October 25, 2024 - This week’s notables
Don't miss tomorrow's Artist Talk!
Upcoming Events
Mark your calendar and join us at Longview Farm for a series of delightful events! Tucked away in the heart of Chester County's scenic beauty, our farm offers a panorama of rolling hills and stunning sunsets that you won't want to miss. We're excited to welcome you and share these moments—just make sure to set your GPS to 143 Cedar Ln. Glenmoore, PA 19343 (avoid Cedar Ridge Ln) for the best route straight to the fun!
📆 Saturday, October 26th – Join Artist Brian DeProspero for a discussion. Brian will engage with attendees to discuss his inspirations and creative process behind "Satellite Keepsakes," along with his broader body of work. Visitors will have the chance to share their impressions, ask questions, and engage in meaningful dialogue.
📆 November 2nd – December 28th – Join us for the 1st Annual Holiday Exhibit at Longview Gallery. This cozy, market-style exhibition will be on display from November 2nd - December 28th at Longview Gallery. We are partnering with local arts organizations who will select up to 50 artists to showcase their work in this exhibit. Come in, look around, and purchase holiday gifts for loved ones!
📆 November 29th – Our Black Friday Friends and Family Market will feature many vendors in our gallery, selling their handmade, artisan products and artwork at the special “friends and family” discounted rate! Join us to shop around, meet new people, enjoy some snacks, and celebrate our community.
📆 First Saturdays – Step into a world of creativity and community every first Saturday at Longview Gallery, from 5 to 8 PM. Immerse yourself in the latest solo exhibitions, vibe to live music, and savor delightful refreshments. It's more than an event—it's a chance to connect, be inspired, and experience the pulse of the arts scene.
📆 Open Gallery – Longview Gallery is open to the public for visitation every Sunday from 12 to 3 PM.
Infrastructure & Support
Recently we shared information about a new Docusign Phishing attack – it’s especially convincing and easy to fall victim to. Read more for an in-depth analysis: ALERT: Docusign phishing attack
In other news, Microsoft has recently rolled out a revamped version of its Planner app for Teams on the web, available as an early preview for Targeted release organization users. This new Planner brings together the simplicity of Microsoft To Do, the collaboration of Microsoft Planner, and the power of Microsoft Project for the web into a unified experience. Key features include:
Labels in Grid View: Organize and categorize tasks more efficiently using the labels column in the Grid view.
Accessibility Improvements: Enhanced instructions for the label menu, keyboard navigation for editing key dates, and improved Narrator support.
Copilot Integration: Leverage AI to generate new ideas and solutions.
Baseline Feature: Stay on track with new baseline capabilities.
Whiteboard Integration: Seamlessly integrate with Whiteboard for enhanced collaboration.
Devices
Last week we deployed a ScanSnap IX1600, and true to its name, the process was a breeze! The setup was user-friendly, and the device’s touchscreen with one-touch buttons is entirely customizable. A standout feature is its portability, due to its compact design and wireless configuration options. We are eager to see how seamlessly this device will integrate into our customer's workflow.
Recent weeks have been eventful with numerous manufacturer support cases. Generally, INW support technicians are adept at resolving device-related issues independently, but there are exceptions that require escalation. This underscores the importance of partnering with manufacturers that have robust warranty and support frameworks. As a small team, it’s crucial that we can depend on these systems to extend our capabilities. Even in these instances, we play a critical role in our client's support team—collaborating with technical engineers and coordinating troubleshooting calls to swiftly identify and resolve issues.
In another device-related update, the Longview Farm team is thrilled to delve into solar battery solutions for energizing remote areas around the property. This is a recurring topic for us, but the recent acquisition of a shipping container for extra storage has created a need for power to operate an exhaust fan, tools, and other important equipment (i.e. a blender for our future tiki bar). The main challenge is the lack of nearby power sources. Embracing innovation, we employed Copilot to design a straightforward solar battery system. Within minutes, Copilot recommended a system and even populated an online shopping cart with all the necessary components.
Check back soon for solar-powered smoothies.
Operations & Growth
Our inWorks LLC Home Services ad went live on Facebook last week but mainly attracted spam messages. We're refining our strategy for the next round, and we also worked on developing a more comprehensive pricing model that will soon be finalized. We believe in our service's value and recognize the need to tweak our marketing approach.
Great news: the Purchase Request workflow is now live! It's a straightforward yet efficient way to streamline procurement. We're brainstorming enhancements, but for a first version, we're happy with the results!
Information Radiation
This week, as part of our practice of disseminating information, we assisted in launching a company intranet using Viva Connections. We have been collaborating with this customer for some time, and their strong internal communications team took charge of content creation. Together, we successfully established their new, modern intranet.
If you’re unfamiliar with Viva Connections, it’s a customizable app within Microsoft Teams that offers employees a hub for accessing essential news, conversations, and tools they need to thrive. As Viva Connections evolves, we encountered some recent changes in functionality that affected this week’s launch. Nevertheless, we are optimistic that these updates will result in a more unified product.