Enter To Learn

2009-02-13T10:50:00.000-08:00

Microsoft Office Word is a sophisticated word processing program that helps you quickly and efficiently create and format all the business and personal documents you need.Microsoft Word used to create and edit text documents.

MS-Excel

Microsoft Office Excel contains powerful tools to help you analyze, manage, and share critical business data.

Working with More Than One Document

2009-02-11T11:27:00.000-08:00

Stop for a minute and think about how you use your computer. On any given day, you probably have two or three applications running at once Word, your email application, several Web browser windows, a scanner or digital camera program, and so on. Your Windows taskbar contains buttons for each of the programs that you are running so that you can quickly switch back and forth between programs.

Likewise, Word enables you to work on more than one document at a time. Each document has a button on the Windows taskbar (at the bottom of the screen), so you can quickly switch back and forth between documents. When the taskbar is full, the application button shows a number next to the application name, indicating how many windows for that application are currently open (see pic).

You already know how to open a document, but what you might not realize is that when you open a document, Word automatically places it in a new document window. So if you are already working on a letter, you can open other documents without affecting the letter document. Also, you can open more than one file at a time while you're in the Open File dialog box. Simply click the first file and then hold down the Ctrl key to click the other files.

You can switch from one document to another by using any of the following methods:

1. Click the application button on the taskbar to open a pop-up list of open documents. Select an item from this list.

2. Choose Window and then select the document you want.

3. Press Ctrl+F6 (Previous Window) repeatedly until Word displays the document you want to work on.

Multiple document windows make it a snap to cut, copy, and paste between documents. Simply cut or copy while viewing one document, and then switch to another document and paste.

Using Undo to Fix Your Mistakes

2009-02-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

How many times have you been a little hasty in a dialog box and done something you really didn't want to do? Simply put, Undo reverses the last action taken on a document. For example, if you delete selected text, Undo brings it back. If you change the margins, Undo puts them back the way they were. The text will look as if you never took the action.

Undo has a twin feature called Redo. Redo reverses the last Undo action. If you accidentally undo too many things, Redo puts them back.

Undo Feature

To use the Undo feature, perform one of the following actions:

1. Click the Undo button on the toolbar.

2. Choose Edit ==> Undo.

3. Press Ctrl+Z.

Redo Feature

To use the Redo feature, perform one of the following actions:

1. Click the Redo icon on the toolbar.

2. Choose Edit ==> Redo.

The Undo and Redo buttons have drop-down arrows next to them. Click the arrow to display a list of the most recent actions (see pic). Instead of repeatedly clicking the Undo or Redo buttons, you can choose an action from one of the lists. Stay with me now because this procedure gets a little tricky. If you choose an action from this list, all the actions up to and including that selected action will be reversed, not just the selected action.

Moving and Copying Text

2009-02-11T10:57:00.000-08:00

you have selected text, you might be thinking, "Okay, now what?" As You read through this tutorial, you'll learn dozens of things that you can do with selected text. One of the most basic functions you will probably use is to move or copy text. If you move the text, deleting it from the original location and placing it somewhere else, you are cutting and pasting text. When you make a copy of the text, leaving a copy in the original location and placing the new copy in a different place, you are copying and pasting text.

One thing that makes Word so popular is that you can choose from a number of different methods to accomplish the same result. There are several different ways to cut or copy and paste selected text. The different alternatives are listed here. Generally, the basic steps to copy and move are as follows:

1. Select the text you want to copy or move.

2. Copy (or cut) the selected text.

3. Reposition the insertion point at the target location.

4. Paste the text you copied or cut.

Some methods for copying, cutting, and pasting text work better in certain situations. For example, if your hands are already on the keyboard, the keyboard methods might be more convenient. Others prefer to use the mouse. Experiment with the different methods and find your favorites.

