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Digital asset management templates are great for file storage, organization, team collaboration, and version control. Whether you’re working by yourself or with a team, centralized assets make it easy for everyone to find what they need. Here are the best templates for different tools and use cases. monday.com: A digital asset management template with built-in team collaboration monday.com is a great project management system for small and mid-sized teams. The free plan comes with just two seats, which is enough to try it out but limited compared to other providers. To get the most out of this DAM template, you’ll likely need to upgrade to a paid plan. More on monday.com: monday.com Review | monday.com vs Jira | monday.com vs. Notion. Let your whole team access, edit, organize, and store digital assets with monday.com’s intuitive DAM template. Image: monday.com I like this template because it centralizes your creative assets, making it easy for marketing and sales teams to quickly find what they need. You can also store multiple versions of each file, so you can switch between different versions of the same file if you need to. Not only does this help keep things organized, it also ensures everyone on the team is using the appropriate files. However, the best part about monday.com is that you can manage the creation process of new assets from the same platform. You’ll be able to tag team members when you need a new creative, and you can manage the workflow using task dependencies, automations, and notifications. The template makes it easy to sort by file type (like image or video), category, owner, status, or any other custom fields you decide to add. Despite being powerful and flexible, this digital asset management template is incredibly easy to use. It takes just a few minutes to set up and overall feels very intuitive. Wrike: A digital asset management template for agencies Wrike is a powerful project management system specifically for agencies, freelancers, and service-based businesses that handle clients. It’s a highly scalable solution for managing assets, requests, and version control across dozens or even hundreds of clients. There’s a generous free plan that supports unlimited users and external collaborators. However, you’ll need to upgrade for guest approvals and third party integrations. More on Wrike: Wrike Review | Wrike vs monday.com | Wrike vs. Smartsheet. Use Wrike to streamline asset management for all of your clients. Image: Wrike.com First, you’ll be able to set up different folders for all of your creative assets. You can create a folder for each client and then sub-folders for specific projects or you can organize it however you’d like. From there, Wrike lets you customize dynamic intake forms. When a client needs something, they can fill out and you’ll automatically get a task assigned to the right person. Say you want a specific person on your team to handle video requests for a specific client. Maybe you also want someone else to handle branding elements like logos, color schemes, and font choices. This setup makes it incredibly easy without long email threads back and forth. And because Wrike is a project management system, you’ll be able to track requests from start to completion, set due dates, leave comments, and tie everything together. Knack: An no-code template for project-based assets Knack is a no-code app builder that’s a fairly new player in this space. It works well if you’re currently using a spreadsheet to manage digital assets, but you’re ready for an upgrade or need a better way to stay organized. Unfortunately, Knack doesn’t offer a free plan. But you can try any plan with a 14-day trial. And unlike other providers, Knack doesn’t charge per user, making it incredibly affordable even as your team grows. Use Knack to manage projects and their associated assets without paying per user. Image: Knack.com Because Knack is built using databases, it’s incredibly flexible. This template makes it easy to organize assets by project, but you can easily adapt it to organize them however you’d like. However, organizing by project is nice because everything’s easy to find. Working on a specific project? You know exactly where to go to see all of the assets available, download the one you want to use, and get back to work. This also means there’s no confusion if you have similar assets being used in different ways for different projects. The template offers versioning, custom tagging, and seamless collaboration between teams. You can also designate project managers and customize admin controls — further advancing the project-centric approach. My only complaint is that Knack’s interface feels a little clunky compared to other options. Airtable: An advanced template for managing multiple brands and sub-brands Airtable is an advanced database platform that’s highly scalable, flexible, and powerful. It works similarly to Knack, with databases being the foundation of everything. Much like a spreadsheet, this approach works really well for asset management. Plus, Airtable has a solid free plan with up to five editors, 1,000 records per base, and 100 monthly automation runs. This is more than enough to test it out and smaller teams can stay on the free plan for a while. More on Airtable: Airtable vs Asana | Airtable vs Smartsheet | Airtable vs. monday.com. Airtable keeps all of your digital assets organized at scale. Image: Airtable.com This template works well for larger libraries and assets with strict usage guidelines. However, you can easily remove, edit, or add fields to make it work for you. If you’re a large media company, for example, you may have a parent company that owns multiple websites, magazines, and other digital properties. This Airtable template makes it easy to keep everything separate while enforcing universal brand standards across the board. The setup also helps simplify things if you have brand managers or content creators working across your entire portfolio of brands. It eliminates confusion and ensures they use the right files for the appropriate projects. With pre-configured tags, you’ll be able to mark

