September 2004

Note: New classes for fall have been posted to the professional development calendar!

Microsoft Office - Little Things to Make Your Job Easier

By Teresa Lightle- Technology Coordinator                            Printable Version (pdf)

It’s the little things that can make your job easier, and in that spirit, here are a few little things I hope can make using Microsoft Office a little easier.

How come in my new version (2000 and newer) I don’t see the full menus? I get that little instead?

Office 2000 designers thought it would be helpful to only show the menu options that the user most frequently uses. The problem is that it changes the order the user is used to seeing it in. If you place your cursor over the the menu will drop down to show all of the options. If you would like to have the full menus show all of the time, follow these steps:

1. In MS Word click on Tools in the menu bar.
2. Click on Customize.
3. Click in the checkbox next to the item “Always show full menus.”
4. Click the close button.

Why can't I see everything on my toolbars? They seem to be pushed together?

In the newer versions of Office, Microsoft has tried to conserve space by placing both the standard and formatting toolbars on the same line. Depending on your screen resolution, this may keep some of the items on the toolbar hidden. What you will see is a small arrow at the end of the toolbar . 

When you click on the arrow, the hidden icon will appear.

 

 

 

If you want the toolbars to show on your screen in two lines instead of the one, you can change the setting by clicking on:

1. Tools in the menu bar
2. Click on Customize
3. Click the checkbox option next to Show Standard and Formatting toolbars on two rows.
4. Click on Close

Why does a toolbar automatically come on, but sometimes I can’t find it?

With some features in Microsoft Office such as Mail Merging, the feature will automatically show the Mail Merge toolbar. If at any time you want any toolbar to permanently stay in your toolbar area, follow these steps:

1. Right click anywhere in the toolbar area. This will bring up all of the toolbar options available in the current program.

2. Click next to the toolbar you wish to have show. It will automatically show up in the toolbar area.

3. Deselecting the check mark next to the toolbar will remove it from the toolbar selections.

Toolbars can be moved at any time. Most users “dock” their toolbars at the top of the screen, but there may be a time when it would be easier if the toolbar was “floating.”

To move a toolbar, place your cursor over the left edge of the toolbar. In Office 2003, it looks like 4 dots. In earlier versions of Office, it looks like two grey lines.

When the 4-way arrows appear, hold down the left mouse button and drag the toolbar wherever you want it to go. If you choose to “dock” it back into the original location, simply double click on the Title Bar at the top of toolbar. The toolbar will go right back to its place.

 

 

A very little known tip . . .

When formatting a document, users will often change the color of the font. If you decide you want a different color you will go back up to the toolbar click on the font color option and choose another color. A much quicker way when you know you will be working with the font color palette is “tear off” the color palette and leave it on your desktop while you work with it. To "tear off” a palette:

1. Click on the down arrow next to the Font color icon in the formatting toolbar. This will drop down the palette.
2. Place your cursor over the solid bar at the top of the palette box.
3. Hold down the left mouse button while the 4-way arrow is showing and drag the menu off. Release the palette when it is in the location you want.
4. If the text is selected you need only choose another color and it will change.
5. To close the color palette, click on the X in the upper right corner of the palette screen.

   

Note: Any palette which has a solid top is capable of being “torn off” Examples of palettes include:

Auto Shapes: Borders:

Including the sub-menus:

Fill Colors:    Line Colors: 

Web Access on Microsoft Outlook Won't Reply . . . .

Because many users access MS Exchange (Web Access Outlook) from their home or other non BCOE computers, it is important that users understand how customized tool bars with pop up blockers can interfere with their web access email. Users who are using a pop up blocker at home, such as the Google Search Toolbar, will be unable to correctly use the Reply button in web access unless the pop up blocker is removed, by clicking on the # blocked button .  Once this option is clicked it allows pop ups on the Outlook Web Access page, and users will be able to Reply to emails.

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For Questions or Comments about this newsletter please contact: tlightle@bcoe.org

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