Mobile Devices (by Tim Greene, Network World)

IPhones, iPads and other employee-owned mobile gear are the most risky devices that can be connected to corporate networks, according to a new survey by ISACA, an international user group devoted to providing benchmarks and guidance for technology best practices. According to the survey, 58% of respondents saying mobile gear represent the greatest risk to the enterprise. That beats out any work-supplied devices including smartphones, laptops, notebooks, tablets and flash drives, which combined were the top fear of just 33%. Despite this fear, 49% of respondents say their companies have up-to-date mobile security policies that are well communicated to the staff. Another 32% say they have such policies but they need to be updated and the staff made aware of them.

Federal Agencies Embrace iPhones, iPads (By Elizabeth Montalbano, InformationWeek)

A look at mobile device use in federal government — from the chief executive’s office to the departments of the Interior and Veteran’s Affairs. The big question is whether Apple will replace the BlackBerry in government.

Executives Addicted to Smartphones, Tablets (By Michael Singer, Internet Evolution)

In his June 1 blog post, Internet Evolution’s Michael Singer takes a look at executives’ seeming addiction to their iPhones, iPads, Android, or BlackBerry devices. Workers say they need them to keep in constant communication; IT says they are causing headaches for rest of the enterprise in the form of security and integration.

Smartphone Invasion! BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) Is Changing How We Work (By Matt Rosoff, San Francisco Chronicle)

Mobile workers have been an IT concern for decades — PDAs, pagers, and notebook computers are not new, and an entire sub-industry has emerged to figure out how to support them. But the smartphone revolution of the last three years has changed how mobile workers operate. This piece looks at how IT departments are learning to handle this new, foreign landscape.

IT Loves the iPad: Apple’s iPad in the Windows Enterprise (by Doug Barney, Redmond Magazine)

“Analysts, vendors, pundits and other attention grabbers have been calling for an overthrow of the Windows PC regime for decades. Alternatives such as computers running Linux and the network computer never really took hold. Out of left field came the iPad and now the iPad 2.”

This article takes a look at how Apple Inc. succeeded in the enterprise without even trying.

As 2011 proves to be another busy year of Microsoft version upgrades – for both Windows and Office – enterprise IT shops are trying bring the updates along as painlessly as possible. These may seem like simple upgrade projects to stay current with improved Microsoft features and capabilities, but end-users face particular difficulties adjusting to the latest releases. Specifically, three major end-user challenges associated with these upgrades threaten to place pressure on unprepared help desks.

For organizations moving from Office 2003 or prior versions, one of the biggest challenges for end-users is adjusting to the new Office fluent user interface, commonly known as “the ribbon.” The ribbon replaces the previous menu and toolbars in each Office application. With Office 2007, the ribbon was applied to most Office applications, with the notable exception of Outlook. In Office 2010, these differences carry forward and are coupled with the incorporation of the Ribbon into Outlook, impacting usability of this critical communications application used daily by virtually every corporate end-user. The Ribbon and other new aspects of the Office interface provide an opportunity for increased end-user productivity, but also represent significant changes in the look and feel of the core Office applications.

We think the FAQ is a wonderful thing. But a FAQ cannot stand on its own.

As reported on recently by CIO.com’s Shane O’Neill, the Forrester report outlines four pitfalls to avoid during upgrades: underestimating compatibility issues, leaving workers to figure out the migration with no assistance, assuming workers will use the software’s new features, and neglecting to emphasize peer-to-peer learning.

Here’s what we’ve been saying:

On compatibility issues

We couldn’t agree more. Your company needs to have a plan in place before the migration begins to handle compatibility issues.

As with any new or changed software, incompatibility with prior versions may require users to manually rework documents. Compatibility of versions has been a focus for Microsoft over the years, and improves with every new release, but users don’t always follow the best practices when creating documents, and end up with versions which are not automatically converted with an upgrade.

Files received from outside the organization in older formats may not open properly and need some rework or, sometimes, may need to be resent. Files with links, Access databases (especially if they integrate with other systems or use extensive code), and custom animations in older PowerPoint versions may be corrupted or impacted by compatibility issues. In cases where users have documents they regularly use, often containing complex formulas or formatting, and which need to be updated to the new versions, there can be a significant amount of time spent on reformatting and recreating documents.

On making workers handle the migration with no support

The “ribbon” and other new aspects of the Office 2007 interface reflect major changes in the look and feel of the core Office applications. In Office 2010, these differences carry forward and are coupled with the incorporation of the ribbon into Outlook, impacting usability of this critical communications application.

We think the FAQ is a wonderful thing. It tells your employees what to expect from a migration, and answers the most commonly asked questions. But a FAQ cannot stand on its own.

User confusion and frustration is almost guaranteed when attempting to learn and work with the ribbon for the first time. Basic functions that were performed without effort in the past, such as opening and closing files, managing day-to-day calendar and meeting entries, and applying formats, require a relearning process with the new application versions. For some users, relearning these basic functions is fairly straightforward, and for others it takes a more effort and help. More complex tasks in PowerPoint, Excel, Word or Access often require a combination of training and support in the migration process.

Bolster it with a dedicated migration staff to help workers through a migration/upgrade.

On assuming employees will find and know how to use enhanced or new features in Office 2010

Don’t make assumptions. You know the old saying.

For example, if someone using Excel 2010 for the first time doesn’t know about the new functions, he will not necessarily seek them out. A good how-to tech can show him a SUMIFS formula, for example, which is one of the newbies. Sure beats the 2003 alternative of using arrays or helper columns.