TL;DR: Get the new, open-box Dell Inspiron 15 with Ryzen 7 and Windows 11 Home for just $469.99 (reg. $599)—an ideal holiday gift for anyone needing a tech upgrade. Anyone looking for a holiday gift that balances performance, style, and value should pay attention. The new, open-box Dell Inspiron 15 3535 15.6″ laptop is a smart choice for anyone who needs a tech upgrade, whether they’re a student, professional, or simply want a dependable laptop for everyday tasks. Priced at just $469.99 (reg. $599) for a limited time, this laptop powerhouse offers premium features and the latest tech to keep up with a busy lifestyle. Features The Dell Inspiron 15 features a stunning 15.6” FHD touchscreen, powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 7730U (8-Core) processor and AMD Radeon graphics. It is a joy to use for work, streaming, gaming, and everything in between. With 16GB of DDR4 RAM, multitasking becomes seamless, and the 512GB SSD ensures quick boot times and plenty of space for files, photos, and more. You’ll experience incredible sound, too, thanks to MaxxAudio® Pro speakers that make every movie, playlist, and video call come to life. Sound like a winning device? Head straight to checkout to order it now. This laptop also includes Realtek Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0, providing fast, reliable connections wherever you go, and a 720p HD webcam for crisp video calls with family or colleagues. With up to 11 hours of battery life, it’s perfect for all-day use, whether at school, the office, or home. And because it’s a new, open-box item, you get a new product without the high price tag. With its robust features, sleek design, and affordable price, it’s a thoughtful, high-performance present that will keep anyone’s productivity on track for many new years to come. Get the new, open-box Dell Inspiron 15 at just $469.99 (reg. $599) at TechRepublic Academy. Prices and availability are subject to change. source

Best UCaaS provider overall: RingCentral Best for digital engagement: Nextiva Best for easy DIY setup: Ooma Best for videoconferencing: Zoom Best for international calls: 8×8 Best for AI-powered communication: Dialpad Choosing the right UCaaS provider isn’t just about comparing technical features — it’s about transforming communication and collaboration. The best platforms unify calls, messages, and meetings while streamlining workflows and boosting productivity. They scale easily, whether you’re supporting a small team or a global workforce. With the right UCaaS solution, businesses can achieve smoother operations and stronger connections. Let’s take a look at the top options leading the way. 1 RingCentral RingEx Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Hosted PBX, Managed PBX, Remote User Ability, and more Top UCaaS providers comparison UCaaS providers differ in how well they adapt to the unique needs of small teams or complex enterprise environments. Some excel at integrating with essential tools, while others focus on simplicity and ease of use. For industries requiring strict compliance, versatile security and data management features can set certain platforms apart. Here’s a quick overview of the best UCaaS solutions on the market. Best for Starting price Free trial Scalability Integrations RingCentral Best UCaaS provider overall $20 per user per month 14 days High 300+ Nextiva Best digital engagement $30 per user per month Demo only High 20+ Ooma Best for easy DIY setup $19.95 per user per month No Low 50 Zoom Best for videoconferencing $18.32 per user per month No Medium 1,000+ 8×8 Best for international calls Custom quote Yes High 66+ Dialpad Best for AI-powered communication $15 per user per month Yes Medium 70+ RingCentral: Best UCaaS provider overall Image: RingCentral RingCentral is a leading business communications provider that offers relatively low-cost UCaaS solutions. Despite an attractive price point, the software is feature-rich and supports all of the expected communication channels. With other providers, you would be looking at 3-4 times the cost for the same exact suite of features. Why I chose RingCentral These days, every vendor is trying to pass themselves off as a UCaaS “do-anything” platform — RingCentral actually walks the walk. It’s a widely adopted UCaaS platform that works reliably across a wide range of industries and organization sizes. In other words, you’re not really gambling on RingCentral for UCaaS so much as following in the footsteps of thousands of other companies. RingEx, its business communications platform, unifies chat, messaging, video, and phone systems into one platform. This reduces cost, complexity, and enhances workflow efficiency. Features like seamless scalability, extensive integrations with popular business tools, and strong global infrastructure make it practical for both small teams and large enterprises. Read my RingCentral review for more details. Pricing RingEx Core: Starts at $20 per user per month. RingEx Advanced: Starts at $25 per user per month. RingEx Ultra: Starts at $35 per user per month. Voice, video, SMS, and meetings are included with Core plans, all within a unified platform. Advanced plans come with online fax and additional call administration features. Ultra plans come with advanced phone system analytics, IT management tools, and unlimited file storage. RingCX, the company’s contact center solution, starts at $65 per user per month. Voice along with more than 20 other digital channels are unified within the RingCX platform. Features Free local or toll-free numbers. 100, 1,000, or 10,000 free toll-free minutes. Unlimited domestic calling in the US and Canada. Strong IVR capabilities on all plans. AI-powered noise cancellation. On-demand and automatic call recording. Up to 8-digit extensions on some plans. Unique push-to-talk add-on. RingCentral makes it easy to centralize conversations across phone, text, fax, chat, and video. Image: RingCentral Pros and cons Pros Cons It doesn’t feel like a cheap solution. Various unique features you won’t find elsewhere. Covers every communication channel. AI transcriptions & summaries. 