If your duties require you to work remotely, we recommend that you partner with your local IT support staff to take stock of your equipment (computers, chargers, etc.) and proactively test your capability for reliable remote access. This may include testing your home network connection and your ability to remotely access critical applications and on-campus systems, as well as applying necessary software updates. If relevant to your role, please leave work each day prepared to work from home the next day. That includes taking your laptop and any other equipment you may need to continue to work remotely.
If you do not know your local IT support staff please contact ISC Client Care for guidance. Students, please visit the Student Remote IT Support Page for more detailed instructions on accessing virtual instruction.
Communications Tools
The current system status of these tools can be verified using the links in our Vendor Status Pages list.
Remote Meetings / Collaboration
At Penn, the tools you will use for remote meetings and collaboration depend on your home School or Center. View the Video Conferencing Tools User matrix to learn more about the leading available options.
(IT Staff please reference this Remote Work & Instructional Technology Summary and the Video Conferencing Tools IT Staff matrix. Also note that the authoritative place to update a user's email address is within the public view of the Online Directory.)
- Schools: The Center for Teaching and Learning has published extensive guidance on teaching and collaboration tools (see details below). This includes information on individual School preferences for PennZoom, a popular campus solution for virtual meetings with video, voice, and screen-sharing.
- Centers: Centers may be using PennZoom or Microsoft Teams. For help selecting the correct option, please contact your Local Support Provider.
Additional tools may include:
- PennBox, a cloud-based collaboration service for securely managing and sharing files and folders.
- Secure Share, a web-based application for secure file exchange available to Penn faculty, staff, and students.
- Microsoft OneDrive, a cloud-based collaboration service for securely managing and sharing files and folders.
- DocuSign, which provides a suite of services designed to help business owners collect electronic signatures and manage digital transactions.
- PennO365 is the University’s cloud-based email and calendaring service.
Telephone
- PennFlex Phone is the University's enterprise telephony service that supports business operations for the campus, including phone forwarding and voicemail.
Please be mindful of our limited capacity for call forwarding. If you do not need to answer live calls to accomplish your job, see this guide for instructions for receiving your voicemail via email, which you can then respond to at your convenience.
Teaching & Training Tools
- The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) and Online Learning Initiative (OLI) have created a webpage with detailed instructions and guidelines for using the available online teaching tools (Canvas, Panopto, and PennZoom). Please take time now to familiarize yourself with this webpage.
- On March 6, 2023, Workday Learning will replace Knowledge Link. University learners will not have access to job-related training between 5:00 p.m., Friday, March 3 and 9:00 a.m. Monday, March 6. University users with UPHS-affiliations will continue to have access to UPHS courses in Knowledge Link. See the Workday Learning Guide for more information. Workday Learning will connect University faculty, postdocs, staff, students and other workers with their required job-related training and other learning opportunities directly from Workday, the University's human capital management (HCM) platform.
- LinkedIn Learning is an online training library that provides access to courses and tutorials covering a wide selection of topics and is available to faculty, staff, and students.
Security
- Sophos Home, is the University's supported antivirus product for Windows and Mac OS operating systems. The software is site-licensed at Penn and available free of charge to members of the Penn community.
- Firewall Services provide automated security tools used to filter out known malicious network traffic and protect server and end-user networks.
- University Client Virtual Private Network (VPN) provides encrypted and authenticated access to the PennNet network using Two-Step Verification. (Learn more on getting started.)
Workday @ Penn
Penn workers have secure access to their personal information (compensation, pay, absence and leave, time reporting, and more) and related management responsibilities through Internet-enabled devices.
- Access Workday through a web browser (Chrome is recommended).
- Some self-service functionality is also available through the Workday Mobile App; access the download instructions on the Workday @Penn website.
- Step-by-step instructions for all functionalities are available through the Workday@Penn tip sheets.
- Non-exempt workers, managers, and timekeepers should continue to perform their time entry and timekeeping responsibilities during the period when the University recommends remote work.
Classroom Technology Services
ISC’s Classroom Technology Services provide numerous classroom AV options.
HR Guidelines
Work with your supervisor to determine if working remotely is an option.