eImagine Technology Group

eImagine is a Microsoft SharePoint expert, providing enterprise solutions to clients in a variety of industries. eImagine utilizes the powerful out-of-the-box SharePoint features to their fullest extent to provide solutions that quickly connect people with the right information, convert insight into organization knowledge, and simplify how people work together. eImagine's client list includes the Indiana State Government, the United States Federal Government, and numerous large commercial clients.

eImagine has been involved in all facets of SharePoint, providing full-scale solutions from infrastructure hosting of SharePoint Server to custom application development within the SharePoint platform. eImagine's Microsoft Certified staff collectively holds numerous certifications in SharePoint, qualifying eImagine as one of Indianapolis's few companies to hold a Silver Competency in Microsoft's Partner Network for Portals and Collaboration. eImagine is proud to offer employees who are truly subject matter experts when it comes to applying SharePoint solutions to business processes.

eImagine has the Microsoft SharePoint solution you need. Because of our proven SharePoint expertise, eImagine is well suited to provide an out-of-the-box SharePoint solution, or a highly customized product. With numerous past successes in this arena, we are confident in the ability to provide a successful and timely solution.

It can be difficult to maintain your social media strategy and efforts while at a conference, out of town, or when visiting a client site. Here are a few tips to help keep things organized and running for the days you're away from the office.

1. Utilize Apps: There truly are apps for everything these days and several will help you stay productive while you're away from the office. If you use a service to schedule and track your social media posts, check and see if they have an app. Like we've mentioned before, eImagine uses Hootsuite and their iPad app is convenient, easy to use, and makes life easy while on the go.  If you don't use a service like this, then just the basic Facebook and Twitter apps are still beneficial. No one wants to keep logging in on a browser or trying to squint to read everything. These apps keep your screen organized and information easy to read, post, and edit.

2. Plan: Business trips aren't always planned in advance and your schedule isn't always set like it can be when you're at the office. Figure out when you'll have some free time and plan to work on social media during that time. If you need to, schedule it on your calendar as a meeting so you have a set time to work on it. Otherwise, between catching flights or bouncing through meetings you'll never find the time.  I personally think the morning is the easiest. Before you head to an off-site, conference, or where ever you may be going, take a few minutes and schedule some posts.  Evenings are usually difficult because it's late, your day has probably run later than expected, you may have a dinner or event with other out of towners, or you may just want to relax.

3. Minimize: Don't feel like you have to keep up with the same volume of posts that you do while you're in the office. It may not be feasible if you don't have internet connection, are in meetings all day, etc. Figure out what is the most important in your social media strategy and focus on that. If your priority is to always thank followers or welcome new ones then just do that for a day or two. If the strength of your social media is the promotion of your blog or other company content, then focus on that instead. Taking a break from other topics within your strategy will help you stay organized.

4. Take Notes: It may seem strange but the change of pace or scenery when you're out of the office may provide you with some new content for blogs or social media posts. As you think of these things make sure you write down or record your thoughts so you can come back to them later for a post or blog. Maybe you want to tell your followers where you are and cover the event your attending. Keeping track of what you want to post can again help keep you organized and provide you with lots of great extra content!

With just these few small hints you can be tweeting and ready to hit the road in no time!

Here are some ways eImagine does our part to be Green:

1. Providing a recycling can for employees to recycle aluminum cans, plastic bottles, steel food cans, etc.  
    
2. Collecting aluminum can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House  
    
3. Recycling packaging and shipping boxes  
    
4. Mailing in used printer ink cartridges to be recycled  
    
5. Shredding/Recycling used printer paper  
    
6. Turning off lights and computers when leaving the office at the end of the day  
    
7. Making multiple cups of coffee per K-cup (if only the K-cups themselves could be recycled…)  
    
8. Riding our bikes to work (ok so only one or two of us do this, but it’s a start)  
    
9. Carpooling to the office, when going to offsite meetings, or going to lunch when possible  
    
10. Drinking out of reusable water bottles for water and ceramic coffee mugs for coffee/tea  
     

If you want to start a recycling effort at your company, read my blog post for tips: Is Your Company Being Green?

It's that time of year again... People are taking vacations, heading on Spring Break with their families, or calling in sick from those lovely Indiana springtime allergies. How do you handle your social media strategy with those key 1 or 2 people out of the office? Do you have enough resources to fill in the gap? It can be difficult in small businesses to find a way to bridge this gap especially if only 1 or 2 individuals run all your social media. For one, there's a lot to learn for someone who may just be stepping into the role for a short amount of time. For another, having someone else step in may disrupt the consistency or the voice of your regular social media efforts.

