The first guide, available from today, focuses on hardware, giving adviser firms practical advice on everything from choosing a new laptop, printer or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), right through to network solutions. Each guide will also include a handy Glossary section at the back. Subsequent guides will look at areas including back-office systems, research technology and e-commerce marketing.

Together, the whole series of 'Easy Technology Guides' is designed to provide financial advisers with a complete reference library, giving advice on all aspects of adviser e-commerce and technology options. Over the coming months a total of seven full-colour, 16-24 page guides will be provided free to advisers, complete with a useful ring-binder for easy storage.

15,000 copies of each guide will be distributed by Standard Life's field force but advisers can also obtain copies of the guide, in PDF format, from our extranet service.

Billy Burnside, Sales E-commerce Manager, Standard Life, said: "The future of efficient business for advisers lies with the proper use of technology. But with so much choice available now, it is always very difficult for a firm to decide which services and systems are most likely to add value to their business. That is why Standard Life decided to introduce these new 'Easy Guides'. They demonstrate our commitment to technology as well as giving a truly objective source of information to help firms make the right choices and illustrate the tremendous benefits that e-commerce can bring."