Grace Under Exit Sign

I never thought this day would come. I really could have seen myself working at New Horizons Computer Learning Center in Sacramento for a good long time. 3 1/2 years is a pretty good tenure at a company for people my age.

But the call I never thought would come did.

Apple.

So now, I am going to do my most personal post to date, while at the same time be faithful to my mission to keep this blog on the Office target.

If you find yourself in my situation, where you're going to be leaving your current position and/or company, I would like to offer some best practices:

1. NEVER delete projects, files, or documentation that another person will need. Files that you create on a company computer on company time are company property. Same for email.
2. Also on email - I would suggest to you that it's unethical at best to take the names and phone numbers of your clients from your current company and try to solicit business from them in your new capacity.
3. Put the power of Word to work to make extensive documentation of any programs, processes, or procedures where you are the go-to guru. If you're like me, and you have to make a lot of documentation where you have to take screen shots, check out a program called ScreenHunter Free, which is from Wisdom-Soft (http://www.wisdom-soft.com); it's a great little tool to grab some screen, and paste it into Word. Check for a future blog on best documentation practices in Word.
4. If you've password protected any Word or Excel forms, make sure to give an administrator those passwords. Remember, they can get around your passwords if they have to, but make it easy, and don't make them do it. Same goes if you administered or created an Access database - be sure to give someone else administrative rights to the database so they can pick up where you left off.
5. If you created any custom VBA code for any of your in-house documents, make sure to painstakingly comment it, so that, again, another person can pick up where you left off.
6. If you have any clients to whom you have made promises, be sure to create an agreement with that client on how that promise can be fulfilled in your absence.
7. Make sure that if you're close to any of your colleagues, to tell them how much you've appreciated working with them, and give them a reason to want to stay in touch with you.
8. Never badmouth the company you're leaving; you never know when you may have to go back and ask for a job.
9. In you resignation letter, be brief and to the point. Make sure to end on a positive, encouraging note; that will contribute significantly to how people will remember you.
10. Most of all, remember that you are unique, valuable, and important. But you're neither indispensable nor replaceable. Act accordingly.

Outlook tasks vs. Project

Which is better? For those of you who read my post on Excel versus Access, then you probably know what the next part is - "it depends." You should have seen that one coming.

So, more to the point: I use Outlook when I need only manage my own tasks, and I'm not billing someone else for my time. I can use Outlook to assign tasks to my co-workers, as long as I'm not concerned about how Pete's finish date affects Mel's start date, and that finish date doesn't adversely affect the project's ability to finish on time. Outlook is effective for managing independent tasks.

Project is a little different ball game. (to put it mildly!) I use Project when I have Bill and Russell hanging drywall in my kitchen, and Willie the electrician has to re-wire the outlets before the drywall is complete, and then Dave the plumber can't do the piping under the sink until Russell tears out the cabinet under the sink. Project is very effective for managing interdependent tasks.

Outlook tasks are a good way to manage deadlines - I train some law firms who use Outlook tasks for filing dates, and then the Calendar for their hearings. Remember, the filing of a document is a date by which it has to be done, whereas a Calendar appointment is a finite start and end period on the clock.

Project tasks don't really get so much into the question of, "From 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM, I have to be in court." Project is more concerned with, "Willie has to install the ceiling fan in the kitchen after Bill and Russell tear out the cabinets above the sink." Further, Project is very effective at calculating the number of days ahead. In other words, if I say that a task is going to take 5 days, and I can start it on the 21st, then Project helps calculate what the end date will be.

Outlook is good about filling in the holidays on my Calendar, like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Project says, "Tell me what days Pete can't work, what days Mel can work overtime, and what days the office is closed altogether."

Last point - Outlook is a better quick-and-dirty solution; Project is a better large-scale solution that requires more of a time investment at the outset. Project is extremely effective at managing resources, both work and material. Work is people like Russell and Bill; materials are stuff like drywall, nails, studs, and paint. Project can itemize those costs and summarize them on a report for a client.

Outlook can't do all that, but if you don't care, Outlook is a much simpler program, ounce for ounce.

So consider both options; like Excel and Access, they are far from mutually exclusive. Act accordingly.