Business Articles, Software Tips, About GS, sometimes a Recipe & more!
Yes, it is definitely do-able to gain the most popular software skills needed today in a lot less time than some folks think. Although software programs come loaded with a ton of features, the actual tools that are really used, boils down to a much smaller sub-set. All those extra features are great, and I love exploring them, but in the many, many jobs I've worked in, the ones used most often can be measured.
And that's exactly what GS has done. I've literally taken an inventory of what software tools were applied in my jobs as a secretary, research assistant, project manager and more. Then, with this valuable information, I created a set of courses that provide new users, or users who might wonder if they really are using the most needed features, exactly what they need to both succeed and be highly productive. The first foundational layer are called my "All-in-One" Courses for Excel, PowerPoint and Word. Each course is 2 hours in length. Then, depending upon your type of work you do now or aspire to do, you can jump in on the advanced level "Targeted-Skills" Courses which are 1 hour in length. GS Courses also include a 1-pager "GS Skills Guide" to serve as a handy, quick-reference resource. To learn more, check out the www.gssoftwareconsulting.ca website today. Questions are always welcome and can be sent to me directly via gloria@gssoftwareconsulting.ca.
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An added benefit of using the online version of Office 365 is that more than one person can add or edit files at the same time when in Excel, PowerPoint or Word. There are a few things to consider before starting and include:
First establish with your co-collaborator which part or section of the file each will be working on when more than one user is online. Then, go ahead and work together knowing that only one person can edit a Cell in Excel at the same time, or in PowerPoint, one Slide at a time and when in Word, one Paragraph or Line at a time. TIP: for Word to to know what a paragraph is, you need to be sure and let multiple lines auto-wrap when the text reaches the right margin. Word checks out the show code for a line vs. a paragraph like this: This is an absolute favourite in our house. Plus, it's super easy to make, doesn't need a lot of ingredients and comes together quickly. I've even made it for Christmas Dinner Dessert and it was a bit hit. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 8" x 8" pan (I like to use glass but it doesn't matter).
Add butter into the pan. If using a glass pan, microwave to melt the butter. If using a metal pan, microwave to melt in a small bowl. Then, add the remaining ingredients. Using a fork, mix together making sure that all is blended well and is evenly distributed. Then, in small bowl, combine together well, 1/2 cup White Sugar, 1/2 cup Brown Sugar and 1/4 cup Cocoa. Sprinkle this sugar mixture evenly over the cake batter. Pour over the top 1 and 1/4 cups of Hot Water. I know it sounds odd, but as it bakes the sugar and water will move to the bottom to become chocolate pudding. Bake for 30 minutes until the top cake layer looks like cake when slightly lifted with a knife. Let cool and enjoy on it's own, or add whipped cream or ice cream. Amounts for Loaf Pan version (4" x 8") - rrecipe halved:
For the topping, use 1/4 cup White Sugar, 1/4 cup Brown Sugar and 2 tablespoons Cocoa. For the water, use 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons.
Upcoming January & February 2024 GS All-in-One Courses - on Saturdays and Thursdays from 10 am to noon in Excel, PowerPoint & Word. Book your Seat Today by emailing gloria@gssoftwareconsulting.ca and to learn more or download the course outlines, visit www.gssoftwareconsulting.ca. Questions can also be sent any time. Thanks.
Looking to learn the most popular office software online? Considering automating your business or department with your own MS Access database? Or looking for help with all forms of documentation. GS can help - questions always welcome. Thanks and please share.
Wondering which courses would be best by the type of job or career change you may be looking for? Check out the GS Course Selection by Job Type or email me directly for help: gloria@gssoftwareconsulting.ca.
Here's an interesting difference about how Excel Online treats multiple lines within versus Excel Installed. If using Alt+Enter to insert more than one line with one cell in one row, when the entry is copied and pasted into an Worksheet that's using Excel Installed version, it creates a cell that is split. This may be fine, depending upon what's been done, but if you are copying data from an online Worksheet into an installed Worksheet and want to try the content as a true dataset, you may be setting yourself for more work than hoped. In the clip below, in Cell A1, 3 entries were added and Alt+Enter was used at the end of the first 2 entries to push the text down to look like it's on a separate line: Then after using Copy and Paste from the online Worksheet into an installed Worksheet, there's a difference. Row 1 has now been altered to instead be 3 Rows (notice the gray borders): That's fine if you don't have any other plans for the Worksheet, but if you are wanting to use features like Sorting, you'll get an error and will need to unmerge the entry to have all 3 "Updated..." entries be all on one Row and if you have a large dataset, this could turn into a lot of extra work.
When reviewing a list of entries, sometimes it's helpful to quickly count how many of your cells contain text. For example, when collecting a list of potential attendees to an event.
