Chapter 2. Determining Your Needs for Cloud-Based Solutions

This chapter introduces you to popular cloud-based tools and services and offers

images An overview of online file storage, file-sharing, and online collaboration tools, and ways you can use them for work-related purposes

images A summary of the cloud-based services and tools at your disposal

As explained in the previous chapter, “Introducing Cloud-Based Computing and Collaborating,” cloud computing is a catch-all phrase that covers pretty much anything you do on your computer or mobile device, where content is stored on or retrieved from the Internet, shared with others via the Internet, or collaborated on via the Internet.

If you’re like most people, cloud computing has probably become part of your personal computing activities as you use your computer and mobile device. Many of the cloud-based tools can also be used to help you save time, become more organized, boost your productivity, improve your communication, and streamline your collaboration efforts when you’re handling work-related tasks. And the list of available tools for working in the cloud is growing all the time!

Common Business Uses for Cloud-Based Tools

As mentioned in Chapter 1, you can use cloud computing in a number of ways to improve your efficiency:

images Enables you to store data, documents, files, and content in the cloud for backup or archival purposes.

images Helps you sync and share content among your computers and mobile devices.

images Enables you to share specific data, documents, and files with specific other people via the Internet.

images Facilitates collaborating on the creating, reviewing, or editing content in real time using the collaboration tools built into popular software and mobile apps. You can also use screen sharing, Internet-based voice calling, Internet-based video conferencing, messaging, and virtual white boards to interact with your collaborators.

Not all of the cloud-based services discussed within this book offer each of the features or tools listed here. If you haven’t already selected the tools you’ll be using, it’s important that you choose a service that offers the functionality you and your team can make the most use of right away—and sometimes that might mean that you need more than one service.

The following sections take a closer look at some of the types of file storage, file sharing, and collaboration tools available to you right now.

FYI: Online Security Takes Many Forms

All the cloud-based services discussed throughout this book offer at least some security and privacy tools and features. That security comes in different forms, including encrypting data, documents, and files that are stored in the cloud; requiring a username and password to access information stored on the cloud; enforcing two-factor authentication; and integrating with existing firewalls. Security is covered in more detail in Chapter 4, “Understanding Cloud-Based Security Concerns.”

Managing Customer Relationships

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools are designed to handle the needs of sales teams, customer service departments, and marketing teams for organizations in a variety of industries—financial services, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and other service-oriented businesses. CRM tools provide easy access to comprehensive prospect or customer information. Customer service agents, for example, can better manage cases, look up customer histories, address problems, and implement solutions more efficiently. Furthermore, these tools streamline how information is collected, managed, retrieved, and analyzed.

What sets cloud-based CRM solutions apart from other CRM solutions is that a team of information technology (IT) experts isn’t required to set up and manage the tool. Once an account is set up, employees are provided with interactive tools to help them find more leads, close more deals, and become more productive when interacting with prospects and clients. With information at their fingertips, employees can more accurately predict customer wants and needs based on past behavior.

Companies that implement a cloud-based CRM solution are able to increase sales, enhance customer loyalty, and improve the real-time, up-to-date accessibility of important information among its employees. This leads to improved productivity, regardless of company size or type of industry. Because information is cloud-based, employees can access and share it, throughout and between departments. A sales or customer service team member who is on the road can access the same information from their mobile device or Internet-connected laptop that’s available to the rest of the team back at the office.

FYI: What Is CRM?

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) involves the practices and tools a company uses to intelligently and efficiently manage customer and prospect information. The more you know about your customers and prospects, the easier it is to build and then manage long-term and positive relationships.

By ensuring all of your appropriate employees or team members have the same up-to-date and accurate information, you can eliminate redundancies in efforts, improve communication, and enhance your customer interactions. When using a cloud-based CRM tool, all your customer data is stored online in one centralized and remote location, which allows organizations of any size to streamline the sales or customer service process.

A cloud-based CRM tool collects much more than basic contact information. It enables companies to collect and track call logs, call notes, deal conversations, and price quotes and also share files that are relevant to a customer’s needs. This type of tool can also generate daily to-do lists, schedule call alerts, trigger emails, and automate a wide range of otherwise time-consuming tasks—all of which prevent details from falling through the cracks.

As you’ll discover, cloud-based CRM applications are much more efficient and interactive than traditional contact management solutions for building and managing professional relationships with customers and prospective customers.

