Business Software Made Easy - Time Saving Tips

A strange program opening your files?

Sat, 14 Oct 2006 15:14:29 GMT

Sept 19 2005

Q: I just installed a new digital camera. As part of the installation, the software that reads my camera’s pictures has also started opening all my existing photos and digital images. How can I get the original programs to open my existing pictures?

A: What happened is that your newly installed digital camera software decided to take over and make itself THE default software for ALL your digital photos and images. You can change back to the previous software by:

1. Open the folder that has the Photos (or even File) you want to open

2. Right click on the File you want to open

Options 1:

3. Select ‘Open With’

-Windows shows you a short list of suggested programs to open the File

4a. Select one from the displayed list it is just a one-time situation

Option 1:

4b. Select ‘Choose Program…’

-Windows displays all the programs on your computer

5. Select the appropriate program

*Be sure to select ‘Always use the selected program to open the selected file’

6. Click ‘OK’

That’s it!

Shortcuts-not just for programs

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 08:05:06 GMT

Sept 12 2005

Q:I attach files to my emails that are usually located in a Folder on my company’s server (Our ‘Z:’ drive). I use Outlook and it opens to my ‘My Documents’ Folder by default. I then have to click several times before I even get to it. Is there a way to access that Folder faster that doesn’t take so many clicks?

A: A simple way to solve this problem is to create a Shortcut your ‘My Documents’ folder that points to your Z: drive. This way, when you want to attach a File to an email you just double–click on the Shortcut in you ‘My Documents’ and you are immediately taken to your Z: drive!

To create a Shortcut to the Z: drive in My Documents:

1. Find the Z: drive

2. Right Click on the Z: drive icon

3. Select ‘Create Shortcut’

-A Shortcut is created for the Folder and placed at the end of the list

4. Right click on the new short-cut and select ‘Cut’

5. Find and open your ‘My Documents’ folder

6. Right click anywhere within you ‘My Documents’ folder and select ‘Paste’

-A short-cut for your ‘Z: drive’ is placed in your ‘My Documents’ folder

Link a scheduled Meeting to multiple contacts in ACT!

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 07:48:15 GMT

Sept 5 2005

Q: I use ACT! 6.0 to manage my contacts. Sometimes I need to schedule a meeting that involves more than one contact and I would like to ‘link’ that meeting to all the individuals involved so it can be tracked in their Notes/History section. How can I do this?

A: ACT! is a great software to track and record historical activities with all your contacts. Instead of creating individual meetings for each contact involved with a specific meeting, you can create a single meeting and link it to all contacts in one motion. Here’ how:

In ACT 2004/6.0 and 5.0

1. Contact > Schedule Meeting

2. Add any details about the meeting you would like to record

3. Click the 'Contacts' button at the right hand side of the window – about mid way down

-All the contacts in your database are displayed in the left column

4. Select ‘Contacts...' from the drop-down menu

5. Select/Highlight on the Contacts you want to 'link' to this Meeting

6. Click the 'Add >' button

-When all the contacts are selected

7. Click 'OK'

8. Click 'OK'

ACT 2005/7.0:

1. Schedule> Meeting

2. Add any details about the meeting you would like to record

3. Click the 'Contacts' button at the right hand side of the window – about mid way down

4. Select/Highlight 'Select Contacts...' from the drop-down menu

-All the contacts in your database are displayed in the left column

5. Select/Highlight on the Contacts you want to 'link' to this Meeting

6. Click the '>' button

-When all the contacts are selected

7. Click 'OK'

8. Click 'OK'