On not emphasizing peer-to-peer learning

Finally, Forrester’s fourth pitfall, not emphasizing peer-to-peer learning, is one we’re split on. CIO’s O’Neill suggests using wikis and discussion groups to share best practices. It’s a great idea, but we know from experience what happens often with peer-to-peer: it’s called shadow support, or tapping the “office guru,” and it turns the downtime of one worker into downtime for two, which can cost a company dearly. A better alternative is to outsource to a company that specializes in Office 2010. The cost savings and downtime avoidance are significant. (See a previous blog post, “Efficiency Redux.”)

Three-plus years later, why is the ribbon still an issue?

“[One] way we use the data is by looking for frequently used features that are hard to get to today. Any time we see this, it represents people overcoming the user interface to use a buried feature because it’s so important.

“A great example of this is ‘superscript’ in Word. In Word 2003, it must be added to the toolbar manually through customization. Yet, even as a non-default toolbar button, it gets more clicks than 30% of the buttons on the Formatting toolbar. The opportunity here is to discover the things that people love and that even more people would use if they knew they could.”

Harris makes oodles of sense. (So much so, it makes me want to uninstall my copy of OpenOffice.) Still, almost four years after it was unveiled, Microsoft’s ribbon continues to confound end users and IT departments.

And “confound” is not an exaggeration: According to a recent report sponsored by Dell KACE and conducted by Dimensional Research, of those IT leaders surveyed, 45 percent said their greatest concern in upgrading to 2010 is the ribbon.

So, three-plus years later, why is the ribbon still an issue?

It could be that, despite the fact that it has been around since 2007, the ribbon is relatively new to the majority of end-users. After hearing horror stories, many companies chose to skip the Office 2007/Vista upgrade and wait for the next version.

That version is here: Office 2010, complete with ribbon, and Windows 7.

So the old concerns are new again. Features workers have used for years are suddenly somewhere else. The interface changes in Office 2007 and 2010 are substantial enough that without training and support before and throughout a migration, even the most experienced users will be lost.

Here’s an interesting metaphor from one of our readers: It’s as if Office was an automobile, and the manufacturer put the steering wheel in the trunk and the gas and brake pedals on the ceiling.

In the Dell KACE study, participants were asked if migrating to Windows 7 and Office 2010 would be combined in a single effort. Thirty-eight percent reported that they were combining an upgrade to the productivity suite and operating system either to reduce training costs, reduce deployment costs or both.

An operating system upgrade is onerous enough. Throw in a new Office interface, and you have a recipe for productivity meltdown.

Most Common Support Calls

Many corporate workers have been using Windows XP for some time now, so a learning curve with Windows 7 is inevitable. Below are some factors that will affect your employees’ productivity with the new operating system:

• Elimination of the Quick Launch toolbar and the Vista sidebar (if applicable)
• A new taskbar with icons only
• Changes to auxiliary apps like Windows Movie Maker and Windows Mail
• New features like Federated Search, Windows Mobility Center, Aero Peek, Jump Lists

Best Practice – Provide a blend of self-paced training and on-demand live support throughout all phases of deployment. Downtime is costly.

As for Office 2007 and Office 2010, its radically different interface and incorporation of the ribbon throughout all applications including Outlook in Office 2010, will result in an even steeper learning curve. The design is such a departure that your employees will hit snags just trying to figure out how to perform basic tasks like saving and formatting. Here are some of the more frequent types of tasks end-users struggle with initially:

• Inability to customize the Ribbon and Office bar
• Finding infrequently used features
• Confusion resulting from the new version’s contextual menus and mini-toolbars
• Macros being disabled
• New file formats and “compatibility” mode
• Understanding the new multiple template types

Best Practice –With Office 2007 and Office 2010, the hard part will be getting end-users back to the point where they can complete the tasks they have done for years without issue. The bulk of that work needs to be done prior to deployment or within the first few weeks after installation. Provide pre-migration training, plus on-demand, expert support during and after launch. Without such measures, your in-house IT staff will likely be bombarded with calls, which will take them away from more critical migration issues.

Call Volume

The magnitude of support needs when a new software or OS hits a desktop environment almost guarantees that internal IT staff will be overwhelmed. Besides the increased call volume, once the callers connect to IT, it is unlikely they will get the assistance they need; most help desk generalists do not have the knowledge, experience or training to solve the range of upgrade questions. An inundated help desk means longer hold times, more call backs, a higher call abandonment rate, increased downtime and decreased service levels.

Here’s a snapshot of migration call volume:

• It will remain linear throughout the migration, with peaks cresting most noticeably during the initial installations.
• During months 1-3, our clients have experienced a 50 percent spike in “how-to” support calls. You can expect the same.
• The number of calls will begin to decrease at about month 4, and will continue to lessen through month 6, when the volume drops to 30 percent.
• After six months, levels will return closer to those experienced pre-deployment.

Best Practice – Evaluate the skill levels of FTEs and/or current outsourcers surrounding the newer and previous versions. Often the costs associated with training existing or extra staff to reach the expertise level needed in such a short amount of time is challenging.  Consider a best-of-breed migration partner that employs Microsoft-certified consultants across all versions,  is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and charges only according usage can be the more efficient and cost effective choice.

Windows 7 is upon us. New operating system, new Office suite. Let the games begin.

According to a leading industry source, about 50 percent of enterprise-sized IT infrastructures are running mixed Microsoft Office end-user environments. That’s a whole lot of wasted investment.

Then there are companies who waited for that whole Vista debacle to blow over. They kept XP and Office 2003, with the aim of upgrading when Windows 7 was released.

Windows 7 is upon us. New operating system, new Office suite. Let the games begin.

We have compiled a list of the most common Office 2007 user questions and issues, and it was recently published by IT World. You can read it here. Take notes, and happy migrating.

PC Helps also recently published a white paper on the subject, titled “The Myths and Realities of an Office 2007 and Windows 7 Migration.” Download it for free http://www.pchelps.com/html/o2007mythsrealitiesroi.asp

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