Syncing and Storing Files Across Devices

One of the most common uses of a cloud-based service is to store files in the cloud and be able to sync them across a variety of devices. Today, many people work on multiple devices: a desktop computer at work, a desktop computer at home, a laptop computer that travels with them, a smartphone, and a tablet, for example. With the appropriate cloud-based tool, you can set up app- or software-specific content to automatically back up and sync to a single and secure cloud-based account so that you can access it from any device that’s connected to that account.

FYI: A Cloud-Based Account Serves as Remote Storage

When a cloud-based service is used for remote file storage and data syncing, all content is stored on an online server (not locally), but the computer or mobile device treats that online storage the same way it treats a local hard drive. However, what’s stored in the cloud is accessible (via the Internet) to all other computers and mobile devices that are linked to the same account.

For example, if a user creates a Microsoft Word document on her desktop computer at work, that document can automatically be uploaded to a cloud-based account, such as a Microsoft OneDrive account. The document is then almost instantly accessible from all of that user’s other computers and mobile devices that are linked to the same cloud-based account.

If the computer or mobile device the document was created on gets lost, stolen, or damaged, loss of productivity is minimized because all of the user’s important data, documents, and files are already stored online. The information can be retrieved from anywhere using any other computer or mobile device that is linked to the same cloud-based account.

Typically, after a cloud-based file storage or data syncing is set up and activated on a user’s computers and mobile devices, the backup and syncing functionality works automatically in the background. This ensures that data, documents, files, and content are always available to a user, whenever and wherever it’s needed, regardless of which of their computers or mobile devices are being used. As long as Internet connectivity is available, the most current version of a user’s work is accessible.

In Practice

Use Search Tools to Quickly Locate Content

When important data, documents, files, and content are stored online, it’s essential that you and your team members be able to locate that information quickly and efficiently. Cloud-based file storage solutions offer integrated tools for organizing, searching for, and quickly accessing what you need, when you need it to make it easy for you to quickly retrieve what’s stored in the cloud.

For example, the file-sharing services typically allow you to create custom-named folders and subfolders and then sort those folders by name, date, file size, file type, or other criteria that you specify. You can use a search tool to quickly locate content based on your search criteria, which might include a keyword, date, or file type.

Sharing Files

Cloud-based file sharing enables different users to each have their own cloud-based account with a specific service so that they can share data, documents, files, or content with specific other users in a secure way. All of the user’s other files and content remains private.

Caution

File Sharing Is Different from Collaboration

When a file, such as a Microsoft Word document, is shared among multiple people, each user can view, edit, print, and share that document. If the various users make changes, multiple versions of the document are created and in play, and those changes might later need to be merged into a single document. Essentially, each user is modifying his or her own copy of the file. Changes cannot be seen by the other users in real time if you’re only using cloud-based file sharing.

Alternatively, two or more people can use the real-time collaboration tools to work on the same document at the same time. All users see all changes and edits as they’re being made. Only one version document is continuously updated and shared with all collaborators. While this collaboration is happening, team members can communicate through group messaging and other forms of online communication.

Communicating with Group Messaging

You’re probably familiar with text messaging and instant messaging from using your smartphone or almost any social media service to interact with your friends and family. All smartphone cellular service providers offer text messaging as a component of their service plans, and Facebook and most other social media services offer instant messaging, group messaging, or direct messaging as ways for users to communicate using primarily text-based messages and emojis.

FYI: The Different Forms of Messaging

Text messaging typically refers to text-based messages being sent from one user to another. In the past, text messaging occurred on smartphones and tablets via a cellular service provider’s cellular network. Responses can be generated in real time or at the recipient’s convenience. Instant messaging is just like text messaging, but traditionally it’s done via the Internet through a social media or messaging service. Group messaging allows for more than two people to participate in the same text-based message conversation.

These days, the lines have blurred between the types of messaging services offered by Internet-based services and cellular services. For example, text messaging from a smartphone can now include group messages, and instant messages can be sent or received from an Internet-connected smartphone or tablet.

Direct messaging is a type of text messaging that happens through a social network. Instead of communicating via public posts, the communicators send direct messages that can only be seen by the sender and recipient.

For security and compliance purposes, many companies permit work-related text, instant messaging, or group messaging between employees using only approved services—not through an employee’s personal social media account or personal mobile device.

Group messaging can be handled through an employer-sanctioned service that allows collaborators, co-workers, or team members to exchange text-based massages as an efficient way to communicate from their computers and/or mobile devices. Group messaging can be used to allow two people to communicate with each other, but these conversations can also be opened up to larger groups of people so everyone in the group can see everyone else’s messages as they’re composed and sent. Each person has the ability to respond as needed. Group messages are a convenient way for project teams to communicate quickly and efficiently—even when they’re miles apart.

