Work Remote
In preparation for unplanned events, such as inclement weather and public health situations, ITS sends out information intended to help you plan and prepare for alternate work arrangements. Now is a great time to ensure that the tools you may need to work from home or an alternative location are ready to go.
Guidance for off-campus internet service
This Guide provides a list of potential solutions to help you obtain and improve internet access from home.
Email, Calendar and OneDrive File Sharing
Office 365 is hosted in the cloud, meaning you can access your email, calendar and OneDrive documents from anywhere. You can download and install the latest version of Office products on your home computer or simply interact with the web-version of each software product.
- How to test and prepare: Office 365 does require 2-Step Verification, so be sure to test logging in from home to make sure your 2-Step is properly configured.
Virtual Meetings with Zoom
If you need to host or attend a work meeting, Zoom is the perfect tool. You can schedule meetings in advance and/or quickly organize an impromptu meeting. You can access Zoom via the web or a downloadable application.
- How to test and prepare: Log in to Zoom (or the desktop client) and test creating and inviting others to meetings. You can also download the Zoom mobile app from the Apple or Google app stores.
- If you install the Outlook Zoom plugin, you can quickly create Zoom meetings or convert existing meetings to Zoom with just a click of a button.
- We’ve compiled tips for utilizing Zoom on lower bandwidth internet connections. A few small changes can help make Zoom a viable option for a broader population.
Chat with Colleagues on Microsoft Teams
Teams is the primary campus tool for real-time chat collaboration – you can even share your screen and host meetings with Teams.
- How to test and prepare: Visit the Office 365 website, log in and choose the icon for Teams. In the bottom left corner, click the icon to download the installer. Test out chatting with colleagues to ensure you are comfortable with the functionality. You can also review step-by-step instructions
Access Applications Off-Campus with VPN
If you aren’t familiar with VPN, you probably haven’t needed it for your job. VPN is required to access things like your W-2 or paystub in ConnectCarolina from off campus. It’s also required to access the storage.unc.edu filestore and other campus services from off campus.
- How to test and prepare: Ensure your VPN client is up-to-date and run an access test from home or another off-campus location. Learn more.
Update your office voicemail message
If you need to update your voicemail message, follow these steps.
Forward critical office phone lines
If you or your department run a business-critical phone line that needs to be answered from off campus, the best option is to forward the phone. We don’t recommend forwarding for all employees.
- How to test and prepare: See step-by-step instructions for forwarding your phone. Note: Standard call forwarding must be done from your phone itself, so plan to do this before you leave the office!
Remote call forwarding
If you need remote call forwarding for a VoIP phone line, an ITS Communication Technologies administrator must activate the feature. Once activated, the administrator will provide the specific Call Forward Remote access phone number and instructions. Visit help.unc.edu and “Request Something Else” to request the feature.
Working from Home w/ Security in Mind
The Working From Home w/ Security in Mind web page offers tips on how to protect University data while getting your work done at home.