If you know that your 'social media guru' will be out of the office you can fill the gap in a few different ways.

1. Schedule posts. People schedule posts throughout the day anyway, so why not have your social media posts schedule for the entire time that people will be out of the office? At eImagine we use Hootsuite for scheduling, but there are many other options that can help if you know someone will be out ahead of time. If no warning of absence is given, then consider adjusting your strategy to always schedule posts a day ahead. That way if someone is out at the last minute, you aren't silent for a whole day!

2. Notify your followers. There's no reason you can't have someone else step in, but letting your followers know who is posting can help. This way if tweets become more infrequent, your social media voice changes from informative to being humorous, or posts start focusing more heavily on certain topics than they normally do, your followers will know why.

3. At the very least, do the bare minimum - REPLY. If you are known to have high interaction with your followers and you consistently answer questions, thank followers, or have any other dialog it is key to continue these communications. Even if you don't have any other type of posts, just a simple reply like "We're working on your problem/question and will get back with you soon!" is better than nothing. This will buy you a day or two of time until the social media person can then answer the questions or interact with the followers.

Happy Spring! Look for my next blog on ways to travel and tweet - for those of you who are out of the office or travelling for business and are still responsible for social media.

In February, I was selected to represent eImagine Technology Group at an Indiana University Career Services Career Panel. We were given the opportunity to have a dialog with some students about our first jobs after graduation, and our careers since then.

There were about 12 different employers on the panel, all represented by IU alums. We were graduates from as recent as 2011, and going back as far as the 1980's! Job roles by the panelists were greatly varied, including administrators, managers, IT professionals, and even a lawyer.

The topics discussed by the panel revolved mostly about what courses, activities, and experiences from campus were most important or best applied in the real world. Many students had concerns about their activities, and how too much or too little of any one type of event or activity would affect their ability to get a job and form a career after graduation.

Each panelist was given an opportunity to speak on questions asked by the students and panel hosts. With such a diverse group, the responses were very diverse. Some panelists were very involved in student societies and club activities. Others worked part or full time as a work study. Others still poured their time into academics striving for the highest grade point average... Despite the diversity of the panelists, I was struck by the overwhelming positive message delivered to the students about their future careers. From panelist experiences it was clear no matter what the focus as a student, be it work or grades or serving the community, we were all able to build great careers. The students left the room with confidence they were on a good path toward their future careers.

Thanks are due to IU Career Services for allowing me to have such a positive panelist experience. I am excited about the next generation of students graduating soon!

The Taste of Carmel wasn’t like any of our usual community service events that we participate in each year. We mainly focus on events/fundraisers that help find a cure and we also participate in a Habitat for Humanity build every year. However, we are always looking for new ways to show support for our local community. The Taste of Carmel did just that; we were able to show our support for a local elementary school.

Attendees of the Taste of Carmel were able to “sample” 38 local restaurants; I put sample in quotations, because the samples were pretty big portions.  We all walked away from the event stuffed! There was also a silent auction, live entertainment, and a photo booth.

Although the restaurants enticed people to participate in this event, the main focus was Orchard Park Elementary (OPE) School. Did you know that OPE is a Title I school, and that more than 40% of the students that attend OPE are on the free or reduced lunch plan? The Taste of Carmel was designed to help these students and enhance school programs. Some of things this fundraiser will support this year include: building a walking track for the students, assisting teachers with classroom purchases, providing scholarships, providing interactive school programs, and supporting families and students in times of need.

The Taste of Carmel event helped to raise over $20,000 with 100% of the proceeds benefitting OPE elementary students, and it broke all kinds of records! The 2012 event had the highest attendance (700+), most restaurants (38), and most money raised compared to previous years.

This was my second time attending the Taste of Carmel and I have to say it has more than doubled in attendance and restaurants participating in the event. This year I went to the Taste of Carmel with a few of my coworkers, and we had a blast! We are already planning to go next year!

You either hate meeting or love them (and sometimes both during the same meeting). Some of us have meetings every day, multiple times each day, whereas others have one or two a week. In my opinion, whether or not you love or hate meetings depends on two main objectives:

1. Purpose of Meeting
2. Takeaways

Have you ever been in a meeting where had no clue why you are there? Have you ever attended a meeting in which you did not know the ground rules or understanding of what needs to be accomplished during the meeting? Have you ever been in a meeting in which you had all of these great ideas mapped out, but you realized no one was assigned any tasks or takeaways after the meeting was finished? Then a week later, you speak with the other meeting attendees and cannot remember what the tasks were and who was assigned to them (perhaps no one was assigned to certain tasks, but you all thought the tasks were being taken care of). Have you ever experienced any of these scenarios? I know I have multiple times.