Many of the cloud-based collaboration tools discussed within this book offer integrated group messaging and direct messaging functionality that allows two or more people to communicate using text-based massages in a secure way. Typically, these services keep a record of all conversations, so they can be referred to easily.

Depending on the group messaging service being used, in most cases, you can create and manage different chat rooms or message groups with conversations that are happening simultaneously, and you can quickly switch between conversations. A wide range of privacy options and productivity tools are offered by the various group messaging services.

Conducting Interactive Polling and Q&A Sessions

Sometimes, when a large group of people is interacting online, it becomes cumbersome to have everyone chime in with their thoughts on a decision. An alternative is for a group or team leader to initiate a poll that can help everyone reach a consensus quickly. A poll is also a convenient way for differing opinions to be documented and tracked.

Many of the online collaboration tools that offer group messaging tools, video conferencing, and voice calling (conference calling) also provide the ability for a moderator or group leader to compose and conduct a poll. Some tools also make it possible for you to host a Q&A session where attendees can pose questions for the host or group in an organized and moderated way.

This type of interaction works particularly well when online collaboration tools are being used for teaching. The tools can typically be adapted to meet the needs of teams or groups of any size that are using cloud-based communication tools to interact.

Integrating Services with Microsoft Office 365

Among the world’s most popular tools for word processing, spreadsheet management, digital slide presentations, note taking, contact management, and scheduling are the applications in the Microsoft Office suite (https://products.office.com).

Office 365 is a cloud-based and cloud integrated version of the Office suite that allows for data, documents, and files to be stored in the cloud; shared; and created, edited, or reviewed in a real-time collaborative environment.

The Office 365 applications are compatible with the software and mobile app versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access, as well as the online-based versions of these applications. However, instead of having to purchase the entire Office suite or individual applications within it, Office 365 uses a monthly subscription model. You can choose from several different price plans so that you get one that meets your or your organization’s needs.

Many of the online collaboration services—such as Dropbox (and Dropbox Paper), Slack, and Trello, which are covered in chapters later in this book—fully integrate with Office 365. If your team or company already uses Office applications, be sure to seek out a file-sharing, file-storage, or online collaboration service that easily and securely integrates with Office 365. There are plenty to choose from.

FYI: More About Office 365 and Other Options

The focus of Chapter 11, “Using Microsoft Office 365 for Collaboration and File Sharing,” is on how individuals, groups, and companies can use Office 365’s collaboration and file-sharing tools. Chapter 11 also explores some of the other online collaboration services that fully integrate with Office 365.

An alternative to the Microsoft Office suite of applications is Google’s G Suite (which is the focus of Chapter 10, “Working in Google’s G Suite”), which includes the cloud-based and cloud-integrated applications offered by Google, including Docs, Sheets, Forms, Slides, Sites, Drive, Calendar, Hangouts, and Gmail. Another option is Apple’s iWork applications (Pages, Numbers, and Keynote), which also offer online-based collaboration tools, file storage, and file sharing.

Collaborating in Real Time

Depending on which service or toolset you utilize, real-time online collaboration can take many forms, allowing collaborators to

images Use real-time screen sharing and virtual whiteboards

images Work simultaneously on creating, editing, or reviewing data, documents, and files

images Take advantage of group messaging, Internet-based conference (voice) calling, or Internet-based video conferencing

images Share data, documents, or files that are stored in the cloud

Perhaps the most useful thing about online collaboration is that collaborators can be located almost anywhere (as long as Internet access is available) and, in most cases, can actively participate in a collaboration session using a Windows PC, Mac, smartphone, or tablet.

Sharing Screens and Virtual Whiteboards

Real-time screen sharing allows one person to use almost any software on his computer while other people watch their respective screens to see exactly what the host is doing. This allows the host to demonstrate something or present a digital slide presentation, for example.

Some software also enables the host to create a virtual whiteboard during a collaboration session, which allows the meeting participants to use their devices to type, write, draw, or add content to the same virtual white board that everyone is viewing on their respective screens. Instead of everyone sitting in the same conference room, participants can be in disparate locations but still see a virtual whiteboard as they interact with other meeting participants using voice or video conferencing.

FYI: Cross-Platform Compatibility Is a Must

When you’re working with others in a company or project team, the service you use needs to be compatible with a variety of platforms. In other words, users should be able to use the tool whether they’re using an Internet-connected Windows PC or Mac desktop or laptop computer, an Apple iPhone or iPad, or an Android-based smartphone or tablet.

