Good morning everyone and Welcome to this weeks Midweek Wednesday IT Blog. Hope your all having an amazing week.
This week I'm going to talk about all things Microsoft Office based.
Did you know there's several different parts to Microsoft Office?
Outlook
Access
Excel
PowerPoint
Publisher
Word
Microsoft is one of the most popular things people use for personal, students and business. So if you want some software that's going to be compatible for sending documents I would make sure you have Microsoft Office and also Adobe Acrobat Reader for all those pdf files as well.
Microsoft Outlook:
This is primarily your email program, You can use outlook for any email addresses with:
@hotmail.com
@hotmail.co.uk
@live.co.uk
@googlemail.com
@gmail.com
You can have more than one email account within it as well to make it easier for switching between accounts.
The good thing is you can have outlook on computers, laptops and also your phone as well so wherever you are you can have access to all your email accounts where ever you are. Ideal if you run your own business as you could be on a day trip, on holiday or even in hospital and still have access to your business and clients when you need it.
You don't need all the separate email providers this way you can have it all in one place making it easier and simpler to control your emails.
Microsoft Access:
This is primarily your Database program. You can use this for a database of stock or inventory. Or if you have a website that is run from a database of information this is where you set up the information to. This generally works more so if you have a member log in area like a community forum, car forum etc
This is how access looks when you open it, it does look similar to a spreadsheet. The only thing is that a database holds information that can be incorporated and used in more ways than one, whereas a spreadsheet is literally just that a spreadsheet.
Database are a open piece of software that can be amended and added to with a different interface and is interactable with information. So for example if you have a members area on your website chances are the details are held in an encrypted database not a spreadsheet as it can be updated through your website and not manually entered in.
Microsoft Excel:
This is your primary Spreadsheet program. A Spreadsheet is the most common way of holding information that needs to be manually updated. So for example a Spreadsheet of Money, Daily Tasks, Inventory, Stock, Customer Details, Orders and Invoice References,
The biggest difference between a Database and Spreadsheet is that Spreadsheets are manually updated by the user and a Database is updated automatically through whatever it's attached to, once the initial columns/headings have been made.
This is how excel looks when you open it up. Within excel once you have created the information you need to have. You can do all sorts of things with it, for example:
- Do calculations
- Sort into alphabetical, numerical orders
- Filter into a certain thing for example a specific person or amount
These features are things that people may not no exist and can be done in Excel but it can. So therefore these things are wasted to a few users who don't realise exactly what can be done with their own information.
Microsoft PowerPoint:
This is primarily your presentation program. This software is there to build a presentation that you can use in meetings, to display items at at fate, table top stall or a party depending on your business and it's needs.
It can also be used to create a slideshow for putting on a monitor in a shop window to encourage customers into your shop or to your website. Can be used for Advertising like in a recruitment center or a waiting room, or visual display board in a busy city center.
When your building your presentation you can chose to use the preloaded themes or create your own, you can also chose to click to move it on a slide or do it automatically so again depends on your reason for using it.
This software is probably under used as people aren't aware of what this software is for, although its a part of office itself people may only choose to use Word and Excel as they are most commonly know.
Microsoft Publisher:
This is your primary desktop publishing program. Again is a program that comes with office but isn't really used much. The best way I can put it, its Microsoft equivalent of Canva.
This is how Publisher opens when you first open the program, you can choose a blank document or a preloaded template for posters, postage labels, business cards, calendars and much more.
This program would be ideal for creating those High quality items that you want with a professional finish.
Microsoft Word:
This is your primary program for all your documents and typing. So whether your writing a letter, proposal, chapter, courses, or just some school work, word is you go to program as most people have office or the correct items to be able to open your document.
Whatever you're typing up use Word to help you with your day to day items. You can add images, clip art, do some funky writing using the built in WordArt setting. So whatever your typing make it personal to yourself and make your word stand out from the crowd.
To Finish:
I really hope this blog has helped to you get to know your office programs better and helps you to know a bit more about what each part of it does.
If you get stuck or you'd like more information on Microsoft Office feel free to connect with me and see if we can get you on one of my coaching sessions where i can go into more details with you.
Have an awesome week and I'll see you on next weeks Midweek Wednesday blog.