Utilize Action Items to Work More Productively with Google Docs

One of the core promises of Google Docs is to help you and your team go from collecting ideas to achieving your goals as quickly and easily as possible. That’s why Google Docs recently launched Explore in Docs, Sheets and Slides — with machine intelligence built right in — to help your team create amazing presentations, spreadsheets and documents in a fraction of the time it used to take.

Try out two new time-saving features designed to speed up and simplify the way you work, so you can focus on bringing your team’s ideas to life.
1. Spend less time figuring out who owns what with Action Items

According to research by the McKinsey Global Institute, employees spend about 20 percent of their work week — nearly an entire day — searching for details internally and tracking down colleagues for answers. This can be especially true when a document is full of ideas, requests and comments, making it difficult to get a clear sense of who’s responsible for what.

To help keep your projects moving, when you type phrases like “Ryan to follow up on the keynote script,” or “Andrea to schedule a weekly check in” on desktop, Docs will intelligently suggest an Action Item to assign to the right person, thanks to Natural Language Processing (NLP).

You can also manually assign an Action Item to someone in the Docs, Sheets and Slides desktop and mobile apps by mentioning their name in a comment and checking the new Action Item box. The assignee will get an email notification and see the Action Item(s) clearly highlighted with a blue bar when they open the file.

2. Spend less time searching for the files that need attention

Once Action Items have been assigned, it’s easy for team members to identify documents, spreadsheets and presentations that need their attention. The next time they visit Docs, Sheets, Slides (or Drive) from their laptops or mobile apps, they’ll see a badge on any files with Action Items assigned to them, plus any unresolved suggestions that others have made to their files.

partially reposted from gsuiteupdates.googleblog.com/2016/10

Amazon Web Service (AWS) Outage Affecting Multiple Web Services/Sites

AWS is the backbone of many website and services that you likely use.  We want to make you aware that this backbone is experiencing outages today that may affect these services.  This is not a Manhattan College issue, but an Amazon issue.  Please see below links for more information:

https://twitter.com/awscloud

https://status.aws.amazon.com/

Amazon Web Services (AWS) May Affect Ticketing Emails

We received the following notice from our ticketing system service provider.  Should you email the ITS ticketing system and not hear back, please call x7973 to follow up.  Links have been added below for updates.

TeamDynamix Outgoing Email Outage

TeamDynamix has identified an issue with outgoing email starting at approximately 1:37 PM ET today (2/28/2017). We are currently working directly with Amazon to resolve the issue. The issue appears to be linked to the Amazon Web Services S3 outage described here.  Most outgoing email delivery will be delayed until this issue is resolved. Unsent emails will be queued and sent at a later date. No messages will be lost. We will send an update in 1 hour or when the outage is resolved, whichever comes first. We will continue to send hourly updates until the issue is resolved. We apologize for the inconvenience.   Sincerely, The TDX Team Here is a link to the AWS Twitter for more information: https://twitter.com/awscloud

COMPLETED - Emergency system maintenance late Thursday evening (after 1:00 AM) into Friday

Please be advised, ITS will be performing emergency system maintenance late in the evening this Thursday into Friday, 3/3/2017 after 1:00 AM. The system maintenance will temporarily affect a number of vital services. The affected services include:

• Self-service Banner
• Sign Sign On (SSO) for Banner
• Verify and POS stations (the One Card Database will be down temporarily)
• Evisions
• DegreeWorks
• Paypal transactions

Services should be restored within 2 hours of the start of the interruption.

- - - - -

Updated at 1:55 AM, 3/3/2017:

All systems are back online.

Make Multimedia Presentations by Inserting Videos from Google Drive in Google Slides

Starting today, you can insert and play your Google Drive videos in Google Slides, in addition to videos from YouTube.

Once you’ve added a Drive video to your presentation, you can choose when to start and end it, whether it should autoplay when presenting, and whether it should be muted or play with audio. Simply right-click on the video and select Video options.

If a person viewing your presentation doesn’t have permission to view a video embedded within it, they’ll be prompted to request access.

Note that while you can play Drive videos in Slides on the web and mobile, you can only insert them from the web application. For more details, visit the Google Help Center.

RESOLVED: Public Safety Office Internet Outage

As of 8:50pm, the internet connectivity issue in Jasper Hall and the Public Safety Office has been RESOLVED. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused.

ITS has been made aware of the internet outage affecting Jasper Hall and Public Safety office around 7:30pm. We are currently troubleshooting and investigating this issue. We apologize for the inconvenience.

RESOLVED - Temporary One Card Outage

An issue caused the One Card database to hang late Sunday evening, affecting the POS and Verify stations on campus.

The database was brought back online around 8:40 am this morning.

The issue has since been diagnosed and a fix has been successfully tested on our test environments.