Recording and Playing Back Virtual Meetings

Among the useful benefits of many cloud-based collaboration tools is that everything that happens during the meeting can be recorded and stored in the cloud so it can be retrieved and reviewed at a later time.

This functionality is particularly useful for participants in a meeting who want to refer to specific conversations or ideas that were discussed, or to allow people who missed a meeting to see and hear exactly what was discussed at their convenience.

Voice Calling and Video Conferencing

In addition to text-based messaging, two of the primary ways people can communicate when using online collaboration tools are via Internet-based voice calling or video conferencing.

Internet-based voice calling and conferencing allows people to have a live conversation without using a traditional phone service.

Regardless of where the participants are located, no long distance phone charges are incurred because the calls are handled via the Internet.

This type of conferencing is integrated into many cloud-based collaboration services. You can often use the camera and microphone built into the computer or mobile device to have real-time video calls between two or more people.

FYI: Virtual Meetings Are Cost Effective

In today’s fast-paced business world, playing phone tag is commonplace, and scheduling an in-person meeting with two or more people can prove extremely challenging. When people who have to meet are located in different offices, in different states, or in different countries, in-person meetings become costly and extremely time-consuming to conduct.

In most major cities, simply traveling across town can waste several hours because of traffic; finding and paying for parking is an additional time- and money-waster. For meetings that need to bring people together from distant locations, the cost of airfares, rental cars, and hotel accommodations make the cost of those meetings hard to justify.

Virtual meeting functionality, video conferencing, and online collaboration tools bridge the space between people who work in separate locations and allow them to work together or meet as if they’re in the same room. The ability to use technology to bring people together is one of the biggest appeals of cloud-based computing. It reduces time wasted traveling to and from meetings, lowers costs, and dramatically improves productivity and communication.

Understanding how to utilize technology to communicate in the most cost-effective and efficient way possible can give you a tremendous advantage over your competitors.

Overview of Online File-Sharing and Collaboration Services

This section provides a brief overview of the online-based file sharing and collaboration services that are covered within this book. Chapters 5 through 16 each cover one of these services in much more detail.

In Practice

Services from Microsoft, Apple, and Google

Many individuals rely on services like Microsoft OneDrive, Apple iCloud, and the cloud-based services offered by Google to handle their personal computing needs. Which service is utilized is typically based on the type of equipment someone is using, as well as personal preference. Windows 10 PCs integrate seamlessly with Microsoft OneDrive; Macs, iPhones, and iPads integrate seamlessly with Apple iCloud; and Android-based mobile devices integrate seamlessly with Google Drive and other online-based Google services, such as Google Docs.

You can also install specialized software (or an app) to make that equipment fully compatible with another cloud-based service:

images If you’re a Windows 10 PC user who wants to utilize Apple iCloud, download and install the free iCloud for Windows software to your PC (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204283).

images Mac and iOS users can use OneDrive by downloading the appropriate software (https://onedrive.live.com/about/en-us/download) or mobile app (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-onedrive-file-photo-cloud-storage/id477537958).

images PC, Mac, and iOS mobile device users who want to use Google Drive first need to download the appropriate software or mobile app (https://www.google.com/drive/download).

FYI: Understanding the Cost of Cloud Computing

When it comes to calculating the true cost of cloud computing, things can be a bit convoluted. You can typically sign up for and use most cloud-computing services for free. Your account will include a certain amount of online storage space and a basic collection of features and functions. For a monthly or annual fee you can unlock more online storage space and additional functionality.

Cloud-computing services for business users are seldom free. Most involve a monthly or annual subscription fee for each user. When evaluating which service, pay attention to the per-user and per month fee, as well as the cost of additional add-on fees that might be required.

Most services offer a free trial period. Take advantage of this to determine whether what’s offered actually meets your needs. During your trial period, don’t implement the service across your entire organization. Instead, assign a small team or group to analyze the toolset and be sure to maintain a backup of all data, documents, files, messaging conversation transcripts, and so on that are created during the trial period. Otherwise, you might not have access to this information later if you end up opting to use a different service.

Box

Box (www.box.com) is a cutting-edge yet surprisingly easy-to-use and scalable cloud-computing platform that offers secure file-storage (with file management capabilities), file-sharing, and collaboration tools that are compatible with Windows PCs, Macs, iOS mobile devices, and Android mobile devices.

Box works with hundreds of software and mobile app developers to facilitate integration between Box and thousands of popular applications. When you work with software or an app that’s compatible with Box, your content will automatically sync with your Box account.