99.999% uptime & 24/7 customer care. Access to APIs & integrations on every plan. Call center features on affordable business phone plans. Strong business analytics. Can feel overwhelming at first. Longer implementation period. Various add-ons can quickly drive up the price. Overkill if you just need a simple phone system. Nextiva: Best for digital engagement Image: Nextiva Nextiva stands out by offering a full suite of UCaaS tools, covering more channels than most even on its cheapest plan. From small startups to large enterprises, it integrates voice, video, team collaboration, social media, live chat, and text messaging capabilities into a single cohesive ecosystem. Why I chose Nextiva Nextiva is growing in popularity as a UCaaS provider among companies that are looking for new ways to engage with their customers. This could be something as simple as using social messaging to drive traffic to your store or website. But it could also be part of a long term strategy to improve contact center CX by better serving each step of a multi-channel customer journey. All of these useful features run on top of Nextiva’s secure, carrier-grade network. With a 99.999% uptime guarantee, its users rest easy knowing the system’s always up and running. Nextiva also provides responsive, 24/7 support, ensuring that any customer issues are swiftly addressed while minimizing service interruptions. In my Nextiva review, I cover everything the company offers. Pricing Digital: Starts at $20 per user per month. Core: Starts at $30 per user per month. Engage: Starts at $40 per user per month. Power Suite: Starts at $60 per user per month. Essential: Starts at $129 per user per month. Professional: Starts at $159 per user per month. Premium: Starts at $199 per user per month. Digital does not include inbound/outbound voice, but all other plans do. Essential, Professional, and Premium are considered enterprise plans for omnichannel contact centers that manage high call volumes and large workforces. Features Unlimited voice calling in the U.S. and Canada. Top-tier 24/7 customer and technical support. Live chat, messaging, texting, email, social, faxing, and video in one. Simple interactive voice response

TL;DR: Get Microsoft Visio Pro 2024 for Windows on sale for $79.97 while codes last. You’re a business professional, not a creative genius, so designing impactful visuals can be daunting. Whether it’s an everyday presentation, team workflow, or client proposal, you want to feel confident, not like someone who can only draw stick figures. That’s where Microsoft Visio comes in. Designed to help you create diagrams and flowcharts out of complex business ideas, this Microsoft tool is practically indispensable. Get the latest 2024 version for $79.97 (reg. $579.99) for a limited time. Why every professional needs Microsoft Visio From startup teams to corporate professionals, Visio has been the go-to software for crafting visuals that make an impression—not mundane PowerPoint slideshows. With preset templates for flowcharts, organizational charts, process maps, floor plans, and network diagrams, you can skip the blank-page struggle. Visio 2024 adds even more features, like updated shapes and styles for the modern workplace. The streamlined search bar makes navigating your tools a breeze, saving precious time during high-pressure projects or Friday afternoons. You’ll also appreciate advanced formatting options—250,000 shapes, custom text adjustments, and themes—allowing you to create visuals that align with your personal style or brand identity. Built for collaboration and dynamic data Visio isn’t just about pretty pictures; it’s about getting things done. The newest version makes real-time collaboration much easier, whether your coworkers work in the office or worldwide. For data-heavy businesses, Visio’s ability to link live data from Excel, SQL Server, or other databases is also a game-changer. Your visuals automatically update as data changes, ensuring maximum accuracy without any effort. Save on Microsoft’s beloved diagramming software before these discounted codes sell out: $79.97 (reg. $579.99). Prices and availability are subject to change. source

Keyword research is the backbone of organic growth. While you can certainly create content for purposes other than ranking in search engines, it’s one of the best long-term ways to generate traffic to your website. Like other forms of marketing, ensuring your research is usable and organized is an ongoing challenge. And it only gets more difficult the more data you have. Here’s a look at my favorite keyword research templates to help you stay on track. The best keyword research template for monday.com monday.com is a complete solution for project tracking and team collaboration that comes with additional tools for time tracking, team messaging, database management, and more. There are more than 200 free templates covering every department, including marketing, task management, and HR to name a few. They’re all available on every plan (including free). With so many different ways to use it, monday.com is ideal for incorporating keyword research into your other workflows — and it’s really useful if you’re collaborating with a team. More monday.com coverage: monday.com Review | ClickUp vs monday.com | Asana vs monday.com.  monday.com: Keyword research template monday.com’s keyword research template is one of the most straightforward on my list. I like it because it’s easy enough for beginners but still includes everything an SEO veteran needs to track. Template features:  Fully customizable. Works for SEO and PPC keywords. Assign team members to action items. Import keyword data from Excel files. Measure keyword difficulty, CPC, search volume and other key metrics. monday.com’s keyword research template is versatile for different initiatives, yet simple enough for anyone to use. Image: monday.com Despite its simplicity, you can use it to research organic opportunities and PPC campaigns in one place without confusion. monday.com makes it easy to sort by any column you’d like, customize the template with new columns, remove columns