Just wishing everyone a happy and safe halloween. There is only one person who dressed up in our office. She is a cat!
Also just letting everyone know that SantexQ works on all holidays, including Halloween AND Christmas!! It’s a web-based project management tool, it has no other choice. Happy Halloween!
- The Santex Team
Are online business social networks really effective? I looked into five different networks and tested them out a little to see how they worked and what they could do for a business. Should valuable business time be spent on these types of networks, or would this time be better used focusing on projects and project management? Here’s my take:
LinkedIn - The father of business social networks. I think people originally started using LinkedIn thinking it would be something like Myspace. They soon found it to be much more boring than that, but that it was actually a useful tool for business networking. Who knew? LinkedIn let’s you post your professional experience and related work categories so that others can find and connect with you. Genius. You can also create groups and post discussions.
Fastpitch! - Similar to LinkedIn but with more features. Fastpitch actually requires a membership fee to get all the features including blog posting, sending connection requests, the ability to create groups and message broadcasting. The focus seems to be on getting seen with top rankings and preferred listings rather than networking. Fastpitch could be a good tool with so many options, but paying for those features doesn’t seem too smart when you can do what you need to do (in terms of networking) on LinkedIn for free.
Biznik - Biznik is along the same lines as Fastpitch in that it’s a social network with more options than you know what to do with. Again, you have to pay for all the “good stuff” including blog posts, adding your company logo, sending messages and listing your associations and qualifications. So really the site is pretty much useless on a free membership. Again, there is a big focus on visibility. Biznik is slightly better than Fastpitch because you can interact more with a free account by participating in discussion posts and inviting people to events.
Open.salon.com - This site is more like a blogger community. While it’s original intent was for it to be on all topics, the focus of most of the articles seems to be on business and politics. It’s a good place to get content out there, exercise your professional (or witty) knowledge and find other like-minded individuals. Much like social bookmarking sites, the most popular articles get posted on the homepage, which is designed like a news site with headlines and blurbs.
SmallBusinessBrief.com - This is a social bookmarking site much like Digg or Delicious but specifically for small business topics. Somehow, most of the topics actually do relate to small business (mostly online marketing) but occasionally the random spam article gets through. It’s an okay place to go for a quick search on what “top 10 business tactics” lists people are posting today, but it does not have enough involved users to qualify it as a reliable source for the latest news.
Conclusion: I’m not really sure how effective using business social networks really is. It seems to me that paying for the extra features isn’t worth it, and being involved in these types of communities doesn’t turn into increased business. I’d rather just stick to my online project management tool. Has anyone had any experience with business social networks? I’d like to hear how they have or have not worked for you.
Since our office uses SantexQ to manage all our project and online task management needs, we’ve found logistical shortcuts to get different actions done quickly. We thought it would be immeasurably genius to post a few of these top secret tricks on the bloggy.
Tip #1: Adding Time to Tasks…the Easy Way!
If you have already logged time for several tasks in one week you can add time to your tasks WITHOUT having to go to each individual task page. Just go to your Timesheet tab to view your logged time for the week. To add time to a task, simply click on the box for the correct task and weekday. Admins can also modify previously entered times from this page. Note: only tasks that have ALREADY had time added to them will show up on the Timesheet.
Tip #2: Use the Custom Fields Options
When you add client information, the last section - Custom Fields - can be very useful. Use the custom fields to save account IDs, usernames, passwords, client notes, or any other information that needs to be saved. By using the custom fields, not only is your info stored in one, easily accessible place, but users can access it from their own computers as necessary.
That’s all for today folks, we’ll be adding more tips and tricks next week! Have a great weekend!
To learn more about SantexQ Online Project Management Tool, visit our homepage at http://www.santexq.com
With advances in technology, increasing gas prices and corporate downsizing, home based businesses are becoming a better option for many working professionals. However, joining or starting a home based business can be overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. Add in the many scammers out there who try to lure you in with their business proposals, and you’ve got a situation that really requires a discerning eye and extra research.
It can be hard to tell if a particular business offering is a legitimate home business option or not. If you do choose to join an already existing team, you need to make sure that you will be able to create or develop a profitable home business when you work with them.
If you’re looking to start from scratch, there are several types of businesses that can be run from home. In general, any business that does not require a physical store that customers walk into can be a home based business. For example, your business could sell products such as books, or provide a service, such as web or graphic design. The best bet is to go with something you are already an expert on. As long as you have a phone line and an Internet connection, you can run nearly any type of business from any location, and still give a professional company image that customers will trust.
Some of the most popular home-based businesses today include:
Here are a few online resources with free information on starting and growing a home-based business:
Home businesses can also greatly benefit from using online project management tools, such as SantexQ. SantexQ’s user-friendly dashboard and straightforward task management system makes it ideal for small businesses. By organizing your different tasks and projects you can move forward with your business faster and more effiiciently. You can try it out for free right now by visiting our website at http://www.santexq.com
Need help with your social media campaign? If you haven’t yet heard of The SEO Rapper, then you’re in luck! We’ve got the video right here. Amazing I know. The SEO Rapper actually raps some extremely useful info on each of his SEO topics. After seeing this video, you’ll be a Social Media pro. You can see the rest of his videos, including Link Building 101 and Conversion Closing, on his website, www.theseorapper.com. Enjoy!
Pretty cool huh? Maybe his next video will be on the many uses of online project management tools…we’ll keep our fingers crossed.
With so many online project management tools on the market, choosing the right one can be an entirely separate project all on its own. You might need a project management tool just to find your project management tool. This is very similar to the theory that you need scissors to open scissors.