Services that are somewhat similar to Box (although each offers additional features and functions that are unique) include

images Apple iCloud (www.apple.com/icloud)

images Dropbox (www.dropbox.com)

images Google Drive (www.google.com/drive)

images iDrive (www.idrive.com)

images Microsoft OneDrive (https://onedrive.live.com/about/en-us)

FYI: Box Integrates with Apps You Likely Already Use

Box fully integrates with Microsoft’s Office 365, combining its collaboration and security tools with those built into the Office 365 applications. This allows users in different locations to easily collaborate when using Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or OneNote.

Similar functionality is also built into most of Google’s apps, including those within G Suite. This integration supports more than 100 document and file formats. Plus, you’ll find seamless Box integration built into Salesforce, DocuSign, Cisco WebEx, and Slack.

In Practice

Box Add-Ons Expand the Service’s Functionality

Beyond the Business and Enterprise subscription plans offered to businesses and organizations (read Chapter 5, “Collaborating with Box,” for more information about the different subscription plans), important service add-ons you should consider investing in include Box KeySafe, which grants users control of encryption keys for protecting their content; Box Governance, which allows companies using Box to implement data retention rules, support defensible eDiscovery, and enforce content security policies; and Customer Support Services, which offers full-service support to Box users. Additional fees apply for these add-on services.

Cisco WebEx

First and foremost, Cisco WebEx (www.webex.com) is a video-conferencing tool designed for business users. It offers the resources to host virtual meetings (via Internet-based video conferencing), online-based training sessions, and online events. The service is entirely cloud based, meaning that all conference or meeting attendees need to participate is a web browser running on their computer or mobile device (and Internet access). Any phone line can also be used to experience clearer audio. As a standalone platform, Cisco WebEx meets or exceeds the video-conferencing needs of most teams, small groups, organizations, and companies.

FYI: WebEx Adoption

As of mid-2017, 93 percent of Fortune 500 companies already use WebEx. The service hosts more than 26.5 million virtual meetings and video conferences per month.

Cisco Spark is an accessory program for WebEx that transforms a video conference into an interactive virtual meeting space that includes group messaging, an interactive whiteboard, file sharing, and integration with many popular software packages and mobile apps.

In Practice

WebEx Offers Plenty of Security

Built into the WebEx platform is end-to-end encryption and what the company calls “locking meeting spaces.” These security tools protect the video-based meetings as well as the messaging and file sharing that transpires during the meeting within the WebEx platform. Using tools built into the service, meetings can be recorded and later shared with people who could not attend. The available Admin controls give the person in charge added tools for managing the virtual meetings and video conferences. This includes integration with Outlook, Exchange, or your organization’s own employee directory.

If your organization’s needs go beyond video conferencing and virtual meetings, add-on services offered by Cisco include Cisco WebEx Event Center (used to host events and webinars), Cisco WebEx Training Center (used to produce and host online training or courses), and Cisco WebEx Support Center (used to provide remote support to your customers or prospects).

Other cloud-based services that offer video conferencing and virtual meeting functionality include

images Any Meeting (www.anymeeting.com)

images Free Conference Call (www.freeconferencecall.com/video-conferencing)

images Google Hangouts (https://gsuite.google.com/products/meet)

images GoToMeeting (www.gotomeeting.com)

images Polycom (www.polycom.com)

images Skype for Business (https://www.skype.com/en/business/skype-for-business/)

images Zoom (http://zoom.us)

CAUTION

Security Issues with Video Conferencing

To learn more about potential security issues related to video conferencing via a cloud-based service such as WebEx, see Chapter 4. Cisco has also published a white paper on this topic, Web Conferencing: Unleash the Power of Secure Real-Time Collaboration, which you can download for free by visiting www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/conferencing/webex-meeting-center/white-paper-c11-737588.pdf.

FYI: More Info About Cisco WebEx

The focus of Chapter 6, “Using Cisco WebEx for Large-Group Collaboration,” is on how to use WebEx to handle virtual meetings and video conferences.

DocuSign

Many cloud-based computing services offer file-sharing and real-time collaboration tools. Far fewer offer secure tools for reviewing business correspondence and contracts, allow users to add annotations, and make it possible to insert a legally binding virtual signature in a document. That’s where DocuSign (www.docusign.com) comes in.

DocuSign is a cloud-based eSignature service that can be used on its own or in conjunction with some other file-sharing or collaboration tools. You can embed the electronic signing functionality offered by DocuSign into an existing website, portal, or application.

FYI: What’s an eSignature?

