Everyday Use for Microsoft Office Suite

Word Forms – Word forms are useful if you have a form that you need completed by many people and you'd like the information to be on your computer. A form is created in Word and then form fields (text areas, check boxes or drop down menus) are added for completion on-line. The form can be protected, allowing entries only in the form fields and if further protection is needed, it can be password protected. Once the form is completed by individuals, the file can be save and e-mailed as an attachment to the appropriate person. The form can be on the company’s network or on a website. See example

Excel Forms, Calculations and ... so much more – An Excel form is similar to the above Word Form. The example shown also gives an example of how cells can be set to automatically calculate or sum numbers, such as area sales by month/quarter, and then how it can update a year-to-date sheet automatically as well as create and update a chart or graph. (There are 6 worksheets within the file - note tabs at bottom of sheets.)

The example shows a simple addition calculation, but subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, and more are possible. The example shows only a fraction of what can be done with Excel.

Access – Access is a database program and like Excel is very powerful, but is often not used. Many people are uncertain what a database is or how it can be useful. On a personal level, it can be used as a means to track your home inventory. What if all of your belongings were lost in a fire, hurricane or other disaster? Assuming you kept a copy of the file in another location, you'd be several steps ahead in getting an insurance settlement. The example is an image of an home inventory input form. An image of an inventory report example is also given.

A small business with a small inventory might want to track it using Access or even a service related businesses could use it to keep records of office equipment and furniture. Another use (business or personal) would be as an address book – see example.

The examples shown are images of “input forms.” Basically the file is a table with fields of information. However, an input form can be created making it easier to enter information. From the table, reports can be created. If you're doing a client address book of 100 entries, of which 80% live in Boca Raton or Delray Beach, you can have a “drop down” to select the city to enter. You can “query” the database – if you need a listing of all clients in the 33431 zip code with only the company name and phone #, doing a query will create such a list in seconds.

PowerPoint – most business people have seen a PowerPoint presentation, although they may not realize that’s what it is. PowerPoint is used to present information to people. Imagine a person standing up and giving/reading a 30 minute speech which includes technical information or financial information. Now imagine that same information being presented on a large screen. The information is contained in colorful templates or slides. The slides and/or information appears on the screen with animated transitions, with charts, images and/or sounds. Which scenario is most likely to get the point across? A small presentation is given in 3 formats -

1. PowerPoint File - requires the Power Point program,
2. PowerPoint resentation - files opens as a presentation,
3. HTML file - will open in the web browser.

Publisher – this program is most often used to create newsletters and flyers and can require a learning curve to use. There are several templates given in the program which makes it easier and will give your publication an appearance appropriate for your need..

InfoPath – this program comes with some versions of the Office Suite and is used to create electronic forms. However web-base forms may be easier to create by using html, a Word form, or a fill-in-able PDF form. Contact Businesses Internet Pages for a discussion on the pros and cons for the various form formats.

Visio – Visio is used to create Organization Charts, flow charts, building plans, charts & graphs, maps, etc. The org charge located at www.fau.edu/financial/Organization-Staff.php was created with Visio.

PDF Files – PDF stands for portable document files and they are created using Adobe Acrobat – it is not a Microsoft product. Before the Microsoft products became the “norm” many different word processing and spreadsheet programs were in use. If a file was created using Lotus, no one could use it unless they had Lotus. Also a Word Perfect file created on one computer and opened on another would often display differently. Of course there were always the PC vs. Mac issues. However if these files were converted to PDF files, they could be opened by anyone that had the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. If the full Acrobat program is owned (not the free Reader), any electronic file can be converted into a PDF file in seconds. If the user does not have the full Acrobat program, they can open/view the file but not change it - which is often a good thing, so the need for PDF files continues. The person with the full program can convert a Word file into a PDF, and then make it a fill-in-able form.

Business Internet Pages is ready to create applications using any of the above programs. It is recommended that you have a basic knowledge of the program either from use or by taking a class or tutorials. We will then create the forms, spreadsheets, database, charts, etc. to assist you in your needs and show you how to use and maintain them for your future use.

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