Cloud backup is also referred to as online back and comprises sending a selection of your computer data over the internet to a computer in a different building or country.
The computer (also referred to as a server) is hosted by a third party who will charge the backup company a fee depending on the space required on their computers, the bandwidth needed, or the number of users/computers being backed up.
You will have heard of some of these
OneDrive
Google Drive
Dropbox
For Example
A Server is owned by Company A.
They rent out space to Company B. (They may not deal directly with the public).
Company B will hire space on Company A’s computer.
Company B will provide you with the online software needed to back up your computer.
Your home/office computer that has the data that needs to be backed up
Why Should I Backup My Computer
Your computer is home to vital pieces of information that you want to maintain for many years to come. Stored data could include client records, financial records and legal documentation. There is a legal requirement to hold critical information for a set period of time. A secure location for data storage is essential.
A backup system will keep these documents in a safe place if something were to happen to your computer, and you may read below to learn how a backup system operates.
1: Why Do You Need A Backup System?
A backup system is the only guaranteed way to protect the data you keep on your computer.
The backup system may save data to an online server, a particular disk or a drive that you can attach to your computer. Ensure all essential documents are backup regularly just in case your computer fails.
2: Cloud, Onsite and Offsite Backups
Cloud backup systems use the virtual cloud server to protect your documents. You save directly to a server that you can access from any other computer, and the system is much faster than any other you might use. Onsite backups are disk drivers or hard drives that save all your information. Disks are portable and recovery of data is easy to access. The disadvantage is you could lose the disk.
Offsite backups are servers that connect with your computer via your Internet connection. The company that manages the servers must help you recover your documents. Data storage is completely secure. Most offsite backup servers will comply is ISO 27001.
3: Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Cloud vs. A Disk
Any computer can connect to a disk drive. Additionally, disk drives are portable and easily lost or stolen. However, disk drives are slow, hold limited data and are time-consuming. In addition, the security of data could be an issue when relying on a disk drive for backing up data.
A cloud server recovers your data via your Internet connection. The service you restore your whole computer, but you must have a signal to complete the process. Finally, disks are valuable if you travel to places without Internet service.
4: How Often does my data need to be backed up?
Cloud backup software can be scheduled to back up changed data every hour. Those with a disk drive may choose to update at the end of each day for safety’s sake.
In Conclusion, Why should I back up my computer
In conclusion, the simple answer is to protect the data you have stored. You should back up your regularly and check the backup files. A fatal hardware crash will make it virtually impossible to recover the data.
A Virtual Assistant can work anywhere, anytime. Having run a successful Virtual Assistant business for nearly ten years, I am frequently asked, “What is a Virtual Assistant?” I suppose the term is not familiar to everybody, and it can sound like quite a strange concept. The question is then followed with “Why would I use a Virtual Assistant?” Let’s examine the idea of the Virtual Assistant and the reasons why people and businesses choose to employ one.
I would describe a Virtual Assistant (VA) as. Someone who works for a small business or organisation but is not directly employed by them. They are accountable for the work they do on their behalf. They are, in effect, a subcontractor who provides secretarial and/or administrative support.
The duties of a VA can include scheduling activities such as meetings, organising travel, managing social media, providing customer service, running email campaigns, handling bookkeeping, and much more. A VA can work from their office (they might, for example, rent office space in a shared building), from their home office, or from the offices of their clients. They can also do a combination of any of these.
The definition of a Virtual Assistant on the Wikipedia website is as follows:
“A Virtual Assistant (typically abbreviated to VA, also called a virtual office assistant) is an entrepreneur who provides professional administrative, technical, or creative (social) assistance to clients from a home office…. They usually work for other small businesses, brokers and consultancy groups. Reports state that there are as few as 5,000-8,000 or as many as 25,000 Virtual Assistants worldwide; the profession is growing in centralised economies with “fly-in, fly-out” (FIFO) staffing practices.” www.wikipedia.org.