An eSignature is a virtual and legally binding signature that can be created in seconds by a user and placed within almost any document or contract.

DocuSign enables one party to send a document or contract to a recipient for review. The recipient can securely review, annotate, and/or sign that document on their computer or mobile device. With a few mouse clicks or on-screen taps, the annotated and signed document is returned to the sender. Either party can view the status of the document or access the fully executed, signed document via the cloud.

Other services that offer eSignature functionality include

images ApproveMe (www.approveme.com)

images eSign Systems (www.esignsystems.com)

images eSignatures.com (www.esignatures.com)

images SignNow (www.signnow.com)

In Practice

DocuSign Integration with Other Services

Through partnerships with software and app developers, DocuSign can quickly and easily integrate with Microsoft applications (including Outlook, Word, and SharePoint), Salesforce, several of Google’s G Suite applications, Box, and thousands of other software packages and mobile apps. The eSignature and annotation tools offered by DocuSign allow many companies to streamline transactions that would otherwise require sending hardcopies of paperwork to be reviewed and signed by other parties.

FYI: More Info About DocuSign

Read more about DocuSign in Chapter 7, “Using DocuSign to Review, Edit, Sign, and Share Documents.”

Dropbox and Dropbox Paper

Dropbox (www.dropbox.com) has become one of the most popular cloud-based file-storage and file-sharing services in the world, with more than 500 million users and 200,000 businesses relying on this service for file storage and management.

Beyond simple online file storage and sharing, Dropbox offers file syncing between all of a user’s computers and mobile devices that are linked to the same Dropbox account, plus offers two-factor authentication and password-protected and expiring shared links. Dropbox Business expands upon the core functionality of Dropbox, with added security, file versioning and recovery, and plenty of available online storage space.

FYI: File Versioning and File Recovery

When multiple people are working with the same document, file versioning allows for various versions of that same document to be saved separately, so it’s possible to go back to previous versions. Without this feature in place, new additions or changes to a document overwrite the old versions.

File recovery allows for accidently deleted or overwritten documents or files to be recovered with ease, typically within a specific amount of time, such as 7, 14, or 30 days.

Dropbox integrates seamlessly with 300,000 popular software packages, mobile apps, and other collaboration tools. In 2017, Dropbox introduced Dropbox Paper, which is an online collaboration toolset that integrates seamlessly with Dropbox.

Services that are somewhat similar to Dropbox include

images Apple iCloud (www.apple.com/icloud)

images Box (www.box.com)

images Google Drive (www.google.com/drive)

images iDrive (www.idrive.com)

images Microsoft OneDrive (https://onedrive.live.com/about/en-us)

FYI: More Info About Dropbox and Dropbox Paper

Read Chapter 8, “Managing Collaboration with Dropbox,” for more information on how to use Dropbox.

Evernote

Evernote (www.evernote.com)—which started out as a single-user note-taking application for computers and mobile devices—has evolved into a note-taking, information-gathering, cloud-based file-storage, file-sharing, and interactive collaboration tool that supports all popular hardware platforms, including Windows PCs, Macs, iOS mobile devices, and Android mobile devices. Plus, there’s an online edition of Evernote that’s accessible from any web browser.

In addition to allowing users to create, view, edit, and collaborate on text-based notes, Evernote allows information, documents, images, web research, and other types of content to be collected and easily imported into an Evernote file. You can store files in custom notebooks (folders), which can sync automatically so all your notes and information are accessible via Evernote from anywhere that you can log in.

Individual notes or entire notebooks can be shared securely with other people, or two or more people located in different places can use Evernote’s real-time and secure collaboration tools to create, review, or edit content together.

Other note-taking and information-gathering applications that are cloud-based include

images Apple’s iCloud Notes (www.icloud.com)

images Google Keep (www.google.com/keep)

images Microsoft OneNote (www.onenote.com)

images SimpleNote (https://simplenote.com)

images Zoho Notebook (www.zoho.com/notebook)

FYI: More Info About Evernote

Read Chapter 9, “Taking Notes and Staying Organized with Evernote,” for more information on Evernote.

Google G Suite

Google has evolved into much more than the world’s most popular Internet search engine. Online-based tools and services offered by Google now include email, scheduling, contact management, instant messaging, group messaging, and a suite of business tools that offer cloud-based collaboration. These services all work in conjunction with Google Drive, which is Google’s cloud-based file-storage and file-sharing service.