you don’t need, set up automations, view the same data in different ways, and even create charts in a few clicks. I also appreciate how easy it is to leave detailed comments for different types of actions, including using a particular keyword to create new content or optimize an existing post. Overall, the template is lightweight, laser focused, and easy to use. ClickUp keyword research templates ClickUp is another all-in-one project management and team collaboration platform. Although it’s not as customizable as monday.com, it offers more features and an easier learning curve. From team chat, project tracking, and collaborative brainstorming to document creation and slash commands, there’s not much it can’t do. In terms of keyword research, ClickUp works really well if you want to take your research and then turn your analysis into action items that tie into tracked goals. You can easily assign tasks to team members, create sprints, and manage the entire process from a single dashboard. With ClickUp’s generous free plan, you can use the keyword research templates below (and more) at no cost. More ClickUp Coverage: ClickUp review | ClickUp vs Notion | ClickUp alternatives.  ClickUp: SEO and research management template If you want more than a spreadsheet-style list of keywords and search data, I highly recommend the SEO & research management template from ClickUp. In addition to keyword research, it’s set up for competitor analysis and task management so you can turn your keywords into blog posts, landing pages, meta descriptions, and anything else you need. Template features:  Tag and view top priorities. Set up dependency warnings. Includes competitive analysis and link building. Two custom board views. Built-in time tracking. Caption: ClickUp’s SEO research & management template is fully customizable and ready to use in seconds. Image: ClickUp.com ClickUp defines this as an intermediate-level template. But it’s easy enough for beginners who need something more. The template is fully customizable, making it easy to conduct keyword research alongside other SEO priorities. For example, you can create a section for competitor analysis to see which keywords they’re ranking for and identify gaps on your own website. From there, you can create an action plan, assign tasks to team members, and track your progress using a Gantt chart. It’s easy to import data, brainstorm ideas, and organize tasks into 27 preset status options. I love the ability to customize and make the most of the tools I use — this template allows for that (and more), which is why it’s one of my favorites. ClickUp: ChatGPT keyword research prompts Effective keyword research requires knowing where to start. Tools like Ahrefs and Moz can be incredibly overwhelming if you’re brand new to SEO. Thankfully, ClickUp also offers a set of keyword research ChatGPT prompts to help you get started. Template features:  10 keyword research prompts. 648 marketing prompts. Start in seconds. Great for beginners. Keyboard commands for faster changes. Caption: Open a blank ClickUp document and use ClickUp’s AI prompts for keyword research. Image: Clickup.com Rather than helping you organize keyword research, this template helps you come up with ideas so you’re not stuck staring at a blank screen. Instead of a table with a bunch of fields, you’ll see a blank document. Hovering over the AI button and choosing “Write with AI” lets you use the prompts ClickUp provides. Alternatively, you can use them directly with ChatGPT or any other large language model (LLM) for the same results. Normally, I wouldn’t recommend using AI because it doesn’t use data to generate suggestions. You may also find that you end up with generic suggestions. That said, this template is a good starting point for complete beginners who aren’t ready to use more sophisticated keyword research tools. Keyword research and SEO templates for Notion Notion is a powerful, flexible, and customizable productivity tool. You can use it to track and manage just about anything, including keyword research and other SEO initiatives. Its free plan is a great place to start and more than enough if all you’re doing is tracking keywords. There are dozens of free and paid Notion templates built by its thousands of users, but here are the best free options

Editor’s Note: Microsoft no longer sells Windows 10, and its support will end on Oct. 14, 2025. However, you can still buy Windows 10 from some third-party retailers. Finding your Windows 10 product key can feel like a treasure hunt. It’s often tucked away on a hard-to-reach sticker on your computer hardware or hidden in the packaging of a physical copy — assuming you haven’t already tossed the box. However, before you go crawling into a closet or behind your desk looking for a 25-digit alphanumeric code in fine print on the backside of your PC, there are less strenuous ways to track down your Windows 10 product key. This tutorial shows you how to find your Windows 10 product key using the power of the operating system. We have also published tips on how to find your product key in Windows 11. How to find your Windows 10 product key The success of any of these methods largely depends on how your PC was activated. If you activated Windows 10 by upgrading from a valid Windows 7 or 8 installation or with the computer’s recent purchase, you will likely find the product key with most of these methods. However, if your PC was activated as part of an organization’s licensing agreement, finding a product key may be more problematic. 1. Command prompt The most direct method for finding your Windows 10 product key is from the command line. Type cmd into the Windows 10 desktop search box. Then, right-click the command line result. Select run as administrator from the context menu. Type this command at the prompt: wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey As shown in the image below, the command will display your current Windows 10 product key. Displaying the Windows 10 product key with the command prompt. 