There is currently a debate in the industry about the title of a Virtual Assistant and whether ‘we’ as an industry should change it. The general feeling is that the title ‘Assistant’, (to those who aren’t familiar with the industry), doesn’t give an accurate impression of the variety of roles a VA can fulfil.
I believe there are four types of Virtual Assistants:
Virtual Assistant (VA). A VA is someone who can assist their client with some secretarial and administrative tasks, usually on a short-term project basis. Equally, they may undertake individual jobs over a period; for example, creating a database of business cards.
Virtual Personal Assistant (VPA). A VPA is someone who works in close collaboration with a small business owner, providing secretarial and administrative support. The VPA will be there long-term. The relationship is similar to that of employer and employee. Nevertheless, the VPA will only visit the client once or twice a week, and despite the longevity of the relationship, the client is self-employed.
Virtual Executive Assistant (VEA). A VEA is someone who works in close collaboration with a small business owner to provide secretarial and administrative support. A VEA could be part of the business development strategy for the company. The VEA is an integral part of the business, becoming one of the planners and authorising partners.
Personal Assistant. A PA is someone who works for one person in one organisation. However, in the VA world, many VAs call themselves PAs, as many employers/clients understand this term better.
What is a Virtual Assistant
In conclusion, the answer to What is a Virtual Assistant is that the role has many different nuances. However, the role is primarily an administrative one that assists individuals and businesses in undertaking various administrative tasks. It is very similar to that of an Executive PA.
This is an extract from my book entitled Becoming a Virtual Assistant and Avoiding the Mistakes I Made. In this book, you will discover many PA tips on starting your own business or find some PA tips and Secretarial Support if you are in full-time employment, which will help you understand your boss and their reason and reactions on many of the tasks they undertake.
What is a Virtual Assistant and How to Become a Virtual Assistant
What does a PA Do? and indeed, what is a PA. A PA is Personal Assistant to the manager, department or CEO. They provide administrative support and take care of their boss so that they can
What does a PA do?
Perform their jobs with ease and confidence. A Personal Assistant could also be called an Executive Assistant or even a Virtual PA or Virtual EA. In this article, I will use the term PA to cover all of above.
Being a Personal Assistant (PA) is like being a fine artist. You have to have the ability to see an end product using the raw materials you have available to you. Anticipate the likes and needs of those you are looking after, without them knowing or understanding what they like or dislike. A PA has to be meticulous about their time management, planning and organisational skills and then make these tasks look smooth and effortless. Any PA unable to master these three skills will inevitably find the role as a Personal Assistant difficult. A PA should have their finger on the proverbial button of any activity their boss is undertaking at any time. Not only that, a PA has to anticipate what the boss requires today tomorrow and next month.
So What does a PA do to make sure they are on the ball?
A PAs mantra or go to question should always be “What is the next question” their boss is going to ask. Ensure they can answer that question and then the next question their boss will ask. The standard Who, What, Where, When, Why and How questions should be applied to any and all tasks a PA undertakes. Once a PA has mastered this tool they will start to see and show improvements in their PA ability and demonstrate how capable and competent they are in their role.
All PAs need to demonstrate consistency in their workload and be as enthusiastic on Monday morning at 9 am as they are on Friday at 5 pm. They need to be effective and efficient in all the tasks that they undertake and become proactive instead of reactive. It is recommended that a PA schedules at least 60% of their working day. This will leave 40% of their day to be reactive. We, therefore, advise each PA to plan tasks in advance. Taking note of business deadlines and the expectation is essential. A PA will also have to remember their boss has deadlines that could rely on work they have to do.
PAs Personal Recommendations
We would also recommend that every PA take a few minutes at the end of the day to note at least five successes they have had that day. It is true to say that everyone will have a bad day at work at some point. Noting down any success they have will help any PA remember how good they are. How well they perform their job and organising their boss.
In conclusion, What does a PA Do?
When the role of a PA is performed correctly, it is a work of art. The position is seamless, timeless and a thing of beauty. Their boss will never know the amount of work, effort and organisational skills the PA will put into their role. All of this, to ensure that the boss has a perfect working environment so they can perform at their peak.
