Workplace IT

Question 1

Outline features of a good e-mail.

4 Marks

Answer 1

• Use of a suitable opening/closure
• Use of subject lines to inform of urgent matters
• Use of signature to give key contact details
• Ensure attachments are attached
• Watch for tone/humour in e-mails as it is open to different interpretation/misinterpretation
• Avoid overuse of capital letters/exclamation marks/emojis as it gives off an unprofessional image of the employee/organisation
• Avoid use of Reply All unless all parties need to see responses

Question 2

Justify the introduction of providing e-mail training to staff.

4 Marks

Answer 2

• Allows communication with people across different time zones which allows for 24/7 communication.
• E-mail etiquette will be taught reducing conflict (eg from tone, sarcasm) as email messages will be clear
• People can access emails at a time that suit them and work around their working schedule.
• Avoids Misinterpretation which ensures the correct information is given
• Reputation of the organisation will improve due to professional approaches to communication
• Productivity will improve from attaching large files and using contact information in signature

Question 3

Describe the following database terms:
• Primary key
• Foreign key
• One-to-many relationship

3 Marks

Answer 3

• A primary key is a field which uniquely identifies a record in a database, eg Employee Number.
• A foreign key is the occurrence of a primary key in another table to link the 2 tables.
• A one-to-many relationship allows 1 record in a table to be associated with 1 or more records in another table.

Question 4

Justify the use of the following spreadsheet features.
• Named Cell
• Pivot table

4 Marks

Answer 4

Named cell -

• Information is automatically updated if data in named cell is changed
• Use of name aids understanding of formula − software can apply the name of the label to the cell

Pivot table -

• Summarises data to create reports
• Ease understanding of large amounts of data
• Can be converted into a pivot chart if necessary

Question 5

Discuss how technologies can be used to support homeworkers.

6 Marks

Answer 5

• E-mails can be used to send and receive information from their colleagues. Files and attachments can be sent backwards and forwards

• Portable technology can be provided such as smartphones/tablets allow staff to be contacted at all times using different communication apps - what’s app/messenger
>These can be expensive to provide for all employees
>However - makes homeworkers feel less isolated

• Intranet provides secure access to files( eg - company policies) for employees working remotely allowing staff to continue with their work from home.

• Video/audio-conferencing can be used to allow homeworkers to contribute to meetings
o Video-conferencing allows body language to be seen
o Both allow for tone to be heard which reduced misinterpretation
o Both allow for immediate follow-up questions

• Collaboration software (e.g. Microsoft Teams, Google Docs, One Drive) can be used to allow homeworkers to edit in real-time with other employees on files
• E-diary can be used to inform others of meeting dates, where colleagues can accept/provisionally accept or reject. Also allows homeworker to view other employee calendars before confirming meeting arrangements