2. PowerShell If you are using Windows 10 PowerShell, the process is similar: Right-click the Start Menu button. Select Windows PowerShell (Admin) from the context menu. Type this command at the prompt to reveal the product key. powershell “(Get-WmiObject -query ‘select * from SoftwareLicensingService’).OA3xOriginalProductKey” Displaying the Windows 10 product key with PowerShell. 3. Registry File The product key is stored in the Windows 10 Registry File, so it’s possible to find the code there if you know the right key. To do so: Type regedit into the Windows 10 desktop search, and select the appropriate item in the results. Navigate to this key: ComputerHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionSoftwareProtectionPlatform As you can see below, the BackupProductKeyDefault key will reveal a valid Windows 10 product key. Displaying the Windows 10 product key with the Registry Editor Note: In my case, the Windows 10 product key displayed by both the command prompt and PowerShell methods are the same; in the registry example, the product key is different. The best explanation I can suggest is that because I upgraded from Home to Pro on the example PC, the product key displayed is for the upgrade to Pro or vice versa. If you have a better solution, please let us know. SEE: Windows 10 and 11 in S Mode: What Is It, and Should You Use It? Microsoft Copilot resources from TechRepublic Other ways to find your Windows 10 product key Third-party vendors offer applications that can also locate and display your Windows 10 product key. These applications essentially do the same thing we did here, but they introduce someone else’s programming and potential security issues. In addition, if you bought Windows 10 from the Microsoft Store, the product key information is available in your account order history. Is the Windows 10 product key tied to my hardware? If you purchased a device with an OEM key, such as a Dell or Lenovo laptop, the Windows 10 product key may be tied to your hardware. However, if you bought a digital copy of Windows, you can transfer the license to another computer. What should I do if I lose my product key after purchasing Windows 10? According to Microsoft, if none of the methods listed here work, you may be able to contact your device’s manufacturer to find the product key. However, this will likely only be possible if your device is still under warranty. You may need to purchase a new retail license if all else fails. Can I transfer my Windows 10 license to another computer? Yes. Just note that Windows 10 licenses are intended for use on one computer at a time. source

Creating content takes a lot of planning, production, and publishing activity. From the people creating it to the tools they use and the processes they follow, production schedules can go from manageable to chaos in a matter of days. Content operations templates and systems help you define processes, determine schedules ahead of time, manage tasks, and ultimately make it easier to scale. Here are the best free templates that won’t feel like a waste of time. monday.com: Creative processes template monday.com is a flexible relational database tool for work management and team collaboration. Once you establish basic content operations, you can use it to manage your full content production cycle. Whether it’s blog posts, custom images, podcasts, videos, or a combo of them all, you’ll have no problem managing production schedules with monday.com. More on monday.com: monday.com review | Asana vs monday.com | Airtable vs monday.com Use monday.com’s free content operations template to standardize and track content in various ways. Image: monday.com monday.com’s creative processes template is a great option because it acts as a single source of truth for both operations and production. Because of built-in project management features, you’ll get Kanban boards, Gantt charts, calendar views, timelines, and more. This gives everyone on your team the opportunity to see everything in a way that makes the most sense for them. This template also includes a full digital asset management (DAM) component that makes it easy to attach instructions and specifications to each item. Aside from the template itself, monday.com offers a wide range of configurable automations so you can easily streamline every step of the process. For example, you can automatically attach relevant instructions and process documentation to a task based on its content type. ClickUp: Content operations template for SOPs Whether you’re working with a few people or several dozen, standard operating procedures (SOPs) are a vital piece of your content production machine. Without them, you may sacrifice quality, efficiency, cost, or all of the above. This content creation SOP template from ClickUp comes with all you need to create and store your documentation. More on ClickUp: ClickUp review | Asana vs ClickUp | ClickUp vs monday.com You can use ClickUp to define clear instructions for your team. Image: ClickUp.com Unlike other SOP templates, this one is built specifically for content. You won’t have to make many changes before adding your content operations framework and documentation. It allows you to define the purpose of your processes, the scope of your projects, and step-by-step instructions for everything you’re producing. The template works really well for explaining how to do things within a particular tool, like Canva or WordPress, as well as guidelines, stylesheet information, and best practices. There’s also a place for you to link to other resources as needed. Wrike: Complete content operations system If you manage multiple projects simultaneously, Wrike makes it easy to plan and execute those plans within the same platform. It’s particularly useful for project portfolio management and tying project details into higher-level business goals. Although Wrike’s free plan is limited compared to other platforms, teams using it are likely able to justify paying for it. That said, many of its templates are available on the free plan, including its content operations template. More on Wrike: Wrike review |  Wrike vs monday.com | Wrike vs Asana Wrike works well for high-volume teams with requests coming from all directions. Image: Wrike.com Unlike other templates, this one’s a complete system with multiple modules to help you streamline operations. To start, you can add your team and set roles, making it clear who’s responsible for what. There’s also a work request form others can fill out when they need something from the content team. It’s fully customizable to match your workflow and helps control how requests are added to your backlog. Aside from that, you can use the system to create content briefs, distribute them, and manage approvals with big-picture data a few clicks away. Each user has a personalized productivity dashboard that outlines their to-do list, important documents, and progress on owned projects. Airtable: Content tracking and operations template Airtable is another great option to consider when handling content operations at scale. As a powerful relational database solution, it’s great for organizing complex content systems that don’t fit into other templates. It has a robust automation engine and plenty of customization opportunities to turn it into exactly what you need. More on Airtable: Airtable review | Airtable vs Trello | Airtable alternatives Centralize and customize content request forms to standardize processes for every type of content your team creates. Image: Airtable.com From summarizing campaigns and filling your content pipeline to tracking workload and monitoring key metrics, this template has a bit of everything. Unlike other Airtable templates you may have seen, this one includes pre-built interfaces with modular access controls. Instead of accessing all of your base data, users can only see and interact with the elements you want them to. It also comes with content request forms, content campaign management capabilities, a calendar view for big-picture operations, and AI-powered tools to help you make data-driven decisions. I personally use Airtable for managing most of the workflows across my business and can honestly say it’s a better fit for people who like to get their hands dirty. Stackby: Content operations template Like Airtable, Stackby is a no-code online spreadsheet and database solution for businesses. It’s very similar to Airtable in a lot of ways, albeit a bit more user-friendly for those who don’t want to customize every single element. The platform has more than 500 templates for just about every use case you can imagine. Stackby’s content operations template is an all-in-one solution for planning, management, and content creation. Caption: Use Stackby to organize all of your content in one place. Image: Stackby.com What’s unique about this template is the fact that you can sync data from different campaigns, tools, and task boards for high-level results tracking in a single view. Say you’re managing

Australia passed its first-ever Cyber Security Act on Nov. 25, introducing various measures to strengthen the nation’s defenses. Among its key provisions is a requirement that organisations report to the government if they pay ransomware criminals — a practice that has become widespread globally. The Cyber Security Act follows Australia’s Cyber Security Strategy 2023-2030. The strategy, designed to position Australia as a leader in cyber resilience, foreshadowed several measures in the law, including creating a National Cyber Security Coordinator to oversee a cohesive national cyber response. In a media release, Australia’s Minister for Cyber Security Tony Burke said the Act was “a key pillar in our mission to protect Australians from cyber threats” and that it “forms a cohesive legislative toolbox for Australia to move forward with clarity and confidence in the face of an ever-changing cyber landscape. Experts have urged IT and security leaders to update their cyber security incident response plans to consider the legislative changes, which may require them to communicate with the government in new ways in the confusing midst of a cyber security attack or crisis. How will Australia’s new cyber security law affect organisations? The two main changes impacting Australian organisations are creating a mandatory obligation to report any ransomware payments and a new voluntary reporting regime for cyber incidents. Mandatory ransomware payment reporting The government will require organisations of a certain size to report ransomware payments. While the size threshold has yet to be determined, local Australian law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth said the mandate will likely apply to businesses with a turnover above AUD $3 million. Reports must be made to the Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Signals Directorate within 72 hours of a ransomware payment. If organisations fail to report these payments, they could be charged a civil penalty, which Corrs said is currently valued at AUD $93,900. SEE: The alarming state of Australian data breaches in 2024 Corrs notes that, despite the new obligation, the government’s policy is still that organisations should not pay ransoms. The government believes that paying ransoms only feeds the business model of cybercrime gangs — and there is no guarantee organisations will actually recover their data or keep it confidential. Voluntary reporting of new cyber incidents The new Act commenced a new framework for the voluntary reporting of cyber incidents. The measure is designed to encourage more free information sharing when parties suffer a cyber attack so that other private and public sector organisations and the community can benefit. Overseen by the NCSC, any organisations doing business in Australia can report incidents while being protected somewhat by a “limited use” obligation, restricting what the NCSC can do with the information. For example, reporting a significant cyber security incident will allow the NCSC, under the law, to use the information for purposes including preventing or mitigating risks to critical infrastructure or national security and supporting intelligence or enforcement agencies, Corrs said. More Australia coverage Further measures included with Australia’s new laws IT and security pros will be impacted by several other measures included in the