FindTime is an add-in for Outlook that helps you come to consensus on a meeting time across companies. Have you ever spent more time deciding when to meet than actually meeting? FindTime offers intelligent suggestions on what days and times work best for people within your organization. Propose your selected times to all attendees and allow everyone to vote. Once you reach consensus, FindTime sends out the meeting invite on your behalf, eliminating the time consuming back-and-forth usually required to find the best meeting time. Install today at findtime.microsoft.com. How FindTime helps plan your meetings FindTime is an add-in for Outlook that helps you pinpoint times to meet by looking at available free/busy data for your attendees as well as creating a poll where attendees can vote on the times you suggest or suggest new times themselves! Recipients can receive invites on any email provider and can access the FindTime voting website on any device. Organizers’ email accounts must be on Office 365 and can access the FindTime Outlook add-in in Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016 or Outlook on the web.* The Microsoft Garage turns fresh ideas into real projects. Find more great projects at garage.microsoft.com. —Anne Legato, chief communicator on the Microsoft Garage team *FindTime is best for Office 365 users with Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016 or Outlook on the web. The post Schedule meetings faster with FindTime—a Microsoft Garage project appeared first on Office Blogs.

The inaugural Microsoft Data Insights Summit is a brand new two-day event specifically created to bring together professional business analysts, leading industry experts and Microsoft product teams. The summit will be held in Bellevue, Washington, on March 22-23, 2016—and space is limited, so reserve your space today. Attendees will receive product insights and hands-on training covering all the favorites—including Power BI and Microsoft Excel. In-depth talks, hands-on demos, workshops and sessions will help you get up to speed on new features. Plus, you can test-drive the latest technology to really get a feel for its potential. You’ll walk away inspired and ready to apply your discoveries. In addition, attendees can schedule one-on-one meetings with the engineering teams or attend Ask-the-Expert sessions to get specific answers to your data analysis questions. Visit DataInsightsSummit.com and register today. The post Announcing the inaugural Microsoft Data Insights Summit appeared first on Office Blogs.

Keeping with the theme of continuous innovations, we are excited to roll out three new improvements to Project Online as a direct result of requests from our users. Email notifications Team members, project managers and resource managers need to stay informed on the tasks that have been assigned to them and pending items others are waiting on to complete. To help, we are bringing improved email notifications functionality to Project Online. Email notifications in Project Online keep you on top of what’s coming, let you know when things are due and what’s currently on your plate. For more details on taking advantage of email notifications see: Turn on notifications in Project Online Get email reminders about your work in Project Online This feature is available today across all Project Web App (PWA) sites. Project IDs One consistent request we have received is a need for organizations to generate a unique project ID for each new project. This allows users to refer to a project independent of the project name, which may change. Organizations accomplished this through a number of ways: manually entering the next number when a project is created, building it into their workflow or using the custom event handler. Instead of having users build custom solutions or introduce a manual process, we thought it would be better to have it baked into the service. We are pleased to introduce a new feature that generates a unique project ID on project creation! To enable this functionality, you need to define your project ID as part of the Enterprise Project Type (EPT): Each EPT has its own project ID definition. You can specify a fixed Pre- and Postfix, Starting Number and Minimum Digit Padding. The project ID can be added to a number of views throughout PWA and in custom reports. It can also be programmatically updated using CSOM. We are just putting the final touches on this feature, and it will start reaching PWA sites over the next couple of months. Watch the Office Roadmap regarding the latest information on its release at: success.office.com/en-us/roadmap. Increasing custom field limits for reporting Another overwhelming piece of feedback we received from users was the ability to include more project text custom fields in their reports. We have increased the limits on ALL custom field types that can be reported on. Here are the new limits: Project custom fields Timesheet custom fields Task and Resource custom fields, combined 450 text fields 450 text fields 450 text fields 450 lookup tables 450 lookup tables 450 lookup tables 450 of all other custom field types (cost, date, duration, number, flag) 450 of all other custom field types (cost, date, duration, number, flag) 450 of all other custom field types (cost, date, duration, number, flag) This change is effective today across all PWA sites! We are excited to be rolling out these new features. We hope that these new improvements to Project Online will improve your productivity. For more information about upcoming improvements to Project Online, please visit success.office.com/en-us/roadmap. —Chris Boyd, principal program manager for the Project team The post 3 new enhancements to Project Online appeared first on Office Blogs.

Join industry analyst Esteban Kolsky and Microsoft general manager Bill Patterson as they lead a thought leadership webinar, live on Tuesday, December 15 at 11 a.m. PST. They will discuss the impact of siloed or inconsistent knowledge on employee engagement and customer experience; the keys to successfully democratizing knowledge across a brand or organization, including development, collaboration, delivery, use and maintenance; justifications for a greater investment in knowledge; examples of best practices and organizational success and more. Register now for this free webinar and join us live or on demand to learn how you can empower your employees to be more productive from anywhere on any platform. The post Learn how to empower and engage your employees appeared first on Office Blogs.

