by Steve Galloway | Sep 12, 2015
The simplest way to set up a network multifunction printer to send captured scans by email is by using SMTP client submission. It allows your printer to log in to an Office 365 mailbox and send mail just like Outlook Desktop does. Emails from your printer are then delivered to your hosted mailboxes or external recipients. This way avoids some of the problems associated with the other configuration options available which is covered here.
Print services: SMTP submission
If your printer has settings for an email address/username and password for the send to email feature, then there is a good chance that it can send using SMTP client submission. The settings needed for SMTP client submission to connect to Office 365 are:
Office 365 Printer Settings
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Limitations
Unless your printer is advanced enough to store multiple mailboxes login credentials, you can only send mail from one mailbox for this option. Also, Office 365 imposes a limit of 30 messages sent per minute for each mailbox.
Other configuration options
We have recently updated the comprehensive configuration document that details the three configuration options for setting up your printer. If the settings above to not work, you should visit the article for its more detailed explanations covering Microsoft’s 3 recommended process for printers/scanners/multifunction devices:
by Steve Galloway | Aug 29, 2015
These notes explain how to sync OneDrive for Business to a local workstation or laptop.
OneDrive: Saving vs Synchronisation
OneDrive is a reliable and resilient file storage service provided with Office 365. Syncing OneDrive means you can keep copies of files stored on OneDrive locally, so that you can access files without Internet Access to Office 365 services. However, OneDrive provides up to 1TB of storage, and users with large file stores may not have sufficient space to store files locally. Check that you have enough disk space before syncing large volumes of files.
- If you want to use OneDrive, but you only need to save files without synchronisation, see these notes.
- You can also sync OneDrive to Outlook Desktop. Contact ComStat Support for help about this.
There are some limits to bear in mind:
- You can sync up to 20,000 items in your OneDrive for Business library, including folders and files.
- You can sync up to 5,000 items in site libraries (Sharepoint), including folders and files.
- In any library, you can download files up to 2 GB.
About OneDrive for Business file sync
You can use OneDrive for Business or Sharepoint site libraries to synchronise folders and files to your computer and then access your files from Windows File Explorer instead of using a web browser to manage files. All subsequent updates you make to files saved in OneDrive sync to OneDrive for Business or site libraries whenever you are online.
To use the sync feature, you need OneDrive for Business Sync App. This app is available with Office 365 subscriptions that includes Office 2013 applications like Word, Excel, Outlook, etc. If you do not have Office 2013, you can download the OneDrive for Business sync app from the app store your device’s operating system relies on for Android/Apple/Windows apps.
Sync OneDrive for Business
To sync OneDrive for Business, follow these steps to open the Library tab and select the Sync option.
- Open your usual web browser and navigate to http://mail.office365.com
- Sign in to Office 365 with your Office 365 email address and password
- Select OneDrive at the top of the page, or select the Office 365 app launcher icon, and then select OneDrive. The app launchers looks like this:
Users can start OneDrive’s background sync by finding the Sync button on the Library tab of OneDrive’s ribbon. Like Office apps (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc.), Office 365 apps use ribbons to organize processes. The OneDrive ribbon features a Sync tool on the ribbon’s Library tab. The OneDrive ribbon is located underneath your web browser’s navigation bar. If the OneDrive ribbon is available (see the last screenshot in this article), skip this next step and go to the last step.
- If the OneDrive ribbon is not displayed in your browser window, you need to make a minor adjustment to your web browser. Open OneDrive Settings and then click Show Ribbon. Now, you can go to the last step.
- Now, click the Sync icon on the Library tab to complete the process.
Aabout OneDrive Synch
OneDrive is a file storage service provided with Office 365. Syncing OneDrive means you can keep copies of files stored on OneDrive locally, so that you can access files without Internet Access to Office 365 services. However, OneDrive provides up to 1TB of storage, and users who manage large file with OneDrive may not have sufficient capacity to synchronise all of their files to tablets and mobile devices. Check that you have enough disk space before syncing large volumes of files.
