Print
Discuss
Send to friend
RSS feeds
POWERPOINT
28. Tidy tools
Most of the toolbars in Office contain tools that you never use, and PowerPoint is no exception. To clean them up, you can simply hold down the Alt key and click-and-drag the offending tools off the toolbar, at which point they will disappear. If you want to get them back, or have more control, right-click on a toolbar and select Customize, then go to the Commands tab and you can drag buttons back to the toolbars.
29. Create diagrams in XP
The drawing toolbar in Office XP has a new, but easily overlooked, addition. The Diagram button allows you to easily create Venn, cycle, pyramid and other diagrams, along with automatic text labels from your data. This is quicker than trying to create them from scratch and the same tool will allow you to edit and add effects to existing diagrams.
30. Animation schemes in XP
Also new to Office XP are Animation Styles. It can be tricky and time-consuming to create animations yourself, and add effects individually. The template and layout Task Pane, however, now includes access to Animation Schemes, which allow you to apply a defined set of animated effects to a slide or a selection of slides.
31. Fine control
Instead of trying to position your graphics and text exactly where you want them on a slide using only the mouse, you can use the arrow keys on the keyboard to nudge the object you have selected slowly into the correct position. If you hold down the Control key at the same time, it will move in even smaller steps depending on how far you have zoomed into the screen, allowing you much greater control.
32. Fancy comments
You can insert comments into a slide if you are collaborating with someone else on a presentation, allowing you to share notes and ideas. With PowerPoint's Comments feature, you can control how you want them to look as well. Select the comment box, then click on the Draw menu and click on Change Autoshape. This way, you can make important comments stand out using arrows or other shapes.
33. PPT vs PPS
Saving a file with a .PPS extension instead of the normal .PPT will make Windows open it as a slideshow automatically when you double-click on it, rather than opening it for editing in PowerPoint. You can still open it for editing using Open from PowerPoint's File menu.
34. Cut to size
The file size of your presentation may be enormous if it contains a lot of pictures. If you are using PowerPoint 2002, you can choose to compress the pictures to make the file smaller. Open the Pictures toolbar and click on the Compress Pictures button. You can compress one, some, or all of the pictures in the presentation.
35. Use Word to organise your thoughts
You can use the outliner in PowerPoint to make sure your notes and slides are in the correct order but you can also use the outlining tool in Word, which is even more powerful. Don't import the Word file into PowerPoint. Simply open it in Word and click on the File menu, choose Send To and click on PowerPoint.
36. Add images
There is a free photo album add-in available for PowerPoint from Microsoft's Office website here which will let you create a photo album from images on a disk, or from a scanner or digital camera. You can choose the number of pictures per page, styles, backgrounds and captions.
37. Open files without PowerPoint
You can, of course, send presentations to anybody, but if your recipient doesn't have PowerPoint, all is not lost. Use the Pack and Go Wizard to create a packed-up version, which includes the standalone PowerPoint viewer.
38. Pause a slideshow
You can pause a slideshow while it's on screen by pressing the full-stop key, or the B key. This will turn the screen black. Press it again to continue. If you want, you can do the same thing but turn the screen white, using the W key.
39. Use sound and vision
Registered PowerPoint 2002 users can pick up the Microsoft Producer application free of charge. This adds streamed, live or file-based audio and video to a presentation. It's available from Microsoft's website here.
40. Make your mark on masters
If you place anything - text or objects - on a master slide, they will appear on all of your slides. This can be useful for branding, for example placing a company logo in the corner of each slide. Click on the View menu, choose Master and then Slide Master to edit the master slide.
41. More mastery
For some slides, you might want to exclude what appears on the master slide, say you want to show a full-screen diagram or photograph. By going to the Format menu and choosing Background, then ticking the box marked 'Omit background graphics from Master' you can override the master slide.
OUTLOOK
42. Find folders
As well as organising your mail, notes, calendar, tasks and contacts, Outlook can be used to browse through folders on your hard disk. In the Outlook Places bar you will find My Computer and My Documents listed under Other Shortcuts. If you are dealing with Office files, it will show details such as word counts, author names and other fields. Usefully, unlike with Windows Explorer, you can print the file and folder listings from Outlook.
43. Send a business card
Virtual business cards (vcards) can be added to your Outlook email signature. Whoever receives your message can easily add your details to their contacts book by double-clicking on the vcard. Make sure you have an entry for yourself in your contacts. Then go to the Tools menu, and Options, then click on Mail Format and click on the Signature Picker button. Either edit an existing signature or create a new one, and click on 'New vcard from contact', then select yourself from the list that comes up, and click on Add. Click on OK, then Finish.
44. Choose you starting place
Your Inbox needn't be the first thing you see when you start up Outlook, but it can be hard to figure out how to change this. To do so, go to Tools, then Options, then Other. Click on the Advanced Options button and find the list marked 'Startup in this folder' and choose the one you want, then close the dialogue boxes.
45. Sort by order
If you keep your contact list in Outlook, use column ordering to find the person you are looking for. If you click on Full name at the top of the first column, the names will be presented in alphabetical order from A to Z. Clicking again changes the order from Z to A. The same applies to each column in your Contacts sheet. You can also change the label of a column by right-clicking it and choosing Format Columns. Then type your choice of label into the filed marked Label.
46. Check your post
You can find a full history of mail sent and received for every contact in your contacts list. Find the relevant person in your contacts list, double-click on the name and go to the Activities tab, which will show a full history of your communication with that person.