Every fall, students around the country go back to school, and before that, many go back-to-school shopping. If you plan on buying new clothing and shoes for the upcoming school year, please take the time to dispose of your old items in a responsible, eco-friendly way. Clothing and textiles are nearly 100 percent recyclable and your old clothing can be recycled through donation or simple curbside recycling.  May local governments have information on agencies that collect used clothing to assist disadvantaged families in your specific area.  This not only makes use of items that would have likely ended up in the landfill, it also provides direct assistance to many in need. In addition to thrift store resale, there are clothing recyclers who convert items to scraps or sell them overseas. Recycled clothing can become anything from cleaning rags and carpet padding to rubberized playgrounds and insulation. Some major brands make it easy to recycle their items.  For example, Nike and H&M recycle and reuse their products in creative ways through a "closed loop" system. Nike’s "closed loop" vision involves using the fewest possible materials assembled in such a way as to allow them to easily be recycled into new products.  One example is their Reuse-A-Shoe program.  Started in the early 1990’s, the program was developed to reclaim materials from worn-out athletic shoes that were headed for the landfill.  Since the program’s inception, Nike has collected and recycled more than 30,000 tons of scrap material as well as over 25 million pairs of athletic shoes.  The shoes and scrap materials are recycled into Nike Grind, which is used in sports surfaces, providing safer places for kids to play. According to their website, the clothing company H&M is committed to reducing, reusing and recycling wherever they can. H&M launched a global initiative asking customers to hand in unwanted garments (any brand, any condition) to H&M stores. The fashion company is also developing techniques to create their own "closed loop system", turning old garments into new fashion items. They report that they’ve collected over 3,000 tons of garments - the equivalent of 15 million t-shirts. School supplies and electronics can also be recycled. As you begin thinking about what supplies and items might be needed for the upcoming school year, please keep Reduce, Reuse and Recycle in mind.  If you need to purchase a new item, please find an eco-friendly home for your previously used items. Sources: http://back-to-school-blog.com/ http://www.usagain.com/ http://www.earth911.com/recycling-guide/how-to-recycle-clothing-accessories/       

Monster.com states "The right career is a positive, productive and natural extension of you, your value system and your natural talents." People who work in careers that are well suited to them and their values are happier and healthier! If you’ve been experiencing discontent in your current position or feel like maybe it’s time for a change; take these steps to help discover if a career change is right for you.   1.       Take a career assessment quiz - there are many free options online. Consider your strengths, talents, and skills that perhaps aren’t being utilized to their fullest extent in your current position. 2.      Find inspiration. Keep a "dream journal" where you capture your thoughts and feelings, or read up on different careers, making note of the ones that spark your interest. 3.      Realistically look at your financial situation. While we all want a career that is purposeful and meaningful; it is important to take a close look at all facets of your finances.  How will your income be impacted with a career change? Will there be a time of unemployment or under employment as you pursue your career goals? What is the cost of pursing additional training or education? 4.      Consider talking to a Life Coach or a Career Guide. These professionals can help you tap into your career aspirations and make suggestions of fields that might be a great fit for your interests and talents. 5.      Sign up for a class or a webinar in a topic of interest. Do you feel renewed? Can you see yourself pursuing a career that incorporates this type of work? 6.      Explore what steps would be necessary to pursue your dream career. This may mean additional training, course work or certification. 7.      Obtain any computer training necessary to be successful in your next career.  Become familiar with social media and the ways in which it can help you research possible career paths, get your resume noticed as you search for a new position, or spread the news about a new business endeavor. 8.      Network with everyone you meet. Put yourself out there and let others know that you are interested in making a change. You might hear of opportunities or meet someone who can help you reach your career goals. 9.      Do something every day towards your goal. No matter how big or how small - each step taken gets you that much closer. 10.   Don’t get discouraged. Be patient and steadily work towards your new career goal! Ed4Online can help you explore different careers. We offer hundreds of courses in Career Training, Personal Enrichment, Professional Development and Health & Human Services.  Scroll through our online catalog and see how many of our courses inspire you.  Perhaps you’ve considered a career as a Travel Agent? A Paralegal? Interior Design? Or maybe you are interested in starting your own business. The possibilities are endless and we are here to help! As we mentioned above, there are many career aptitude tests available on the internet; below are a few simple self-assessment quizzes for you to try - just for fun!  First, take the quiz here:  http://www.oprah.com/spirit/Who-Are-You-Meant-to-Be-Self-Assessment-Quiz And then find possible career matches here:  http://www.oprah.com/money/Whats-the-Best-Career-for-You_2 Monster.com also offers a quick career assessment test: http://career-advice.monster.com/career-development/changing-careers/how-to-decide-if-you-need-a-career-change-hot-jobs/article.aspx Whatever career path you decide to take, make the most of it - and remain open to change as exciting new opportunities may present themselves along the way. Sources: http://www.thegrindstone.com/2012/04/20/work-life-balance/the-best-jobs-for-mid-life-career-changes-681/#ixzz3FPhftwdr http://career-advice.monster.com/career-development/changing-careers/how-to-decide-if-you-need-a-career-change-hot-jobs/article.aspx         