Question: How do you try to prevent these issues? My suggestions are below:

Always try to make sure you clearly state the purpose of the meeting. My suggestion is to have an agenda (especially if the meeting duration is one hour or more). Regardless, walk through the stated purpose of the meeting and what are you going to accomplish. Discuss if everyone in attendance can stay for the entire duration of the meeting. Please make sure all attendees understand why they are there and what the group hopes to accomplish by the end of the meeting.

Next, make sure you set aside time to discuss ‘takeaways’. What I mean by ‘takeaways’ is clearly state the task with a quick description, who is assigned to each task, and when the tasks are due. I have found all of this information is necessary so when the meeting adjourns, everyone can work together and understand what needs to be accomplished. This prevents team members from ‘finger pointing’, since everyone understands assigned takeaways with clear due dates.

The two objectives I state above (Purpose and Takeaways) are so simple, but we tend to forget them all the time. I challenge you to try both in future meetings and evaluate your results. Other suggestions for successful meetings are welcomed. What do you do to facilitate the success of your meetings?

Happy meetings!

 

The Q2 2012 Service Update for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is going to be a good one. Microsoft has released a guide highlighting major features and enhancements that will be included in the upcoming release. Here is a summary of some of the good stuff to come...

Yes! Native CRM apps are coming to popular smartphones and tablets! This includes Windows Phone, Apple's iPhone/iPad, Android phones, and Blackberry devices. Most devices will have online and offline modes. A new "mobile license" will allow named users to access CRM from up to three different devices at once. Availability of mobile features can be managed at an company/organizational level.

Finally, support for browsers other than Internet Explorer! The lineup includes recent versions of Firefox and Chrome on Windows machines, and Firefox and Safari on Apple Mac OS-X and iOS machines. This expanded web access also introduces Rapid View Forms, which can be configured for quick and easy read-only lookup on record details. As Microsoft figured out with them CRM 4 to 2011 upgrade, more configurable form options are always a better thing!

Expanding on the CRM 2011 November Service Update, there will be more and better integrated social features with Twitter, Facebook, blogging, etc. This should allow CRM to become a "hub" for managing and tracking business social media interactions. The "What's New" module has been enhanced to provide quick access and control of insights in a beautifully layed out fashion. I have a feeling this is going to take Microsoft's "first step" toward social media management to "full sprint."

CRM is used by a variety of industries including distribution, manufacturing, public sector, retail, services... and the list goes on. New, pre-configured, industry-specific templates are being released to the Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace from Microsoft Dynamics Labs. This will allow for more rapid implementation and a starting point for the industries supported. This includes a much-awaited Non-profit template! As a guy who sets up a lot of basic prototype demos in CRM this will make my life much easier for some of those industries.

SQL Server 2012 support is coming in this update. The main thing this means is better performance and response time. More details will be coming out about additional enhancements like new self-service business intelligence features and much, much more. Reporting integration with SharePoint is also rapidy expanded by use of the SQL Server 2012 Reporting Services Add-in, Power View (Project Crescent). It can also be used in conjunction with Excel PowerPivot and SSAS. This greatly expands the options and accessibility for data visualization directly from CRM data.

Microsoft Data Centers and Dynamics CRM Online Service are already compliant with several major privacy, security, and regulatory certifications since the Novermber 2011 service update. With the Q2 2012 update, Microsoft will increase that number further, bringing CRM into compliance the following: ISO 27001, SAS70 Type II, Sarbanes-Oxley, Safe Harbor, HIPAA, SSAE 16 SOC1 Type II, Data Processing Agreement, and EU Model Clauses.

...And there's more to come than just those highlighted areas listed above. CRM Online customers should get extra excited due to ever-needed expansion of features previously only available to on-premises implementations (custom workflow activities!!). eImagine is one of the largest Microsoft Dynamic CRM consulting firms in Indiana... We're super excited and you should be too! Read up and get in the know for this major update!

[Download the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Roadmap Release Preview Guide for the Q2 2012 Service Update]

I am in charge of the recycling initiative at eImagine Technology Group. This consists of promoting recycling efforts, keeping my coworkers informed of what can and can not be recycled, and delivering bags of recycling the recycling center.

