|
Green
Office Update
Sharon and Michelle are focusing on
their values more this month and next
month they plan to attend a Green Festival
in San Francisco with their families.
If you are interested in learning more
about doing business with a green twist,
check out www.greenfestivals.org.
Here is some information from their
website to let you know why Michelle
and Sharon are so passionate about
being GREEN! There are events coming
up in San Francisco, CA and Chicago,
IL.
"At the Green Festivals, we're celebrating
what's working in our communities,
for people, for businesses and for
the environment. Here, green
means safe, healthy communities and
strong, local economies. Green
is the color of hope, of social and
economic justice, of ecological balance."
Featured
Article:Managing
Your Own Virtual Assistance Team
- Part 3
By
Patty Benton
www.moretime4u.org
In Part
1, we explored how a lead Virtual
Assistant (VA) could locate other
quality Virtual Assistants (VAs)
to do sub-contract work for themwhile
ensuring the high quality of work
is still being presented to the lead
VA's client. In Part
2, we addressed issues lead Virtual
Assistants face in trusting and paying
other Virtual Assistants. The following
article will explore how lead VAs
can best manage projects that they
have sub-contracted out to other
Virtual Assistants to complete for
the Lead VA's clients.
It is exciting when a Virtual Assistant
can take his or her business to the
next level and begin sub-contracting
out some of the work that their clients
need assistance with. At first, a VA
may only be able to sub-contract a
limited number of projects. However,
as a lead VA continues to grow his
or her organization, he or she may
find that they can sub-contract multiple
projects at the same time. This can
become more difficult to manage as
the number of projects that the lead
VA is sub-contracting increases. Some
questions the lead VA might be asking
himself/herself are "do I keep
track of the progress of all projects?
How do I ensure that there is a safe
transfer of work? How can I check in
on projects while the sub-contracting
VA is still working on those projects?" The
answer to all of these questions is
the use of one simple tool -- SharePoint.
SharePoint is is a Microsoft product
that allows the user to connect with
their team by being able to collaborate
on projects, maintain communication
within a team (virtual or otherwise),
and to store the necessary team files
in centralized, secure location that
is accessible to the whole team. SharePoint
can be obtained through and ISP that
hosts SharePoint or by purchasing the
application and setting up on a local
server. The first option is much less
costly and labor intensive, but both
options are viable options depending
upon a VA's needs, budget and technical
expertise.
"How can I keep track
of the progress of your projects using
SharePoint?"
By creating 'Issues'
(similar to projects or tasks) within
the application, a lead VA can set
up each project with full project details.
This can include task directions, due
dates, payment information, a list
of team members that are working on
the project, and much more. Once team
members are assigned to an 'Issue',
they can update the 'Issue(s)' daily
to indicate the project status. Within
these updates, those assigned to a
task can make notes about changes to
the 'Issue(s)', answer questions, and
attaching copies of documents relating
to the 'Issue'. The lead VA can see
changes as the sub-contracting VA posts
them to SharePoint. If he/she needs
to provide a client with a status update
on a particular project, he/she can
do so without having to contact the
sub-contracting VA, but by simply reviewing
the "Issue within SharePoint.
SharePoint also tracks the 'history'
of an "Issue" so past information
is placed in a history log, which allows
a user to easily follow the progress
of an 'Issue'.
"How do I ensure
safe transfer of work using SharePoint?"
Project
documents can be uploaded to SharePoint
and stored there for all users that
are assigned to a project or for administrators
to access. A lead VA can configure
the site to allow certain users to
have permissions to access the site.
The easiest way to do this is to set
up a sub-site for each client. The
easiest way to explain this is that
SharePoint has a main site that consists
of multiple sub-sites. The main site
works as the portal to each of the
sub-sites, which each have a unique
set of permissions. Only those with
permission can access individual sub-sites.
This allows the lead VA to ensure that
only those sub-contracting VAs that
are working on an individual client's
project are given permission to that
client's site. In 'Issues' that have
multiple sub-contracting VAs assigned
to them, the lead VA can also configure
the site to allow team members assigned
to the 'Issue' to upload the most current
version of the project they are working
on to the SharePoint site at the end
of the day.
"How can I check in
on projects while they are being worked
on using SharePoint?"
When a lead
VA trains his/her team members to upload
the most current version of the project
to SharePoint site each time they finish
working on it, the lead VA can then
easily check on the teams' progress
on each 'Issue'. By using this method,
the lead VA can ensure the sub-contracting
VA is completing the project correctly,
is on target, and they can easily notify
the client of progress.
