Aldridge Blog
Quick reads to improve your IT strategy
Most Recent Posts
The Do’s and Don’ts During a Cyber Incident
When a cyberattack hits, the first moments are critical. What you do—and just as importantly, what you don’t do—can make the difference between a quick recovery and a costly disaster. ✅ Do: Stay Calm and Follow a Plan Panic leads to poor decisions. The best thing...
Top Attack of 2025: 3rd-Party Account Compromise
Organizations are investing heavily in technical safeguards, user training, and layered security strategies. That’s a good thing. But as your defenses improve, attackers are adapting. In 2025, the leading tactic we’re seeing isn’t about breaking into your systems...
The End of Windows 10: How It Affects You & Next Steps
After nearly 10 years, Windows 10 will officially reach its end of support on October 14, 2025. As the end of life for Windows 10 approaches, it's crucial for businesses, especially low-end, small clients, to prepare for the transition to Windows 11. Continuing to use...
Building Excel Dashboards for Leaders
Dashboards in Excel provide a powerful solution for financial leaders, CFOs, and analysts to visualize and interpret data efficiently. What is a Dashboard in Excel? An Excel dashboard is a visual representation of key metrics and data insights presented in one...
The Latest Wave of Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft continues to push the boundaries of AI-powered productivity with its latest updates to Microsoft 365 Copilot. With over 150 new features and 700+ product updates this year, Microsoft has been focused on addressing the challenges many of us face in our daily...
5 Advanced Excel Functions You Should Know
Excel is helpful for payroll analysis by leveraging powerful functions like SUM, SUBTOTAL, SUMIF, COUNTIF, and XLOOKUP. These formulas can help you analyze employee payroll data efficiently, even if you're starting from scratch or managing a simple spreadsheet. ...
Quick Financial Forecasting in Excel
Forecasting is a critical aspect of financial planning and analysis, enabling businesses to anticipate future trends based on historical data. Excel's built-in forecasting tools make this process more accessible and efficient. What is the Forecast Sheet Feature? ...
Analyzing Data with Pivot Tables in Excel
Pivot Tables allow you to summarize, analyze, and present large datasets in a meaningful way, making it easier to spot trends, compare values, and create customized reports. What is a Pivot Table? A Pivot Table is a tool in Excel that enables you to quickly...
Why You Should be Using ‘Named Ranges’ in Excel
One of the most powerful yet often underutilized features in Excel is Named Ranges. Named Ranges offer significant benefits, especially when dealing with complex datasets and formulas. What Are Named Ranges? Named Ranges in Excel allow you to assign a name to a...
Microsoft 365 App Exploit: Aldridge Cybersecurity Advisory
Recently, we've helped several organizations respond to a string of fast-paced phishing attacks. While phishing isn't new, the speed and tactics of these attacks were noteworthy. Instead of simply exploiting compromised accounts, the attacker installed malicious...
It Security
How Cybersecurity Helps Accounting Firms Win Clients
Accounting and CPA firms are bound by the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, which mandates principles such as integrity, objectivity, and due care. These principles require firms to handle sensitive financial data with the utmost responsibility, ensuring its...
5 IT Issues That Cost Accounting Firms Time, Money, and Clients
Accounting and CPA firms operate in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment where technology plays a crucial role in serving clients. But if not properly addressed, IT challenges can be costly—disrupting your operations during peak season or, even worse, exposing your...
Accounting Firm Scales with Cloud Migration & Secure Remote Work
A Houston-based accounting firm struggled with outdated on-premise infrastructure, poor remote access through Citrix, and a lack of strategic IT guidance. Facing a choice between another costly infrastructure upgrade or a modern cloud solution, they partnered with...
Microsoft 365
How to Use Named Ranges in Microsoft Excel
Named ranges in Microsoft Excel simplify data management by assigning meaningful names to specific cell ranges, making formulas easier to understand and maintain. How to Use Named Ranges in Microsoft Excel You can use the labels of columns and rows on a worksheet to...
[Webinar] Microsoft Excel: Beyond the Basics
Watch the training to learn advanced Microsoft Excel techniques and best practices. You’ll get a quick overview of Excel’s advanced features and common business use cases. No matter what your experience with Excel is, you’ll leave this training with something new....
Microsoft Copilot: Aligning AI Adoption & Security
Before adopting Microsoft Copilot, it's crucial to assess your organization's readiness and risk profile. Whether you're operating in a low-concern, conscientious, or highly regulated environment, aligning Copilot implementation with strong security protocols and data...
It Consulting
How One Manufacturer Cut IT Server Costs by 400%
A growing U.S. manufacturer was operating on an aging, overly complex IT environment managed by a single internal engineer. Over time, unmanaged growth led to server sprawl, rising costs, and increased risk, with little documentation or oversight. When a new CFO...
Top Attack of 2025: 3rd-Party Account Compromise
Organizations are investing heavily in technical safeguards, user training, and layered security strategies. That’s a good thing. But as your defenses improve, attackers are adapting. In 2025, the leading tactic we’re seeing isn’t about breaking into your systems...
Don’t Miss Our Most Popular Articles
How Cybersecurity Helps Accounting Firms Win Clients
Accounting and CPA firms are bound by the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, which mandates principles such as integrity, objectivity, and due care. These principles require firms to handle sensitive financial data with the utmost responsibility, ensuring its...
5 IT Issues That Cost Accounting Firms Time, Money, and Clients
Accounting and CPA firms operate in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment where technology plays a crucial role in serving clients. But if not properly addressed, IT challenges can be costly—disrupting your operations during peak season or, even worse, exposing your...
Accounting Firm Scales with Cloud Migration & Secure Remote Work
A Houston-based accounting firm struggled with outdated on-premise infrastructure, poor remote access through Citrix, and a lack of strategic IT guidance. Facing a choice between another costly infrastructure upgrade or a modern cloud solution, they partnered with...