Copy Selected Text

1. Click the Copy button.

2. Choose Edit ==> Copy.

3. Right-click the selected text and choose Copy.

4. Press Ctrl+C.

5. Press Ctrl+Insert.

Cut Selected Text

1. Click the Cut button.

2. Choose Edit ==> Cut.

3. Right-click the selection and choose Cut.

4. Press Ctrl+X.

5. Press Shift+Delete.

Paste Selected Text

1. Click the Paste button.

2. Choose Edit ==> Paste.

3. Right-click in the document and choose Paste.

4. Press Ctrl+V.

5. Press Shift+Insert.

Selecting Text

2009-02-11T10:46:00.000-08:00

The Select feature is a powerful tool. Whenever you want to work with a specific section of text, you can select just that portion and work on it separately from the rest of the document. Selecting text gives you maximum flexibility because you can isolate the text or other items that you want to work with. Whatever action you take on the selection won't affect the rest of the document. When you edit documents, you'll do a lot of selecting, so take a few minutes to learn some shortcuts.

Selecting Text with the Keyboard

You can use either the mouse or the keyboard to select text. Each method has its own advantages, so it's a good idea to learn both techniques. Let's look at selecting text using the keyboard first.

To select a portion of text, follow these steps:

1. Position the insertion point at the beginning of the area you want to select.

2. Hold down the Shift key.

3. Use the arrow keys, or any of the navigation shortcuts that you prefer, to move to the end of the selection. For example, to select text a word at a time, hold down the Shift key while pressing Ctrl+right arrow. To select everything from the cursor to the end of the line, hold down the Shift key and press End.

Editing Documents

2009-02-07T09:34:00.000-08:00

Selecting text to perform numerous operations. Using the Undo feature as the ultimate "oops" fixer. Adjusting the zoom setting so that you can read tiny print or check a detailed graphic. Opening multiple documents at once so that you can easily create a new document from pieces of existing documents. Using Word's collection of view modes to review, edit, and format documents. Previewing a document in Print Preview before you send it to the printer. Faxing and emailing documents.

Free Word Tutorial

2008-06-16T13:34:00.000-07:00

What is Word

This may be the first time you've ever used Word or any other word processing program. Hold on to your that because you are about to learn how to use a program that can handle almost any task you can imagine. From writing simple letters and generating a mass mailing to producing high-quality presentation materials, Word can do all this and more.

Finding and Opening Documents

Using the tools in the Open dialog box to navigate through the drives and folders on your system (and/or network). Searching for a file when you can't remember its name or where it is located. Organizing your files into folders so you can locate them later. Learning how to move, copy, rename, and delete files within the file management dialog boxes. Converting files from different formats so you can work with documents created in other programs.

Editing Documents

Selecting text to perform numerous operations. Using the Undo feature as the ultimate "oops" fixer. Adjusting the zoom setting so that you can read tiny print or check a detailed graphic.

Selecting Text

Moving and Copying Text

you'll learn dozens of things that you can do with selected text. One of the most basic functions you will probably use is to move or copy text. If you move the text, deleting it from the original location and placing it somewhere else, you are cutting and pasting text. When you make a copy of the text, leaving a copy in the original location and placing the new copy in a different place, you are copying and pasting text.

Using Undo to Fix Your Mistakes

Working with More Than One Document

Deleting Files and Folders

2008-06-08T03:48:00.000-07:00

If you decide that you no longer need a file or folder, you can delete it. Before you delete a folder, open it and make sure that it doesn't contain any folders or files that you need to keep. Deleting a folder automatically deletes the contents.

Follow these steps to delete a file or folder:

1. Select the files or folders.

2. Click the Delete button, or right-click the selected files or folders and then choose Delete.

Mistakes can happen to anyone, which is why we all love the Undo Delete feature. If you accidentally delete a file or folder, you can quickly restore it. Right-click in the file list and then choose Undo Delete. You can also press Ctrl+Z, which, by the way, is the universal keystroke for undoing actions.

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Moving and Copying Files

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If you accidentally save a file to the wrong folder, it's not a disaster. You can always move it to another folder later. Just be sure to move the file rather than copy it because you don't want two copies in two different places. Otherwise, things can get pretty confusing when you're trying to figure out which copy is the most recent.