- If you want to use OneDrive, but you only need to save files without synchronisation, see these notes.
- You can also sync OneDrive to Outlook Desktop. Contact ComStat Support for help about this.
There are some limits to bear in mind:
- You can sync up to 20,000 items in your OneDrive for Business library, including folders and files.
- You can sync up to 5,000 items in site libraries (Sharepoint), including folders and files.
- In any library, you can download files up to 2 GB.
About OneDrive for Business file sync
You can use OneDrive for Business or Sharepoint site libraries to synchronise folders and files to your computer and then access your files from Windows File Explorer instead of using a web browser to manage files. All subsequent updates you make to files saved in OneDrive sync to OneDrive for Business or site libraries whenever you are online.
To use the sync feature, you need OneDrive for Business Sync App. This app is available with Office 365 subscriptions that includes Office 2013 applications like Word, Excel, Outlook, etc. If you do not have Office 2013, you can download the OneDrive for Business sync app from the app store your device’s operating system relies on for Android/Apple/Windows apps.
by Steve Galloway | Apr 27, 2015
Email signatures are included at the end of emails to disclose contact information like trading names, addresses, and other useful contact information. Signatures are created individually for email accounts. Users who rely on desktop clients like Outlook should create email signatures using Outlook. Users who manage email should create signatures in Outlook Web Access (OWA) should create their signatures in OWA. Users who use both Outlook and OWA should create signatures in both Outlook and OWA.
This article shows how to create a signature using OWA. Follow these steps:
– log into Office 365 at http://mail.office365.com
– open the apps dashboard on the left of the toolbar and click open Mail in the dropdown menu
– next, click open the setting icon on right side of the toolbar, and click ope “Options” in the dropdown menu:
– look down the options in the next page and click open “Signatures”. Complete the signatures using the editing tools. Also, depending on the operating system you use, you may be able to copy and paste content from Word. Save the the signature when completed.
by Steve Galloway | Apr 26, 2015
A “Resource” is a “contact” in an Exchange/Outlook Calendar that represents a room or a piece of equipment. In the same way that a person can have an email address and can be assigned to meetings, rooms and equipment can be treated the same way in Exchange.
Equipment can include anything from a mobile phone to a fleet vehicle.
Resources are established by an Exchange administrator by creating a unique name and assigning an email address to the resource. Users who have access to Exchange can access a resource list to create a meeting and they can “invite” the resource to the meeting just like setting up a meeting with a person. Network administrators are needed to create and configure resource accounts because these kinds of accounts are created and managed in Exchange Active Directory, which requires expert knowledge.
If the resource is available for a “meeting”, it can be reserved by the user. That resource is then removed from the list of available resources until its “meeting” is finished. If the resource is already reserved for a meeting, it cannot be used. Values can be attached to resources, too. For instance, a limit can be set so that a room can only accept a maximum number of people at a meeting. Also, equipment limits can be set so that a laptop can only be in use once.
The system is scalable and can cope with large volumes and types of resources including equipment. Universities use Exchange resource accounts to manage their rooms and equipment distribution on campus.
Outlook’s includes a scheduling assistant which graphically charts availability of resources.
There are two kinds of resource mailboxes:
1. Room mailboxes – A room mailbox is a resource mailbox that’s assigned to a physical location, such as a conference room, an auditorium, or a training room. After an administrator creates room mailboxes, users can easily reserve rooms by including room mailboxes in meeting requests.
2. Equipment mailboxes – An equipment mailbox is a resource mailbox assigned to a resource that’s not location specific, such as a portable computer, projector, microphone, or a company car. After an administrator creates an equipment mailbox, users can easily reserve the piece of equipment by including the corresponding equipment mailbox in a meeting request.
Resources can be reserved in a calendar using Outlook Web Access or with desktop installed versions of Outlook. If other users need to see resource usage, consider shared calendars or group calendars. Once you have decided how to organize your calendar, follow these steps for OWA or Outlook client for desktop.
