Tag Archives: Microsoft Office 2013

Speed Up Microsoft Outlook with Simple Tips

Speed Up Microsoft Outlook with Simple Tips

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If you are familiar with Microsoft Outlook and have been using it for quite some time, you know that Outlook can slow down. If Outlook is not looked after properly, it can be just about useless to utilize. However, do not despair, because there are certain effective ways to speed up Outlook. Use these following tips to improve your Microsoft Outlook:

Speed Up Microsoft Outlook with Simple TipsUpdate Your Windows

Most people do not realize that Microsoft Office updates are always hidden, when it comes to standard Windows updates. Nevertheless, keep in mind that besides Office updates, you should allow other updates to go through in order to speed up outlook.

Download All Complete Items

When you connect your Outlook with POP3 or IMAP, you should set the Outlook to download all complete messages, instead of only the headers. If this isn’t practiced, Outlook will not have to synchronize with the server each time you click on new items.

Archive the Inbox

To speed up outlook, always archive all emails in your inbox. If this is not done, it can cause major issues with your Outlook.

Make Use of Cached Exchange Mode

If Cached Exchange Mode is used in Outlook, you efficiently take all the data files from the PST and cache it onto the OST (local machine). This can help towards speeding up Outlook, because it does not have to scan through all the data files across a particular network.

For more tips about speeding up your outlook, contact Labyrinth Learning today.

Image Source: Stuart Miles (freedigitalphotos)

computer literacy

Add Symbols With Alt Codes

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At the most basic level, computer literacy means being able to navigate universally utilized software programs, such as the Microsoft Office Suite, knowing how to type in a reasonably quick manner (QWERTY style preferred!), and understanding how to use printers, scanners, and other basic computer accessories. Then there are the tricks that take your computer literacy to the next level; adding symbols with Alt codes is one example.

In a basic computer course, students learn to insert codes by using the editor feature of the program, scrolling to “insert” and then selecting the code they want to use. This is fine for the very occasional code, but what about the symbols you use on a regular basis? Perhaps you’re writing about a product that is trademarked™, you work with products or scenarios that are temperature specific°, or you incorporate foreign words that use accent symbols to enhance their pronunciación. In these cases, the Alt codes are your most efficient choices.

Keyboard short cuts
Source: Stock Exchange

To insert an Alt code (on Macs, use the Option key), you simply place the cursor where you want the symbol to appear, and then press Alt+Number Code. Voila! The symbol, or letter with an accent, will appear.

Here are some common examples:

  • Alt+0153 = ™
  • Alt+0162 = ¢
  • Alt+0169 = ©
  • Alt+0177 = ±
  • Alt+0225 = á
  • Alt+0233 = é
  • Alt+0237 = í
  • Alt+0243 = ó
  • Alt+0250 = ú
  • Alt+0241 = ñ

Visit Labyrinth Learning to review textbooks that will enhance your students’ computer literacy.

fast course Microsoft Word 2013 Textbook

Become a Microsoft Word Power User

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fast course Microsoft Word 2013 TextbookIt may seem logical to equate long-time Microsoft Word use with expertise. But in fact, quite the opposite can happen. Long-time Word users might miss out on learning new shortcuts and features, which can make them less efficient user than those who have recently completed a Microsoft Office 2013 training program.

If you want to help your employees be the best they can be, consider hosting a company-wide training session, using a MS Word FastCourse to bring them up to speed – literally! In the meantime, here are some tricks to help them become Microsoft Words Power Users.

Simplify formatting. Much of the work professionals do using Word ends up in web copy or printed using a publisher. Each of these formats has their own formatting preferences, which means you can spend a good deal of time trying to figure out why your text isn’t formatting properly. To prevent any formatting “fluff”, click on the Options dialogue, select the Proofing tab in the left column, select Auto Correct, and then un-click all of the selections. This will keep your formatting pared down to the basics.

Continue Working. When you open a document to continue working, hit Shift+F5 and it will take you to where you left off.

Change Case. Irritated by having to manually change letter cases, like when your headings are inconsistent? Shift+F3 allows you to toggle through case options efficiently.

We can’t give all of our secrets away now, can we? Invest in Labyrinth Learning’s Microsoft Office 2013 software to learn more!

 

Microsoft Office 2013

Discover Some of The Most Underused Features of Microsoft Office

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While a single computer course can teach you the basics, seminars, additional training sessions, and advanced computer courses are the best way to break out of your routines and learn new tricks to enhance your performance.

To prove a point, we thought we’d share some of the most underused features of Microsoft Office 2013, compliments of TechRepublic.com.Microsoft Office 2013

  • Find a recent file. How many times have you saved a file one day, and then struggled to find it the next? The search feature can take forever, which contributes to the frustration. Instead, you can click on “File” and then select “Recent.” Voila! Your most recent saves will appear. This works in both Word and Excel.
  • Create your own templates. If you find you use the same format over and over again, it will save time if you simply create your own template. In older versions of Word, this was a bit complicated. The new Microsoft Office 2013 Suite has simplified the process. Click here to learn how to make easy templates of your own.
  • Quick Excel tables. If you use Microsoft Excel on a regular basis, you will save a good deal of time and energy by learning all you can about the table features. It is easy to transform a range of data into a table for easier data formulating and manipulation.

Maybe it’s time for you company to splurge on a Microsoft Office seminar for your trainers and employees. Contact Labyrinth Learning to discuss software options that will enhance employee performance.

 

microsoft-office-2013

Upgrading to Office 2013: See What’s New

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microsoft-office-2013Thinking about upgrading to Microsoft Office 2013 for your corporate training facilities or classrooms? New and improved features make Office 2013 a more efficient program for your computer network. Here are some new additions in Office 2013 that will make you thankful you’ve made the upgrade.