To move files, follow these steps:

1. Select the files that you want to move.

2. Right-click a selected file and choose Cut.

3. Navigate to the folder where you want to store the files.

4. Right-click in the file list and choose Paste.

Renaming Files

When you save a file or create a folder, you try to give it a descriptive name. Later, however, that name may no longer seem appropriate. The situation could be as simple as a misspelling in the name, or a case in which the content of the file changes and the name needs to reflect that change. Regardless of the reason, you can quickly rename a file or folder in just four easy steps.

To rename a file or folder, do the following:

1. Click the file or folder that you want to rename.

2. Click the file or folder and press F2. An outline appears around the file or folder name, and the name is selected.

3. Edit the name as necessary.

4. Either press Enter or click in the file list when you are finished.

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Organizing Files in Folders

2008-06-08T03:34:00.000-07:00

Creating an efficient system for organizing your files is very important. You may have already experienced the frustration of spending hours on a document, only to have trouble finding it the next day. Even the very best documents won't do you any good if you can't find them later.

The nice thing about Word is that you can perform all your file management tasks from within the program. Create new folders and move files around. Also, you can work with virtually any file on your system, not just Word files.

Creating New Folders

You can create a folder on your hard disk and give it a name. Organizing files into folders by account, subject, project, or client helps you to locate the files you need quickly and easily.

To create a new folder, do the following:

1. In a Word file management dialog box, such as the Open or Save As dialog box, open the drive or folder where you want to create the new folder.

2. Click the Create New Folder button on the toolbar.A new folder dialog box appears in the file list.Type a name for the folder.

OR right-click in the file list and choose New, Folder. A new folder icon appears in the file list with the temporary name New Folder.

3. Type a name for the folder. Because the temporary name New Folder is selected, the name that you type automatically replaces it.

4 .Either press Enter or click in the file list when you are finished.

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Searching for a File

2008-06-08T02:47:00.000-07:00

The hard drives being installed in new computers are absolutely huge. You can store thousands and thousands of files on a single drive. Even with the best file management system, however, locating a single file can sometimes be daunting. Learning how to use the tools that help you locate files is one of the most important skills you can master. Word has a nice collection of tools to help you locate files so you don't have to start another program to do a search.

Listing Files by Type

When you have many different types of files in a folder, limiting the number of files in the list can be a big help. One way to accomplish this is to display only a specific type of file in the list. For example, if you display only Word documents in the list, you can more easily find the file you are looking for.

By default, the file type is set to All Files (*.*), so you will see every file saved in that folder, whether or not you can work with that file in Word.

To display only a particular type of file, follow these steps:

1. Click the Files of type drop-down list arrow to display the list of file types.

2. Choose the type of file you want displayed in the list.

3. When you are ready to see all the files again, select All Files (*.*) from the Files of type drop-down list.

Searching by File

Say you can't remember the exact filename or exactly where your document is stored. You might remember a partial filename or maybe something about the contents. It could be a client's name, a project name, a technical term, or a phone number all you need is a single piece of information that can be found in the file. You can then take that information and use it to search for the file.

To search for files by content, do the following:

1. Click the File button on the toolbar and then choose Search to display the File Search dialog box.

2. Type the text you want to search for in the Search text text box.

3. Open the Search in list box and select the location that you want to search in.

4. Open the Results should be list box and choose the type of file you want to search.

5. Choose Search. Word searches for the files and displays a list of files that contain the search text in the window.

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Navigating Through Drives and Folders

2008-06-08T02:31:00.000-07:00

At first, you may choose to save all your documents in the same folder because keeping everything in one place is often easier when you are just starting out. However, the more documents you create, the more difficult it may become to locate the one you want. The "Organizing Files in Folders" section later in this chapter covers file management strategies to help you organize your files.