Seriously though, choosing a project management tool should not take up too much of your time. To simplify the process, take a moment to figure out what you would like to accomplish with your PM software and which features are important to your particular office. Some features to consider include:
Punch Clock - allows users to record their work hours online
Time and Task Reporting - allows users to record how much time they have spent on a certain task (ideal for offices that have employees who work on billable time)
Calendar - allows users to define and be notified of due dates
Client and Contact Management - contact information and other important related info can be saved and organized into the online database for easy access
Report Generation - logged time can easily be reviewed through customizable reports
Exportability - all data can easily be exported into Excel or other spreadsheets at any time
Billing - reported time can be compiled into a billing invoice that can be sent to clients
SantexQ has all of these features. To read more about them, go to Key Features of The Q.
Once you have a list of your desired features, there are few other points to consider. These include:
Cost - is it free to use or is there a monthly fee? If a free version is available, how usable is it? (many free versions limit tasks, projects and users)
Security - how safe will your information be? Is there a way to export your data from the software in case you choose to stop using the tool?
Ease of use - How long will it take for the office to get acquainted with your online project management tool? Many online project management tools have a wide variety of features and applications. If you are using a tool that has features you don’t need, using it could become complicated and actually reduce efficiency.
SantexQ is currently free to use with unlimited projects, tasks and users. Your data is safe and secure - everything you put into the Q will be kept on our own trusted server and backed up daily. We also use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to protect your information in transit to and from your browser and our server. SantexQ is also very easy to use, and is your straightforward answer to efficient time and task management.
If you’d like to see what all the fuss is about for yourself, just visit our sign up page to get started right away for free: Sign Up and Get Started with The Q Today!
Online project management tools like SantexQ are just the beginning of project management’s migration towards Web 2.0. A whole slew of online applications perfect for the business world are constantly being released and updated. You can coordinate schedules with online planners, update everyone on your every move via Twitter and talk to people halfway across the world using Skype or TokBox. With all of these new ideas coming forward, I’m interested to see what might be in store for the future of Project Management 2.0. I think it might just be more of the same. Chris Lynch from Project Management Planet puts it very well by saying,
“At the heart of the new project management (let’s call it PM 2.0) is collaboration, and people now are defining a project as any work undertaken to achieve a business objective. When we start to think of projects as based on collaboration -– instead of on control -– a new approach to managing projects emerges.”
In any case, SantexQ is never one to be left behind, and we have begun a test run on Tumblr. Tumblr is sort of like a blog, but with short blurbs as posts (aka a “microblog”) - just a single photo, quote, audio or video clip, etc. It is attune to the short attention spans we have developed for the web and gives you the catch of the day in big bold letters and big in your face pictures. It is surprisingly effective in getting your attention, is incredibly easy to use and allows for a lot of customization. We like it. To see what we’re talking about, go here.
To skip all that and start working on getting your projects organized with our online project management tool, go here. 
Here is a quick overview of some of SantexQ’s features that make it better quality, more superior in value and more efficient than other programs like Wrike or Basecamp. This is just a short list of some of the features for this free online project management tool. The complete list can be seen on our web site: www.santexq.com/
For more information on free project management software visit: www.santexq.com/
People are agog over the upcoming Google phone. Google and T-mobile have teamed up to create the next leap in mobile devices, on the heels of the second, sleeker, slimmer iPhone, an all-in-one gadget the likes of which had only been seen before in Japan.
These new devices, combined with the latest trends of Web 2.0, have ushered in a new area of connectivity and efficiency. Image you’re stuck in traffic watching your favorite show on Hulu.com before its televised premiere, while checking your client’s deadlines and clocking in with an online project management tool.
These new phones are also signs that business need to beef up their connectivity for clients and employees. Because of all the benefits, it will soon be an expectation to stay organized and efficient online. Why just check your mail when you can check up-to-date tasks, project goals and billing sheets?
Tools, like SantexQ, are great examples of being wired up to work and advantageous for productivity and organization. Envision designers recording time when ever or where ever creativity strikes (even without a lap top) and project managers checking important tasks on the way to a full day of meetings. According to Google’s blog, phone advances, with the right equipment, will be your ultimate business tool.
Your phone is your meal ticket; allowing you to work remotely, track your investments, keep up with clients, build your business and increase your communication ability.
Yes, the jail bars on your cubicles have been broken. Google certainly isn’t playing around either. I would suggest checking out Google’s blog and reading a number of bold predictions of what the future might hold for cell phones:
Intelligent Phones: Web 2.0 comes to mobile, where you can create apps on the fly, add content to your site and your phone will automatically download the latest updates to your favorite apps based on your preferences. Your phone *learns* based on your activity and makes it easier for you to use over time.
Sensory Perception: Weather updates, traffic reports, news events - these will all be at your fingertips the instant they are available.
Augmented Reality: Your phone will tell you information about your location, desires or needs before you are even aware of them.
Instant Crowd Sourcing: You’ll be able to use your phone to review the most recent uploads of images, music, text, Tweets and blog posts by persons in your vicinity and you can go interact with them (after receiving directions from your phone).
For more information on free project management software visit: www.santexq.com/
We’ve always dreamed about seeing our name in lights and now that day has finally come. SantexQ is featured on SmashingApps.com in thier article, 17 Online Free Web Based Applications That You Probably Love To Use!
Smashing Apps is a great resource for free and useful online sources for designers and developers. The site has a lot of other excellent web apps to look over, like Anyvite and Screen-cast-o-matic, so take some time and check them out. Big thanks to Smash!ng Apps for including us.
