Office 2000 Essentials

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This course is intended for anyone wishing to learn the basics of using Microsoft Office 2000, concentrating on Word, Excel and Outlook (these are the three core office applications). The course includes the following elements:

Lesson 1: Start a new Office document Lesson 14: Templates and Wizards
Lesson 2: Open and Save office documents Lesson 15: Restyle worksheets
Lesson 3: Find documents Lesson 16: Chart Wizard
Lesson 4: Toolbars, menus and Help Lesson 17: Pictures and Clip Art
Lesson 5: Edit with Word Lesson 18: Outlook 1
Lesson 6: Enhance documents Lesson 19: Outlook 2
Lesson 7: AutoFormat, Themes, Document Map Lesson 20: Outlook 3
Lesson 8: Workbook basics Lesson 21: Outlook 4
Lesson 9: Build a worksheet 1 Lesson 22: Swap information
Lesson 10: Build a worksheet 2 Lesson 23: Manage information
Lesson 11: Printing and Previewing Lesson 24: E-mail and web pages
Lesson 12: Page Setup Lesson 25: Web Page Wizard
Lesson 13: Spelling and Grammar
Pre-defined curricula What you will need to enrol

Lesson 1: Start a new Office document top list 
Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Start a new Office Word document
  • Find your way round the Word window
  • Enter basic text
  • Use the Print toolbar button
  • Microsoft Office is a collection of application programs designed to help you streamline your office or business activities. This course gives you a short introduction to the most useful Office features and introduce you to the 'Office way of doing things'. We assume that you know the basics of using Windows. You do not need to be an expert, but you will find it useful to have at least some previous experience. Our own course on Windows is a good starting point if you are a complete beginner. At the heart of that are two main activities: creating new documents and opening and working on existing ones. In this lesson we'll look at ways of starting new documents. So good luck and I hope you enjoy the course.

    Lesson 2: Open and Save office documents top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Use the Open dialog box
  • Select a file to open
  • Use the Places Bar
  • Insert the date in a document
  • Use the Save options
  • Understand Windows file naming conventions
  • If you have worked with any Windows application, you will be used to opening and saving documents with the application's own File menu. You can still do that, but Microsoft Office introduces another method you can use to find and open the document you want. In this lesson we look at ways of finding and opening documents and different save options.

    Lesson 3: Find documents top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Display the File Properties
  • Sort the icons on the dialog box
  • Use the Up One Level button
  • Restrict the File Type
  • Use the Find option
  • With Windows in general and with Microsoft Office in particular, you need to organise your work on disk. You can keep all your work together in one main folder, or you have different folders for each kind of work. Either way, you will need to be able to locate a specific file. In this lesson we look at the Find features built in to Microsoft Office.

    Lesson 4: Toolbars, menus and Help top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Check which toolbars are displayed
  • Control where the toolbars appear
  • Display ScreenTips
  • Activate the Office Assistant
  • Get Help
  • Change Assistant appearance and options
  • Turn off the Office Assistant
  • There are a number of ways you can get help while you work. Office will help by displaying ScreenTips to help you identify buttons and other window features. If you have a query about a topic you can ask the Office Assistant or use the Help menu options to give you different levels of information. The Office Assistant not only gives you much freer access to the help information, but can recognise the type of work you are doing and step in with hints, tips and other messages while you are working with Office.

    Lesson 5: Edit with Word top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Control the Word window
  • Use Normal or Print Layout views.
  • Delete and insert text
  • Undo an action
  • Use click-and-drag selection
  • Select with the Selection bar
  • Select with the Shift key
  • Cut, Copy and Paste
  • Drag-and-drop editing
  • Use the Print toolbar button
  • With a word processor like Word you get more facilities for controlling the presentation and even the content of your documents, but it all builds on the basics. In this lesson we looking at simple text editing and use the standard Cut, Copy and Paste techniques.

    Lesson 6: Enhance documents top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Display the toolbars
  • Restyle text
  • Use fonts
  • Change paragraph alignment
  • Indent text
  • Apply styles
  • Use the click-and-type feature
  • One of the advantages of working with Windows and Windows applications like Microsoft Office, is that you can see on screen almost exactly what you will get when you print your work. The applications allow you to precisely control the layout and presentation of your work, which in turn can help you to get your message over more effectively. In this lesson we look at some of the techniques for enhancing a document - many of which can be as simple as clicking a button.

    Lesson 7: AutoFormat, Themes, Document Map top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • AutoFormat a document
  • Add a Theme
  • Use the Document Map
  • When you start a new document you base it on a template which controls how the document will look. You can enhance the text manually by defining fonts, sizes and so on, but a quicker way is with the AutoFormat feature. Word recognises the structure of a document and applies present styles to each part of the text. Word also has a range of colour themes which add colour and backgrounds to documents you want to view on-screen instead of as a printed version. Finally we look at the Document Map view which is useful for navigating around the document.