You can easily move around the drives or folders on your system by using the tools in the file management dialog boxes that is, Open, Save As, Insert File. Use these techniques to look through the drives and folders:

1. Double-click a folder icon to open the folder and display the list of files and folders in that folder.

2. Click the History button and choose a recently viewed folder or drive.

3. Click the Up One Level button to move up a level in the folder list or move back to the previous folder.

4. Click the Look in drop-down list arrow and choose another folder or drive.

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Becoming Familiar with the Open Dialog Box

2008-06-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

When you're ready to open a file, you'll use the Open dialog box. This is one of the "file management" dialog boxes in Word. Others are the Save As, Insert File, and Insert Picture dialog boxes. It's important to spend a few minutes becoming familiar with file management dialog boxes because you will use them not only to locate files, but also to organize your files and folders. After you use Word for a while, you'll see that you spend a lot of time in these dialog boxes.

To display the Open dialog box, Click File==>Open or (ctrl+O).

Opening a File

When you open the Open dialog box, Word automatically displays the most recently used folder.

Different types of files have different file icons. The icon for a Word document has blue W on a white page.

To open a file, follow these steps.

1. Click the file you want to open.

2. You can also double-click the file to select and open it at the same time.

Customizing the View

There are several different ways to display files and folders in the Open dialog box. The way you display them could be personal preference, or a different view could make it easier to locate a file. Whatever the reason, switching to a different view is a snap using the View button.

You can click the View button through the different views, or you can click the drop-down arrow to the right of the View button to choose from the following options.

Thumbnails— Displays thumbnail size images of picture files, and in some cases, documents. Otherwise, a large icon on a white page identifies the type of file.

Tiles— Displays the files and folders in two columns with large icons. The type and size of the document are also shown.

Icons— Displays the folders and files with an identifying icon. Only the folder or filename is shown.

List— Displays the names of the folders and files with small icons.

Details— Displays the names of the folders and files with small icons. The size, type, and modification date and time are also shown.

Properties— Displays the properties for a selected file in the right pane.

Preview— Displays a preview of a selected file in the right pane.

WebView— Displays a preview of HTML documents that will be posted on the Web.

Open dialog box and display more files and folders at one time. This capability is especially helpful when you're using the Details view. Point to a side or corner of the dialog box and wait for the two-sided arrow to appear. Then click and drag the dialog box border. Release the mouse button when you're satisfied with the new size. If you click and drag a corner, you'll maintain the aspect ratio as you resize the dialog box.

Arranging the File List

The Details view provides an added advantage: You can sort the file list by the creation or modification date, size, or type. For example, you might arrange the file list by the modification date to locate a file that you edited on a specific date.

To rearrange the file list, follow these steps:

1. Click a column heading that you want to sort by, such as Type

2. Click the column heading again to arrange the list in reverse order.

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Finding and Opening Documents

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1. Using the tools in the Open dialog box to navigate through the drives and folders on your system.

2. Searching for a file when you can't remember its name or where it is located.

3. Organizing your files into folders so you can locate them later.

4. Learning how to move, copy, rename, and delete files within the file management dialog boxes.

5.Converting files from different formats so you can work with documents created in other programs

One of the fundamental advantages of using a word processing program is the ability to leverage the time you spend creating one document when it's time to create another. Let me give you an example. Suppose you send out a company memo several times a week. Instead of creating a new memo each time, you probably open an existing memo, make some changes to it, and save it as a new memo. Rather than spend 30 minutes or more creating a memo from scratch, you spend only a few minutes filling in the current information.

Becoming Familiar with the Open Dialog Box
Navigating Through Drives and Folders
Searching for a File
Organizing Files in Folders
Moving and Copying Files
Deleting Files and Folders

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Exiting Word

2008-05-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

The fastest way to exit Word is to click the application's Close button, which is represented as an X icon. Two Close buttons appear in the upper-right corner. This can be a little confusing. The top one is the application Close button; the bottom one is the document Close button.

To exit Word, follow these steps:

1. Click the application Close button. Before you close the program, Word prompts you to save any unsaved changes (in every open document window).

2. If necessary, give filenames to any documents that you have not yet saved and named.

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Saving to a Different File Format

2008-05-23T13:34:00.001-07:00

Word is the dominant word processing program on the market, but others are available. You can freely share your Word documents with someone who uses a completely different program, such as WordPerfect, or someone who uses a different version of Microsoft Word by simply saving the document in a different format. Word has a nice collection of conversion files, or filters, as they are sometimes called. You can save documents in all the frequently used formats including WordPerfect, previous versions of Word, Rich Text Format (RTF), Web Page (HTML), XML, and Plain Text (*.txt).

