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How to get the best out of Microsoft WordMicrosoft Word has long been regarded as one of the best document processing applications in history. And Microsoft isn’t resting on its laurels, as it continues to bring more features for users to enjoy. Here are some productivity features you should take advantage of. Work online Don’t have the Word app on your computer, tablet, […]

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How to get the best out of Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word has long been regarded as one of the best document processing applications in history. And Microsoft isn’t resting on its laurels, as it continues to bring more features for users to enjoy. Here are some productivity features you should take advantage of.

Work online

Don’t have the Word app on your computer, tablet, or smartphone? Go to office.com, sign in with your Microsoft account, and open Word Online, the web version of Word. This is particularly useful for users who have limited free storage space on their devices, as the Word app can be pretty hefty in terms of storage space (2.11 GB for Windows and 1.2 GB for Mac). It allows for the same level of functionality without the storage burden.

Collaborate effectively

You and your colleagues can now edit the same Word document simultaneously and in real time. Simply save the document to your Microsoft OneDrive account, click Share, and send the link to the file to your coworkers. People with the link can access and edit the document using the Word desktop app or Word Online.

Maintain editorial control

Use the Track Changes function of Word to monitor all edits made to your document. To turn on Track Changes, click on the Review tab, and then select Track Changes. You will then be able to view all changes made to the file by every user, and you will also have the ability to reject or accept suggestions and edits as you see fit.

Use Smart Lookup for research

The Smart Lookup feature helps you do online research while you’re working on a document — no need to open another tab and type in a query. Simply highlight and right-click the word or phrase you want to look up, and select Smart Lookup from the menu that appears. Word uses Microsoft’s Bing search engine to conduct a search on the selected word or phrase, and displays the results in a pane that appears on the right side of your screen.

Format your documents

The Styles gallery contains predefined formatting options for text. You can also add your own styles, or those you use frequently, to the gallery. By saving your own style preferences, you can apply them anytime without having to manually format everything. Just follow these steps:

  1. Select the text you want to format as a new style (e.g., a heading or a certain phrase).
  2. Specify the formatting you want on the mini toolbar that appears. For instance, click Bold and Red if you want the text to appear as such.
  3. Click the More arrow in the lower-right corner of the Styles gallery. Select Create a Style. This will open the Create New Style from Formatting dialog box.
  4. Give the style a name and click OK. Your new style will appear in the Styles gallery, ready for you to use anytime.

Search and use images quickly

With Word, there’s no need to open your browser to look for images for your document. Just place the cursor in the area where you want to insert the photo, click the Insert tab and select Online pictures (type “clip art” in the search box if that’s what you need), select an image, then click Insert.

Edit PDFs

Word’s PDF editing function allows you to make quick changes to PDF files without having to download and use a PDF editing app or software. But before you can edit a PDF file in Word, you have to convert it to a file format that Word can display. To do that, follow these steps:

  1. Click File > Open > Browse
  2. Choose the PDF file you want to edit, then click Open
  3. Click OK to make a copy of the PDF file and convert its contents into a format that can be opened in Word. (Note: The original PDF will be preserved.)
  4. Make edits to the copy of the PDF file.
  5. When you’re done, click File > Save as > PDF

Microsoft is constantly rolling out nifty new features for its popular word processor. To stay updated on the latest Word features and functionalities, reach out to our Microsoft experts now.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post How to get the best out of Microsoft Word appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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Take notes the modern way with OneNoteNote-taking is a vital skill in life. Whether you’re in a board meeting, conference, or lecture, you’re bound to list, quote, or summarize certain points in order to recall and better understand them later. Thanks to new technologies, you now have more ways to take notes than just using pen and paper. With your mobile […]

The post Take notes the modern way with OneNote appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Take notes the modern way with OneNote

Note-taking is a vital skill in life. Whether you’re in a board meeting, conference, or lecture, you’re bound to list, quote, or summarize certain points in order to recall and better understand them later. Thanks to new technologies, you now have more ways to take notes than just using pen and paper. With your mobile device and Microsoft OneNote, you can easily record your notes and even customize and share them. Read on to discover how to get the most out of this app.