SharePoint
has many more great features that can
help any VA to run a Virtual Assistance
team successfully. In addition, a VA
can introduce his/her clients to all
its amazing benefits so they can also
use the application. Overall, SharePoint
is an easy and effective tool to use
to share files, 'Issues' (projects/tasks),
clients and more with a team. With
all of the vast features that SharePoint
has to offer, it can often be intimidating
when it is first being configured.
However, Andrea Kalli, Virtual Trainer & Assistant,
LLC www.virtualassist.net, is an expert
on configuring and using SharePoint.
She offers training and/or will help
to configure SharePoint to maximize
your specific needs.
You have permission to
reprint this article electronically
or in print, as long as the text and
byline remain unedited. A courtesy
copy of your publication would be appreciated.
© 2006
JERPAT Virtual Assistant. All Rights
Reserved
About the author: Patty Benton
is the owner of JERPAT Virtual Assistants
and JERPAT Web Design, www.moretime4u.org
, which provides affordable administrative
and Web design support to coaches,
small businesses, religious organizations,
and realtors. Additionally, Patty is
a coach for new entrepreneurs interested
in venturing into the virtual assistance
industry that is affordable to all,
and she has also written an e-book
that takes virtual assistants through
the process of setting up their business.
Visit her coaching site at http://www.virtualvacoach.com
for program details and great business
resources. She has also partnered to
establish the ministry Acknowledging
Christ Together at Work www.actatwork.com
. If you would like to receive Patty's
articles and other tips in your mailbox
every month, you can sign up at http://www.mortime4u.org/home.html.
Upcoming
Events
The Virtual Nation MasterMind Group
The MasterMind group is postponed
for now. The July brainstorm session
went so well, but this time around
the interest seemed to wane. Michelle
and Sharon would like to know if you
prefer a lower cost, different date/time,
or different format. Maybe some
of you weren't sure if the format had
changed. It's still the same
whether you call it brainstorm or mastermind.
What is a MasterMind Group?
According to www.PassionForBusiness.com,
a MasterMind group is where "there
is synergy of energy, commitment, and
excitement that participants bring
to a MasterMind Group. The beauty
of MasterMind Groups is that participants
raise the bar by challenging each other
to create and implement goals, brainstorm
ideas, and support each other with
total honesty, respect and compassion. MasterMind
participants act as catalysts for growth,
devil's advocates and supportive colleagues."
New Horizons Computer Learning Center
What: Fireworks MX,
Level 1 Graphics Design/Web Design
Class
When: November 14,
2006 (all day class)
Where: 1215 Howe
Avenue, Sacramento, CA
Cost: $100 off class
if you register through The Virtual
Nation.
Let us know if you are interested
in attending this in-person class,
as we must have at least five people
to get this special rate.
michelle@thevirtualnation.com or
916-484-6945
Marketplace
One of our new members,
Kate LaFrance, submitted her banner ad for this
month's Marketplace feature. You can check out
her website at www.helpvirtual.biz.
Would you like to
have a banner ad or classified (text only) ad in
our ezine? You can have up to a 50-word ad with
live links. Discounts available for multiple insertions.
Check
out our full line of advertising options.
return
to the top..
Resources
Get $25 Off your first order
from PrintingForLess.com
Tired of paying too
much and waiting too long to print your advertising
materials? We were too! Then we
discovered PrintingForLess.com:
-
Up to 50% cheaper than offline
commercial printers
-
Instant online pricing for over
20 product types, including postcards, brochures,
business cards, catalogs, stationery, presentation
folders and much moreOnline proofingAcceptance
of almost of ANY file type imaginableIndustry-leading
customer service from graphics professionals
-
Industry-leading Heidelberg presses
produce the highest quality four-color printing
of your promotional materials
Order from www.PrintingForLess.com and
receive $25 off of your first printing order.
Simply input RP1I59XEL in
the Promotional Code field on any PrintingForLess
ordering page when completing your order, and you
will see the discount applied on your receipt. TVN has a lot of other incredible resources
to choose from. If you are in need of forms, templates,
information on starting a business in California,
where to go to find great books, printers, and more,
it's all on the website. Click
here to have a look.
return
to the top..
Advertising
Disclaimer:
The Virtual Nation™ does
not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability
of any of the paid advertisements above or the
quality of any products, information, or other
materials displayed, purchased, or obtained by
you as a result of an offer in connection with
any ad. You are responsible for handling your own
due diligence before purchasing any product or
service.
Thank You for Joining Me!
**IMPORTANT**
You are receiving this ezine because you subscribed
on our website or purchased one of our products
or services. If you've received this ezine from
a friend, don't forget to sign up for this ezine
on our website. We changed ezine delivery company
several months ago, so you may need to sign up
again at http://www.profcs.com/app/join.asp?merchantid=96717
With Gratitude,
Michelle Ulrich
Want to share your gratitude? Mosey
on over to the Gratitude
Club and check it out.
|