ITS has put a temporary fix in place that will prevent this from happening again. We are also working on scheduling the necessary system maintenance on our production environment to permanently resolve this issue.

RESOLVED - Temporary SSO issue with Banner Test Environments

We are currently experiencing a temporary issue with Single Sign On for the Banner Test Environments. We anticipate the issue being resolved by Noon on Saturday, 2/18/2017.

The test databases are up. However, we are currently experiencing an issue with SSO that is preventing access to the test environments for Self-Service, Banner Forms, Workflow, and BDM.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

- - - - -

Updated at 5:34 AM, 2/18/2017:

The issue has been resolved. All systems are back up.

Schedule Meetings more Efficiently with Google Calendar or Doodle

Google Calendar Information:

As part of our ongoing effort to spread knowledge about the productive new Google Calendar Features, want to share how users are able to use Google Calendar to schedule meetings.  

The easiest way to access Google Calendar is to click on the Google Calendar app from your Google Apps launcher at the top right of your Google Desktop Home screen:

The following instructions include how to quickly and easily schedule a meeting with a group of colleagues who are using Google Calendar:

** Be sure to explore the "Find a time for my meeting" section **

If the other guests have shared their calendar with you, you can use the "Find a time" feature to schedule an event at a time that works for everyone. You can compare up to 20 schedules at one time.

Note: The "Find a time" feature is only available while using a computer and the Google Calendar app for Android.

1. Open Google Calendar.
2. Create a new event, or open an existing event (you may need to click Edit event first).
3. Click the Find a time tab. If the other guests' calendars are shared with you, you'll see their schedules.
4. Find a time. Use the arrows at the top to navigate between days.
5. Once you've found a time, click the area within the calendar grid. The time will update at the top of the page.
6. Click Save.

Note: You can only edit the event if you created the event yourself, or if the event organizer gave guests permission to modify the event.

All-day events: All-day events are shown at the top of the calendar grid. If a guest has an all-day event, they will appear available in the "Find a time" tab unless their event is set to show as "Busy." To schedule an all-day event, click the Week button and then click the area at the top of a day column.

Doodle: Another Excellent Scheduling App

Great idea to use as an alternative to Google Calendar

What is Doodle?

Click here for a video demonstration of Doodle.

Doodle is an online scheduling tool that can be used quickly and easily to find a date and time to meet with multiple people.  First you suggest dates and times for your event participants to choose from, then Doodle creates a polling calendar that can be sent to participants for feedback.  As each participant selects the dates and times from the polling calendar that he or she is free, Doodle aggregates the responses and tells you which option works best for everyone.

Getting everyone on the same page is hard enough with just five other coworkers, let alone fifty new volunteers you may have never met.  Doodle can be a valuable tool for coordinating a large event like volunteer training as well as a small event like a monthly meeting with the board.

Doodle in Action

Part of Doodle’s appeal is that it’s so easy to use.  The site walks you through the four steps of creating a polling calendar:

1. Schedule an Event
2. Propose Times
3. Choose Settings
4. Invite Participants

Each step of the way there are options to make the whole process easier for you and the people you’re trying to meet with.

1. Schedule an Event

The first step in scheduling an event with Doodle is to fill out a simple form with the title, location, and description of the event.  This information will be visible on the poll, letting participants know exactly what the event is.  On this page you will also enter your name as administrator and your e-mail address so that you can receive the link to view, update, or edit the poll.

Notable Features:

• Easy Directions: The location automatically links to Google Maps, making getting directions a breeze.

• Your Own Doodle Account: Although you are free to use the site without creating an account, signing in makes checking up on your scheduling polls a lot easier (especially if you have several out at a time).

2. Propose Times

The next screen asks you to choose days and times that you are considering for the event.

Notable Features:

• Time-Zone Support: If you’re scheduling an online event, such as a Twitter chat or a video conference, you can enable time-zone support to keep participants across the country or across the world on the same page.

3. Choose Settings

In this third step, Doodle offers some options so that you can modify the basic poll to suit your specific needs.  These customizable settings allow you to tailor your Doodle scheduling poll to each event.  Among other things, you can use these different settings to transform your scheduling poll into a registration sheet, or to offer extra options to your event participants such as greater privacy.

Notable Features:

• Yes-No-If need be Poll: In a basic poll, the people you invite can only respond “Yes” or “No.”  This option adds a third possible response, “If need be,” to give you more detailed information on participants’ availability and flexibility.

• Hidden Poll: Perhaps you are looking to schedule times to meet with donors.  This option allows you to keep each donor’s schedule and availability confidential from the other donors.

• Limit Number of Participants per Option: For example, setting the group limit to ten people per time slot would be handy if you are looking to conduct feedback meetings with past volunteers.  Once a timeslot has ten names, it will stop being shown as an option.