Organize your digital notebook

While both Microsoft Word and OneNote let you create text-heavy documents, they store and display saved information differently. Word displays one document at a time, while OneNote can show you all your documents at once.

When you open the desktop version of OneNote for the first time, it shows you a default Notebook called “My Notebook.” If you want to create another Notebook, click on the < button beside the name of your current one, then choose +Notebook at the bottom of your screen.

You can customize a Notebook by separating it into subcategories called Sections, which are like dividers in a physical notebook. For instance, you can dedicate one Section for notes regarding a particular client or product. Sections are shown as color-coded tabs along the top of the screen, next to the name of your Notebook. You can add more sections by clicking on +Section at the bottom left of your screen.

You can add individual pages to a Section by clicking +Page, and you can use this feature to separate information. For example, you can add pages pertaining to a client’s contact details, project statuses, and billing information.

You can rename your Notebook, or any Section or Page, by right-clicking on it and choosing the rename option.

Start experimenting

There’s no hard-and-fast rule to enjoy OneNote because each person’s note-taking habits are unique. It’s best to try out all the features and decide which are most useful for you. Here are some things you can try:

  • Add tags to your notes so you can search for them efficiently.
  • Instantly turn your drawings into shapes or text using the Ink to Shape and Ink to Text functions, respectively.
  • Solve equations by using the Ink Math Assistant (which can help you graph or solve math problems).
  • Use Immersive Reader to read texts out loud.
  • Write on a web page in Microsoft Edge and save your annotations to OneNote.

Keep in mind, however, that these work only in OneNote for Windows 10. If you’re using an older version of the app, you’ll need to upgrade to the latest version to enjoy these features.

Share your OneNote

So you’ve created a detailed plan for an upcoming event complete with visual pegs and handwritten instructions and you want to share this with your team. That’s as easy as pie with OneNote. Just go to the upper right corner of your ribbon, click on the Share button, and type in the email addresses of the people to whom you wish to send your notes. You can also set the sharing permissions to either “can view” or “can edit,” giving you more control over your data.

OneNote has numerous features and it can take months for you to master all of them. Call us today, and we’ll make sure you’ll get the hang of OneNote in no time.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Make the most out of Microsoft Word with these tipsMicrosoft Word remains the word processing software of choice for businesses large and small. With Word, you can create a wide variety of documents, from reports to invoices to brochures. Word also has a number of features that, when utilized properly, could greatly enhance your productivity and efficiency at work. Let’s take a look at […]

The post Make the most out of Microsoft Word with these tips appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Make the most out of Microsoft Word with these tips

Microsoft Word remains the word processing software of choice for businesses large and small. With Word, you can create a wide variety of documents, from reports to invoices to brochures. Word also has a number of features that, when utilized properly, could greatly enhance your productivity and efficiency at work. Let’s take a look at some of these.

Work on Word Online

Don’t have the Word app on your computer, tablet, or smartphone? Go to office.com, sign in with your Microsoft account, and open Word Online, the web version of Word.

Collaborate on files

You and your colleagues can now edit the same Word document simultaneously in real time. Simply save the document to your Microsoft OneDrive account, click Share, and send the link to the file to your coworkers. People with the link can access and edit the document using the Word desktop app or Word Online.

Keep editorial control

Use the Track Changes function of Word to monitor all edits made to your document. To turn on Track Changes, click on the Review tab then select Track Changes. When reviewing a colleague’s edits, click Accept or Reject as you see fit.

Do quick research using Smart Lookup

The Smart Lookup feature helps you do online research while you’re working on a document — no need to open another tab and type in a query. Simply highlight and right-click the word or phrase you want to look up, and select Smart Lookup from the menu that appears. Word uses Microsoft’s Bing search engine to conduct a search on the selected word or phrase, and displays the results in a pane that appears on the right side of your screen.