To do this, click into an empty Cell where you want the result to be displayed. Then enter: =Countif(A2:A25,"*"). This function will know that you want Excel to review all Cells from the range of A1 to A25, look to see which Cells have an entry of any time, and with the count these to result in a total number of signed-up attendees. I'm pleased to share that I'm returning once again to providing Custom Database Design in Microsoft Access. I've recently had the honour of working with a past client to design a new system and it reminded me just how valuable these solutions can be for my customers.
PLC Mechanical Inc., a local to London, Ontario company who specializes in providing comprehensive plumbing & mechanical installations, was looking to replace the more tedious effort required to manage their business needs using Excel with an simplified and automated method. Now their projects including purchase orders, pricing changes, details about materials used an labour costs, contract adjustments, shop drawing submittals and warrantly letters can easily and quickly be generated. For those who may not know, I originally began developing databases using Microsoft Access back in the mid-nineties and for many years worked with small to medium-sized business, departments within larger companies, and other types of services. Click here to see my profile of previous successfully delivered systems. If you are interested in learning more or want to get started with your own custom solution, email me any time at gloria@gssoftwareconsulting.ca. Thanks. When I was first so lucky to have the opportunity to use and learn all about office software, it was in truth a bit challenging but it was also very exciting. It was a time too when computer software actually arrived with very detailed manuals.
The original plan was that training would be included in the delivery of the hardware and software, but in reality, it was a time when software training was just in it's infancy. The end result was that reading the manuals was the only way forward. Boy, what a ride it was but it was also a gift in disguise. Now, after so many years of self-learning, using, applying and teaching office software at an advanced level, my goal now is to share all that I've learned but also do this in a way that will escalate how the most common software skills can be acquired. The first level of my guided GS Learning Journey is to begin with foundational, only the most needed and used topics, courses. The topics selected have been carefully selected and are based on actual, real-world, experiences using software in a many different scenarios. Along the way too, as I continued my career providing software training, the style of training evolved: help learners underway the "why", then experience software to just try out, wrapped up together in a guided practice lesson - the accomplishment. Then, to help keep the momentum for attendees, the development of one-page GS Skills Guide to have on hand. Control F (pressing and holding the Control key; then pressing and releasing the letter "F" key) activates the Find dialog box in all Office software (Excel, PowerPoint and Word). The same shortcut can also be used in the same way when browsing with Google Chrome or navigating Windows File Manager. A really fast way to zone in or specific text.
Did you know that you can create your own custom Shapes in PowerPoint and use the Sent to the Back or Bring to the Front option to layer them, adjust them to show more or less, then group to make your own graphic design? Want to learn more? Join me in my PowerPoint All-in-One 2 hour GS Course.
Never type a Table of Contents - instead learn how to apply Styles and have Word create the TOC automatically. Want to learn more? Join me in my Setup a Large Word Doc GS Targeted Skills 1-hour Course.
As long as your columns have been set-up to function as a "dataset" first you can easily turn it into a really nice looking table with color, shading, borders and drop-down filters. To do this, place the cursor somewhere (anywhere) into the area where your dataset has content: Then, press CONTROL T to activate the Table Design macro. Excel will look around from it's current position to find the edges of your dataset and will let you know the cell range that has been identified. If you don't want the first row to be different in appearance, then un-check the "My table has headers" option (though not recommended). And when ready, click OK. Voila! Your table is now looking really good without a lot of extra steps from you! Want to learn more about Datasets, sign up for my Excel Targeted Skills Setup a Dataset 1-hour Course by emailing gloria@gssoftwareconsulting.ca or visit the GS Bookings online Calendar.
Software Saturdays and Sometimes Sundays Courses in MS Office - Word, Excel and PowerPoint plus Techie Tuesdays and Thursdays. Download the GS Course Calendar for April, May & June 2023 and sign-up today - email Gloria@gssoftwareconsulting.ca.
In Office 365, you can use the Quick Access Toolbar "AutoSave" option to automatically have your work saved to the Cloud. This can be a great especially if you are not good at making sure you have a back-up but it's also a super option for knowing that your valuable work is not save locally in your home or office.
To use this feature, click the AutoSave toggle and set it to "yes.". One little caveate is that it's an automatic process and if you do want to use File, Save As, you'll need to temporarily turn AutoSave "off." But, be sure to turn it back "on" - you'll be glad you did when you least expect it for sure! |
About My BlogWelcome. I'm a admittedly a bit obsessed with how software can, and should, make our lives easier. But, to round things out a bit more, I am also interested in the Arts, all kinds of Crafts, Cooking, Gardening, Bird Watching, and cool Business ideas. Thanks for visiting.
GS Software Consulting.caCourse Calendar Now - 2024...
Join me in my guided learning journey series of online, Zoom-delivered, All-in-One foundational Courses & advanced Targeted-Skills Courses. Instructor-led, Fast-tracked Online MS Office Training.
All Courses start with a concepts presentation followed by a hands-on try-out session brought together with a real-world practice lesson. Learn the most needed and most used software skills. Find out more by visiting my GS Software Consulting.ca website or email me with any questions. Archives
May 2024
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