Even after 15 years, there’s still misinformation about the ‘new’ Office document formats .docx .xlsx etc. We’ll explain these myths and how you can easily disprove them yourself. Most of these myths surround the use of ZIP compression to make the document files smaller. Folks have jumped to wrong conclusions
How to insert the Vertical Bar | into Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. Both in Office for Windows and Office for Mac. Vertical Bar | symbol (technically a glyph) has many uses in computing, physics, maths and typography. In some programming languages | has a special meaning, for example
Here’s how to round numbers more accurately than Excel’s in-built Round() and other functions. This method uses the internationally recognized standard for rounding (yes, there is one), we’ll show the long formula, how it works plus the Let() and Lambda() versions that can make your worksheet easier to deal with.
Excel’s Round() function is not totally accurate. There’s a lot more to rounding numbers than we were taught in school and how Microsoft’s Round() function works. What we learned in school and Round() is OK. But if you’re dealing with larger groups of numbers, narrow rounding ranges or should be
Microsoft Word’s ‘Line Between’ option for multiple columns can replaced and formatted to a different color or other types of line. Word’s standard ‘line between’ column setting has no formatting. All you can do is choose ‘Line Between’ and no more. There’s no known way to change the look of
In Adding Vertical Lines in Word we looked at the many common choices for lines down the page. Moving beyond that, let’s look at other, more interesting and creative vertical non-line choices to spice up a Microsoft Word document. Sidebars Sidebars are the starting point for many different design element
There are at least six ways to add a vertical line in Microsoft Word. Vertical lines can help accentuate a piece of text in Word, but adding them is not as obvious as adding a horizontal line. These are most common options available. With all the features in Word there
You’re not stuck with the Microsoft Office automatic settings when inserting a new text box. Change the Text Box defaults to whatever you like for faster text box formatting in Office; Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. There are TWO ways to add a Text Box in Word and Outlook –
As well as links to web sites, Word lets you make ‘internal’ links to other parts of the same document in at least three different ways. Longer documents can benefit from internal links that let you and readers jump within the document. Insert Hyperlink – Place in this document The
Microsoft Word has vital but hidden options for making a better PDF file from your document. PDF’s made from Word can be smaller than usual for faster sending or to get under size limits that apply to email or messaging services. There are choices for including better navigation (like the
Excel has two functions that round numbers to either the next Even or Odd numbers – these functions are called … wait for it … Even() and Odd()! Both Odd() and Even() round positive numbers UP to the next odd/even number. Negative numbers are always rounded DOWN to the next
Excel’s Ceiling() and Floor() function rounds a number up or down to the nearest specified multiple. The most common use is to match prices to denominations of coins or notes. Ceiling() is similar to MRound() except that MRound() rounds to the nearest multiple, Ceiling() always rounds UP. The reverse is
Here’s a complete list of the Outlook Function Key features from fast access to Help, jumping around your inbox, doc panes, spelling, grammar and key shortcuts. Let’s look in detail the functionality of the F-keys labelled F1 through F12 on your keyboard. F1 – Help, hide ribbon F2 – Calendar
Each paragraph style can be seen alongside the text in Microsoft Word but it’s very much an afterthought that could be much improved. The Style Area Pane appears only in Draft and Outline view on the left-side. Turn on Style Area Pane Dig into Word for the Style Area Pane.
Here’s a complete list of the PowerPoint Function Key features from fast access to Help, jumping around the presentation, doc panes, spelling, grammar and guidelines. What you can do with the F-keys labelled F1 through F12 on your keyboard. Don’t like Function Keys? KeyTips are your way to faster Microsoft Office
Office’s Document Inspector is supposed to remove or scrub information being accidentally included in Word, Excel or PowerPoint files. It’s not perfect and misses out on some critical hidden information that can give away secrets. Details in images, layers and even highlighting. Document Inspector is at File | Info in
Date handling in Excel can be confusing and it’s not your fault. Microsoft could do a better job. Here’s a quick guide to how Excel handles dates and date arithmetic with the settings you should know. What you see isn’t what’s saved What Excel shows in a cell is only
How to number lines and paragraphs in Microsoft Word and format the numbers with a different font, size or color. Plus some ‘wish list’ features that are missing from Word. When you’re discussing a speech or other document ‘in progress’ you might want to number the lines or paragraphs for
How to insert the Construction or Roadwork Sign 🚧 emoji into Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. Both in Office for Windows and Office for Mac. Construction, Roadwork or Warning Sign 🚧 symbol can be used in PowerPoint slides and in other Office documents sometimes to mark WIP or “Work in
Speed up your work by adding and changing keyboard shortcuts to Word commands, styles, fonts and even symbols that aren’t on the keyboard. You can even override or remove Word’s in-built shortcuts so they do what you want (or nothing). We’ll show how to find the more useful and interesting
Use these Microsoft Word options to quickly find words and word variations that you might have thought impossible. Finding words that sound the same or past, present and future tenses in the one search or ignoring punctuation to find “its” and “it’s” in one search These options are in the
How to insert the Reversed Question Mark / Irony ⸮ into Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint or Outlook. Both in Office for Windows and Office for Mac. Reversed Question Mark / Irony ⸮ symbol has been proposed to denote irony or sarcasm within text. Or for rhetorical questions. It’s never really
Dyslexie is a special font that’s easier for dyslexic people to read than standard type. It’s free for personal use and easy to include in Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint for Windows or Mac. The font is specially designed, making it easier for the eye/brain to distinguish similar letters. For
More is coming out about the latest, critical Outlook security bug and how embarrassingly easy it is for hackers to infiltrate an unguarded computer. What Microsoft blandly calls an “Outlook Elevation of Privilege Vulnerability” is truly dangerous and is so easily done that it’s likely to be quickly and widely