legislative package. IoT device security in focus Australia’s government will now have the power to enforce security standards for any Internet of Things devices. Once these standards are stipulated in legislative rules, any global suppliers must comply if they want to continue supplying to the Australian market, Corrs explained. Cyber Incident Review Board Significant cyber incidents in Australia are now likely to be reviewed by a newly enfranchised Cyber Incident Review Board. The CIRB will conduct no-fault and post-incident reviews, provide recommendations, and have the power to compel entities to provide information. Other cyber security legislation The Cyber Security Act is part of a broader legislative package, including updates to Australia’s Security Of Critical Infrastructure Act 2019. The SOCI Act has been updated to classify data storage systems that hold business-critical data as critical infrastructure assets, among other changes. IT and security urged to review cyber incident response plans IT and security teams should review their cyber security incident response plans and integrate changes to them where necessary. This would accommodate the new mandatory ransomware payment reporting obligations and engagement with the National Cyber Security Coordinator. SEE: Australian government proposes mandatory guardrails for AI The new regulatory obligations will require organisations to adjust their plans to ensure compliance. CISOs and security teams will be key in adjusting plans and integrating these changes into future cyber security tabletop exercises. Corrs noted that the trigger for an organisation to report a ransomware payment is the payment itself rather than any receipt of a demand for payment. This will impact both how organisations manage these cyber decisions and when they choose to communicate them. Organisations may also have overlapping reporting requirements with different timelines under Australia’s privacy laws and SOCI Act if they are designated critical infrastructure companies, in addition to continuous disclosure obligations if they are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. source

Starbucks and several major U.K. supermarkets experienced disruption due to a ransomware attack on the prominent supply chain software provider Blue Yonder. The company disclosed the incident on Thursday, Nov. 21, and it was still working to restore services the following Monday. The disruption to the Blue Yonder platform prevented Starbucks from paying its baristas and managing their schedules, according to the Wall Street Journal. As a result, cafe managers had to manually calculate their employees’ pay using their scheduled shifts, leaving a larger margin for error as actual hours worked may not line up. SEE: Software Supply Chain Attacks Up 200% Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, two of the largest supermarket chains in the U.K., were also impacted, according to trade magazine The Grocer. Sainsbury’s said it had contingencies in place to mitigate any disruption and had restored all operations by Monday, as per TechCrunch. Morrisons reverted to a backup system to manage its warehouses but said the attack impacted the flow of goods to its stores. One of its suppliers said that chilled orders were cancelled on Friday due to the incident, and the supermarket anticipated that the availability of some convenience and wholesale products could drop to as low as 60%. Must-read security coverage The cyberattack targeted U.S.-based Blue Yonder’s managed services-hosted environment, but its Azure public cloud was unaffected. Blue Yonder brought in external cybersecurity firms to address the incident, but so far, it has not been able to establish a timeline for restoration. Blue Yonder, acquired by Panasonic in 2021, provides an end-to-end supply chain platform for managing warehouses. It can also be used for demand forecasting and automated ordering. The company calls several other high-profile businesses its customers, including U.K. supermarket giants Tesco and Asda, DHL, Walgreens, Philip Morris, and Carlsberg. None of these companies has admitted to being impacted so far, and there is also no information about the type of data that the ransomware group accessed from victims. At the time of publication, no ransomware group had claimed responsibility for the hack. This could suggest that Blue Yonder conceded to their demands, as attackers often don’t admit their involvement or leak data in that case. SEE: Paying ransom should be your last resort, cybersecurity expert says Supply-chain, ransomware attacks are on the rise In recent years, supply-chain attacks have become a growing concern in the cybersecurity landscape. The attacks on SolarWinds, Log4j, and Codecov are notable ones. Supply-chain attacks are especially attractive to cybercriminals because they offer multiple rewards for a single breach. Thirty-one percent of organisations experienced a software-as-a-service data breach in the last 12 months, a 5% increase over the previous year, according to AppOmni. This surge may be linked to inadequate visibility of the increasing number of deployed apps. According to Onymos, the average enterprise now relies on over 130 SaaS applications compared with just 80 in 2020. Last year, British Airways, the BBC, and Boots were all served an ultimatum after they were hit with a supply-chain attack by the ransomware group Clop. Clop exploited an SQL injection vulnerability in the popular business software MOVEit and accessed its servers to steal business data. Ransomware attacks are also on the rise. Microsoft reported a 2.75-fold increase in ransomware attempts this year, while the second quarter of this year saw the highest number of active ransomware groups on record. Indeed, artificial intelligence could be lowering the barrier to entry to stage these attacks, widening the pool of individuals who might do so. Global ransomware payments exceeded $1 billion for the first time in 2023. “Big game hunting,” where groups go after large organisations and demand ransoms of over $1 million, is increasing in prevalence, and affected organisations are often tempted to pay. source

