- Follow this blog:
- RSS
- Email Alert
Microsoft Office
Mark Kaelin
TechRepublic Staff
Mark Kaelin
-
Office challenge: How do I delete the page number from a title page?
This week, take our Office Challenge and test your Word skills with this frustrating page-numbering problem.
Posted by Susan Harkins | October 13, 2011, 7:03 AM PDT | Latest comment by N / A
-
Office solution: Word's disappearing header demystified
This week, learn why Word headers sometimes take a header, and disappear from view, and what you can do to get them back.
Posted by Susan Harkins | October 13, 2011, 7:01 AM PDT | Latest comment by mariebella
-
Disable Outlook 2010's no subject warning
Outlook won't let you disable its "no subject" warning, but you can use a macro if you're really serious about the subject.
Posted by Susan Harkins | October 12, 2011, 8:46 AM PDT | Latest comment by ITManagerOH
-
Sum the top n values in a range using dynamic table behavior in Excel
Summing values is simple, summing the n top values in a range complicates the task, but it's certainly not impossible for Excel.
Posted by Susan Harkins | October 10, 2011, 10:37 AM PDT | Latest comment by Kalumbal
-
Change the alignment for numbers in a list in Word
Word uses left aligned numbers in a numbered list, by default, but a right-aligned list of numbers is just a few clicks away.
Posted by Susan Harkins | October 7, 2011, 7:45 AM PDT | Latest comment by kjohnson@...
-
Office challenge: Where'd my document's header go?
This week, test your Microsoft Word skills by solving the mystery of the disappearing header.
Posted by Susan Harkins | October 6, 2011, 7:11 AM PDT | Latest comment by jody.burton@...
-
Office solution: How to enter the same value in non-contiguous cells
This week, learn the solution to last week's Excel challenge: How would you enter the same value into numerous non-contiguous cells.
Posted by Susan Harkins | October 6, 2011, 7:09 AM PDT | Latest comment by DBlayney
-
Display meaningful graphics in Access reports
Meaningful graphics, by virtue of simple wingdings and some modifications to control settings, can add visual value to your Access reports.
Posted by Susan Harkins | October 5, 2011, 8:18 AM PDT | Latest comment by largeformat
-
How to create a thermometer graph in Excel
Comparing a cumulative value to its components is the perfect challenge for a thermometer graph. Excel doesn't have a built-in template for this graph, but you can create one in just a few easy steps.
Posted by Susan Harkins | October 3, 2011, 12:05 PM PDT | Latest comment by rvidanar
-
Avoid nesting VLOOKUP() functions to mask error values
Avoid potential problems inherent with masking VLOOKUP() error values by using help cells or the new ISERROR() function.
Posted by Susan Harkins | September 30, 2011, 11:36 AM PDT | Latest comment by clare.smith@...
-
Add customized shaded bands to a Word table
Adding shaded bands to a Word table is easy. You can apply an AutoFormat or create a custom table style.
Posted by Susan Harkins | September 29, 2011, 10:53 AM PDT | Latest comment by dhays
-
Troubleshoot VLOOKUP() formula gotchas
Excel's VLOOKUP() function is notorious for returning wrong results, but it's not the function, it's the way you're using it!
Posted by Susan Harkins | September 28, 2011, 12:18 PM PDT | Latest comment by Marshwiggle
-
Office challenge: How would you enter the same value into numerous non-contiguous cells?
This week, test your Excel skills by answering this simple user question: How can I enter the same value in several non-contiguous cells?
Posted by Susan Harkins | September 27, 2011, 8:52 AM PDT | Latest comment by Tink!
-
Office solution: Here's how to resolve a Read Receipt timing conflict
Learn how to resolve a conflict between two users when they encounter a Read Receipt request.
Posted by Susan Harkins | September 27, 2011, 8:49 AM PDT
-
There is no going back to the dark days of Office menus
Here are 10 very good reasons why no one should go back to the dark days of Office menus.
Posted by Susan Harkins | September 26, 2011, 12:37 PM PDT | Latest comment by Thomas.Dahl@...
-
Create a preview or remembrance slide in PowerPoint
PowerPoint animated shapes are a great way to display a lot of reminder graphics before or after your presentation.
Posted by Susan Harkins | September 22, 2011, 1:24 PM PDT
-
Quickly find Outlook folders with a keyboard shortcut
If you're working with a long list of Outlook folders, try this quick keyboard trick for finding just the folder you need.
Posted by Susan Harkins | September 21, 2011, 8:01 AM PDT | Latest comment by ian@...
-
Office challenge: What to do when Read Receipt requests conflict?
In this week's challenge, test your Outlook skills with a special user request for avoiding messages with an attached Read Receipt request.
Posted by Susan Harkins | September 20, 2011, 8:19 AM PDT | Latest comment by jbenton@...
-
Office solution: A few reasons why Excel formulas might not calculate as expected
This week, we learn the answer to last week's Office challenge: Why aren't my formulas calculating correctly?
Posted by Susan Harkins | September 20, 2011, 8:16 AM PDT
-
Use custom formats in an Excel chart's axis and data labels
Adding a custom format to a chart's axis and data labels can quickly turn ordinary data into information.
Posted by Susan Harkins | September 19, 2011, 10:45 AM PDT | Latest comment by GKap
-
Two ways to add checkbox controls to a Word document
Use a customized bulleted list or a content control to insert checkboxes into a Word document, depending on how you are going to use it.