To save a file in a different format, follow these steps:

1.Choose File==> Save As.

2.In the Save As dialog box, click the Save as type drop-down list arrow to open the list of file types.

3.Scroll through the list to locate the file format that you want to use see pic. As you can see, Word can save to many different file formats.

4. Select the format from the Save as type drop-down list.

5. If necessary, type a filename and select a location for the file.

6. Click Save.

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Saving Documents

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Electronic copies of documents have virtually replaced paper copies, so even if you don't think you'll ever work with a document again, saving it on disk is a good idea so that you can keep a record of it.

Saving a Document in Word Format

Until you save your document, it is stored in memory, which is a temporary location. Memory is considered a temporary storage location because when you turn off your computer, the memory space is cleared. If the power is interrupted, or if your system locks up, you may lose everything that you haven't saved.

Follow these steps to save a document:

1.Click the Save button on the Standard toolbar or choose File==>Save (Ctrl+S).

Type a filename and press Enter (or click the Save button).

Filenames can be up to 255 characters in length and can contain letters, numbers, and spaces. Some symbols can be used, but not others, so to avoid problems, stick with hyphens (-) and underscores (_).

When you type a filename without selecting a location, the document is saved in the default folder, which is the folder that Word is currently pointing to.

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Using the Task Pane

2008-05-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

The task pane, one of the new features in Word XP, is designed to make it easier for you to select recently used documents, create new documents, and get help when you need it. Positioned on the right side of the screen, the task pane is out of the way but still accessible.

When you open Word XP, the task pane lists your most recently opened documents.

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Working with Toolbars

2008-05-23T13:22:00.001-07:00

The toolbar line on the Word screen actually contains two toolbars: the Standard toolbar, which contains buttons for frequently used features such as Open, Save, and Print; and the Formatting toolbar, which contains buttons for common formatting tasks such as Font, Bold, and Bullets. You can choose from different toolbars, including toolbars for working with graphics, reviewing documents, editing tables, and creating merge files.

Follow these steps to see a list of toolbars:

1. Right-click anywhere on the toolbar to open the toolbar. If a check mark appears next to the name, it means the toolbar is already on. You'll see that the Standard and Formatting toolbars already have check marks next to them.

2.Click the toolbar you want to turn on. Clicking an unchecked toolbar name turns it on; clicking a checked toolbar name turns it off.

3. Click anywhere in the document to clear the toolbar list.

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Getting Acquainted with the Word Interface

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You may be new to Word, but if you've used any other Windows program, you'll recognize most of the screen elements. The screen always contains a title bar, menu bar, toolbar, and control buttons. You'll find that the nice thing about a Windows program is that after you learn one application, you have a head start on the next one.

In addition to the common Windows application elements, Word xp also has some unique features to help you get your work done faster.

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What is Word

2008-05-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

Getting Acquainted with the Word Interface
Working with Toolbars
Using the Task Pane
Saving Documents
Saving to a Different File Format
Exiting Word

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Free Excel Tutorial

2008-05-19T14:23:00.000-07:00

Show Full Menus All The Time

You are trying to learn Excel. Microsoft only shows you the most common menu choices under each menu. While learning Excel, use the Tools Customize feature to show the complete list of commands on each menu.

Show Full Toolbars All The Time

While learning Excel, use the Tools Customize feature to show the complete version of Standard and Formatting toolbars.Microsoft only show the most common menu choices from Excel’s two most important toolbars: Standard and Formatting.

Add A Close Button To The Standard Toolbar

Experiment with adding new buttons so that any task that you perform regularly has a one-click option.Your effi ciency with Excel would increase if you had a oneclick option for closing workbooks.

Double The Value of The Recently Used File List

You routinely open the same six workbooks. The File menu shows only the last four workbooks that you opened or saved. It sure would be nice if it showed at least the last six workbooks.

