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Keep Working: Strategies and Tips for When Working Remotely

Modified on: Fri, Jul 16, 2021 12:09 PM

Cloud technology has made it possible to work from almost any location or device. Here are some tips for how to work efficiently and effectively when off-campus:

  • If you have a laptop, take it and your charger home with you nightly. You may not be able to return the following day to retrieve it.
  • If you have and use a microphone headset bring it home as well.
  • Plan ahead and test important functions before you need to rely on them.
  • Faculty should review: Keep Teaching for extended guidance to continue the learning process.



Email and Calendar

To access your Adler email from any computer:

  1. On your Adler laptop launch the Outlook app.
  2. If you do not have access to an Adler laptop, access your email on the web by going to https://outlook.office365.com/ and sign in with your Adler email address and password.
  3. Use the menu in the bottom left-hand corner to toggle between your Email, Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks.
  4. To Sign Out, click on the round profile picture at the top right-hand corner of the screen and select Sign-out.
  5. Use the Outlook app for the best experience on iOS, and Android smartphones.



Microsoft Teams

Teams is another great option for video conferencing and collaboration if Zoom is not working well for you.  Teams is a fairly recent addition to the Office 365 suite, and it has quickly become a successful go-to application for group chat, one-to-one chat, video-conferencing with screen sharing, file sharing, and any other collaboration need. Teams is like a virtual office. You and your colleagues can chat about work in real-time, share files and task lists, and easily fire up a voice or video conference that allows you to share screens, a digital whiteboard, and more! You can simply click the “Meet Now” button from any chat, or schedule an online meeting for later.



Voicemail and Phones

  • To access your voicemail remotely, call your direct line from any phone and at the greeting, press *.  You will be prompted to enter your pin.
  • If you have physical access to your desk phone, please remember to forward your calls to your cell phone for example if you would like to get calls while away from your desk.
  • If you do not have physical access to your desk phone and would like your Adler calls forwarded to another number such as your cell phone, please email a request to [email protected]..
  • If during this time your job responsibilities require you to make frequent outbound calls to students, please speak with your supervisor.  Your supervisor will work with IT to provision a phone you can use from home.
  • You may utilize Microsoft Teams to connect with other employees via the Calls function.



Zoom

Zoom is a great option for online meetings. Zoom’s biggest advantage is that it is already integrated with Canvas and Outlook, and it’s the easiest option if you are meeting with students or non-Adler individuals.

  1. Verify your Zoom account and establish your Zoom license. Go to https://adler.zoom.us and login using your Adler credentials.
  2. Test your equipment by joining the test meeting at https://adler.zoom.us/test
  3. Review the Zoom Getting Started Guide
  4. Zoom 101: Sign Up & Download
  5. Zoom 101 : In Meeting Controls (Basic)
  6. Comprehensive Guide to Educating Through Zoom
  7. Tips and Tricks for Teachers Educating on Zoom

 

As a remote conferencing tool, Zoom is a flexible platform that allows you to do many different things during a meeting. Below, the links provide you short videos if you need assistance:


If you are a first time Zoom user, or need any assistance, please reach out to [email protected] for any questions.



Training Webinars

A series of on-demand webinars hosted by Adler's Education Design and Innovation team to help you with Canvas and other technology issues
Canvas Essentials Zoom Essentials Recording with Panopto



VPN and myDesktop

You may gain access to things such as Colleague, Business Objects and Shared Drives (e.g. K: drive) remotely in two ways:

  1. VPN service is a way to securely connect to the Adler network remotely.  This is allowed from Adler owned laptops only and typically requires dual VP approval.  In this circumstance we are expediting these requests as needed, please email submit a request for access .
  2. If you do not have an Adler laptop, you can use our MyDesktop tool to remotely access things such as Colleague, SPSS, etc.  Learn how to connect.



Working on your Files

File storage at Adler can be broken down into two basic types: Network shares and cloud storage in Office 365.

  • Network shares include the F: Drive, I: Drive, K: Drive, and H: Drive. If you need access to these shares remotely, you must use our VPN to gain access.  If you currently do not have VPN access configured and need access to one of these file shares, please submit a request for access.
  • Adler has begun using Microsoft OneDrive for personal cloud storage.  You do not need VPN access to access OneDrive files.  You can access OneDrive anywhere, on almost any internet-connected device.
  • SharePoint sites and Teams provide team-based document storage and collaboration.  These files are not your personal files but are files that belong to and are shared amongst colleagues on the various teams you are a part of.  You do not need VPN access to access SharePoint and Teams files.  You can access SharePoint and Teams anywhere, on almost any internet-connected device.
  • Files stored in OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams can often be worked on by multiple people simultaneously and it’s possible to restore previous versions of files in most cases.
  • In the future, Adler IT will begin retiring network shares like the K: drive and helping individual departments and divisions move their files to SharePoint and OneDrive for their file storage needs.
  • Remember that departmental files should be stored in a shared location like Microsoft Teams or SharePoint. While you can share files with anyone from OneDrive, files that have long-term value to your department should always be saved to a shared location.



Q&A


How do I get technical support?

The Chicago and Vancouver IT service desks are on call to assist Adler employees and students globally. For the fastest response, please email [email protected] or call 1-855-883-0033 24×7 with any technical support questions.


How do I change my Adler password?

Visit passwordreset.microsoftonline.com to use or enroll in our Password Management Tool. You log in and register three security questions. Then, to change your password or unlock your account, simply visit the site, answer the questions, and change your password. This tool works on your phone too!


What if the files I need are stored on a network share like the K: Drive or my H: Drive?

You will need to have a VPN connection on your Adler issued laptop and then map the network drives t your device. Please submit a request for access.


What about Colleague and other administrative applications?

To access Colleague or Business Objects from off-campus you will need to have a VPN connection on your Adler issued laptop. Please submit a request for access.


What’s the best way to have an online meeting?

If you are meeting with a group that uses Microsoft Teams, simply click the “Meet Now” button in a team chat, or schedule a future Teams meeting.


Zoom is another great option and is integrated with Outlook.  This may be the easiest solution for meeting with people who are outside of Adler.


Is cloud storage safe and secure?

Cloud storage is safe and secure as long as you understand who you are sharing files with.  Adler has agreements in place with Microsoft, Zoom, Canvas and other providers for extended coverage of our HIPAA and PHI data.



Additional Resources



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