Microsoft rolled onto Missouri Southern April 26.

Southern’s Small Business Development Center, the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business Council and Heartland Technology Solutions sponsored “Make It Happen” featuring the Microsoft Across America truck.

“The purpose of today is to introduce to area businesses and then to the MSSU community some of the latest advances in technology from Microsoft and other vendors,” said Jane Cage, partner with HTS.

Held in Matthews Hall, 75 people had the chance to see demonstrations and seminars throughout the day.

“We are trying to teach customers what we have to offer,” said Jeff Wehr, computer engineer for HTS. “[It’s a] great way to find what the latest technology is.”

Cage said there were four seminars attendees could participate in – Microsoft SharePoint Services, Microsoft Small Business Server, Voiceover IP and Document Management.

She said SharePoint allows one to have a document on a server and one person could check it out while the other person could see what was checked on by the first person.

“So when you were done, you could check it back in [and] I can work on it,” Cage said. “That’s just one small example of what SharePoint does, and it makes it much easier to collaborate.”

Cage said with a small business server, it allows one to create a more professional e-mail address. She said it is not business-like, for example, to have a Hotmail address for a business.

“What a difference it could make on your business,” she said.

In Voiceover IP, if one receives a voicemail on a phone, it will go to the phone, but if one receives one on an Internet Protocol system, it will go to the Outlook inbox, she said.

“Rather than using a telephone cable to run throughout your office to connect the telephones together and a different cable for the network, they can run on the same cable,” Cage said.

She said in document management is a way to control the paper that comes into an office. She also said this makes it accessible to everyone.

Cage said the seminars give a small business the ability to share information with one another.

“The common thread in all of these things is when I want to find information, where am I going to get [it]?” she said. “This is a way to find everything you are looking for so when you want to make a decision you have the information that you need.”

Cage said there was an exhibitor who talked about digital signage in which one can control from a computer what appeared on a plasma screen.

“What a great place for her to be than right in from of the Edward Jones (Investment) Center where there is digital signage right up front,” she said. “It’s a great example of digital signage, and it’s right behind her. All she has to do is point to it.”

Susan Estes, national account manager for North American Sales, said LCDs are the latest and greatest technology. She also said the traffic and interest at the event has been great.

This is the second time this event has been held. Cage said it was held at the Chamber’s office.

With the event, attendees could win any number of giveaways from a Hewlett Packard iPack to Microsoft Office Professional. Also, vendors gave away small gifts like golf balls and umbrellas.

In the Microsoft truck, Cage said there is “incredible” technology. She said there are the new Windows technology mobile phones, SharePoint and an Xbox 360.

“They crammed an incredible amount of technology into a really small space,” she said. “It’s a great tool.”

“[It] allows Microsoft partners to showcase technology,” said Brian Culp, technology specialist for Microsoft.

Culp said there are also six laptops and two servers.

“It can be loaded up and then demonstrated,” he said.

Cage said technology is changing everyday.

“If you want to take hold of your business [and] if you want to be able to get ahead in your organization,” she said, “you need to understand what’s coming so that you can prepare.”

She said for example, one might have to prepare a budget to be able to buy a new product or service from Microsoft.

“If you do not know that it is on the road, then you really can’t be ready,” Cage said. “This is a really great chance to learn about what’s new.”