Four steps to strengthen your digital strategy

Mark Price, Pugh Computers Ltd’s Business Development Director, recaps the key takeaways from their recent gofod3 session on Microsoft Modern Workplace & AI.

Following our session at gofod3 in June I wanted to follow up with some clear practical actions voluntary organisations in Wales can take today (and even for free!) to start innovating with Microsoft Modern Workplace and Copilot AI (Artificial Intelligence).

Embrace the future of work with Microsoft 365!

Firstly, if you are still using on-premises Microsoft Office, whether it’s Office 2021, 2019 or even 2016 (which is now almost a decade old!), I highly recommend moving to the cloud, so that’s either Microsoft 365 or Office 365.

Moving to the cloud brings immediate benefits, including easily accessible cloud file storage and the ability to use Office on different devices, such as desktop PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones – your staff and volunteers can log in from anywhere! Even if you haven’t installed the Office 365 apps on a particular device, you can still log in and access the apps via a web browser on most devices, and with cloud storage, your files are securely accessible from anywhere.

Then, on top of the Office 365 apps and cloud storage, Microsoft 365 gives you the addition of Windows and all the extra security tools which are invaluable for voluntary organisations who may not have their own dedicated IT and/or cybersecurity team.

And best of all, there are exclusive non-profit grants and discounts available for Microsoft licenses and Azure credits, making all these tools more affordable and accessible than ever before for voluntary organisations in Wales.

Watch the Modern Workplace section of our gofod3 session to discover more

Microsoft Copilot – Your everyday AI companion!

We’ve all been there where we have an urgent grant application to complete by the morning and we don’t know where to start, or you need to present your latest fundraising plan, but you’re stuck staring at blank slides. And in today’s world, we’ve all joined a remote meeting late and felt lost not knowing what was discussed.

Using Copilot for Microsoft 365, within just seconds, you can draft detailed Word documents, create engaging PowerPoint presentations, summarise Teams meetings and email threads, and much more, bringing in work files and data, all within the secure confines of your Microsoft 365 environment.

Copilot is designed to be your everyday AI companion, meaning you can also simply chat with it to develop ideas and ask questions, and revisit those chats at any time to delve a bit deeper or to ask why. And when using work data rather than just what’s on the web, Copilot becomes a powerful business tool for developing and proof-reading bespoke fundraising strategies, grant proposals, volunteer job descriptions and so much more.

You can use the free Web version of Microsoft Copilot right away, and I recommend this as a good way to get a feel for Copilot and what it can do. But to make the most of the integrations with Office apps and work files, you need Copilot for Microsoft 365. This version of Copilot will not work with on-premises Office such as Office 2021, it requires the cloud-based Office 365.

The most effective way I’ve seen organisations start using Copilot for Microsoft 365 is to buy a couple of licenses for key staff to try out. Then, further down the line, roll Copilot out for a department of 5-10 people so they can test it out together as a team. This encourages collaboration – and it’s when your staff and volunteers will start appreciating the productivity, creativity and time-saving benefits that Copilot offers – and often eventually leads to full organisation-wide adoption.

The transformational power that Microsoft Modern Workplace and Copilot AI solutions can bring to your voluntary organisation is exciting and can offer huge return on investment (especially given the grants and discounts I previously mentioned)

Check out our gofod3 Copilot demo to see it in action!

24/7 protection against advanced cybersecurity threats

Security is a crucial part of the Modern Workplace. In addition to more traditional security measures such as anti-virus software and enforcing strong and regularly updated passwords, it’s important to have multi-factor authentication tools in place to ensure hackers cannot log in from untrusted devices or unusual locations, even when they may know your user’s login credentials.

Cybersecurity also plays a key role when using Copilot. Ensuring that up-to-date document classifications and robust access permissions are in place becomes critical to ensure that Copilot cannot inadvertently (or even deliberately if that’s the user’s intention) access and use resources that a particular staff member or volunteer should not have access to, such as confidential HR or managerial data.

Cybersecurity is often seen as a complex topic and can get in the way of voluntary organisations achieving their mission, especially for those who may not have their own IT and cybersecurity staff. Based on conversations, I know that many voluntary organisations in Wales aren’t sure what security tools they have access to, and even if they do, planning how to implement them all correctly is a massive headache!

Even voluntary organisations who do have dedicated IT and cybersecurity teams often see their available resources stretched. What happens when your team are asleep or on their Christmas holidays? Attackers are relentless and will ramp up their efforts at these times knowing these are when organisations are at their most vulnerable.

To combat this, there are affordable 24/7 managed security solutions available, giving you peace of mind against even the most advanced out-of-hours cybersecurity threats.

Jump directly to the security section of our gofod3 session to discover more

Connect and engage with hybrid meetings and events!

Given the flexibility that comes with the Modern Workplace, with some team members working from home on a desktop PC, some at a coffee shop with a laptop and a headset, and some preferring to head to the office, Microsoft Teams hybrid meeting space solutions bring your team back together as one.

A hybrid meeting space can take many different forms, from simply being a user with a laptop and a headset, all the way through to fully kitted-out meeting rooms, collaboration areas, community halls, and anything in between. Similar to our own setup at gofod3, these room solutions typically include a large interactive board for sharing presentations and videos, and high-quality cameras, speakers and microphones for engaging one-to-one or group meetings and hybrid events.

Being able to connect and engage with people from across the world in an instant provides major sustainability and inclusivity benefits, with the digital whiteboard empowering your team to share screens, collaborate and brainstorm ideas from anywhere. Users can also pick up where they left off on other devices such as personal laptops and tablets at any time!

With sustainability at the core of these meeting space solutions, as well as installing a bespoke solution from scratch, you can also re-purpose any existing devices you have, ensuring they integrate seamlessly with your new modern setup to reduce waste and costs.

Catch up on our gofod3 interactive board live demo and case studies!

Get in touch!

For more information on any of these topics, check out the relevant parts of our gofod3 session at the links above, or get in touch with our friendly team of experts today who can support you on your digital journey:

• Pugh Sales Team – 01974 200 201 / sales@pugh.co.uk
• IT Manager & Head of AV Elfed Jenkins – 01974 200 216 / elfed@pugh.co.uk
• Technical Director Eifion Evans – 01974 200 203 / eifion@pugh.co.uk

Based near Aberystwyth, West Wales, Pugh Computers are a WCVA trusted supplier and Microsoft Modern Work Solutions Partner with over 43 years’ experience supplying the voluntary sector. Offering bilingual services in English and Welsh, Pugh specialise in software licensing and compliance, Modern Workplace and security, and sustainable and inclusive hybrid meeting spaces.