Five Microsoft Windows 10 features to know in the enterprise

The Microsoft Cortana digital assistant can help users adjust to changes in Windows 10, such as new application and file locations, desktop policies, and tools in the place of old ones.

Cortana eases this transition to Windows 10 and helps users determine the location of anything that might be difficult to find. This is far from Cortana's only function; it can perform calculations and unit conversions, set reminders and schedule events. The Microsoft Cortana digital assistant can easily integrate with Office 365 to expand its functions and interact with the Office suite, including integration with Outlook's calendar.

Microsoft originally designed Cortana as a mobile assistant, but with Windows 10, desktop users can input natural language queries and commands. The Microsoft Cortana digital assistant can search the desktop for settings, files, applications and more, and search the internet or use local tools to perform simple functions.

IT has the option to enable spoken commands, but in office settings with many users, this option isn't realistic because Cortana may have trouble sorting through all the noise. Instead, Cortana's search bar should function well enough to help users navigate their desktops and answer their questions.

Cortana does come with some data privacy concerns, however, because it collects personal data so it can anticipate users' needs and make suggestions for them. The cost of enabling Cortana is freely providing Microsoft with users' search history or, if IT enables voice commands, all of the audio that the computer's microphone can pick up. Because of these privacy questions, many IT departments may choose to disable Cortana.