Since eImagine provides soft drinks for their employees, the recycling bin fills up quickly with aluminum cans and other recyclables. I can’t even imagine throwing all these cans away! Although recycling can be intimidating at first, it can be rewarding knowing that you did your part. We all have to do our part to preserve the environment.

If you want to help start a recycling effort at your company, here are a few tips to consider:

1. Create a recycling plan to present to upper management. As long as you have a plan in place for what you want to do…who could say no to recycling?



2. Request the purchase of a recycling bin and trash bags. It is important that the recycling bin has the recycling symbol on it so that employees know that it is for recyclable items and not trash.



3. Locate the nearest recycling center and research what type of items they will accept. Chances are there may be a recycling center in your office complex.



4. Keep your coworkers informed of your recycling efforts and what items they can and cannot recycle. The last thing you want is to be sorting through the recycling bin to discard trash or other items that your recycling center will not accept.



5. Make regular trips to the recycling center. Don't let the recycling pile too high till it becomes overwhelming!



6. Ask for help and get coworkers involved. Taking turns delivering the recycling to recycling center helps share the workload and makes recycling easier for all.

What's New in .NET 4.5 - Features and Updates [Download the PDF]

When people think about CRM, they are often boxed in to the Customer Relationship Management paradigm. A traditional CRM system typically handles management of customers, sales, and support. eImagine provides CRM solutions using Microsoft Dynamics CRM, which is Microsoft's solution for managing CRM.

What many do not know, however, is that the Microsoft Dynamics product family is build off a very power "XRM" framework that can be easily and rapidly extended from the traditional CRM paradigm. "XRM" means "Anything (X)" Relationship Management. Using the XRM platform, you can manage relationships between any types of entities, not just customers. Basically, the XRM platform allows you to accomplish 80% of this with administrator or consultant driven customization and configuration. The remaining 20% of the business needs can be added through development extension. The XRM platform is web service based, and can be easily extended by a developer using the standard Microsoft .NET framework.

eImagine is an Indianapolis-area leader in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Whether you're looking for an out-of-the-box CRM implementation, and highly customized solution, or an XRM-based extended CRM product, we're the local company with the expert staff to get it done!

eImagine's subsidiary company, Tenpointsix, has developed a highly custom XRM platform for field service, work order dispatch, and asset management. Demonstrating the flexibility of XRM the front-end of Microsoft Dynamics CRM has been extended to run natively on iPad and iPhone devices. Tenpointsix is available as a software as a service SaaS solution, or as an on-premise installation. Learn more about the best field service product in the business.

Update: I was able to reproduce this problem, and have reported it to Microsoft as a bug for resolution. Please vote for it as an important fix so it can be resolved in the next Rollup Update!

Let me tell you a little story about a bug...

I had just completed a complex workflow process in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. The workflow checks a number of conditions and then sends one (of any numerous) email templates to a distribution group filled with dynamic fields from the primary and related entities. It was painstaking created, tested, and modified several times until the conditions and templates were perfect. Then, I simply updated the "To" fields to make it live... But upon the first execution, no email went out and I got the error:

An error has occurred. Try this action again. If the problem continues, check the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Community for solutions or contact your organization's Microsoft Dynamics CRM Administrator. Finally, you can contact Microsoft Support.

No problem, I thought, I'll just go back in and mess with the Send Email steps that are failing to figure out what the problem is. But when I went to click the "View Properties" or "Edit Properties" to see/change the created email record, I got a CRM unhandled exception with the following stack trace:

[IndexOutOfRangeException: Index was outside the bounds of the array.]

at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Platform.WorkflowLibrary.WorkflowAdapter.GetEntityProperty( ExpressionBase propertyExpression)

at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Platform.WorkflowLibrary.WorkflowAdapter. GetEntityPropertyForProperty(PropertySpecification property, String uiXmlName, String& slugInfo)

at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Platform.WorkflowLibrary.WorkflowAdapter.PopulateEntityProperties( EntitySpecification entitySpec, EntityBase entity, String uiXmlName)

at Microsoft.Crm.Web.Sfa.EntityForm.get_FormEntity()

at Microsoft.Crm.Web.Sfa.EntityForm.ConfigurePage()

at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Controls.AppUIPage.OnPreRender(EventArgs e)

at System.Web.UI.Control.PreRenderRecursiveInternal()

at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)

[HttpUnhandledException: Exception of type 'System.Web.HttpUnhandledException' was thrown.]

at System.Web.UI.Page.HandleError(Exception e)

at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)

at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)

at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest()

at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context)

at System.Web.HttpApplication.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication. IExecutionStep.Execute()

at System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously)

Now I was stuck--I didn't want to recreate the entire workflow manually and painstakingly test over and over again manually. No one had ever heard of this problem, and I couldn't find anything online about how to solve it.