Simpler interface. We’re so used to things becoming more dressed up with every upgrade, it’s refreshing that Microsoft Office 2013 has done the opposite. The new interface is streamlined, and less complex from a graphic standpoint, making it easier to focus on your work at hand.

Cloud Connection. If you use SkyDrive or SharePoint to store your documents for anywhere work accessibility, you’ll appreciate the new Office software. Your SkyDrive account details will appear in the left-hand corner, allowing you to easily navigate between files and accounts. Your work will be saved by default on the cloud or you can manually save it to your local drive.

Device Synchronization. Your saved online documents will be available across multiple devices. This makes it easier to pick up where you left off, using Microsoft Office 2013 on a PC or tablet, or via WebApps on your mobile device. Your documents should appear exactly as you left them.

PDF Editing. Finally! You can save and edit PDFs without going through the laborious process of converting them. Once you save them as a DocX or PDF, they will open in Word and appear just like the PDF.

Ready to upgrade? Download Labyrinth Learning’s free Office 2013 Upgrade Guide to make sure your transition proceeds without a glitch.

 

Image via www.pcmag.com
Microsoft Office 2013

Teach the New Microsoft Office

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Microsoft Office 2013Teaching Microsoft Office 2013 is easier than ever with the right materials, instant assessment tools, and ample teaching resources. Labyrinth Learning has designed the most innovative, user-friendly, textbooks and software for Building a Foundation with Microsoft Office 2013. Here are some of the benefits of using our innovative teaching approach.

Stand-alone Features. This curriculum is set up using 25 individual lessons. Rather than being abstract or conceptual, our eLab courses are direct and to the point, providing step-by-step instructions for specific, relevant skill building exercises. We have eliminated unnecessary reading so that students can spend the majority of their time working directly with the simulated Microsoft Office environment and improving their computer literacy. Available in print and tablet formats, Building a Foundation with Microsoft Office 2013 is fully supported with free instructor and student resources.

Helpful Add-Ons. In addition to the standard package, many customers take advantage of our add-ons, which are designed to make the course even easier for both students and instructors. Teaching Microsoft Office 2013 is more effective using our eLab Course Management System. It includes additional hands-on simulations, which record students’ keystrokes so you can monitor their progress, video tutorials, pre-built assessments and tests, gradebook management options, automatically graded projects, and more.

Other add-ons include a 180-day trial of Microsoft Office. Contact Labyrinth Learning for more information about our Microsoft Office learning solutions.

The Value of Certification

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Do you offer certification testing? Your students can gain an extra edge when seeking employment by taking advantage of certification programs.

 

Some of the professional advantages of certification include the following:

  • Certification helps broaden employment opportunities.
  • Advanced skills can help students earn more.
  • A study conducted by Microsoft revealed that those who are certified are viewed as more competent, more productive, and more credible by their employers.
  • Certification can lead to increased job satisfaction.
  • Those who pass certification exams are authorized to display certification logos on resumes and other materials to demonstrate proof of certification, according to the National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers.

 

Microsoft and QuickBooks offer certification programs that validate comprehensive knowledge of the materials. The Microsoft Office Specialist certification is globally recognized as “the premiere credential chosen by individuals seeking to validate their knowledge, skills and abilities relating to the Microsoft Office application suite.”

 

Several Labyrinth Learning textbooks are approved courseware for the Microsoft and QuickBooks exams. For more information, please visit our website and look at our Excel and QuickBooks texts.

 

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Microsoft Office 2013: What’s Changed?

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The latest version of Microsoft Office is coming soon, and many of you may be wondering what changes to expect. How is it different from Office 2010? And what is Office 365?

If you have those questions, read on. Here’s a brief understanding of the different options.

Microsoft Office 2010 vs. Microsoft Office 2013

Office 2013 includes all the standard Office programs and capabilities seen in previous versions of Office, as well as a variety of new features that make for a better user experience. Below is a glimpse of some of the new features of Office 2013, along with a few of the differences between Office 2013 and Office 2010:

  • One of the first things you’ll notice about Office 2013 is a refreshed interface. The new look falls in line with the “Modern” interface of Windows 8, featuring a minimalistic appearance that PCWorld suggests will be less of a distraction to users.
  • You’ll see a much more touch-friendly version, allowing you to scroll through items by swiping your finger across the screen. And you can switch to a traditional navigation when you’re using a desktop without a touchscreen monitor.
  • SkyDrive and SharePoint have been integrated for you to more easily access documents stored online from any location.
  •  PDF Editing is another new feature of Office 2013. PDF files can be opened and edited in Word 2013, and then saved as either DocX files or as PDFs.
  • Excel 2013 has the ability to support multiple monitors, unlike Excel 2010.
  • While the Ribbon hasn’t changed too much in functionality, its appearance in Office 2013 has changed slightly. Information Week describes it as being flatter than the 2010 version of the Ribbon. Office 2013 also includes an option to make it more compatible with touchscreens for tablet use.

Microsoft Office 365

While Office 2010 and 2013 must be installed onto a desktop or laptop computer, Office 365 is an online service to which users must subscribe. Instead of purchasing boxed copies or online downloads, users can purchase an Office 365 subscription which provides all the core Office applications, as well as email, shared calendars, public websites for businesses, and internal sites for teams. Those with Office 2010 already installed on their computer can configure the program to work with Office 365 and have the ability to retrieve, edit and save Office documents in the Office 365 cloud. Users can also complete tasks such as co-authoring documents in real-time or begin PC-to-PC calls. Office 365 is compatible with Office 2007 and newer versions.

To learn more about what’s coming in Office 2013, register for our webinar on November 13 for a demonstration of major new features within each application. Visit our website or contact us for more information.

Image from InformationWeek.com