The PA is indeed the unsung hero of any organisation. It is time for all PAs to stand up and be proud of the jobs that they do. The tasks they undertake and show what a strong, determined woman can do. For more information about becoming a PA or attending a training course click here.
The PA Tips on this post are those that are highly recommended to become an effective PA. It is also vitally important that a PA keeps on track of all new technology, new ways of working and are open to any PA Tips they can glean from colleagues and even their boss.
Have you ever been asked to take the minutes of a meeting and then started to worry about missing the important points when taking minutes. Don’t worry, this is always the first question I get when I start to run my Minute Taking Training Course.
The first misconception of taking minutes of a meeting is that the entire responsibiliyt rests with the minute taker. This is just not the case. The Minute taker is the first line of defence when taking mintues, but then the chiar is there to check the minutes are a true and accurate representation of the disucssion of the meeting. Finally the delegates of the meeting also agree and check the mintues. All of these people form part of a team, the meeting team.
Missing the important points when taking minutes?
So please, if you are the minute taker and worry about missing the important points in a meeting don’t. Here are my Tips for Preparing for a Meeting so that you won’t miss anything.
Tip One – missing the important points when taking minutes?
Read the last three months (or if a weekly meeting read the last 6 copies) of meetings. This is to that you can get an understanding of the language used, the projects underway and the topics you will be reporting on.
Tip Two – missing the important points when taking minutes
Meet with the Chair 10-15 minutes before the meeting to discuss any items on the agenda
Tip Three – missing the important ponts when taking minutes
Sit to the left of the Chair, unless the Chair is left handed then sit on the left. You, as the minute taker are there to support the Chair and you can only do this if you can discuss any issues that may arise during the meeting.
Tip Four- missing the important points when taking minutes
Take a bottle of water into the meeting with you, you need to stay hydrated and alert.
Tip Five – missing the important points when taking minutes
Take some boiled sweets or fruit with you so that you can keep your sugar levels up. Remember when taking the minutes of a meeting for 1 hour it is the same as taking a 3 hour A level maths exam.
Tip Six- missing the important points when taking minutes
Practice your listening skills especially Active Listening.
Tip Seven – missing the important points when taking minutes
Practice your Critically thinking processes.
Good luck and try and enjoy the process of taking minutes of a meeting. Remember you are your companies Historian, you are a paid voyeur.
Do you want to change the signature image in Outlook 2016 to make your emails look professional, elegant and smart? With more and more options in MS Office and outlook, sometimes we just need a few hints along the way. To make sure your signature image in outlook 2016 is perfect then just follow these very simple instructions.
Instructions to resize a Signature Image in Outlook 2016
Open outlook as you would ordinarily do select the option to create an email as you would typically do.
A new email window will then appear.
Select the option Insert and then Signature.
A list of all the current signatures installed on your computer will appear. At the very bottom is the word Signature. Select this option, see below.
A new window will appear.
Select the email signature you want to edit, if you have not created an email signature select the option New, see above, in this example I will collect Corrigo free trial. Enter the narrative you wish to have on the signature in the box provided. Then add your image by selecting add picture icon, see above. This will then require you to find the location of the image on your computer or server.
Once the image has been selected, it will appear in the dialogue box. See below.
Using your mouse, click ONCE on the image. You will notice little squares appearing on the image, see below.
Once these little squares appear, press the right-hand button on your mouse and click once only.
A new screen will appear. Select the option Picture, see below.
This will open another window, see below. On this window select the option Size, see below.
The following screen will appear. It is from here that you can now resize your image. Please make sure that the Lock aspect ratio option is selected. If you have decided that 7.63 cm would be perfect, enter 7.63 in the Height option and press the enter button only. This will automatically adjust the Width.
Once the image is of the right size, please copy this narrative and place it under the image. Then select OK.
Small Claims for Personal Assistants: What Every PA Should Know
As a PA or EA, you’re often the one expected to deal with the messy jobs no one else wants. Chasing late payments is one of them. A director might casually tell you, “Can you sort this out? They owe us £2,000.” Suddenly, you’re the one left untangling contracts, sending reminders, and figuring out whether the company should take legal action.