To solve it, I exported the workflow and dug through the XAML to find the root of the problem. When I created the Send Email steps in my workflow, I had filled out the "To" and "CC" fields with User accounts for testing purposes. When I modified it to make it "live," I changed the "To" entity record (to the live distribution list Contact record) and completely cleared the "CC" field. However, for some reason CRM still had a pointer doing and entity record lookup for the "CC" field, and it was failing to look it up because there was no record indicated (the field was blank).

I noticed in the XAML there was a SetEntityProperty in the Send Email sequences that shouldn't be there for a blank "CC" field. Something like this:

<mxswa:SetEntityProperty Attribute="cc" Entity="[CreatedEntities("SendEmailStep1_localParameter#Temp")]" EntityName="email" Value="[SendEmailStep1_1]">

<mxswa:SetEntityProperty.TargetType>

<InArgument x:TypeArguments="s:Type">

<mxswa:ReferenceLiteral x:TypeArguments="s:Type" Value="mxs:EntityCollection" />

</InArgument>

</mxswa:SetEntityProperty.TargetType>

</mxswa:SetEntityProperty>

The ActivityReference for SendEmailStep1_1, however, contained a weird stub for an empty PartyList. This was causing the Index out of Range lookup error, which was crashing CRM:

<mxswa:ActivityReference AssemblyQualifiedName="Microsoft.Crm.Workflow.Activities.EvaluateExpression, Microsoft.Crm.Workflow, Version=5.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35" DisplayName="EvaluateExpression">

<mxswa:ActivityReference.Arguments>

<InArgument x:TypeArguments="x:String" x:Key="ExpressionOperator">CreateCrmType</InArgument>

<InArgument x:TypeArguments="s:Object[]" x:Key="Parameters">[New Object() { Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk.Workflow.WorkflowPropertyType.PartyList }]</InArgument>

<InArgument x:TypeArguments="s:Type" x:Key="TargetType">

<mxswa:ReferenceLiteral x:TypeArguments="s:Type" Value="mxs:EntityCollection" />

</InArgument>

<OutArgument x:TypeArguments="x:Object" x:Key="Result">[SendEmailStep1_1]</OutArgument>

</mxswa:ActivityReference.Arguments>

</mxswa:ActivityReference>

The solution was to remove the offending references to the "CC" field and associated activities. Problem solved! And that's the last time I use the "CC" field for testing purposes without backing up my workflows first!!!

eImagine is an Indianapolis-area leader in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Whether you're looking for an out-of-the-box CRM implementation, and highly customized solution, or an XRM-based extended CRM product, we're the local company with the expert staff to get it done! Learn about our CRM experience.

Microsoft did a great job at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year. I'm looking forward the to Microsoft and Nokia partnership, especially with the impact it could have on the number of Windows Phone 7 devices out in the wild. They just introduced the Lumia 900 on AT&T's 4G LTE network. I've developed 30+ apps for Windows Phone 7, and while they have been popular, I know that Apple iPhone counterparts would have been even more popular (and profitable!). It's really a numbers game--the more phone you have, the more people there are to buy your apps. If Nokia is able to give Microsoft a much needed jump start in phone sales, that would be great!

Microsoft and Nokia are already getting plenty of good press as "winners" at CES 2012. I'm crossing my fingers they make some great strides this year!

Nokia's press release: http://press.nokia.com/2012/01/09/nokia-and-att-introduce-the-new-nokia-lumia-900-on-atts-4g-lte-network/

Getting work done during the Super Bowl

The week leading up to Super Bowl XLVI is going to be a thrilling time to be in Indianapolis. Every hotel, restaurant and bar downtown will be packed and the entertainment opportunities will be nearly endless. So, what if you are traveling here (or live here and just want to be near the center of all that excitement) and you still have work to get done? Luckily there is an option for you right downtown at City Market, in the heart of Super Bowl Village: HubWork, a pop-up coworking space running from January 30th - February 3rd.

