Getting the Most from Your IT System

2. Working Together

A basic network of PCs with Internet access can help your staff work together more effectively.

2.1 You can allow your empoyees to share access to files and folders on your network.

• Most operating systems, like Microsoft Windows, allow you to share files. If you have a network server, the files can be stored there. Alternatively, you can share files saved on individual computers.
• This simple file sharing lets several members of staff work on the same documents.
• Sharing a single copy of a file means everyone has access to the latest version.
• Rather than using email to update documents, changes and comments can be added to the master copy.

2.2 Some tools will alow you to plan, coordinate and track tasks and projects.

• An online collaboration package puts all relevant project documents, plans and files in one place.
• Everyone involved in projects can log in and check their tasks, send messages and update their progress.
• These tools typically track document revisions and make it easy to roll back to a previous version.
• If you have a network server, you can purchase and install your own online collaboration system. This needs expert installation and can be expensive, but will give you maximum flexibility.
• Company intranets often include collaboration features.
• Alternatively, you can subscribe to a web based collaboration package. These are accessed online, through a normal Internet browser.
• Web based packages include Basecamp, Huddle and activeCollab.