All of Google’s most popular tools for business are offered together as G Suite (https://gsuite.google.com). When businesses use G Suite, applications including Docs (word processing), Sheets (spreadsheet management), Forms (interactive forms, surveys, and questionnaires), Slides (digital slide presentations), and Sites (webpage design) integrate with Gmail, Hangouts, Calendar, and Google+ to create a scalable, customizable, and user-friendly way for businesspeople to create, edit, view, store, sync, and share documents.

G Suite includes custom Gmail email addresses for all users (email@yourcompany.com), as well as at least 30GB of online storage space for each user. Advanced security and admin controls allow companies to properly manage everything related to G Suite and its users, and migration tools make it easy to import and export data, documents, files, and content between G Suite applications and other popular applications and cloud-based services.

Other popular office suites that utilize the cloud include

images Apache OpenOffice (www.openoffice.org)

images Apple iWork (www.apple.com/iwork)

images Microsoft Office 365 (www.office.com)

images Zoho Workplace (www.zoho.com/workplace)

FYI: More Info About Google’s G Suite

Read Chapter 10 to learn more about Google’s tools.

Microsoft Exchange and SharePoint

Microsoft Exchange, which is designed specifically for businesses, is an email service that also offers secure messaging and calendar (personal and group scheduling) functionality. Microsoft Exchange operates using the Windows Server operating system. It’s designed to enhance and streamline communications within a mid- to large-sized company. SharePoint is Microsoft’s solution for collaborative project management in a work environment.

Both Exchange and SharePoint are cloud-based systems that allow for secure information exchange and collaboration. Although these services are offered by Microsoft and were originally designed for Windows-based computer users, they’re now fully compatible with Macs and virtually all smartphones and tablets.

Because Microsoft Exchange and SharePoint Server editions cater to the needs of larger businesses and use a company-owned server, they are scalable and customizable. Smaller organizations can use Exchange Online, which has services hosted and managed by Microsoft (on Microsoft’s servers). This, however, is a more complex and costly option to implement than Office 365 (see the next section).

In Practice

Microsoft Bundles Its Services

For small to mid-sized companies, Microsoft Exchange Online is a standalone hosted service from Microsoft that includes Office 365, SharePoint, and Skype for Business.

FYI: More Info About Microsoft Exchange and SharePoint

Read Chapter 12, “Handling Large-Group Collaboration with Microsoft Exchange,” for more information on how to utilize Microsoft’s premium cloud-based tools.

Microsoft Office 365

Microsoft Office (www.office.com) continues to be the most widely used suite of work-related applications in the world. This suite includes Word (word processing), Excel (spreadsheet management), PowerPoint (digital slide presentations), Outlook (scheduling and contact management), OneNote (note taking), Publisher (desktop publishing), and Access (database management).

All these applications are available separately or as a suite of applications, called Microsoft Office, which you can purchase and install on your computer. However, you can also get a subscription to a cloud-based version of Office, called Office 365. File-sharing and online collaboration tools are built into Office 365 to allow multiple people to collaborate when creating, editing, or reviewing any Office-related document or file.

FYI: More About OneDrive for Business

Microsoft OneDrive for Business (https://products.office.com/en-us/onedrive-for-business/online-cloud-storage) is a standalone, cloud-based, file-storage, data-syncing, and file-sharing tool that offers similar functionality to Box and Dropbox. It also integrates seamlessly with Office 365.

Although OneDrive compatibility is built into the latest versions of the Windows operating system for PCs, as well as into the Office 365 applications, it’s also compatible with Macs, iOS mobile devices, and Android mobile devices when special OneDrive software (or the OneDrive mobile app) is installed on non-Windows-based systems.

FYI: More Info About Office 365

Read Chapter 11 for more information on Microsoft Office 365.

Salesforce

Salesforce (www.salesforce.com) is an example of a popular, cloud-based, customer relationship management application that is customizable and scalable to meet the needs of companies and organizations working in a variety of different industries. By making customer or prospect information readily available, Salesforce allows companies to improve their sales and customer service efforts, while streamlining and automating many otherwise time consuming tasks.

Other CRM options include

images Accelo's Capterra (http://grow.accelo.com/capterra-crm)

images Act! (www.act.com)

images Infusionsoft (www.infusionsoft.com)

images Insightly (www.insightly.com)

images Netsuite CRM (www.netsuite.com/portal/products/crm.shtml)

images Pipedrive (www.pipedrive.com)

images Zoho CRM (www.zoho.com/crm)

FYI: More Info About Salesforce

Read Chapter 13, “Bringing Teams Together with Salesforce,” for more information on Salesforce.