    Lesson 8: Workbook basics top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Open an Excel document
  • Control the Excel display
  • Move around a sheet
  • Use the Zoom controls
  • Close a workbook
  • Start a new workbook
  • An Excel file is called a workbook and you can use workbooks for any type of work with numbers, from simple items like price lists or sales figures, through to more complex calculations for business financial planning and cash flow forecasts. You can also use workbooks for a wide range of other functions such as managing lists and analysing information. For such a powerful program, Excel is remarkably easy to use and you will probably find you use it for many different tasks once you have mastered the basics. So in this lesson we'll see how to find our way around the Excel window and take control over how the information is displayed.

    Lesson 9: Build a worksheet 1 top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Enter text and numbers
  • Perform basic calculations
  • Use cell references
  • Edit a formula
  • Edit in a cell
  • Select a range of cells
  • Delete cell contents
  • Undo an action
  • Excel is very good at performing calculations using information you type on the worksheet. In this lesson we look at the basics of creating a worksheet, by inserting and editing numbers, calculations and text. In a way, we will not be doing much that you could not do with an ordinary desktop calculator - but the advantage of Excel is that once you've created your basic worksheet, you can easily try out different numbers, or adjust a formula without having to key everything from scratch.

    Lesson 10: Build a worksheet 2 top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Change column width
  • Select a column
  • Enter information with Edit, Fill
  • Drag-Fill cells
  • Key in a formula
  • Delete an entry
  • Use the mouse to create a formula
  • Use the AutoSum feature
  • AutoFormat part of a sheet
  • Fill series of information
  • Use names in a formula
  • Building a complex worksheet cell by cell would be a tedious task, but Excel has some very advanced tools for speeding up the process, not just for entering information, but also for improving the presentation of a sheet. In this lesson you will begin to see the potential power and flexibility that Excel can offer, and how Excel is able to interpret your work intelligently and create a professional looking worksheet from your raw information.

    Lesson 11: Printing and Previewing top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Print from a document icon
  • Preview a document
  • Use Print Layout view
  • Display Printer Properties
  • Print to file
  • Select a page range
  • Print multiple copes
  • Control what is printed
  • Use the Print Zoom and Scaling options
  • Despite the increasing use of electronic mail and the Internet, much of the work done with Microsoft Office still results in a printed piece of paper. In this lesson we take a look at some of the key techniques for printing your work, choosing which parts you want to print and for previewing your work on screen so that you can see exactly how your pages will appear before you commit anything to paper.

    Lesson 12: Page Setup top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Preview a whole document
  • Control document Page Setup
  • Change the margins
  • Change the units of measurement
  • Control Page Setup in Excel
  • So far in the course we hae been working on prepared documents which have been created using pre-set page layouts from the document templates. These assume a standard paper size, margins, measurement units and so on. In this lesson we look how to set up your documents with different layouts by changing the Page Setup controls.

    Lesson 13: Spelling and Grammar top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Correct spelling errors
  • Correct grammatical errors
  • Use the AutoCorrect feature
  • Every one makes typing or spelling errors from time to time - especially when you are in a hurry. Spelling checkers have been around for a long while - but you still had to remember to use them. Word brings a new level of sophistication to spelling checks, because it can check while you type and highlight your mistakes and even corrects them for you automatically. Of course, the Office applications have a conventional spelling checker too, but in this lesson we concentrate on the automatic features which help you with spelling and grammar.

    Lesson 14: Templates and Wizards top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Preview templates
  • Select the Letter Wizard
  • Work though the wizard
  • Create a letter
  • When you start a new Office document, it inherits a range of settings from one of the templates - paper size, margins, font styles and so on. Other templates are set up with text, or more complex layouts for a variety of tasks. Some even have automatic helpers, or Wizards, which guide you through the process of creating a document. You can set up your own templates for any regular tasks - but it is worth looking at the templates supplied with Office - you are sure to find that they will save you a lot of work if you use them as a starting point.

    Lesson 15: Restyle worksheets top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Select different parts of a worksheet
  • Clear cell formats
  • Control alignment and orientation
  • Use different number formats
  • Add font and colour effects
  • Use the Format Painter feature
  • Delete rows
  • Adjust row height
  • Use a vertical alignment
  • Add background colour
  • We have already seen that Excel includes an AutoFormat feature for quickly producing a professional looking worksheet. Word has an equivalent feature for automatically formatting your documents. You can start the formatting from scratch or fine tune the results of AutoFormatting. In this lesson we look at some of the manual controls for adjusting column width, row height and other effects.

    Lesson 16: Chart Wizard top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Use the Chart Wizard to create a chart
  • Identify parts of a chart with the ScreenTips
  • Resize and move a chart
  • Edit a chart
  • Microsoft Office makes extensive use of Wizards to make your life easier, by taking you step by step through a sequence of actions. Excel's Chart Wizard is a good example of a Wizard, which simplifies what could otherwise be a complex process, it will interpret the figures on a worksheet and produce an appropriate chart.

