Technology Tools for Streamlining Administrative Processes

Technology Tools for Streamlining Administrative Processes

Session presented at NCAIE State Conference, March 13, 2009. Presented by Amy Mabery, Coordinator of UNCW International Student Services.

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Contents

Website ? "I'm only going to say this once!"................................................................................... 4 Newsletter ? Once a Month, Reusable Year After Year.................................................................... 4

Skimmer Friendly Plain Text E-newsletters......................................................................... 4 Skimmer Friendly HTML E-newsletter................................................................................. 5

General Tips for Creating Your Own HTML Newsletter.......................................... 5 Choosing Your Software............................................................................ 6 Modifying a Free HTML Newsletter Template........................................... 6 Step 1. Prepare your graphics.................................................................. 6 Step 2. Add your graphic logo.................................................................. 6 Step 3. Enter the dimensions of your graphics......................................... 6 Step 4: Add anchors (bookmarks) for each section.................................. 7 Step 5: Link opening preview to article anchors...................................... 7 Special Consideration When Designing an HTML Newsletter................... 7 Step 6: Sending your HTML e-newsletter................................................. 7

Repetitive E-mails ? Save as Outlook Signatures.............................................................................. 8 Mail Merge for E-mails, Letters, Labels............................................................................................ 8

Step 1: Start mail merge - choose document type............................................................. 8 Step 2: Select recipients - connect to your data source..................................................... 9 Step 3: Insert merge fields................................................................................................. 9 Step 4: Edit recipient list.................................................................................................... 9 Step 5: Finish & merge....................................................................................................... 9 At your fingertips ? Putting your favorites on the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT)............................. 10 Step 1: Locate the files you want on your QAT................................................................. 10 Step 2: Record the macros............................................................................................... 10

Macro Troubleshooting........................................................................................ 10 Step 4: Adding your custom macros to the QAT............................................................... 11 Survey Tool for Online "Applications" ........................................................................................... 12

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This handout provides an introductory explanation of low cost electronic tools available to help offices cope with repetitive administrative tasks. The information provided covers instructional web sites, electronic newsletters, Outlook signature for repetitive e-mails, mail merge to create labels, letters and more, and finally, using an online survey tool to collect data from students.

Website ? "I'm only going to say this once!"

A simple solution for making important information available to a wide audience is to post the material on your Website. Once the material is on the web, you can easily refer others to the information without

having to re-type it in an e-mail. Also, if you refer people to the Website, and keep the Website current, you make it easier for your audience to access up to date information.

Advantages of web over print: Material posted on a Website is more difficult to lose and/or `throw away.' Imagine you've just picked up a dozen papers from a recent workshop. Where are those papers within two weeks? If you're like me, they get lost or make their way to a recycle bin. But if the information is on a webpage, you can look up the information when you need it.

Fig. A: Instructions Website

Newsletter ? Once a Month, Reusable Year After Year

Sometimes you actually need to send out information heavy e-mails. There is probably a pattern to the information you send (for instance, my office sends out travel signature reminders before Fall & Spring break). Start saving those e-mails and compile them into monthly or quarterly newsletters. With a few modifications, you can re-use the newsletters year after year.

Skimmer Friendly Plain Text E-newsletters

Tell the truth, you don't read e-mails word for word, and neither will your readers. Don't fight it! Design your e-mail newsletters for people who skim. Here are some skimmer friendly tips.

1. Have an opening preview - one line or bulleted list

2. Have a bold header for each content section 3. Keep content sections short

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Fig. B: Skimmer Friendly plain-text newsletter

Skimmer Friendly HTML E-newsletter

A newsletter does not have to be plain text. Many of your constituents can receive HTML emails. If you chose an HTML e-newsletter format, you still need to make sure your e-mail is skimmer friendly. Here are some skimmer friendly tips for HTML newsletters.

1. Graphic Logo: What's the benefit of an HTML newsletter if you don't have at least 1 graphic?

2. Link for Website version: If they can't read the HTML, make it easy for them to find the web version.

3. Have an opening preview: just like the plain text newsletter. If you will have multiple content sections then make your preview a bulleted list.

Fig. C: Skimmer Friendly HTML E-Newsletter

4. Bold header for each content section

5. Keep content sections short:

6. Read more... link to online handouts/web pages when appropriate

General Tips for Creating Your Own HTML Newsletter With the right tools, you can easily create your own HTML e-newsletter. WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) software is often used to refer to HTML editing software. In this type of software, instead of writing code, the user works with the content in a view that feels very similar to the final output. While the user types, the software creates the HTML behind the scenes.

Fig. D: Layout view. The user types and inserts pictures in a way that looks similar to the final output.

Fig. E: Source view. The software writes the code while the user types.

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