We received the following letter from a student who recently completed our Pharmacy Technician Professional Program and wanted to share, as it exemplifies everything we hope our courses will provide for students. Dear Ed4Online: First, I would like to thank you and your staff at Ed4Online for providing a very comprehensive course for pharmacy technician. The course gave me an understanding of the history of pharmacy and how it has evolved through the years.  The safeguards that have been placed into effect by the different agencies regulating the production and distribution of medications for the safety of the public to the current laws that are in place today to protect the patient as well as the pharmacist. It gave me glimpse of what it would be like to work in a hospital setting, calculating drug dosages for pediatrics as well as the elderly and the issues they face with medications. The chapters on the different body systems and how the medications are metabolized and used by the different systems, how long the medications are active in the body (half-life) and how they are finally excreted were extremely informative and easy to understand.  The math course (math not being my favorite) was a fantastic refresher for my basic math skills and well as developing my skills to work better as a technician in my current position.  The ability to calculate day supply, drug dosage and do conversions has already become invaluable. Many of the lists in the book I have shared with the other technicians in the pharmacy such as the sig codes that should not be used, the large list of look-a-like sound-a-like medications, and at the beginning of most chapters a listing of the drugs used for that system including brand and generic names and their indications. The course also provided other materials that will continue to be helpful everyday such as websites for researching information, how to join social networks with other pharmacy technicians, where to find CE’s to meet state requirements to maintain our license and keep our skills current. I am excited that I found the course through my local university and that I was allowed the opportunity to complete it. The information it provided will always be valuable and I personally feel that it gave me an advantage as a technician that people that were "grandfathered" into being techs may have missed. Thank you again for everything you and the staff you work with have done, I fully feel that it is a successful course and I would (and have) recommend it to others wanting to get a start in the field of pharmacy. Sincerely, Robert  Thank you to Robert and to other students who have reached out to let us know that our courses have made a difference in their lives! Visit https://ed4online.com/ to view our complete course catalog and find a course or program in Career Training, Professional Development, Personal Enrichment or Health and Human Services today!       

The start of school was always a favorite time of mine. Fresh school year, new school supplies, new classmates and professors, the feeling of "anything is possible". Along with the excitement of starting something new, there was apprehension about the course load and work involved - would I be up to the challenge? For those who may have been out of the learning arena for awhile, these apprehensions may be magnified. However, there are steps that you can take to set yourself up for success: Talk to your educational consultant about the enrollment process and options available for adult learners. If possible, take a physical tour of any campus locations. Make connections with those in charge; they will become valuable assets to you during your learning process. Fill out your application for admission. Make sure that your learning institution has all the necessary paperwork it needs to enroll you, including past transcripts. Apply for financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). There is no age limit for federal or state aid. Learn more about Financial Assistance here. Complete required placement tests or, if your college offers them, take exams to see if you can offer credit for "prior learning" experiences. Make an appointment with an educational consultant or advisor to map out your course load and project out courses necessary to complete your degree or certification. This "map" or plan will come in handy every semester when it comes time to register for courses. Sign up for your courses, being realistic about the amount of time you have to dedicate to learning.  If you are not a morning person, it might be best if you sign up only for afternoon or evening courses. If you are signing up for online courses, make sure that you are aware of assignment due dates to ensure you’ll be able to meet those deadlines. If you are returning from the military: Make an appointment with an educational consultant or veteran’s counselor at your college. Your military transcript may be worth college credit. Take the time to talk to someone who is familiar with the military to civilian transfer so they can offer advice and assistance. Check to ensure that you are taking advantage of all military financial aid available to you and your branch of service. Learn more about Military Tuition Assistance here. Seek out and network with other military students online and in person; your experiences may give you common ground and allow you to offer support and motivation to one another. The admissions office may offer programs to bring students together on or off campus. If a program isn’t currently available, consider starting one yourself! Understand that your time will not be as tightly structured as when you were in the service. You may need to put systems in place to keep yourself on track. Ed4Online has valuable resources built into our programs and curriculum to help ensure student success. We have skilled Educational Consultants on staff, we offer an Online Student Center as well as Career Coaching. Visit us today to learn more about the Ed4Online difference!  Sources: http://www.iseek.org/education/return-to-school.html         