47. Add days to your week
To see the days of the week in Outlook's weekly calendar view, you need to change a setting in Windows. Go to the Control Panel and double-click on Regional Settings, then choose the Date tab and set the Long Date style to ddddd MMMM yyyy. You should notice the change immediately in Outlook.
48. Composing messages
Those of us on a dial-up internet connection can't afford to spend too much time online composing messages. However, it's easy to set Outlook to compose and read messages offline. Just click on Work Offline under the File menu. Any messages you compose will be stored in the Outbox until you click on Send/Receive, which will start the internet connection.
49. Build your own pigeon holes
You can assign categories to your contacts, notes, appointments and mail, making it easy for you to keep track of projects and other things in which you might be involved. Right-click on any item and select 'Category' to do so. Click on the Master Category list to add or remove categories. To view items by category, go to View, Current View, Customize Current View.
50. Add addresses
You can set up a toolbar button for anybody you email often. Go to Tools, then Customize and select the Mail Message command in the File category. Drag it onto a toolbar and release it. Now right-click on it and rename it using the menu, making sure that Image and Text or Text Only is selected. From the same menu, choose Assign Hyperlink and then 'Open...' Fill in the email address and, if you like, a default subject. Close the dialogue box and Outlook will instantly launch a message.
51. Notes
If you are reading your mail and you want to make a note of something, select it and drag it to the Notes icon in the Outlook Places bar on the left of the screen. It will be stored as a new Outlook note. This also works for web pages, help files and many other applications.
52. Transfer folders
If you change your PC, you can take your Outlook folders with you. Go to File, then New, then Personal Folders (this is marked Outlook Data File in Office XP). Create a new folder and give it a name, then go to the View menu and turn on Folder List. Right-click, drag and copy any folders you want to the new folder. Right-click on the new folder and close it, and close Outlook. Find the folder in Windows Explorer (you might need to use Find or Search in the Start menu) and copy it to the other PC. On the second PC, open Outlook, go to File, Open and open the file you have copied.
53. Combine calendars
It can be handy to see if your appointments clash with a friend's. You can merge two calendar folders by opening the source calendar and going to View, Current View, then Customize Current View. Make sure there are no filters marked as active. Go to View, Current View, and Events, which will list your appointments. Select what you want to merge, right-click and select Copy. Open the destination calendar and select Paste.
54. Build contacts
It's easy to add the senders of messages you receive to your contacts list. Double-click on the message in the Inbox, then right-click on the address and choose 'Add to contacts'.
55. Time zones
If you work in two time zones, you can see the time in another zone as well as your own by going to Tools, Options, Preferences, and clicking on Calendar Options, then Time Zone. Choose a second zone and give it a name, and when you view your daily calendar you will see both time zones.
Outlook keyboard shortcuts
Although Outlook Express doesn't have as many options or buttons as Word or Excel, it does have many features that are easier to get at if you use the keyboard rather than the mouse. This guide to keyboard shortcuts will help you navigate your way around your inbox.
Ctrl+M Send and receive messages
Ctrl+N Start a new mail message
Ctrl+P Print the current message
Ctrl+R Reply to a message
Ctrl+Shift+R Reply to all addressees of a message
Ctrl+F Forward a message
Ctrl+Shift+B Open your address book
Alt+Enter View message properties including header information
Ctrl+I Go to your Inbox
Ctrl+Enter Mark a message as read
Ctrl+Y Open the dialogue box to go to a folder
Ctrl+> Go to the next message in your inbox
Ctrl+<</b> Go to the previous message in your inbox
Ctrl+U Go to the next unread message in your inbox
Ctrl+D Delete the currently selected message
Take the hint
Even if you are an experienced Office user, there should be something in this hints and tips guide that will help you save time and bother, whether it's a new feature in Office XP or a long-hidden productivity trick from an older version.
In addition to the tips we've provided, you will find plenty more on the internet. Try typing 'office tips' into your favourite search engine. This will return a whole host of sites, both official ones from Microsoft and others run by experts or enthusiasts.
These list and discuss the many time-saving and work-enhancing ways to work in Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, as well as providing tips for more advanced applications such as Microsoft Access.
Once you've mastered them, you will find that creating and editing documents in Office becomes a whole lot easier and your working life becomes much more productive.
See also:
Most of us use Microsoft Office, but do we know how to make the most of it? We reveal 100 top tips for mastering this suite. Part 1 looks at Word and Excel 03 Nov 2004
Unlock the full potential of your hardware and enhance performance for little or no money by installing a firmware upgrade 22 Oct 2004
Using premium inks and papers, and giving some thought to the way you display prints, could improve their longevity. We investigate 15 Oct 2004
Instant messaging lets you stay in touch with friends and family around the world and now you can chat using video and audio features too. We round up six of the best free services 14 Oct 2004
Most people haven't considered the benefits of taking a computer outside the house. We explain what you're missing and how to get started 14 Oct 2004
Every now and again, Windows will confront you with an error message that stops you in your tracks. We decipher the gobbledegook and provide you with the remedies. Part 1 looks at hardware and software errors 14 Oct 2004
If your computer is huffing and puffing or there's no room to install more programs, it needs a good workout. We show you free ways to shed the unwanted data 14 Oct 2004All Software Applications
del.icio.us
Digg this
reddit!
