Your Portal

Check the whole cable and both ends for fraying, exposed wires, bent contacts, cracked insulation, looseness or signs of overheating. Stop using a damaged cable. A faulty cable or incorrect power supply can damage the equipment connected to it.

If a cable or connector is unusually hot, scorched, sparking or smells burnt, stop using it and disconnect power only if it is safe to do so. Do not cover damage with tape and keep using it.

If there is no visible damage, check that the cable is fully seated and intended for the job. Try a known-good, compatible cable, changing one thing at a time. Do not force a plug or repeatedly bend or wiggle it to make a connection.

Inexpensive does not automatically mean poor quality, but unverified cables can have weak connectors, poor shielding or incorrect power ratings. Choose a correctly rated cable from a reputable source. The connector shape alone does not confirm charging power, data speed or display support.

My usual restart routine is daily for Windows desktop computers, roughly weekly for Macs, and monthly for Windows servers as part of planned maintenance. These are practical starting points; the right schedule depends on how the system is used and managed.

Operating system and application updates can leave changes pending until you restart. Restart when an update asks you to, rather than waiting for your usual schedule. Save your work first, choose Restart, and let updates finish.

Plan server restarts with whoever manages the server, during an agreed maintenance window, because a restart interrupts services and connected users.

Your phone is a small computer too. Restart it periodically, after updates when prompted, or when it behaves unexpectedly.

Check whether one device or several are affected. Make sure Wi-Fi is on, airplane mode is off and any network cables are connected. Try another website. If only one device is affected, save your work and restart that device.

If several devices are affected, check your internet provider’s outage information or contact me. Avoid pressing a router’s reset button; it can erase your settings.

Save your work, close applications that are not in use. You may need to restart. Note whether the problem happens in one app or everywhere. Check whether a download or update is running.

If you see unusual pop-ups, repeated crashes or a warning about your files, stop and contact me. Avoid installing unfamiliar cleanup tools.

Check that the printer is powered on, has paper and shows no error message. Confirm that you selected the correct printer. Check the USB cable or that the printer and computer are on the intended network.

Tell me the printer model, the message on its screen and whether other devices can print. Do not send a document containing sensitive information as a test.

Check your internet connection and whether you can open your email in a web browser. Look in Drafts, Outbox and Junk. Confirm the recipient address and note any delivery error.

Do not share your password or verification codes. For suspicious messages, avoid opening links or attachments and contact me.

Wi-Fi connects your device to a nearby wireless network. Your internet connection links that network to the wider world through your internet service provider (ISP). A Wi-Fi connection can still work when the internet connection is down.

If only one device has trouble, check whether another device works on the same network. If several devices are affected, the issue may involve the network or internet service. A computer connected by Ethernet can use the internet without Wi-Fi.

Use your work account in Outlook. Menu names vary between new Outlook, classic Outlook and Outlook on the web.

Share a calendar

1. Open Calendar, select your calendar and choose Sharing and permissions or Share Calendar.
2. Add the person and choose the detail they can see. Give edit or delegate access only when they need to manage the calendar for you.
3. Send the invitation. Review sharing permissions later to change or remove access.

Share an inbox or mail folder

Use the folder’s Sharing and permissions or Properties > Permissions options, where available. Folder access, mailbox access and permission to send mail are separate. A shared team inbox normally uses a shared mailbox set up by your Microsoft 365 administrator.

Ask me to arrange shared-mailbox access or sending permissions. Share access through permissions rather than sharing your password.

Microsoft: share a mailbox or folder · Microsoft: calendar sharing

1. Sign in to OneDrive with your work account. Select a file or folder, then choose Share.
2. Open the link settings. Choose specific people for named recipients, or people in your organisation when that wider access is intended.
3. Choose view or edit access, enter the recipients and send the invitation or copy the link.
4. For someone outside your company, enter their full email address. They may need to sign in or verify their identity. External sharing must be allowed by your organisation.
5. Use Manage access to review people and links, change permissions or stop sharing.

Check the recipient and permission before sending. Folder edit access can allow changes and deletions throughout that folder. If external sharing is unavailable, ask me to review the settings.

Microsoft: OneDrive sharing guide

Each service uses its own account. Use the account associated with the service I set up for you; the same email address does not necessarily mean the same password.

Book a Virtual Support appointment or send a support request first. When we have arranged a session, use Remote support connection to find the appropriate download.

Only start a remote session when you are expecting help from someone you trust.

Favourites are stored in this browser on this device. They are not sent to Matthew or synchronised to another browser.

Clearing site data, using private browsing or switching devices may remove or hide your saved favourites.

Tell me what you were trying to do, what happened, when it started and any exact error message. Include the type of device or application and what you have already tried. Screenshots or clear photos of your screen, especially error messages, can help. Check the image for private information before sharing it.

Leave out passwords, verification codes, payment details and other sensitive information.