Format your document

The Styles gallery contains predefined formatting options for text. You can also add your own styles, or those you use frequently, to the gallery. By saving your own style preferences, you can apply them anytime without having to manually format everything. Just follow these steps:

Select the text you want to format as a new style (e.g., a heading or a certain phrase).
Specify the formatting you want on the mini toolbar that appears. For instance, click Bold and Red if you want the text to appear as such.
Click the More arrow in the lower-right corner of the Styles gallery. Select Create a Style. This will open the Create New Style from Formatting dialog box.
Give the style a name and click OK. Your new style will appear in the Styles gallery, ready for you to use anytime.

Look for and insert images faster

With Word, there’s no need to open your browser to look for images for your document. Just place the cursor in the area where you want to insert the photo, click the Insert tab and select Online pictures (type “clip art” in the search box if that’s what you need), select an image, then click Insert.

Edit a PDF file

Word’s PDF editing function allows you to make quick changes to PDF files without having to download and use a PDF editing app or software. But before you can edit a PDF file in Word, you have to convert it to a file format that Word can display. Follow these steps:

Click File > Open > Browse.
Choose the PDF file you want to edit, then click Open. Click OK to make a copy of the PDF file and convert its contents into a format that can be opened in Word. (Note: The original PDF will be preserved.)
Make edits to the copy of the PDF file.
When you’re done, click File > Save as > PDF.

Microsoft is constantly rolling out nifty new features for its popular word processor. To stay updated on the latest Word features and functionalities, reach out to our Microsoft experts now.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Make the most out of Microsoft Word with these tips appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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What’s new with Microsoft’s update channelsCompanies that use Microsoft 365 usually want the latest features of the productivity suite's apps. However, not all companies want to receive updates at the same cadence. Whether you prefer to receive new app features ASAP or get them only once a month, there’s a way to customize your preferences, thanks to Microsoft’s update channels. […]

The post What’s new with Microsoft’s update channels appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

What’s new with Microsoft’s update channels

Companies that use Microsoft 365 usually want the latest features of the productivity suite's apps. However, not all companies want to receive updates at the same cadence. Whether you prefer to receive new app features ASAP or get them only once a month, there’s a way to customize your preferences, thanks to Microsoft’s update channels.

New update channel: Microsoft Enterprise Channel

The new Microsoft Enterprise Channel is for organizations that prefer to get updates on a predictable schedule. With this update channel, users can receive new features and patches on the second Tuesday of every month, which Microsoft famously calls Patch Tuesdays.

This update channel is ideal for companies with IT departments that want to reduce the burden of updating systems at irregular intervals. This will allow them to have a fixed schedule of downloading the latest productivity features, system improvements, and essential security patches.

Recommended update channel: Current Channel

Current Channel is great for companies that want to receive feature updates as soon as they become available. New Office features are released at least two or three times a month, so those that choose Current Channel will get them immediately.

The same applies to non-security updates such as reliability and performance improvements, which are also released two to three times a month. As standard, security updates will be released on Patch Tuesdays, and are therefore released on a fixed schedule.

Those who are only about to install Microsoft 365 apps will be on Current Channel by default. That means they’ll get feature updates, security updates, quality updates, and bug fixes whenever they’re ready, and can expect to receive two to three updates every month.

Option for less frequent updates: Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel

This option is for organizations that require a longer period to receive new features. This especially applies to those that use devices that must undergo extensive testing before receiving new features, perhaps to comply with governmental and regulatory authorities or for other unique reasons.

Under this update channel, organizations receive feature updates twice annually: in January and July, on the second Tuesday of the month. Security updates are still sent once a month, on Patch Tuesdays, similar to Microsoft Enterprise Channel and Current Channel.

Updates to existing update channels

Another important change is the new names of the Microsoft 365 update channels. Organizations can choose from the following options: Current, Monthly, or Semi-Annual (formerly Insider, Monthly, and Semi-Annual). In addition, testing channels previously labeled Targeted have been renamed Preview.

It’s important to select the right update channel for your organization to keep system updates streamlined and IT workflows uninterrupted. Choosing an update channel also depends on the user preferences of your business — whether they’d rather use the latest versions of their apps or would be fine to wait — as well as your business’s rules on compliance.

To learn more about Microsoft’s update channels, specifically, how to know which one’s best for your company and how to optimize your productivity apps, call our IT and software experts today.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post What’s new with Microsoft’s update channels appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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