• Participant Can Only Choose One Option: This option coupled with limiting the number of participants per option turns the poll into a registration sheet, allowing each participant to sign up for a timeslot on a first-come-first-served basis.

4. Invite Participants

The final step is to send out the invitations.  Doodle has three methods of delivering your poll to participants: email, Facebook, and Twitter.

For smaller or internal meetings, email is the way to go.  But if you are putting together a larger event, like a cookout to thank your volunteers, then a social media platform might be a better choice.  By posting the Doodle poll link on Facebook or Twitter, you can simultaneously advertise your event and find a good day for it.

Notable Features:

• Import Contacts: Link your Doodle account to your email account to easily import the email addresses of the participants you’re interested in inviting.

The Poll

For the people you have invited, the finished basic poll will look something like this:

The people that you invite will enter their name or an ID number in the field that says “Your name” and check the boxes in the time slots when they are free.  In the image above, the best time to meet would clearly be Monday at 1:00pm.

Notable Features:

• Load Your Calendar: If you do open a Doodle account, you can sync your Google, Outlook, or iCal calendar to Doodle.  This lets you avoid switching between calendars, making it easier to respond quickly to scheduling requests.
• Comments: There is even a comment section at the bottom of the poll where participants can note dates that they would prefer over others or ask questions about the event.
• Different Viewing Options: The image shown above is the table view, which allows your participants to see which dates and times are popular.  There’s also an option to look at the schedule on a calendar view, shown below.  The calendar view is helpful if you have loaded your own calendar to Doodle for comparison.

partially reposted from  https://support.google.com/calendar/answer/37082 and https://doodle.com/about-doodle

Learn What It Takes to Refuse the Phishing Bait!

Authors Andrew Mantuano
PublisColumns:Security Matters.Security Matters

Social engineering attacks come in all shapes and sizes — and not just through e-mail. 

Cybercriminals know the best strategies for gaining access to your institution’s sensitive data. In most cases, it doesn’t involve them rappelling from a ceiling’s skylight and deftly avoiding a laser detection system to hack into your servers; instead, they simply manipulate a community member.

According to IBM’s 2014 Cyber Security Intelligence Index, human error is a factor in 95 percent of security incidents. Following are a few ways to identify various types of social engineering attacks and their telltale signs.

• Phishing isn’t relegated to just e-mail! Cybercriminals will also launch phishing attacks through phone calls, text messages, or other online messaging applications. Don’t know the sender or caller? Seem too good to be true? It’s probably a phishing attack.
• Know the signs. Does the e-mail contain a vague salutation, spelling or grammatical errors, an urgent request, and/or an offer that seems impossibly good? Click that delete button.
• Verify the sender. Check the sender’s e-mail address to make sure it’s legitimate. If it appears that your institution’s help desk is asking you to click on a link to increase your mailbox quota, but the sender is “UniversityHelpDesk@yahoo.com,” it’s a phishing message.
• Don’t be duped by aesthetics. Phishing e-mails often contain convincing logos, links to actual company websites, legitimate phone numbers, and e-mail signatures of actual employees. However, if the message is urging you to take action — especially action such as sending sensitive information, clicking on a link, or downloading an attachment — exercise caution and look for other telltale signs of phishing attacks. Don’t hesitate to contact the company directly; they can verify legitimacy and may not even be aware that their name is being used for fraud.
• Never, ever share your password. Did we say never? Yup, we mean never. Your password is the key to your identity, your data, and your classmates’ and colleagues’ data. It is for your eyes only. Your institution’s help desk or IT department will never ask you for your password.
• Avoid opening links and attachments from unknown senders. Get into the habit of typing known URLs into your browser. Don’t open attachments unless you’re expecting a file from someone. Give them a call if you’re suspicious.
• When you’re not sure, call to verify. Let’s say you receive an e-mail claiming to be from someone you know — a friend, colleague, or even the president of your college or university. Cybercriminals often spoof addresses to convince you, then request that you perform an action such as transfer funds or provide sensitive information. If something seems off about the e-mail, call them at a known number listed in your institution’s directory to confirm the request.
• Don’t talk to strangers! Receive a call from someone you don’t know? Are they asking you to provide information or making odd requests? Hang up the phone and report it to the help desk.
• Don’t be tempted by abandoned flash drives. Cybercriminals may leave flash drives lying around for victims to pick up and insert, thereby unknowingly installing malware on their computers. You might be tempted to insert a flash drive only to find out the rightful owner, but be wary — it could be a trap.
• See someone suspicious? Say something. If you notice someone suspicious walking around or “tailgating” someone else, especially in an off-limits area, call campus safety.
  

