How to Learn Microsoft Office Basics in 6 Hours or Less
The fastest way to learn about Microsoft Office Suite is to get to know the icons. Many of the icons are the same from program to program. Icons are the little pictures that represent a function. To use them, all you do is click on them. For example, by clicking on the printer icon, your document will print automatically.
Once you are familiar with several of the icons, you will be able to use them in all of the Microsoft Office Suite programs like; Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher and others.
Other software makers use icons which are similar to Microsoft Office icons. This means that you will automatically know how to use the basic functions, no matter which software you are using. Many of the icons you need are on the Standard Toolbar in Microsoft Office Suite programs. To see the purpose of each icon, slide the mouse on top of them. These are the icons you should learn first.
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Instructions
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Open New Blank. Click her to open a new blank template (document), you always start with the "Normal" template. This is an automatic process and a new blank document always opens when you start Microsoft Word.
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Open Existing Document. Click here to open an existing document. This icon will be used more than the New Blank Document icon.
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Save. This is one of the most important icons ever. New computer users do not save their documents often enough. Waiting until the document if finished is too long to wait. Save the document every few minutes or after 25-30 new words. You cannot over save a document, but you can under save. When the computer saves, it writes over the previous information and adds the new words and graphics. Be Safe, SAVE a lot!
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Print. Click here to print your document.
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Print Preview. Shows you a picture of the document you are working on before you print. This is a very useful tool to look for formatting errors.
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Spelling and Grammar. This icon checks your document for basic spelling and grammar mistakes. This is the start of proofreading your document.
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Cut. The scissors will cut or remove words and pictures from your document. Cut is usually used along with the Paste function.
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Copy. The Copy icon, copies information or pictures and places them on the Clipboard (a temporary storage place). After copying the information, move the insertion point the new location then click on Paste.
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Paste. The Paste icon, works with the Copy and Cut functions, it places a duplicate copy of information or pictures you have just copied or cut into a new location. Select the item you be moved, click on either Copy or Cut, move to the new location then click on Paste.
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Undo. Undo is one of the most used icons of all times. Clicking on Undo, removes the last change you made to your document.
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Redo. Redo is the opposite of Undo. If you just clicked on the Undo button, then decide you do want that information, click on Redo to bring it back.
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Tips & Warnings
Start with Microsoft Word first and study the icons
Icons are similar with most other software, Lotus 123, Open Office, WordPerfect and more, once you understand their functions in Word the same information can be transferred to the programs
Resources
- Photo Credit Sharon Koss