Posted by Susan Harkins | February 22, 2012, 8:16 AM PST | Latest comment by ian@...
-
How to add a drop-down list to an Excel cell
Drop-down lists can greatly facilitate data entry. Here's a look at how to use Excel's data validation feature to create handy lists within your worksheets.
Posted by Susan Harkins | June 12, 2008, 12:00 AM PDT | Latest comment by dhivya.vasu01@...
-
Transpose Excel data from rows to columns, or vice versa
When you need to flip-flop data in an Excel worksheet, don't waste time doing it manually. Excel offers a handy Transpose option that will quickly take care of the task.
Posted by Jeff Davis | June 23, 2009, 12:00 AM PDT | Latest comment by excelinexcel
-
Use SUMIFS() to sum by multiple conditions in Excel
Excel's SUMIF() lets you sum values, conditionally. It's new sibling, SUMIFS() lets you sum values by multiple conditions.
Posted by Susan Harkins | November 14, 2011, 11:25 AM PST | Latest comment by peter.r7
-
How to use Excel 2010's new conditional formatting with references
Excel 2010's new referencing option makes conditional formatting more powerful than ever before!
Posted by Susan Harkins | August 30, 2010, 8:40 AM PDT | Latest comment by manishdhir
-
Add horizontal lines to a Word document
Susan Harkins shows you two easy ways to insert a horizontal line into a Word document.
Posted by Susan Harkins | September 29, 2010, 12:00 AM PDT | Latest comment by Shrike49
-
How to Alphabetize Lists In Word
I learned something new the other day—Word can alphabetize a list. I’m sure many users already know this, but it’s brand new to me. Years ago, I could do this with WordPerfect, but I’ve...
Posted by Susan Harkins | May 29, 2007, 12:13 PM PDT
-
Four ways to insert an em dash in a Word document
When you need an em dash, you can let Word enter it for you the easy way. If that approach doesn't suit your needs, try one of three manual methods.
Posted by Susan Harkins | March 1, 2010, 12:00 AM PST | Latest comment by Marshwiggle
-
Use Word's Vertical Alignment settings to center a page
Centering text vertically isn't difficult; you just have to know where to look!
Posted by Susan Harkins | July 28, 2010, 6:30 PM PDT
-
Use COUNTIFS() to evaluate multiple count and criteria ranges
Excel's COUNTIFS() function is flexible enough to handle different ranges and data types.
Posted by Susan Harkins | May 21, 2012, 10:37 AM PDT | Latest comment by jbenton@...
-
The secret to unhiding column A in an Excel worksheet
After you hide column A, it might seem like it's gone forever. Fortunately, there are two simple tricks for unhiding it.
Posted by Susan Harkins | March 16, 2009, 12:00 AM PDT | Latest comment by fallon.stuart@...
-
Quickly fill blank cells in Excel
Blank cells can spell trouble. Here's an easy way to fill in those blanks and protect the validity of your data.
Posted by Susan Harkins | April 26, 2010, 10:50 AM PDT | Latest comment by Midhunmj
-
Convert your Word documents into PowerPoint 2007 presentations
If you need to make a PowerPoint presentation from a Word document, don't worry about endless cutting and pasting. Mary Ann Richardson shows how you can use Word's built-in formatting to make an...
Posted by Mary Ann Richardson | April 1, 2008, 12:00 AM PDT | Latest comment by nor12345
-
A quick and dirty way to compare columns of Excel data
Using this little-known feature in Excel, you can quickly compare one column of data to another.
Posted by Susan Harkins | April 6, 2012, 11:41 AM PDT | Latest comment by HAL 9000
-
Build a simple timesheet in Excel
Excel makes it easy to set up a system for tracking time. Follow these steps to create your own or download our sample timesheet template and customize it to fit your needs.
Posted by Susan Harkins | January 26, 2010, 9:43 AM PST | Latest comment by raj_as
-
Create an Excel data entry form that includes check boxes
You can keep a lot of information on an Excel data entry form, but you can make it easier for your users -- and yourself -- to create tables by adding check boxes. Here's how to set up check boxes...
Posted by Mary Ann Richardson | July 31, 2007, 12:00 AM PDT | Latest comment by Corbybhoy
-
Delete a stubborn page break in Word
Sometimes, Word won't let you delete a page break. The fix is usually simple -- although the cause might surprise you.
Posted by Susan Harkins | January 8, 2010, 7:13 AM PST | Latest comment by kramer22
-
10 things you can do to give your PowerPoint presentations a heartbeat
This information is also available as a PDF download. Imagine this: You've just returned to your seat for this afternoon's training seminar. The morning session was pretty interesting, providing...
Posted by Katherine Murray | July 10, 2007, 2:44 PM PDT
-
Use a formula to trigger Excel's Conditional Formatting feature
If you need a visual clue to hype a worksheet, use Excel's Conditional Formatting feature to help values stand out.
Posted by Susan Harkins | January 5, 2009, 1:07 PM PST | Latest comment by JNirvaha
-
Use a custom format in Excel to display easier to read millions
Use a custom format in Microsoft Excel to reduce the number of digits in a large number without losing its scale.
Posted by Susan Harkins | March 14, 2012, 11:16 AM PDT | Latest comment by jeng02@...
