The iPad in Business (was iPad General Office Work Workflow Ideas)

[zChris]

Hi,

I have been using an iPad Wifi for about a week now and I'm hoping to get your ideas on a good workflow for integrating the iPad for general office work.

Most of the work I do is really processing email (and attending meetings) and I've got the iPad working quite nicely with our Exchange Server at work. I also quite like Evernote and the iPad client is one of the first apps I downloaded for general note taking if needed.

Where I am having a challenge, though, is figuring out a usable workflow for file management and processing, particularly MS Office files.

It's quite a challenge figuring out the best way to manage files particularly those that need to make their way to my laptop and back to the iPad. I bought Air Sharing but quickly found out that not all files on the iPad are identified. Later, I learned that each iPad app stores its files within the application package of the app itself, therefore making apps like Air Sharing difficult to consolidate user files, such as documents, presentations, and such.

Next was Dropbox, where I dropped a ppt file and .docx file (which transferred flawlessly to the iPad, btw). Upon selecting the file on the iPad, there was the option to open the file in its native app, in this case, Pages. I later learned that Pages made a copy of the file which could be edited, which would be fine since the document would need to be converted anyway. However, upon saving and exporting the document, I couldnt find the resulting .doc or .pages files on Air Sharing or Dropbox. Seems that the only way to get the file back into the file management apps is to email it to myself and Air Sharing can pick up the document from Mail, which is kind of a hassle.

Next up is Sugarsync, which for me is better than Dropbox because it combines Dropbox functionality with the added feature of sharing folders on the Mac, which will be then synced to the cloud. Some may have security concerns over this but that is a different topic altogether. Meanwhile, there is probably the option to open the files in the native apps but I suspect that the export process from the apps will still be challenging.

I am also closely following the upcoming iPad version of Documents to Go with the hope of avoiding these back and forth file conversions, which concern me from a formatting perspective. Not sure, though, if the file management issue will be any better.

Office2 HD seems like an ok option I guess but it seems like Documents to Go (or even Quickoffice) will be worth the wait featurewise and integration-wise.

How do you guys use your iPads for work? Any ideas would be appreciated.

[rbenzon]

chris, my wife's ipad is still in the box, and mine is still in the store. so i can only help right now by rethinking your problem. it seems that *some* of your needs can be reduced by keeping your documents format-free until such time that you really need them, thereby minimizing your reliance on format conversions. or if you have a mac laptop (unlikely in large corporations that insist on select windows laptops), keep the formats in iWork format until such time that you really need them converted. it is not ideal and seamless, i know, but it does reduce the *painful instances*. less is more.

if you already have a mobileme account, would having idisk help?

fortunately, i won't have as much of your problem. i typically just view other people's docs, or draft one myself and tell other people to do the nip and tuck conversions and cosmetics. that's what ipad users should be doing--remote controlling non-ipad users.

[zChris]

I actually use a mac laptop for work, my own laptop, not owned by the office. However, I cannot keep the files in iWork format as it becomes too much of a hassle when receiving and sending to other people in the office.

Maybe I didn't explain my issue that well, but it's not really an issue of formatting, but an issue of file management. In a perfect world for me, the iPad would have a Finder, an iPad version of Chronsync, and document handling by apps similar to a Mac (or even Windows, since both manage documents in the directory/folder structure).

Given that the iPad do not have any of these characteristics, what's the best way to work with files on an iPad?

[lamski]

Found this article from the Apple support pages regarding iPad file sharing.
Looking at the article, you might even be able to use the Automator app to further simplify routine tasks.

Hope this helps.

[Theus]

Will be watching this thread closely. I myself am having issues working with MS office files. we got the iPad upon learning that iWork can handle office files. Well it does but I was hoping it was easier than i expected. whatever happened to MS office for iPad? Been reading that it's not happening afterall.

[Salaryman Ryan]

The only reason why I still plan to keep my Aluminum Macbook is because everybody around me still uses Word, Excel and Powerpoint. My employees can't live without MS Office and all my clients all use and send us MS Office files. Unless Docs to Go really provides a very extensive feature set for their app, the iPad will have trouble getting in the corporate environment.

[Theus]

Same here, now I'm having second thoughts on selling our 12" pBook.

[kameron4]

Here are a few links regarding working with the ipad with a few useful insights.

Weekend Project: iPad Productivity in the Cloud

Living on iPad

[macbeth]

I'm also looking for solutions like zChris because I've been thinking of leaving my superheavy 17" MBP and just use my iPad for work--but I know I would have instances later at work (it will be my iPad's first day to come with me to work) when I would really need the laptop to do something which an iPad won't be able to do.

I guess iPad really could not replace a laptop just yet.

But if someone can suggest better solutions, please do share. Thanks!

[opd]

Can "back to my mac" be enabled on the iPad via MobileMe? That way MS Office, text, pdf, generic graphic files etc. can be accessed via the iPad. I don't have my tita's iPad now, my adopted device that I cloth and care for (configure) for her, to try it.

If so, it would be more feasible to leave the desktop or laptop behind and bring the iPad to lessen bulk.