In today’s fast-paced educational environment, leveraging the right tools can make a significant difference in productivity and communication. This article highlights several innovative Stanford software features that can help streamline your daily tasks. From optimizing your Slack and Outlook usage to harnessing the power of Zoom’s AI companion, here are five practical features you can start using today to enhance your efficiency and collaboration.

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1: Outlook Status in Slack

The Outlook app will automatically change your status in Slack whenever you have an event on your calendar. This can be helpful for students and staff to know when you are unavailable.

Bonus: You can also set Slack statuses like *all day conference* or *focus time*

Find out more and install the Outlook Calendar App

Find out more about setting your Slack status and availability

2: Slack Later Tool

Slack’s Later tool can help you not forget important messages that come through your Slack. If a student or staff sends a message that you want to use as an action item or reminder, just click on the ‘Save for later’ button and Slack will store it for you. Alternatively, you can create your own items directly in the Later tab.

Bonus: You can also set reminder notifications for your Later activity.

See the time [2:43-7:10] in the workshop recording below.

Find out more about the Later tool

3: Slack Canvas

Slack’s Canvas tool can help store information within a channel or conversation. You can store resources, links (or a Zoom link), important dates, or scripts. This can be helpful if you have a team channel and you need to quickly log into Zoom, or you want to reference the email script you wrote together.

Bonus: You can create a Canvas in the messages to yourself if you need a quick personal note.

See the time [15:31-19:17] in the workshop recording below.

Find out more about the Canvas tool

4: Email Templates in Outlook

If you have emails from students, staff, or outside partners that you constantly have to write the same thing to, then templates can help you send off that quick reply without having to write it out every time.

See the time [30:34-34:40] in the workshop recording below.

How to Find/Create new Template:

For Desktop: 

1. Create a new mail
2. Click on the Message tab at the top
3. Click on the  … (located as the rightmost tab in the upper ribbon)
4. Select My templates

For Web app:

1. Create a new mail
2. Click on the Message tab at the top
3. Click on the Apps icon (looks like a waffle)
4. If My Templates appears in the list, select it
   1. If it does not appear in the list, type ‘template’ into the search bar

5: Zoom AI Companion

The Zoom AI companion can take notes, find action items, and summarize your Zoom meetings. If enabled, you can interact with it in the chat to see if your name was mentioned, what the topic was before you entered the meeting, and other useful information. Now you no longer have to designate someone to take notes or spend time catching people up to speed. Simply turn on the AI companion and receive your summary once the meeting ends.

See the time [35:00-41:11] in the workshop recording below.

Find out more about Zoom AI Companion

How to Enable AI Companion:

1. Go to stanford.zoom.us
2. Click on the Settings tab on the left
3. Click on the AI Companion at the top
4. Select items to your preference

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Workshop Recording

Presenter: Christina Fajardo, Talent Development Specialist, GSE HR

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