MS Office Quick Tips

Add Your Favorite Tool Bar Button (Office 2007)

2009-07-22T13:11:00.000-07:00

Did you know that you can add/make a button to the Quick Access bar for almost anything you do in Microsoft Office? The process is about the same for each of the office apps. For example, in Excel most of us insert columns all the time. Instead of using the Ribbon bar, or right-click and pick Insert, why not put a button on the Quick Access bar to insert a column?

Here's how: from the Home tab, click the Insert button out at the right side of the Ribbon bar. Next right-click on the item "Insert Sheet Columns". You will now have a new button on your Quick Access bar for inserting columns.

By the way, the process above works for all the items on the Ribbon bar. Just right click the item and choose Add to Quick Access Bar.

There ya go.

Add Your Favorite Tool Bar Button (Office 2003)

2009-07-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

Did you know that you can add/make a button for almost anything you do in Microsoft Office? The process is about the same for each of the office apps. For example, in Excel most of us insert columns all the time. Instead of using the Insert menu, or right-click and pick Insert, why not put a button on the toolbar to insert a column?

Here's how, from the Tools menu pick Customize. Next click on the Commands tab at the top. Down the left side are the different categories of commands, click on the Insert category and you will see the individual commands now listed along the right side. Find the Columns button and simply drag it up to the toolbar area.

It is that simple

Repeat it

2009-06-16T07:18:00.000-07:00

Here is a great shortcut. Try this out in Word, select some text and using the Ribbon bar (Tool bar for 03), format the selected text. Do three or four things to it then select some other text and press F4. You should note that the last thing you did to the previously selected text was repeated on the new text.

Now try it this way. Select some text and go into the Font dialog box and add three or four formatting items to the selected text. Next select some other text and press F4. What you should see is that all the elements you added while in the dialog box are now added to the selected text.

If you use the formatting buttons to format your text, each time you click the button it counts as one thing done. The F4 repeats the last thing done. When you go into a dialog box and do multiple things, from the time you enter the dialog box until the time you exit ALL count as one thing, and F4 repeats that one thing

Pretty cool yes?

Outlook Homework - Will Amaze You

2009-04-05T17:12:00.000-07:00

Imagine a screen in Outlook where you can get a snapshot of your week. All tasks, appointments, meetings, and as many email folders as you would like, each of which showing how many unread emails they contain. All just a click away.

Once in Outlook, click the item at the top left of your Folder List; "Personal Folders". Then learn how amazing this tool can be. Imagine going to one screen where you can see all new emails, no matter where they are. All your Appointments and Meetings, Tasks and anything else you want. ALL on one screen.

Do your homework - You will be AMAZED ! !

Color Your Categories

2009-04-05T17:03:00.000-07:00

Categories in Outlook 2007 are more functional than in previous versions because they are much more visible and configurable. To organize your categories, right-click the Categorize (color square) icon for the email you wish to Categorize. This will give the options as to which category you wish to add this to.

If you wish to create your own Categories, right-click the flag and choose Custom, then type a name for the new flag.

Permanently Delete Messages

2009-04-05T16:59:00.000-07:00

You can avoid the multiple-step process of deleting messages, then emptying the Deleting Items folder by simply holding down the Shift key when you hit Delete for any message. You’ll be asked if you want to permanently delete the message. If you’ve selected lots of messages for deletion, it works the same way. Just hold down the Shift key as you click Delete.

The Rules of Outlook

2009-04-05T15:54:00.000-07:00

If you receive a lot of emails each day, and you find it difficult to keep up on it all, then why not follow some rules. If you run a small business and get email from your clients on an on-going basis, why sort through your inbox and end up playing hide and seek.

Imagine that you only have 10 minutes to get something to a client, and you are now sorting through your inbox, sent mail, deleted mail, and god knows where else just to find the email. Many of us have been there and know the feeling – is sucks!

Did you know you can have Outlook do the sorting for you? For example, if you have a client that contacts you on an on-going basis, you can tell Outlook that when an email from that client shows up, simply move it to a folder with his name on it. No longer is it stuck in the inbox, along with the 3258 other emails from friends, other clients, etc. It goes straight into a folder with this client’s name. The next time you look at Outlook you will see this client’s folder bolded indicating there are some number of new emails.

Cool right?

Here’s how:

First create a new Folder with this person’s name. Then go to the Tools menu, choose Rules and Alerts. At the top left click New Rule. At this point you will have a selection of “Caned” rules. My suggestion is to click next and work from scratch. Take the time to look at the complete list and notice how powerful the options could be. This time we will want to go with the preselected item , which is when I receive a mail from someone. At the bottom of this screen you will have to indicate “who” it is from. Click People or Distribution list. At the bottom of the screen add their email address, then click next.

Here you indicate what to do with that new email, so click the link for Specified Folder, and select the correct folder, then click next twice. This is the last step. If you have emails from this person – anywhere in Outlook – and want them moved to this folder, select the check box that says Run the Rule on Messages you already have, otherwise just click Finish.

From now on, magic happens.

Enjoy and let me know what you think. Or, got Questions?