Partially reposted from:  http://er.educause.edu/blogs/2016/11/february-2017-learn-what-it-takes-to-refuse-the-phishing-bait

COMPLETED - Emergency system maintenance this evening after 1:00 AM

Please be advised, ITS will be performing emergency system maintenance this evening, 2/14/2017 after 1:00 AM, that will temporarily affect a number of services. The affected services include:

• Self-service Banner
• Sign Sign On (SSO) for Banner
• Verify stations (the One Card Database will be down temporarily)
• Evisions
• DegreeWorks
• Paypal transactions

Services should be restored within 2 hours of the start of the interruption.

- - - - -

Updated at 1:58 AM, 2/14/2017:

All systems are back up.

Moodle System Offline for 10 minutes

The moodle system will be off line for approximately 10 minutes to perform emergency maintenance.

RESOLVED - Banner Test Environments Temporarily Down for Emergency Maintenance

ITS has diagnosed an issue affecting our virtual servers. We are temporarily taking down our Banner test environments for emergency maintenance. The test environments should be back up by 12:00pm today. We will post an update here as soon as the environments are back online.

- - - - -

Updated at 11:45am, 2/13/2017:

The Banner Test Environment is back online.

RESOLVED - Issue with: One Card, Verify stations, POS stations

ITS was notified around 9:15 am of an issue with the One Card database, affecting all Verify and POS stations. The issue was resolved around 9:45 am. Please contact its@manhattan.edu if you experience any further issues.

Insert videos from Google Drive in Google Slides

Starting today, you can insert and play your Google Drive videos in Google Slides, in addition to videos from YouTube.

Once you’ve added a Drive video to your presentation, you can choose when to start and end it, whether it should autoplay when presenting, and whether it should be muted or play with audio. Simply right-click on the video and select Video options.

If a person viewing your presentation doesn’t have permission to view a video embedded within it, they’ll be prompted to request access.

Note that while you can play Drive videos in Slides on the web and mobile, you can only insert them from the web application. For more details, visit the Help Center.

reposted from the G Suite Update Blog

Removal of Out of Order Signs from Labs

In our continued effort toward environmental sustainability and operational efficiency, we are eliminating the paper "Out of Order" signs that currently reside in some computer labs.  These signs were put into place before our #TellITS campaign.  After discussing with the Infrastructure & Support College Technology Committee, it was decided that these papers and their plastic containers should be removed.

If you ever have a technology issue, please call (718)862-7973 or x7973, email its@manhattan.edu, or #TellITS

Client Services Closed Feb 14 from 2-5pm

All Client Services offices  will be closed Tuesday, February 14 from 2:00-5:00 pm so our student employees (STARS) are able to attend the 2017 Spring Career Fair.  Please plan accordingly.  For emergencies only, please call x7973.

Secure Manhattan College

go.manhattan.edu/cybersafety

To promote cyber safety and a more secure computing environment at Manhattan College our IT Services department is launching a Cyber Safety awareness campaign.

We have created a Cyber Safety quick link in the IT Services tab which contains best practices for remaining safe and smart online:
Cyber Safety

This new quick link contains the Manhattan College Cyber Pledge and a Cyber Security Quiz which will test your knowledge on the topic.
Please take a moment to review the Cyber Pledge and take the Cyber Security Quiz. Results will be posted in the blog.

More ways to protect yourself online:

You exist in digital form all over the Internet. It is thus important to ensure that the digital you matches what you are intending to share. It is also critical to guard your privacy — not only to avoid embarrassment, but also to protect your identity and finances!
Following are specific steps you can take to protect your online information, identity, and privacy.

• Use a unique password for each site. Hackers often use previously compromised information to access other sites. Choosing unique passwords keeps that risk to a minimum.
• Use a password manager. Using an encrypted password manager to store your passwords makes it easy to access and use a unique password for each site.
• Know what you are sharing. Check the privacy settings on all of your social media accounts; some even include a wizard to walk you through the settings. Always be cautious about what you post publicly.
• Guard your date of birth and telephone number. These are key pieces of information used for verification, and you should not share them publicly. If an online service or site asks you to share this critical information, consider whether it is important enough to warrant it.
• Keep your work and personal presences separate. Your employer has the right to access your e-mail account, so you should use an outside service for private e-mails. This also helps you ensure uninterrupted access to your private e-mail and other services if you switch employers.
• There are no true secrets online. Use the postcard or billboard test: Would you be comfortable with everyone reading a message or post? If not, don't share it.

Partially reposted from http://er.educause.edu/blogs/2016/11/january-2017-keep-whats-private-private

Internet Connectivity Outage

ITS has been informed of intermittent connectivity issues affecting the college campus on both wired and wireless. The issue was first reported around 8:00AM. There were some connectivity issues upstream past our Internet Service Provider that caused some routing issues. The issue was resolved around 9:00am. We apologize for the inconvenience. 

Login Issue Last Night

There was a login issue last night affecting college web resources.  The issue was first reported at 12:17AM.  The issue was resolved by 4AM.  Sorry for any inconvenience.