Skype

Skype for Business is a tool for making and receiving Internet-based (Voice-Over-IP) phone calls and group conference calls. It also offers text messaging, group messaging, and video conferencing from any Internet-enabled device.

With Skype, you can record and share phone calls and video conferences, and you can host meetings with up to 250 participants. In the meetings, you can use screen sharing, interactive whiteboards, and PowerPoint presentations. Skype for Business also integrates with Office applications.

Companies already using Outlook to manage contacts and scheduling can schedule Skype for Business phone or video conferences from within Outlook.

Other cloud-based services that offer video conferencing and virtual meeting functionality include

images Any Meeting (www.anymeeting.com)

images Cisco WebEx (www.webex.com)

images Free Conference Call (www.freeconferencecall.com/video-conferencing)

images Google Hangouts (https://gsuite.google.com/products/meet)

images GoToMeeting (www.gotomeeting.com)

images Polycom (www.polycom.com)

images Zoom (http://zoom.us)

FYI: More Info About Skype for Business

Read Chapter 14, “Communicating via Skype,” for more information about Skype.

Slack

Think of Slack (www.slack.com) as a group messaging service on steroids, but it also includes a comprehensive collection of cloud-based file-storage, file-sharing, and online collaboration tools. This service works with PCs, Macs, and all smartphones and tablets. It is designed to promote and improve on team communication and collaboration.

Slack works seamlessly with thousands of popular applications and other cloud-based file-sharing, file-storage, and collaboration tools, making is easy to find information quickly and efficiently whether information is stored within the transcript of a messaging session; or within PDF files, Word documents, Google Docs documents, or other types of compatible files.

FYI: More Info About Slack

Read Chapter 15, “Discovering Slack,” for more information on how to use Slack.

Trello

Trello (www.trello.com) is a cloud-based collaboration tool for groups or teams that allows for whiteboards, lists, virtual index cards, and other content to be shared using a highly visual user interface. Team members work with a virtual bulletin board by creating, editing, and collaborating using virtual color-coded cards. Information and comments can be displayed, checklists and to-do lists can be created and used, file attachments can be shared, and projects can be managed from beginning to end. The Trello service integrates with a wide range of popular software packages, mobile apps, and cloud-based storage and file-sharing services.

In Practice

Use Trello with Other Services

Many teams and groups use Trello to share information on an ongoing basis, but during virtual meetings (which happen in real time) they use video-conference tools offered by another company.

FYI: More Info About Trello

Read Chapter 16, “Maximizing Communication Efficiency with Trello,” for more information on using Trello.

FYI: Other Specialized Applications

You can find a cloud-based tool for many different kinds of specialized purpose that you or your organization might need. For example, if you use any of Adobe’s applications, such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, or Premiere, you can use Adobe’s cloud-based service, called Adobe Creative Cloud, to store, sync, share, and manage your work.

The world’s most popular bookkeeping application, Intuit’s QuickBooks—as well as other Intuit applications that businesses rely on—has a cloud-based component that enables people to access and work with relevant data from virtually anywhere. This is also the case with the popular ADP Payroll application, MailChimp (an email marketing application), Shopify (an e-commerce solution), Workday (a human resources application), and SAP’s Concur (a travel and expense report application), to name just a few.

Virtually all commonly used and specialty software applications and mobile apps have been integrated with the cloud. Just as with all of the other cloud-based platforms and services discussed throughout Working in the Cloud, each software application that somehow relies on the cloud has its own security tools built in to protects your data, documents, files, and content once it’s stored online.

FYI: The New Files Mobile App

Built into iOS 11 for all iPhone and iPad models is a new app called Files, which replaces the iCloud Drive app. After you set up the app (which takes just minutes), you can use it to access, view, annotate, share, print, and move many types of files that are stored within compatible cloud-based services, including iCloud Drive, Dropbox, and Box.

The Files app is great because it works with many of your existing cloud-based accounts. As long as your iPhone or iPad has Internet access, you can keep files, documents, and photos stored within the cloud and then easily access them when you need them; this means you don’t need to occupy internal storage space on your mobile device.

You can use the app’s Search tool to quickly locate files so you can preview and annotate content directly from the Files app. Tap the app’s Share icon share the file with other people; transfer the file to a different folder, subfolder, or cloud-based service; export the file to a compatible app that’s installed on your iPhone or iPad; or print the file using an AirPrint-compatible printer that’s wirelessly linked with your mobile device.

In a nutshell, the Files app makes it easier to access, store, and manage files stored in the cloud from virtually anywhere your mobile device has an Internet connection.

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