Chapter 3. Getting Started with Microsoft Office Live Small Business

IN THIS CHAPTER, YOU WILL

  • Learn the system requirements for Microsoft Office Live Small Business.

  • Create your Office Live Small Business account.

  • Take a look around the Office Live Small Business window.

  • Get to know the Office Live Small Business services.

  • Set up your Web site account.

  • Work with domains.

  • Create e-mail accounts.

  • Work with Account Settings.

  • Find out where to go for help.

IT SEEMS like every big decision we make involves some kind of a leap of faith. You had a good idea for a business. Then what? Perhaps you talked to a few people or did a little daydreaming. You may have done a thorough analysis of the marketing and developed a strategy for carving out your niche. Or you may—like many of us—have been so excited, so pumped up with creative energy that you simply gathered your ideas and jumped in with both feet.

Starting a new business is an exciting, hopeful endeavor, and, as you no doubt have discovered by now, it has its challenges of doubt and worry. Getting the right supports set firmly underneath your new enterprise is an important part of ensuring its long-term success. This chapter shows you how to add a major player to your support team by signing up for Microsoft Office Live Small Business and getting Web space and e-mail accounts established. And the best part is that using Office Live Small Business doesn’t require a big leap or an investment of time and resources that you don’t have. You can get started easily—right now—for free.

Want to Upgrade Your Web Experience?

If you spend a lot of time online and have a clunky, slow dinosaur of a computer, you may want to consider upgrading your system to enable you to work more efficiently and reliably (and be less crabby with your co-workers and spouse). Today’s Web is lightning fast compared with the early days of the Internet (think late ‘80s). But because many entrepreneurs live by the adage, "Time is money," sitting and waiting on a Web page is agonizing—and for some, unthinkable. You can easily increase the speed and capacity of your computer by doing the following:

  • Add to your computer’s Random-Access Memory (RAM). Memory prices fluctuate (like the price of gasoline), so search online to find the best deals. Be sure to do the research to find exactly the type of memory you need for your particular system, because "close matches" won’t work. If you’re not sure how to find the memory you need for your particular system, start with the Web site of your computer manufacturer. Dell, for example, offers memory modules for the systems it sells, and you can be sure you’re purchasing the right memory for your system. (And the memory arrives with instructions for installation; it’s much easier than you might think.)

  • Upgrade to a larger hard drive. The amount of storage you have available might not directly impact your Web experience, but if you are searching for, selecting, and uploading files to your site, the whole computer can begin to run like molasses when you are running out of disk storage. To keep things running as fast as possible, make sure that you have plenty of available disk space. (And don’t forget to back up your system regularly—you never know when you’re going to need those saved files.)

  • Upgrade your modem or your Internet connection. The type of Internet connection may depend largely on what’s available in your area, but for users who have a choice, making the decision about the type of connection they want to invest in may mean a larger monthly expense. If broadband (also referred to as DSL) is available in your area and fits your budget, it’s worth considering, because the connection speed is infinitely faster than dial-up and is more reliable.

System Requirements for Office Live

First things first. What type of system do you need to run Office Live Small Business?

Part of the beauty of this online service is that it provides a huge amount of support without requiring a lot from you. (And for most of us who run small businesses, that’s good news!) You don’t need to add memory, storage space, hardware devices, or fancy gadgetry. Because the program is Web based, the processes that impact whether or not the system works effectively are all housed online, along with your data files, contacts, and more.

You will need the following items to access and work with Office Live Small Business (but, hopefully, these are things you’ve already got in place):

  • A computer (desktop PC, laptop, or mobile device) with Internet access

  • Windows Internet Explorer 6.0, Windows XP or Windows Vista, or Mozilla Firefox

Note

The Market Share report published in November 2007 by Net Applications, a market research group, says that 78.3 percent of all Web browsing in the United States is done from Windows XP. Windows Mobile devices accounted for a 0.6 percent share, although with the growing adoption of Windows Vista and improved access for mobile devices, those percentages are sure to change.[7]


[7] Net Applications. Market Share, November 2007. Available online at marketshare.hitslink.com/report.aspx?qprid=10&qptimeframe=M&qpsp=106&qpmr=14&qpdt=1&qpct=0&sample=4.

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