ISG Blog

Did you know you can send and receive SMS (text) messages from your computer? It is really easy and can be a lot easier than fishing around to find your phone then unlocking it and typing the message in.

You do need to install an app on your phone and then a browser extension (which isn't as hard as it sounds). Check out details about the app and how to install it all here the you'll be able to leave your phone in your pocket while sending and replying to any text message that arrives when you're at your desk!  

We've already talked about one app that lets you handwrite on your phone instead of typing (MyScript Stylus), but today we're featuring on from Google. Called Google Handwriting Input (clever name) it lets you write like you do on paper and it translates it into typed text. 

This works better on larger screen devices as you can scribble a couple of words at a time without running out of space on the smaller screen of some phones. It also saves time if you struggle with typing (which can be exasperated on a mobile device). 

Check out the app here.

Do you like handwriting and wish you could do it on your phone (or maybe tablet)? If so then MyScript Stylus is the app for you!

Once installed it becomes another keyboard for you to use when entering text (similar to Google Swipe that we posted about here). All you do is handwrite using your finger or a stylus and whatever app you're using (email, text, calendar, etc) will get beautifully typed text.

There are a number of really helpful features like the suggested word that most keyboards have. You can also easily switch to your normal keyboard by simply pressing and holding the space bar.

We've previously talked about the FAQ component of the support portal.  The idea behind an FAQ is that we're not always available and some things are fairly simple for anyone to be able to manage.

For example installing Traveler on your mobile phone, or creating a WiFi hotspot on your mobile phone are reasonably simple tasks. They may seem scary at first but they're easy to work through and following an FAQ means you can complete the task any time of the day or night without needing to make time in your schedule to see us.

So take a moment to check out the existing FAQ list at the support portal.

And if there is something you think we should add, send it through to us!

The support portal is where all requests should be recorded. It is more than a work list for us, it helps us understand what is happening. This lets us change processes and policies to make technology more helpful (which is what we care most about).

Did you know that you can help us help with the support portal? It has a profile feature that lets you tell us a bit about yourself. For example if you only work Wednesday through Friday then us knowing that is really helpful to working with you. Or perhaps you are never available on a Monday morning. This information really helps us get hold of you and not waste time.

Also knowing what equipment you have is really helpful to us. Some models have known software problems, or require different versions of software to work. All of that means we're in a better position to help get you back onto mission activities.

So when you get to the support portal click on the right hand side and go to settings:

Then update the following settings accordingly:

Remember that you can come and change these at any time should your circumstances change.

Today we want to talk briefly about the computer code of conduct and file storage. It is an area where policy sometimes feels like it prevents people getting work done easily. Obviously that isn't what the policy is trying to achieve. What The Salvation Army needs is to know that the information we have is stored securely and won't be lost.

We have lots of information about people and their situation so need to honour this by securing it and ensuring we don't lose it. This is possible when TSA managed solutions are used and any service that uses a personal account is avoided. In fact just using your salvationarmy.org.nz (or nzf.salvationarmy.org) account isn't enough to ensure we can honour the people who we have data about.

USB memory sticks, good or bad? It is inevitable that you will have to use one. So in light of the above reality of the work we are all involved in please follow these steps:

• only use a USB memory stick (or portable HDD) to move data from one secure, TSA managed location to another
• if it is a non-TSA managed machine (for presentations) or location DON'T put it onto the machine at all, use it from the USB memory stick
• once you've moved the data or completed your presentation DELETE it from the USB memory stick
• sensitive information (financial, personal information of any kind, etc) should never to saved to a memory stick  

Hopefully this post helps you consider the information you have and how it is being stored.  

This is the final post in our passwords tip series. We hope it has been helpful for you and you've got some new ideas about passwords. Unfortunately passwords aren't going to go away anytime soon so the better you can make your password the less likely it is that something untoward will happen. 

A tool that can help you with lots of passwords is LastPass. This has a browser plugin so you is really helpful as it puts usernames and passwords into sites for you! Of course if someone else is using your computer with your logon then they will have access to all your passwords! So think a little about how you use your computer before getting too carried away with it!

In this penultimate password post we thought we would share a site with you. Wonder how we knew that Psalm 25 would take 5 days to crack but Psalm25:11 would take 7 thousand years? https://howsecureismypassword.net/

This is a really good site for you to try out passwords to see just how good (or bad) they are. Use it BUT remember to be very cautious if a site asks for your password. It could be a phishing attack.

After our last password tip being so positively helpful we want to add a couple of little catches to be conscious of. They may seem simple and logical to you but you would be surprised by the number of passwords that are scribbled on PostIt notes (the last one in the pack to try and hide it, or on the corner a deskpad, maybe even a notebook that is left on the desk). 

Yes I confess, I've done each of these don'ts at least once before (but it was a long time ago)!!

While they may seem logical, they're easy don'ts to commit when you're forced to change your password and are in a hurry! Our best tip (when changing your password) is to NOT do it on a Friday...

Hopefully you're still with us on this password series. Today the post gives you some tips for creating good passwords. It isn't as difficult as you think and we've got more tips about creating passwords before this series ends.

Remember our tip about using a bible reference? Psalm 25 was a good password for it to take a desktop PC about 5 days to crack. That is good, but not great. After all can you think of someone who so badly wants access to your information they will spend 5 entire days trying to crack your password? 

The truth is Psalm 25:12 is better!How much better? That same desktop PC would take 7 thousand years to crack that password.

Today we start a short series on passwords. They're the hurdle over which we must jump to get into our online lives. While painful at times the damage that can be reeked on us if an account is compromised is unthinkable. Thinking you're not a target or someone who may have your password compromised could make you similar to the character from a story Jesus told (here).   