While searching for the best IVR solutions, I prioritized ease of setup and use. I deliberately avoided IVR systems that require on-premises deployment, lengthy implementation times, and ongoing maintenance. From there, I took a deep dive to learn how each feature works, what makes an overall system great, red flags to look out for, and the optimal use cases for all the major options on the market. This guide highlights six standout options, including their key features and ideal use cases. 1 RingCentral RingEx Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Hosted PBX, Managed PBX, Remote User Ability, and more Top IVR systems comparison You can buy standalone IVR systems — but most business phone services and call center software come with a capable IVR built-in. Having a native IVR makes deployment much easier than having to integrate a third-party IVR with the channels and business software you rely on. Each of the IVR systems below come as part of a larger business communication platform. The table below covers some of the most important factors to look at when making your purchasing decision. Best for Starting price Call recording Multi-level IVR Analytics Vanity numbers RingCentral Best IVR system overall $20 per user per month All plans All plans Advanced Yes Nextiva Best for customer engagement $30 per user per month Top plan only Top plan only Average No Ooma Easiest DIY setup $19.95 per user per month Top two plans Top plan only Basic Yes KrispCall Best for small businesses $12 per user per month Top two plans All plans Average No GoTo Connect Best integrations Custom quote All plans Contact center only Advanced Yes Aircall Best user interface $30 per user per month All plans All plans Add-on No RingCentral: Best IVR system overall Image: RingCentral RingCentral has been helping businesses communicate better, faster, smarter for 25 years.  IVR technology has changed so much in that timeframe, and RingCentral has kept pace, continuously offering truly useful features to their users. Why I chose RingCentral Most businesses are going to get the most for their dollar by using the RingEx phone system, which offers advanced capabilities at a lower price point than its competitors. Unlike Nextiva and Ooma, for example, you can use the full extent of RingCentral’s IVR on every plan. You can set up multiple IVRs for different locations and configure IVR flows in a simple visual editor —  all with the entry-level phone system. See my full RingCentral review for more details about its features, pros, and cons. Pricing Core: Starts at $20 per user per month billed annually. Advanced: Starts at $25 per user per month billed annually. Ultra: Starts at $35 per user per month billed annually. Free trial: 14 days with up to 5 phone lines. Month-to-month pricing is a bit more, but there are volume discounts once you reach more than 100 users. RingCX, RingCentral’s contact center solution starts at $65 per agent per month, and includes call center IVR, skills-based routing, and queue callback. Features Voice, video, messaging, texting, and faxing in one. Advanced quality of service and AI analytics. Full IVR, call queues, and call recording. Strong security features. 300+ integrations and access to API. Cutting edge AI capabilities. Vanity, local, international, and toll-free numbers. Optional revenue intelligence add-on. RingCentral offers simple IVR system administration at an affordable price. Image: RingCentral Pros and cons Pros Cons Advanced IVR capabilities on every plan. Full team collaboration and communications suite. Powerful AI capabilities and more than 300 integrations. Visual IVR call flow editor. Multi-site admin dashboard not included with entry-level plan Slower deployment relative to competitors. Learning curve for new users. Nextiva: Best for customer engagement Image: Nextiva With a range of simple to advanced IVR functions, Nextiva is a great choice for businesses of all sizes. Smaller teams with tighter budgets can streamline call flows with its simple auto attendant features. Enterprise businesses and call centers can automate workflows with intelligent call distribution and conversational IVR. Every plan that Nextiva offers comes with tools to help you manage your businesses online reputation and engage with customers online. Whether they are calling into your system or simply browsing online, Nextiva can help you serve them on every channel. Why I chose Nextiva Nextiva is very accommodating — businesses of all types will get everything they need at a competitive price point. Both the phone system and contact center offerings from Nextiva have the full-suite of capabilities that businesses are looking for, though you may have to upgrade or purchase add-ons to fully set up IVR call flows. Companies will also appreciate the rich set of tools to support brand management and customer experience. Few other providers offer these increasingly vital features. For more details, check out my in-depth Nextiva review. Pricing Digital: Starts at $20 per user per month. Core: Starts at $30 per user per month. Engage: Starts at $40 per user per month. Power Suite: Starts at $60 per user per month. Nextiva’s entry-level Digital plan does not include voice communication or IVR — every other plan includes both. The Core plan includes a single-level auto attendant. You’ll need to upgrade to the Engage plan or higher for multi-level capabilities and the call flow editor. For call centers needing advanced IVR capabilities, plans start at $129 per user per month. Features Full range of internal collaboration tools. Unlimited calling in the US and Canada. Auto attendant with all phone plans. Full IVR and ACD on all call center plans. Free toll-free or local phone number. More than 20 integrations. Up to 12,500 complimentary toll-free minutes. Lightweight contact management. Nextiva lets you build and automate full AI-powered buyer journeys, including IVR. Image: Nextiva Pros and cons Pros Cons Includes voice, video, team chat, texting, and faxing in one. Suitable options for basic or advanced needs with room to grow. Visual call