    Lesson 17: Pictures and Clip Art top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Insert a picture
  • Select and move a picture
  • Control picture layouts
  • Resize a picture
  • Control picture settings
  • With Word it is easy to add pictures to a document. You have full control over their size and position on the page and can change the picture settings to suit your overall layout. Office is supplied with a range of pictures, diagrams and other graphics, referred to as Clipart, which you can use in any of your Office documents.

    Lesson 18: Outlook 1 top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Use the Microsoft Outlook shortcut
  • Find your way round the Outlook screen
  • Use the Outlook bar
  • Display the Outlook Today page
  • Change the Outlook Today options
  • Display the Calendar
  • Display the Tasks
  • Create a message
  • Microsoft Outlook can help you manage your messages, appointments, contacts and tasks so you can easily stay in charge of your work. It is the electronic equivalent of a diary, address book, e-mail manager and time planner all in one. You can use it on a day to day basis to handle your incoming and out-going messages E-mail. In this lesson we see how to navigate around the Outlook window and see what activities are set for the current day.

    Lesson 19: Outlook 2 top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Open the Calendar
  • Control the Calendar view
  • Make a Calendar entry
  • Insert appointment details
  • Insert a meeting
  • Check attendee availability
  • Invite others
  • Delete an appointment
  • If you are like most of us, the working day can get pretty hectic and organising your time effectively is vital. Microsoft Outlook can replace your ordinary diary and help you schedule activities. In fact it can do far more; for example, it can give you reminders when you need to attend an appointment or make a phone call. If you are working on a network, it can help you organise meetings with colleagues, by scheduling the meeting when everyone will be able to attend.

    Lesson 20: Outlook 3 top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Add a contact
  • Use a Category
  • Change the view
  • Edit a contact
  • Delete a Category
  • Delete a contact
  • Microsoft Outlook can replace your conventional address book. It helps you to organise all your contact details in one place, including a range of different phone numbers, e-mail address as well as other contact details. You can use Outlook to phone, mail or to launch Word to write a letter for example. You can also sort your contacts into different categories, so you can see at a glance your personal contacts, business contacts and so on.

    Lesson 21: Outlook 4 top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Create a task
  • Assign a Category to an item
  • Expand and collapse the Category display
  • Update a task
  • Delete a task
  • As well as organising your contacts and timetable, Microsoft Outlook can help you organise your activities by creating 'to do' lists which you can sort and prioritise. You can set reminders for when tasks are due and assign tasks to other people. You can assign message, appointments, contacts or notes to a category so you can keep a record of all the items relating to a particular activity, for example everything to do with a particular project.

    Lesson 22: Swap information top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Copy and paste information
  • Use Paste Special
  • Insert a linked object
  • Edit a linked document
  • Paste multiple items
  • Open the Office Clipboard
  • Clear the Office Clipboard
  • One of the benefits of working with Windows applications in general, is that you can easily swap information from one application to another. The new Office Clipboard can hold up to 12 items at a time which makes it even easier to copy information from more than one source then copy them into another location. Where you have several documents that refer to the same information in another document you can take advantage of the Linking feature, which means that changes to the original document will appear in other documents which refer to it.

    Lesson 23: Manage information top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Sort information
  • Use a data form
  • Set criteria for finding information
  • Use wildcards
  • Filter records
  • Information is one of the key resources for modern business and how well you organise it can be the difference between success and failure. Companies need to keep information about customers, suppliers, price lists, inventories, employee details and so on. Microsoft Excel is best known for its capabilities for dealing with figures and charts, but it also has some very flexible tools for organising and sorting tables of information. Although it does not have the full power of a database program like Access, it is very good at sorting and organising information such as customer details.

    Lesson 24: E-mail and web pages top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Send a document with e-mail
  • Open web documents
  • Use Web Layout view
  • Navigate web documents
  • You have already seen how to send and receive e-mail using Outlook. These are normally short text items. When you want to send a larger document you can do that from Microsoft Word. Where a document is going to be viewd on screen and not printed on paper you can set it up as a web page document. This is a standard format for viewing information on-line and for publishing information on the World Wide Web.

    Lesson 25: Web Page Wizard top list 
    Learn how to... Tutor's summary
  • Set up navigation links
  • Control the number of web pages
  • Select a theme
  • Create web documents
  • Explore hyperlinks
  • Display the Web toolbar
  • Web sites can be made up of more than one page, with special formats and links (hyperlinks) to the various pieces of information. Starting from scratch can take a long time to set up a web site. The Web Page Wizard takes away the hard work, by setting up the pages, formatting and links for you - all you have to do is add the content.

    Pre-defined curricula

    Like all courses at the Reeltime College this course