Originally Posted October 26 2008

Even after tweaking your computer screen resolution, the Font in your Outlook e-mail folders may still not be adjusted to a size that is large enough to read comfortably.  You can adjust the Font size in Outlook, but the menu to do this is not easy to get to.  Here's how.

In Outlook 2003 and 2007

1. View > Current View > Customize Current View...
   
   
   -The Customize View: Messages window appears
2. Click the 'Other Settings...' button
   
   
   -The Other Settings window appears
3. Click the 'Column Font...'
   
   
   -The Font window appears
4. Select a size that is easier to read - usually 10pt works well
   *You can even change the Font style if you wish
5. Click the 'OK' button when done
   
    
6. Continue by clicking the 'Row Font...' and 'Font...' buttons in the Other Settings window and change the Font size (and style) to match)
   -When done
7. Click OK
8. Click OK 
   -The Font size is changed

That's it!

Originally Posted June 8, 2008

You may already take advantage of the Fill Series feature in Excel (where you can fill in a series of dates like January, February, March, etc or Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday etc.) in a simple drag of your mouse.  You an create a custom Fill list for your needs that does the same thing for your company divisions, product lines, managers, or whatever.  Here's how you do it.

In Excel 2003
1. Tools > Options...

2. Click the 'Custom Lists' tab
-In the 'List entries' field
3. Enter the first name in series that you want to have filled-in.  Be sure to type a ', ' comma and a space before typing the next name
-Continue until you  have your series complete
4. Click 'OK' when done

How to use:
1. Enter the first name in the series in cell, then press ENTER

2. Place your cursor on the cell you just typed
3. Place your mouse on the black box at the lower right-hand side of the cursor (the black box around the highlighted cell)

4. Drag across (or down) to fill-in the cells with the cells with your custom fill-in series

In Excel 2007
In Excel
1. Click the 'OfficeButton'
2. Click the 'Excel Options' button

-Under the Top Options for working with Excel section
3. Click the 'Edit Custom Lists...' button


-In the 'List entries' field
4. Enter the first name in series that you want to have filled-in.  Be sure to type a ', ' comma and a space before typing the next name
5. Continue until you  have your series complete
6. Click 'OK'
7. Click 'OK' again

How to use:
1. Enter the first name in the series in cell, then press ENTER

2. Place your cursor on the cell you just typed
3. Place your mouse on the black box at the lower right-hand side of the cursor (the black box around the highlighted cell)

4. Drag across (or down) to fill-in the cells with the cells with your custom fill-in series

That's it!

Originally Posted May 5 2008

I don't mean to keep repeating the same topic, but if you are using Microsoft Office (that means Word 2007, Excel 2007, PowerPoint 2007, etc.) your files are saved in a format that is not directly compatible with Microsoft Office version 2003.  This means that if you create a document in Word 2007 and email it to someone using 2003, they won't be able to open it unless they go to Microsoft and install the converter software.

There is an easier way than relying on others to download and install the converter - set your Microsoft Word 2007 to default to 'Save As 2003 version'.

In Microsoft Word 2007
1. Click the Office Button

2. Click Word Options

3. Click 'Save'
4. Select 'Word 97-2003 Document (*.doc)
5. Click OK

That's it!

This same process will work for the other Microsoft 2007 software (PowerPoint, Publisher, etc).

Originally Posted Mar 3 2007

If you are still stuggling like most of us with the transition to Microsoft Word 2007, here is something that may help - customize your Quick Launch toolbar in Word 2007 to mimick the Standard Toolbar in Word 2003.

Microsoft Word 2003 Standard Toolbar:

Once created, you can quickly find the icons (and hence functions) that you were familiar with in Word 2003.  Here's what you do:

1. Start Word 2007
2. Click the drop-down for the Quick Launch toolbar in the upper right-hand side of Word
   
3. Select 'More Commands...'
   -The More Commands window appears
   
4. Select the following from the window on the left hand side and arrange them in the following order:
   -New
   -Open
   -Save
   -E-mail
   -Quick Print
   -Print Preview
   -Spelling & Grammar
   -Cut
   -Copy
   -Paste
   -Format Painter
   -Undo
   -Redo
   -Insert Hyperlink
   -Borders
   -Insert Table
   -Columns
   -Chart Quick Styles
   -Document Map
   -Show all
   -Zoom
   -Help
5. Click 'OK'
   The QuickLaunch toolbar should look like this:
   

 That's it!

You may find yourself working on a spreadsheet when you run into a formatting conundrum.  How to get all the text in a Cell to be displayed without adjusting the width of the column and wrecking the your spreadsheet formatting.  In Excel, this feature can be done with the Wrap Text function.  Better yet in Excel 2007 it is on the ribbon.

In Excel 2007
1. Click on the Cell that you want to wrap
2. Click the Wrap Text button

In Excel 2003 or earlier
1. Format > Cells
2. Click the Alignment Tab
3. Check 'Wrap Text'
4. Click OK

That' it!

Oct 29 1007
If you are using the 2007 version of Office, you probably are still trying to get used to the Ribbon that has replaced the Toolbar.  Well, one handy feature of the Ribbon is that you can hide it while working on a Word document, Excel Spreadsheet, etc. giving yourself a little more room to work.

Here's how to set it up:
1. Start a Microsoft Office 2007 program - like Word
2. Click the 'Customize Quick Launch Toolbar' button

3. Select 'Minimize the Ribbon'
-Here's the Ribbon afterward

Just click Home, Insert, Page Layout, tab and the ribbon is revealed.

That's it!

Oct 15 2007
You may have started to receive Word and Excel files from your colleagues that you find that you can't open.  They usually end with 'X' after their name like Proposal.docx or Commission Totals.xlsx.  These files were created in using the 2007 version of Word and Excel respectively and unlike other versions they are not backwards compatible.  In this case we have two solutions.

First, we can download a free converter from Microsoft that will allow us to access files created in Office 2007 software programs at:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466&displaylang=en

Second, we can ask our colleagues with Office 2007 to save the files in 97-2003 format by:
1. Click the Office button in the upper left hand side of the screen

2. Click 'Save As'
3. Select ' _____ 97 - 2003 ___' from the list
4. Name and save the file as you would normally

That's it!

Aug 6 2007
You may have wondered what is the difference between Save and Save As.  I have been asked this question several times and have been a little pressed to come up with a simple explanation.  Maybe this will give some little clarification of what is difference between the two.

When you select Save - It will:

• Save the currently open File
• Save it with the same name
• Save it in the same Folder on your computer

Why should you use Save?

• You should use Save when you have made changes to the currently open File and want to retain those changes.

When you select Save As - It will:

• Prompt you to save the currently open File with a different name
• Prompt you to save the currently open File in the same Folder on your computer (although you can change Folders)
• Verify if you want to Overwrite the existing File (if you use the same File name and save into the safe Folder)

When should you use Save As?

• You should use Save As when you want to create a file based on the currently open file but want to keep the open file in-tact.  For Example if the currently open file is a contract or letter and you want to personalize it with your contact's information (Let me mention that there is a better ways of doing this).  Another situation is when you receive a File as an attachment.  You can open the File, then select Save As... to save it to your My Documents Folder or somewhere else that is easy to find.

I hope this explination helps!

July 30 2007
Hidden characters are included in every Word document.  Every time you press the Tab key, Spacebar, and Enter key a character for each is placed into your Document just all the other alphanumeric characters, but these are usually concealed from view.

These Hidden Characters sometimes cause formatting problems like when you can't align your text horizontally on the page or when an extra blank page prints at the end of your Document (see March 14 2005 Tip).

You can quickly troubleshoot these problems, but only if you can see these hidden characters.  Here's how:

In Word 2003 or older
In the Toolbar:
1. Look for the Hidden Character button
If you don’t see the Hidden Character button, click on the  in the Toolbar and find it there
2. Click it
-The hidden characters are revealed in your Word Document.

In Word 2007
In the Toolbar:
Under the Home tab in the Paragraph section
1. Click the  button
-The hidden characters are revealed in your Word Document

Now you can delete the extra Tab, Space, or stray Paragraph to get your formatting right!

July 16, 2007
Lately I have been doing a lot of training in Outlook. One of the most popular hints that I have been sharing is how to resend a sent email - Usually, saving time spent trying to cut & paste an email into a new email in order to resend.

In Outlook 2003 and older:
1. Open your Sent folder
2. Find and Double click on the email you want to resent to open it
-In the Toolbar
3. Actions > Resend This Message...
-Your message is re-queued
4. Click Send to resend

In Outlook 2007:
1. Open your Sent folder
2. Find and Double click on the email you want to resent to open it
3. Click 'Other Actions' in the Actions portion of the toolbar
4. Click 'Resend This Message...'
-Your message is re-queued
5. Click Send to resend

This is helpful especially if you send an email with an attachment  and forget the attachment (like that never happens)!

June 17 2007
Well, some consider this feature helpful but like other Microsoft 'features' sometimes it's not.

This feature is controlled in the AutoCorrect function.  Here's how you can turn it off

In Microsoft Word 2003
1. Tools > AutoCorrect
-The AutoCorrect window opens
-Under the AutoCorrect tab
2. Uncheck 'Capitalize the first letter of sentences'
3. Click OK

In Microsoft Word 2007
1. Click the Office Button
2. Click the 'Word Options' button (lower right hand side of the menu)
-The Word Options window opens
 
3. Click 'Proofing' in the left hand margin
4. Click the 'AutoCorrect Options...' button
5. Uncheck 'Capitalize the first letter of sentences'
6. Click OK
7. Click OK
That's it! 

May 28 2007
If you have been wondering how to convert files (like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, whatever) into a .PDF without buying Adobe Acrobat - Today is your lucky day.  If you are using Microsoft Office 2007 (likely if you bought a new computer with Vista) there is a free download available from Microsoft that will let you do this.  If you are using an earlier version of Microsoft Office, there is also a free download that will let you do this.

Microsoft offers a free download for Microsoft Office 2007 that will convert any file in the Office Suite to .PDF format.  To install it, just click on the link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=4D951911-3E7E-4AE6-B059-A2E79ED87041&displaylang=en , save the downloaded program to your computer (your Desktop is a convenient location), and double click on it to install (You can delete the downloaded file when done).

When installed, you can save a file as a PDF by:
1. Create a file using any Microsoft Office software programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
2. Save your file as you would normally
3. Click the Office button  in the upper left hand side of the window
4. Save As > PDF
-Keep the same name as the original file for easy reference
5. Click 'Publish'
-The file is saved as a .PDF and saved on your Desktop

If you are using an earlier version of Office, you can download and install CutePDF Writer.  Here's how you can install it:
1. Click on the link: http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp
2. Click on the 'Free Converter' link on the left hand margin, download it to your computer, and save it to your Desktop
3. Double Click on the downloaded file to intstall it
-When done
4. Click on the Free Download link again in step 1 and download the CutePDF converter in the left hand margin, download it to your computer, and save it to your Desktop
5. Double Click on the downloaded file to intstall it
-CutePDF is installed

To save a PDF:
1. Create a file using any Microsoft Office software programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
2. Save your file as you would normally
-In the program you are working in
3. File > Print...
4. Select 'CutePDF' from the 'Name' field
5. Click 'OK'
-The Save As window appears with the file name entered
6. Click 'Save'
-The file is saved as a .PDF and saved on your Desktop

That's it!