1. Reserving rooms resources using Outlook Web Access (OWA)
– log in to OWA at http://mail.office365 using your email address and password.
– click down the app menu, and then click on Calendar, as this screenshot shows:
– in Calendar, click “new” to create a new event:
– Fill in the form, making sure the event is something that is meaningful when viewed in the calendar. There are two ways to reserve a location or a room. Firstly, you can click the “add room” button to display the room resource available. Secondly, you can click open the Scheduling assistant to find a view of resources that are already committed to meetings. The scheduling assistant is useful because it show what resources might already be reserved when you want to use it. You can add rooms using the scheduling assistant.
You can reserve rooms and equipment for one meeting. To add equipment, you must select it from the “attendees” button which sits behind the dropdown menu in the illustration below. When you have finished creating your event, be sure to click “save”.
2. Reserving equipment resourcing using Outlook Web Access (OWA)
The process for reserving equipment resources differs from the method for reserving rooms. Firstly, there is not a button like the “add room button illustrated above. Instead, equipment is selected from the attendees button which you can see in the illustration below. Lastly, equipment cannot be selected in the scheduling assistant, although the scheduling assistant lists equipment which is being used. Unless you are sure the equipment you want is available for a meeting, you should always check the scheduling assistant to save work.
Note that in this example, a room resource has already been assigned to the meeting. The location reserved is Workshop 1, and the room is included in the “Attendees” field. Also, the “add room” button has changed to “change room”. When you select equipment, it will be added to “Attendees”.
When you have finished creating your event, be sure to click “save”. You will receive an email either accepting or declining the event. Events are usually declined because of conflicts, or because the reservation duration or date falls outside the scope of scheduling.
by Steve Galloway | Apr 10, 2015
Office 365 has upgraded OneDrive for Business to enable security tools for business owners and network admistrators to manage access to data stored on OneDrive for Business from mobile devices. In the event of loss or theft of mobile devices subscribed to users’ Office 365 services, data can now be protected from unauthorised access using PIN lock numbers, jailbreak detection, and even “selective wipe” utilities.
OneDrive for Business (ODB) provides 1TB of storage per business license. The service, included as standard in Office 365 business licensing, enables users to access stored content with connected devices in addition to their conventionally secured office workstations. Users who have Internet access at home, for instance, can access files on ODB that previously they might have had to copy to a memory stick at work or even to return to their office for.
Cloud services like ODB obviate the need for file duplication from office equipment, which increases the risk of sensitive data being compromised by loss or theft of memory sticks or other devices.
ODB is attractive to business users who face increasing needs for more storage backup, together with the risk and cost of maintaining data. By housing data on OneDrive for Business (ODB), business owners need less “on-premise” hardware. However, providing remote access to business files by tablets, mobile phones, home computers and other devices poses security risks to the integrity of business information which may include customers’ private information.
Mobile Device Management (MDM) for Office 365 was launched on March 1st. MDM is already used to manage access to Office 365’s Exchange email services on mobile devices.
MDM allows business owners and network administrators to manage ODB data across a diverse range of phones and tablets, including Apple’s iOS, Android, Windows, and Windows Phone devices, according to Microsoft’s Omar Shahine.
“You can set up security policies to ensure that only mobile devices managed by your company can access OneDrive for Business files,” Omar said. “You can also set and manage security policies such as device-level PIN lock and jailbreak detection to help prevent unauthorized users from accessing ODB files on a device when it is lost or stolen. Finally, you can easily remove ODB company data from an employee’s device with selective wipe capabilities.”
Device-level PIN locks are established in Office 365 admin and require the end user to input a PIN number to access Office 365 data, including email services running under an Office 365 license.
Selective Wipe is a utility available in Office 365 admin to allow for either restriction or deletion of email and/or ODB data distributed under an Office 365 license from an end user’s device.
Jailbreak Detection is a utility available in Office 365 to prevent distribution of data to mobile devices that have been modified by “jailbreak”, or unauthorised modifications to device operating systems.
For help with security policies for your users’ devices, please call us or drop us a line using our contact form.
