Reducing duplicate data entry and admin

James McCarthy, Business Marketing Manager, Microsoft UK James helps drive the strategy and growth of Microsoft’s Mobile Communications Business. James is a leading advocate of next generation working through his blog - http://moof.mobi/ - which comments on the issues, opportunities and effect mobile technology has on working patterns. He is often invited by BBC television, radio and the national press to speak on flexible working issues.

Question: I’m finding it difficult to fit in admin tasks after I’ve visited customers and often end up working till late at night. Is there any way I can get round the problem of writing everything down at a customer site, and then having to enter it into my office PC? - Graham, Bristol

Answer: Hi Graham. Running your own business means there are never enough hours in the day, so you need to maximise the use of your time. Like you, I’m out on the road a lot visiting customers and constantly need to access and record business information quickly and easily. As a father of three young children, I also value my free time, so I try to let mobile technology do as much of the donkey work as possible. Here’s how...

Windows Mobile
First, it’s worth investing in a smartphone, personal digital assistant (PDA) or some other form of mobile device. You can get some excellent suggestions at: http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windowsmobile/smartphone/default.mspx

All the major mobile network stores will be only too happy to help you find one you feel comfortable with. I’d recommend you choose a phone with a decent sized keyboard for making notes and ready-loaded with Windows Mobile.

Windows Mobile is a mobile operating system that lets you run stripped-down versions of most familiar Microsoft Office applications like Word, Excel and PowerPoint, and Outlook email, contacts and calendar - all via your mobile device.

So, for instance, you can use Outlook Mobile to send and receive email from web-based services like Hotmail, BT Internet or Yahoo - literally over-the-air from your mobile device. Then connect your device to your office PC to synchronise your calendar and contacts with Outlook.

 Using my Windows Mobile smartphone, I can record any kind of information on the go, then synchronise it with the OneNote software on my laptop. 

If you’re a slightly larger company and have a more advanced Exchange email system or Small Business Server, you can get your email, calendar and contacts all delivered securely over the air, wherever you are. Talk to your preferred IT supplier about the options available.

It’s best to think of your Window Mobile device as a “companion” to your office computer - rather like having a second copy of all your usual computer programs running on your mobile, acting as an identical twin and mirroring the essential software on your PC.

OneNote Mobile 2007
Now let’s get back to your specific question - how to capture information from your meetings without having to re-key it back at base. You’re absolutely right: taking notes then having to transcribe them later is time-consuming - and painful to boot.

Again, there’s a brilliant way round this - it’s called Office OneNote. It’s an integrated part of the Microsoft Office 2007 suite of products, it works just like a notebook - and yes, it has a nifty mobile equivalent: OneNote Mobile 2007. It’s included free with the full version of Office OneNote 2007 and if you ask me, it’s one of Microsoft’s best-kept secrets!

With OneNote Mobile, the time-saving benefits - both personal and professional - are endless. I find it easy to gather, organise and retrieve my notes, pictures, digital handwriting, audio and video clips and other information - all in one digital notebook. Using my Windows Mobile smartphone, I can record any kind of information on the go, then synchronise it with the OneNote software on my laptop.

I regularly store notes from customer meetings and capture photos of flip charts, whiteboards and business cards on my phone, then bring them into OneNote on my PC later. It’s easy to make short text notes and voice recordings - like reminders of important events, ideas for projects, price comparisons and so forth - then synchronise them with your notes. I often prepare meeting and travel information in OneNote on my laptop, then transfer it to my mobile when I’m out on the road. I even use it for things like shopping reminders!

In short, OneNote Mobile will allow you to transfer any kind of information easily from your mobile device to your desktop system, and save you wasting time rekeying the same information.

How it works
When you first synchronise Windows Mobile up to your laptop PC or computer, it will offer to install OneNote Mobile. This means any notes you take on your mobile device thereafter will all be synchronised automatically with the main OneNote application on your desktop computer.

Once you’ve started scribbling, OneNote also has a powerful search tool to find what you are looking for quickly. With all your information readily available, you’ll find you’ll be more prepared, make better decisions and have more free time.

It also means you don’t have to worry about creating backups of your information. OneNote creates a kind of living repository of discussions, customer calls and other activities that adds continuity and context to subsequent meetings.

What’s important at the end of the day is that the combination of Windows Mobile and OneNote Mobile will save you wasting valuable time rekeying the same information on your office PC. As I say, it’s one of Microsoft’s best-kept secrets!

Good luck and let us know if you need any further assistance with maximising the use of your time.

--James

Related Links

Learn more about OneNote Mobile

Learn more about Windows Mobile

Office One Note 2007 60-day trial

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