Remember Workbooks To Open Using A Workspace

To reduce the time in opening more than one workbook.You need to open seven files in order to prepare a weekly report. It is tedious to open all seven workbooks.

Automatically Move The Cell Pointer In A Direction After Entering a Number

You can have the cell pointer move in any direction after using Enter by changing this setting on the Edit tab of the Options menu.

HOW To See Headings As You Scroll Around a Report

You want to be able to scroll through the data and always see the headings.

you want to maximize the number of rows visible

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To turn off this feature, go to the Window menu and select Unfreeze Panes. This menu item is only visible after you have frozen the panes.

If you want to maximize the number of rows visible, it is possible to freeze only row 3.

1. First, unfreeze the panes using Window ==> Unfreeze Panes. Place the cell pointer in the last visible row in the window. Hit the Down Arrow twice to force rows 1 and 2 to scroll above the window. Row 3 is now the first visible row, as shown in pic.

2. Place the cell pointer in cell A4 and using the Window ==> Freeze Panes command,as shown in pic.

3.You will now be able to scroll with only row 3 frozen at the top of the window, as shown in pic.

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HOW TO SEE HEADINGS AS YOU SCROLL AROUND A REPORT

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You have a spreadsheet with headings at the top, as shown in pic. You want to be able to scroll through the data and always see the headings.Use the Window ==> Freeze Panes command to keep certain rows visible at the top of the window as you scroll through the data

Use the Freeze Panes command on the Window menu. It is not obvious, but in order to make the Freeze Panes command work, you must place the cell pointer in the correct location before using the command.

1. Place the cell pointer in cell A5, before you select the Freeze Panes command. The Freeze Panes command will freeze all visible rows above the cell pointer and all visible columns to the left of the cell pointer. By placing the cell pointer in column A, you will not freeze any columns, only the rows.

2. With the cell pointer in cell A5, select Window ==> Freeze Panes. A solid horizontal line will be drawn between rows 4 and 5.

3.With the cell pointer in cell A5, select Window==> Freeze Panes. A solid horizontal line will be drawn between rows 4 and 5. As you scroll down past row 48, you will always be able to see the heading rows, as shown in pic.

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Add a close button To the standard toolbar

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5. The Close button is located in the File category. Choose File from the left listbox.

6. Click on Close in the right listbox. Drag the item towards a toolbar. When you are on the toolbar, choose the desired location. Excel will display an I-Beam at the location where the button will be added.

7. When the I-Beam is in the proper location, release the mouse button. The button is added to the toolbar.

8. Choose OK to close the Customize dialog. The Close button will remain on your Standard toolbar in this and all future Excel sessions until you remove it.

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Add a close button To the standard toolbar

2008-05-12T02:22:00.001-07:00

Experiment with adding new buttons so that any task that you perform regularly has a one-click option.Your effi ciency with Excel would increase if you had a oneclick option for closing workbooks.

Customize the Standard toolbar to include a Close option near the Save option. Follow these steps.

1. From the menu, select View –> Toolbars –> Customize. The Customize option is the final choice in the list of toolbars.

2. This will display the Customize dialog box.While the Customize box is displayed, the toolbars are in a special state. You can take any toolbar button and drag it to a new location, to a new toolbar, or even drag it off the toolbar to delete it. Also, there are hundreds of new icons that you can add to your toolbars.

3. From the Customize dialog box, choose the Commands tab.

4. Choose a Category in the left listbox. From the right listbox, you can scroll through dozens of buttons in that category.

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Show full toolbars all the time

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The Standard toolbar has icons for a New Workbook, Saving, Printing, Print Preview, Spell Check, Cut, Copy, Paste, Undo, and Redo. These are all fairly important items.

The Formatting toolbar has icons for Font, Font Size, Bold, Italic, Underline, Left Align, Center, Right Align, Number, Bullets, Indent, Outdent, Borders, Cell Color, and Font Color. These are also all fairly important items.

In order to use any of the other icons on the Standard toolbar, you have to choose the double-right arrow on the toolbar.