A few weeks ago, we published the first in a series of Top Websites for Teaching and Learning, as compiled by The American Association of School Librarians (AASL). The AASL makes their yearly selections to honor those internet sites that provide "enhanced learning and curriculum development for school librarians and their teacher collaborators". This week we’ll explore some of the digital storytelling websites available for teachers and students alike. Digital storytelling provides an exciting way for students and teachers to share their knowledge. It may include a combination of video, animation, sound, still images - any type of digital media that can be used to present an idea or tell a story. Below is an overview of the top Digital Storytelling websites selected by the AASL in 2015 along with a few additions of our own! 1.  Booktrack Classroom (AASL top pick) Booktrack Classroom allows students to create and publish eBooks with movie-style soundtracks, or they may create their own soundtrack for any story. Readings of stories, poems, essays and more will be enhanced with the addition of sound and music. Benefits of this method include increased student comprehension, information retention, student engagement, and overall enjoyment! Booktrack Classroom also maintains a free library of books with engaging soundtracks for student and teacher use. https://www.booktrackclassroom.com/content/intro 2.  Metta Metta is an amazing storytelling site for creating visually appealing mixed media stories. Using this tool, learners can make quick movies using videos, text, pictures, and sounds. With the Metta tool, you can also embed polls and quizzes, collect statistics and see how each student has performed overall. You can easily set up your flipped or blended courses by adding groups and assigning video lessons. http://www.metta.io/ 3.  My Storybook (AASL top pick) Make children’s storybooks online for free! Get your book published, share with friends and family, and read stories from the free online children’s book library. My Storybook makes it easy for students to create their own books. They begin with a writing lesson and learn how to create their book step by step. The addition of characters, pictures, and drawings helps bring the story to life. Students are then offered the opportunity to save their work in a high quality, printable eBook or share their story online with others. https://www.mystorybook.com/ 4.  Recite This This website makes it easy for you to take a favorite quote, and create a graphic to go along with it. Users simply enter the quote they want and a slew of poster options are shown. Select the one that fits your need and your mood. Post it right to social media, email it, download it - you have plenty of options! Best of all? The website is free to use! http://www.recitethis.com/ 5.  Storyboard That (AASL top pick) With an extensive image library, flexible layouts and featuring an image resource library, Storyboard That makes it easy to create storyboards! According to the website, those that register for the Individual Edition can create two storyboards a week for free, or upgrade any time for more advanced features. Storyboard That also offers specialized accounts for teachers or businesses. http://www.storyboardthat.com/ 6.  FlipQuiz While technically not a storyboard tool, FlipQuiz provides an easy way to share information and create simple review activities for the end of a lesson. FlipQuiz allows you to create your own game show style boards to test comprehension. With FlipQuiz, questions are displayed on-screen and can be saved for later use. http://flipquiz.me/   At Ed4Online, we love to stay up-to-date on the latest in education and share that information with you! We hope that those interested in integrating digital storytelling into educational activities will find these resources useful. We’d love to hear about your favorite digital storytelling websites! Please feel free to leave a note in the comments section below. Sources: http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2015/06/aasl-announces-2015-best-websites-teaching-learning http://edtechreview.in/news/1488-great-websites-you-must-know-for-digital-storytelling         

As we continue our Ed4Online Staff Spotlight series, I thought I would take a moment and introduce myself on this page! I've been with Ed4Online for over four years and have held many positions within the company, allowing me a thorough understanding of each department. I've been in my current role as Social Media Relations Manager for the past two years and have enjoyed this position immensely. I maintain the social media channels for the Ed4Online brand, as well as develop content for weekly blogs, newsletters, and the creation of branded graphics. My primary responsibilities include creating, managing and growing brand presence across all social media channels as well as acting as an aggregator of online education news and events. I hold a degree in Social Work from Florida State University and find that connecting people with one another as well as with available resources is a driving force regardless of my workplace.  Sharing information is, and always has been, a passion. Outside of Ed4Online, I help run a very successful Product Development Consultancy and Market Research agency outside of Orlando, Florida. Helping technologists and consumers communicate is a specialty. My husband and I have been married for 27 years and have two boys age 18 and 22. Once the youngest goes off to college next week, I'll be adding "empty nester" to my resume - something that I'm really not looking forward to!  In my free time, I enjoy cooking, reading and working out. My advice for students and professionals alike is to "find a calendar system that works for you. Put in due dates and work backwards to set goals for assignment completion. Always stay ahead!" And my favorite quote?  "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou