Originally Posted Aug 4 2008

Have you ever gotten an e-mail attachment and not had the program to open it?  Well for many popular Microsoft programs, you can download a 'viewer' software that will let you see what you have been missing.

Most likely, you will need the PowerPoint Viewer. Here's where you can get it:  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=428D5727-43AB-4F24-90B7-A94784AF71A4&displaylang=en

Also, Microsoft has viewer software for Word http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=95E24C87-8732-48D5-8689-AB826E7B8FDF&displaylang=en

and Excel http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=c8378bf4-996c-4569-b547-75edbd03aaf0&displaylang=EN

There isn't a viewer for Publisher, but you can download and install a 60 trial of Publisher 2007 at: http://us1.trymicrosoftoffice.com/product.aspx?re_ms=oo&family=publisher&culture=en-US

I hope this helps!

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!

April 4 2005
Q: I was working on an Excel spreadsheet and the right hand margin the 'Search for:' help field disappeared.  How do I get it back into view?
A: The margin is called the 'Task Pane' and it was a new feature in Microsoft Office 2003.  Here's how you get it back:

If you use Microsoft Office 2003 version software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc).  Perhaps you noticed with this flavor of Office there is a new Window that appears in the right hand side of the screen that (tries to) provide you with instructions on how to complete a task or as a help reference-this Window is called the Task Pane.

If you are like me, perhaps you have been in the middle of the process (maybe finishing mail merge), following the instructions in Task Pane, you mash a key, and it disappears.  Now you are left trying to coax its reappearance.

Well, to bring it back all you need to do is this:
Press the F1 key on your keyboard.
-The 'Task  Pane' reappears