Most users with a default installation will only see a portion of these icons and will have to use the double-right arrow on the toolbar to see all of the icons.

Microsoft does this in order to show you more rows of data in the spreadsheet. This may have been a problem in the days of VGA monitors. However, with today’s high screen resolutions, you can afford to have the toolbars displayed on two rows and to see all of the available options at a glance.

Display the toolbars on two rows. From the Tools menu => select Customize.

On the Options tab, select the option for Show Standard and Formatting toolbars on two rows.

This option was called Display Standard and Formatting Toolbars on One Row.

Remember workbooks To open using a workspace

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To reduce the time in opening more than one workbook.You need to open seven files in order to prepare a weekly report. It is tedious to open all seven workbooks.

Open the seven workbook fi les and save them as a workspace. Follow these steps.

1. Open the workbooks and then select File –> Save Workspace.

2. Give the workspace file a name, such as SevenFiles. That file saved will have an .xlw extension instead of.xls.

3. You can now close Excel and open SevenFiles.xlw. All seven workbooks will open at once.

This workspace does not actually store the seven files, but only points to them. If you were to move one of the seven files to a new folder using Windows Explorer, Excel would not be able to open that file.

Excel does not remember the arrangement of the workbooks in the workspace. Although your original workbooks may have been maximized, Excel might open them in a tiled arrangement. Choose the Maximize icon at the top of one workbook to return all workbooks to their original maximized state. This problem was worse in Excel 97, where Excel would frequently forget the zoom and frozen panes in the workspace.

Show full menus all the time

2008-03-06T10:55:00.001-08:00

Select Customize from the Tools menu.

There are three tabs across the top of the Customize dialog. Choose the Options tab and then choose the box for Always Show Full Menus.

[Previos]

Show full menus all the time

2008-03-06T10:38:00.000-08:00

You are trying to learn Excel. Only shows you the most common menu choices under each menu. While learning Excel, use the Tools Customize feature to show the complete list of commands on each menu.

Shows a menu from one computer on my desk.

How can you learn that there is a Sort option under the Data menu if Excel will not show you all of the options? Furthermore, Microsoft customizes the menu on the basis of items you use regularly. First, you cannot learn to regularly use something if you don’t know it is there. Second, when you go to a new computer, one of the options that you think should be there may not show up. It is very diffi cult to learn Excel when the menus are not consistent across omputers.

This will show you the complete menu every time that you access that menu. Follow these steps:

Go to the Tools menu.

If the Customize option is not shown, select the double-down arrow at the bottom of the list in order to expand the menu.

[Next]

Double the value of the recently used file list

2008-03-03T12:26:00.000-08:00

Use the spin button to dial the Recently Used File List from 4 to 9.

Immediately after changing the value, your list may only show four files. You have to open and close additional files to expand the list.

[Back]

Double the value of the recently used file list

2008-03-03T12:02:00.000-08:00

You routinely open the same six workbooks. The File menu shows only the last four workbooks that you opened or saved. It sure would be nice if it showed at least the last six workbooks. Use Tools –> Options –> General and select the number of recently used files for it to show.

You can increase the Recently Used File List from four to nine workbooks.

Go to Tools –> Options.

From the Option dialog box, choose the General.

[Next]

Automatically move the cell pointer In a direction after entering a number

2008-03-03T11:51:00.000-08:00

You can have the cell pointer move in any direction after using Enter by changing this setting on the Edit tab of the Options menu.

If you type a number and then press a direction arrow key, Excel will enter the number and move the cell pointer in the direction of the arrow key. However, if you are using the numeric keypad, it is much more convenient to use the Enter key on the numeric keypad rather than the arrow keys. By default, Excel will move the cell pointer down one cell when you type Enter. When entering data in a worksheet such as the one shown in Pic, is there a way to have Excel automatically move the cell pointer to the next cell to the right after each entry?

Go to Tools –> Options.

On the Edit tab, go to the Move Selection after Enter Direction dropdown. Choose Right, as shown in Pic.

The cursor will automatically move one cell to the right every time you press the Enter key.