Tech Yoda's Tip of the Week: The Missing Link

We all send countless emails a day, and many of those emails include attachments or links to the S drive.  Here are the rules for determining whether you should link or attach:

1. If you are emailing someone outside of CRHC, always use an attachment. (example: you are sharing a spreadsheet with ClinicNET)
2. If you are emailing someone within CRHC and you want to keep the original intact, use an attachment. (example: an overly-protective graphic designer doesn't want you messing up her template, so she emails you the file instead of telling you where she hides the original in the S drive)
3. If you are emailing someone within CRHC and do not require your own separate copy of the original document (one that will not change when whomever you email it to makes changes), use a link.

Linking to a file on the S drive is easy!  It's not the same as telling someone where the file is, because that still requires them to either open a windows explorer window and type/paste it in or navigate to it.  Inserting an actual link in your email to the file is the best method and makes it possible for the recipient to just click on the link to open the file you reference.  Here is an example:

Hi J$,

Here is the spreadsheet I promised you: S:\Graphic Design\Cookies.xlsx.  Enjoy!

Tech Yoda

Now, the only reason you can open this link is because you have access to our S drive.  If you click on this link while not connected to our server, you should not be able to open it.  Moving on--how do you get such a link?  Easy!

1. In your new email, go to the Insert tab and click on Hyperlink.
2. Click the dropdown next to Look In and navigate to the file you want.
3. Click OK.

And you're done!  Link inserted.  Who knew making life easy for other people could be so easy?