Working together

Coworking has been a growing trend over the past few years, with shared workspaces showing up in major cities (and a few progressive smaller towns) all over the world. A typical coworking space consists of a group of individuals, who may or may not have similar interests or industries, working on unrelated projects but sharing the same physical office. The office may include amenities like meeting rooms and printers or it may be little more than a single long table (always with wi-fi, of course). Some coworking groups abandon the office altogether and meet up at coffee shops, bars, or even hotel lobbies instead. Regardless of the setting, coworking enables freelancers, entrepreneurs and telecommuters to interact with, energize and inspire one another, and it is part of a larger movement to completely rethink the way we work.

HubWork.org

Because I believe in coworking and in the non-profit group, IndyHub, responsible for organizing HubWork, I volunteered to take on the event's landing page as a side project. The landing page, while simple, actually demonstrates some of the great things about contemporary web development. Up to a certain size screen, the page will grow on a fluid grid to take advantage of larger displays while ensuring that smaller displays don't have to scroll horizontally to see all the content. On even smaller screens, like the one on your iPhone, the page will adapt to a layout that is more suitable to mobile devices so that you can skip the squint, pinch and zoom routine. The content is marked up semantically so that even screen readers, aggregators and other devices which do not support CSS and JavaScript can clearly understand everything on the page. Microformats are used for the event and contact details, making it possible for search engines and plug-ins to specifically identify and extract those elements. The whole thing is hosted on a combination of Amazon's S3, CloudFront and Route 53 services, ensuring an extremely high degree of availability and very low latency between the server and your web browser. You may not notice all of this when visiting the page, but taking care of the details is part of what development is all about.

HubWork is not just for regular coworkers. Even if you have never considered a coworking space before we would love to have you come down and join us. Look for me there!

- David Brainer-Banker, coworking evangelist and Software Engineer at eImagine Technology Group in Indianapolis, IN

Google Profile

I have been going to the gym on the same regular schedule for the past 2 years. Every January the locker room is flooded with resolutioners who have made a pledge to be more fit for the New Year. This year, not even halfway through January the new crowd has already decreased significantly. By February, it will be back to regulars only.

I was thinking about it and not only are resolutions broken, but they're also boring. Take a look at this list of the same-old same-old New Year's Resolutions I've heard people pledge this year:

1. Start a gym/diet.
2. Cut down smoking/drinking.
3. Go back to school.

Personally, I don't make resolutions, I make goals. And I make them all year round. What's more, my goals are specific and not generalized statements I can wiggle around and rationalize not getting done. Many of my life goals revolve around business goals because, well let's face it, like most of us work so we can live! So why not take those traditional goals and turn them in to business goals for yourself!

Here are some ideas to get you started. Imagine the impact if everyone at your office did this!

Start a Gym/Diet = Get Organized

Fit is efficient, and every employee can benefit from being organized and more efficient. It's time to bulk up your calendar, tasks, and spreadsheets. Get everything up to date and actually use the systems you put in place for yourself. If you don't keep it up, you'll lose all that newly established muscle tone!

Put your desk filing cabinet on a diet! Go through your desk drawers and guarantee at least 50% of what you find you can throw out. Then, you'll be able to find the actual document you are seeking next time without wading through garbage. Don't forget to maintain that diet or the weight will come right back!

Cut Down on Smoking/Drinking = Break Bad Office Habits

Do you read too much Wikipedia during work? Or spend too much time browsing Facebook? We all have some bad office habits that we can break. Whether it's putting the phone in your pocket so you can't respond to text messages all day or just keeping your internet browsing to a minimum, you know which habits are bad and how to break them. Make it a goal, the results will be great!

Go Back To School = Master a New Skill

It's easy to fall in to a pattern as an employee and stop learning new things for your career. This is especially true if you have been working on the same product, service, or client for a long period of time. Learning something new can give you additional perspective on your work making it exciting again, or you can at least stay up to date on the world around you. You'd be amazed what a weekend of dedication does toward mastering a new technical skill.

With sufficient organizational encouragement and provisioned resources, the creation of an internally-sponsored code library has several notable benefits over the use of third-party code libraries.

1. They can be utilized to standardize the software development process similar to purchased solutions.
   
   
2. They can enable the owning organization to develop unique technological advantages.
   
   
3. They can allow experienced programmers to analyze and improve upon code segments used in existing projects.
   
   
4. They can contribute to increased quality in present offerings by fully leveraging employee knowledge.
   
   
5. They can also contribute to increasing the overall level of innovation within the organization with respect to new solutions and processes.