Business Software Made Easy - Time Saving Tips

Google knows everything

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 20:39:46 GMT

April 30 2007

You probably use Google to do research, find the lowest price, or look for the closest restaurant. Even I use it to find technical information. It is absolutely indespenible. But, did you know Google can help you find mathematical answers? How about conversions? Here's how...

When you want to convert units:

1. Open the Google web page

2. Enter the conversion into the Google search field like:

'15 miles to kilometers' or '4 cups to ounces' or whatever

3. Press 'Google Search'

-The results are displayed on the next page

-This even works if you have Google setup as your default search provider in Internet Explorer 7.0 or

-You can use the Google Toolbar if it is visible in your Toolbar (near your clock)

You can even:

Calculate exponents, square roots, sin, cos and more http://www.google.com/help/calculator.html

Convert Currency http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/features.html#currency

And more http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/features.html

I hope this saves you time!

Find those lost files

Sat, 20 Jan 2007 17:24:07 GMT

June 5 2006

Q: Every time I download a file, my computer saves it but I am never able to find it. Can you help?

A: There is a Search feature in Windows that will help locate your lost files. Before you start the download it is always helpful to note the name of the file you are downloading before you click the ‘Save’ button. This way you can search for that file name.

Here’s how to use the Search feature in Windows:

1. Click the Start button

2. Click ‘Search’

-If you are using Windows XP you are asked “What do you want to search for?”

-At this point you have a few options. You can select to find:

*Pictures, music, or video

*Documents (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.) I found that this option excludes Adobe Acrobat files.

*All files or folders

*Computers or people

3. Click ‘All files or folders’

4. Click 'More Advanced Options'

5. Check 'Search Hidden Files and Folders'

6. Type in the name of your document (or at least a part of it) into the ‘Enter all or part of the document name:’ field

7. Click ‘Use advanced options’ to ensure Windows is doing a thorough search

-In the ‘Look in:’ field

8. Select ‘Local hard drives (C:)’ or select your network drive/folder from the drop-down list

9. Click Search

All files that match what you entered in the All or Part of the File Name field are listed in the Search window.

To find the specific folder where that file is currently located:

1. Right Click on the File in the Search window

2. Select ‘Open containing folder’

You can also move the file to a different location

1. Select the file

2. Edit > Cut,

3. Locate a new destination folder (Like your Desktop or My Documents for easier reference)

4. Edit > Paste

Not sure of the name? Then try this:

In step 3 enter ‘*.___’ and one of the file extensions below:

Word = .doc

WordPerfect = .wpd

Word Template = .dot

WordPerfect Template = .wpt

Excel = .xls

Excel Template = .xlt

PowerPoint = .ppt

Adobe Acrobat = .pdf

QuickBooks = .qbw

Quicken = .qdf

Mystery email addresses appearing in Outlook To: field

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 21:29:42 GMT

Nov 21 2005

Q: When I create an email in Outlook, I type in the first few letters of that’s person’s name in the ‘To:’ field and it provides a drop-down list of all the people to whom I have previously sent an email with the same first few letters in their name. I have a few incorrectly entered names that I need to correct, but this list does not seem to correlate to the names in my Contact folder or even Global Address list. How can I fix it?

A: This list is called the AutoComplete or Nickname cache and your deduction that this list is actually a separate list is correct. It list is saved deep within your computer. It is accessible, but cumbersome to do so. When you are facing a problem with incorrectly entered names, there is a faster way to fix it. Delete the incorrectly entered names from the drop-down list. Here’s how:

-In Outlook:

1. Create a new email

2. Type in the first few letters of the listing that you know is incorrect (enough so Outlook displays the drop-down list)

3. Use the Up/Down Arrow keys on your computer to Select/Highlight the one that is incorrect

4. Press the Delete key on your keyboard

That’s it!

Leave breadcrumbs to find your files

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 21:28:03 GMT

Nov 7 2005

Q: I have noticed that some of the Word that I receive have the location to where they are saved in the footer (Ex. K:\Legal Documents\Clients\Franklin-Templeton\AnnualContract.doc). I would really like to have the same on my Word documents. How do you set this up?

A: This series of drives & folders that a specific file is saved is called a Path.

To Print the Path in the Footer in a Word document:

1. Open the document

2. View > Header and Footer

3. Switch to the Footer (you can do this by scrolling down the screen)

4. Place the Mouse in the Footer then click once (this brings the cursor into the Footer)

5. Insert > Field...

In the 'Field Names:' field

6. Select 'FileName'

7. Select 'Add path to fieldname'

8. Click 'OK'

9. Change the formatting of the Path to something appropriate (usually a smaller font)

10. Click the 'Close' button on the Header and Footer toolbar

That's it!

Two clicks away from your Contact's phone number

Sat, 14 Oct 2006 15:49:55 GMT

Oct 10 2005

Q: Is there a fast way to look up the phone number of a person with whom I have Meeting scheduled on my ACT calendar?

A: In ACT:

-While viewing your Calendar

1. Right click on the Icon (Two hands shaking) for the scheduled Meeting on your Calendar

-The mouse menu appears

2. Select ‘Go to Contact’

-That Contact record is automatically pulled-up

That’s it!

Bonus:

You can use the same technique when looking at your Task list too!

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

Jump to the First or Last Cell in a Spreadsheet

Sat, 9 Sep 2006 17:26:30 GMT

Aug 29 2005

Q: Is there a way to move to the last cell in a spreadsheet? I work with several spreadsheets that are quite lengthy and I usually overshoot the end when trying to scroll using the mouse.

A: Yes. Here's how:

Move to the bottom of a spreadsheet by:

Press CTRL + END at the same time

-This actually places you at the last cell in your spreadsheet - at the bottom most right cell

Move to the top of a spreadsheet by:

Press CTRL + HOME at the same time

This moves you to the most upper left cell in your spreadsheet - usually to cell A1

Spring Cleaning of your old files - anytime is Spring

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 20:05:44 GMT

March 28 2005

Q: I have numerous work files (spreadsheets, documents, presentations, etc.) scattered on my hard drive. How can I scan my entire computer and identify all my work files so I can delete the ones I no longer use?

A: You can use the Search feature in Windows to find your files, then delete the ones you no longer need. Here's how:

-In Windows XP

1. Start (button) > Search

-This opens Windows Search feature

-Under the section that says ‘What do you want to search for?

2. Click ‘Documents (word processing, spreadsheet, etc.)’

-Under ‘Search by any or all of the criteria below’

3. Click ‘Don’t remember’

4. Click the ‘Search’ button

-All your documents, spreadsheets, presentations, etc are displayed

-The results may take a few moments depending on your computer’s processor, and/or the amount of RAM memory your computer has.

Step 2-Organize the way the Files are displayed

-In the window that is displaying your Files

1. View > Details

2. Arrange Icons by > Modified

-This arranges the Files according to when they were last modified.

-This arrangement organizes all your Files according to when they were last changed.

Step 3-Keep or delete?

-Don’t know what a File contains? - Just double click on it to see what is inside.

-Ready to delete a File? - Just right click on the File name icon then select ‘Delete’ from the Pointer Menu.

Cut through the clutter in your web search

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 22:45:35 GMT

April 11 2005

Q: When I am looking for a website using a search engine, I sometimes have to scan lengthy web pages to look for specific text. How can I do this faster?

A: After you have opened the website (Either in Internet Explorer or Firefox):

1. Press the CTRL + F keys

-This brings up the ‘Find’ window

2. Type in the text you are looking for into the ‘Find what:’ field

3. Press the ‘Find Next’ button

You are taken to the first location where your text appears occurs on that web page!

You can also use CTRL + F to search through lengthy documents or spreadsheets.

Email Search in ACT! - Finally!

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 08:15:24 GMT

May 15 2006

Q: Is there a way that I can search for a specific email(s) in ACT!

A: If you are using ACT! 2005 or newer, you're in luck. For those who don’t know, ACT! (a very popular contact management database) can be configured to use your existing Outlook, Outlook Exchange, or Outlook Express email accounts. You can even set it up as a stand-alone email program. The only problem is that there wasn’t a feature that could Find/Search for Email. In the 2006 version of ACT! that is no longer the case.

Here’s how to use the Email Search feature in ACT!:

-In your ACT! Email program

1. Right click on the Email Folder you want to search

2. Select ‘Find Message…’

3. Enter any criteria you want to use to search for that Email like; Who its from, who it was sent to, any part of the Subject, or any part of the Message (body)

4. Click ‘Find Now’

-The Emails that meet the criteria are displayed at the bottom of the Find Message window. Just double click on any Email and it is automatically displayed!