While this series focuses mainly on passwords to online services you are likely to access, you can apply the lessons to your Notes and Server accounts quite easily. It is really important to choose good passwords and guard your accounts as so much of what we do is online and we have some very private information people trust us with. This series was inspired by an article on Mashable.com and uses the images they included.

Have you got a weak password? Probably, but is it one of the weakest of 2012? While you might find it easy to remember, others are likely to find it equally easy to guess! Try not to use one of these passwords!

Did you know that the Team iSG support portal (support.sarmy.net.nz) has a bunch of FAQs (frequently asked questions)? These are intended to be helpful to you and cover off many common questions. If you thumbs up any of the FAQ's it may make it to the Top FAQs list (the first thing you see when looking at FAQs):

All of the FAQs are arranged into categories to hopefully make them easier to locate. At the bottom of the above screenshot you can see these categories. Clicking on one will show you all of the FAQs associated with the category.

If you think there is something missing, or have another FAQ you think should be included (because it will be helpful to others) then please let us know so we can add it.

Did you know that in January there was more than 1 self-service password reset a day? This means that people were able to help themselves, reset their password, and get on with their job without needing to involve us!

We see this great progress as we don't like standing inbetween people and mission outcomes. We want systems that protect privacy and information but empower people to get on with changing the world! 

If you haven't already used the system, why not register a mobile phone in MyDetails (if yours isn't already in there), then change your password using the system?

If you're anything like me your first work act of 2015 was to reset your password! No surprises really, in fact it is probably a sign that you had a decent break and left all things work behind if you can't remember your password.

Using the self-service password reset tool I was able to logon and access all those weeks worth of emails within a couple of minutes without a call or having to have someone visit.

The catch is that you have to have a mobile number saved in MyDetails. This isn't difficult and means that anytime of the day or night you will be able to reset your password and get access to at least some of the essential IT tools that you use in your role.  

Its great to see so many of you using the new Support Portal to log all your jobs with ISG.  

You would have seen a few blogs about this, and we value any contributions you may have to help us make the experience easier for all involved.

Don't forget there are already many answers to your queries under the FAQ's section, and you may want to look at that before logging a job.

Also, it will be really helpful to ISG for us to see the type of request with a correct indication of what the job is.  So to help you here's a little explanation for you.  When logging a job you will need to select whether your job is a:

1. 'Change or Request' - This can relate to updating software, changes to access, any complete requests forms, etc.
2. 'Error or Issue' - This can relate to inability to login, error messages appearing on screen, inability to print,  inability to access applications (LN, Connected, SAMIS, etc)
3. 'Information Request' - This can relate to requesting information on how to perform a task, or how to find a policy or procedure, or maybe a query on the rental billing.

Selecting any of these will provide you with a different list of 'Subjects' to choose from.  Selecting the right subject helps iSG prioritise our tasks.  AND the more information you can provide us in the job (under 'Details'), the better iSG are able to assist on our first contact with you.

Thanks for helping us help you, and for assisting us in "enabling the mission".

Most lease cars have Bluetooth enabled stereos. Most mobile phones have Bluetooth built in. This means that if you take 3 minutes to setup a connection whenever you get in your car your phone will automatically connect and let you have hands free conversations without having to touch your phone (even if it is in your bag on the back seat)! 

Toyota manuals provide excellent instructions for connecting your phone so refer to those (normally in your glove box) BUT be warned you can't setup a connection when you're driving so take a couple of minutes the next time you hop in your car to sort out the connection.

Oh, and they support multiple phones being connected so you anyone who regularly drives the vehicle can connect their phone and be safe while in a vehicle.

Do you have a GPS device in your vehicle? Do you wish you could have all TSA centres pre-loaded and ready? Well Team ISG has a file for you, with most TSA centre addresses that you can load. 

We have produced this for ourselves in TomTom format BUT there is an excellent website that will convert it for you (or let you create your own). poieditor.com is the site and they can create Garmin, Navman, and many other popular GPS device formats.

To load the file on your device you will need to use the software it came with, but it is fairly self explanatory (connect the GPS device to your computer, the software starts, you select the upload option, point it to the file, and away you go).

If you're interested in getting your hands on this file drop ISG an email and we will send you the file. 

Did you know that with Traveler on your mobile phone you can configure a schedule for syncing? Traveler lets you create peak and off-peak times then set how often your phone synchronises. The less it synchronises the less battery it will use.

We recommend that a peak schedule (weekdays, 7:30am - 7:30pm) that sync's every 15 minutes. This minimises battery drain but keeps your phone up to date with email and calendar changes.

If you're anything like me you like to set your phone to silent (or vibrate) when you're in a meeting, or a place where a phone ringing or beeping is unwelcome. But then you walk out without turning the volume back up and miss a couple of calls!

Shush! is an app that solves that problem. It integrates really cleanly so when you turn the ringer on your phone off it pops up asking how long you want it to be quiet for:

Select the time you want your phone to stay quiet for then it will automatically restore the phone volume for you! Now that is a helpful app. 

Passwords are necessary to the security of access and information. They are the keys into our virtual offices and incredibly important to ensuring information is only able to be seen and used by the people who should. 

As an organisation dealing with people we have a heightened sense of responsibility as we often hold peoples private and sometimes quite personal information. Legally there are requirements for us to comply with and morally we have a higher responsibility to protect the information.

Your password is a key part of us protecting the information so when we found this NZ Herald article with 7 great tips for passwords we thought we should share it. There are some great tips in there to make managing your passwords a little bit easier.