This is where understanding the small claims process becomes another tool in your professional toolkit. You may never need to issue a claim yourself, but knowing how it works shows you can protect your organisation’s interests and your boss’s time.
Why PAs and EAs Need This Knowledge
Part of supporting senior executives is being resourceful. It’s not just about diary management and travel booking—it’s about being the person who can say, “Yes, I know how that works, leave it with me.”
Small claims knowledge is particularly valuable when you’re:
Following up on unpaid invoices for your executive’s consultancy or side business
Supporting the finance team with administration
Helping to recover deposits, payments, or contracts gone wrong
Demonstrating that you understand the commercial risks your company faces
It’s one more way you can show initiative, problem-solving ability, and commercial awareness—all skills that make a PA indispensable.
Costs to Be Aware Of
Here’s the updated fee structure (July 2025) that you need to know if you ever have to brief your boss or prepare paperwork:
Issue fees for starting a claim:
Up to £300: £35
£300.01 to £500: £50
£500.01 to £1,000: £70
£1,000.01 to £1,500: £80
£1,500.01 to £3,000: £115
£3,000.01 to £5,000: £205
£5,000.01 to £10,000: £455
£10,000.01 to £200,000: 5% of the claim
Over £200,000: £10,000
Hearing fees if it goes to court:
Up to £300: £27
£300.01 to £500: £59
£500.01 to £1,000: £85
£1,000.01 to £1,500: £123
£1,500.01 to £3,000: £181
Over £3,000: £346
As a PA, being able to explain these numbers quickly and clearly to your boss is precisely the kind of detail that sets you apart.
Interest and Compensation
Another question your executive may ask is: “Can we add interest?”
The answer is yes. If there isn’t already a contract clause, statutory interest applies at 8% plus the Bank of England base rate. For business debts, you can also add compensation:
Under £1,000: £40
£1,000–£10,000: £70
Over £10,000: £100
Knowing these details means you’re not just passing the problem along—you’re providing solutions.
The Small Claims Process in Eight Steps (For PAs Who Need the Summary)
Send a final reminder, usually referred to as a Letter Before Action.
Collect the evidence – contracts, invoices, emails.
Choose how to claim – online through Money Claim Online or by using the N1 form.
Pay the court fee.
Wait 14 days for a response.
If no response, apply for judgment.
If defended, prepare for a hearing.
If they still don’t pay, enforce it through bailiffs or other methods.
This step-by-step guide is precisely the sort of “ready to brief” content that makes you invaluable when your boss asks, “Where do we stand with that unpaid invoice?”
Risks and Reality
It’s worth reminding your executive that winning a claim doesn’t always mean getting paid—if the debtor has no assets, enforcement can be difficult. But even starting the process can be enough to push people into settling. As a PA, part of your role is to flag these risks so decisions are informed, not just reactive.
How to take Court Action
The government has made an effort to simplify the process as much as possible. The easiest way to claim it is by completing the form online.
https://www.gov.uk/make-money-claim-online
Why This Matters for Your PA Career
Understanding processes like small claims gives you a reputation for being commercially aware. Senior executives want PAs who don’t just manage logistics but also understand the business landscape.
When you can say, “I know the costs, the timelines, and the options,” you prove that you’re not just an organiser—you’re a business partner. That’s precisely the shift from “assistant” to trusted right hand.
Next Steps for PAs Who Want to Stand Out
This fact sheet gives you the basics, but it’s just one example of the wider skills every PA and EA needs to thrive. From minute taking to negotiation, presentation skills to commercial awareness, the more confident you are, the more valuable you become.
Welcome to our online magazine from Julie and the team. If you have been on one of Julie’s training courses, you know she is passionate about PA, EAs and Secretaries being the best they can be. She also has very strong opinions about what a PA, EA and Secretary should and shouldn’t do. If you have a question, or would like to add an article, please get in touch. We would love to hear from you.