Job Security - Too Valuable to Be Down-Sized

Today, almost every office job requires some computer skills. People who are able to maximize the time-saving features of common programs are especially valued by employers. Yet it doesn't have to take advanced skills life assurance quotes hours of training to become an exceptionally efficient computer user. Just learning and applying the following tips can boost your productivity immensely.

Learn to use keyboard shortcuts.

The fewer times you take your hand off the keyboard to use the mouse, the quicker and smoother your work will go. Try these shortcuts, and copy and post your favorite ones near your computer:

Ctrl%2Bend go to the end of the document or spreadsheet

Ctrl%2Bhome go to the beginning of the document or spreadsheet

Ctrl%2BN start a new blank document or spreadsheet

Ctrl%2BS save

Ctrl%2BP print

Ctrl%2BW close a document or spreadsheet

Put the commands you use most often onto the toolbar.

Right click anywhere on the toolbar, click on "Customize" in the Quick Menu, and click on the "Commands" tab at the top of the Customize window. auto insurance specialists the left pane (under "Categories:") scroll until you see the name of the Menu under which the command appears and click on it. In the right pane (under "Commands:") click and drag the appropriate command and drop it in the toolbar. Click on Close.

(To remove a button, Press and hold the Alt key while you click and drag the button anywhere on the screen. To reset the toolbar to the original buttons, right click anywhere on the toolbar, click on "Customize" in the Quick Menu, click on the Toolbars Tab at the top of the Customize window and click Reset.)

Make shortcuts for standard blocks of text.

You can create shortcuts for standard sentences or paragraphs, formatted blocks of text, long proper names, etc. Type and format the text, and select it, then click on Tools in the Menu Bar and click on AutoCorrect Options. Click on the AutoCorrect tab, and under Replace: type in a shortcut to stand for the block of text (I recommend that you begin all shortcuts with a forward slash). Click the Add and Close.

Now, type the shortcut and press Enter, and your block of text will appear. Keep a list of the shortcuts you create posted next to your computer.

Some uses for this feature:

Your signature block

The standard opening of an email or a letter

The standard closing of an email or a letter

Any boiler-plate text

Names of companies, clients, schools, etc, you often have to type

With a little planning, you can knock out typical letters or emails simply by typing in a few keyboard shortcuts!

Record Macros.

Record any series of often-used steps as a CB Bears which is set to run by typing a keyboard net web hosting For example, if you often have to set up your document or spreadsheet for printing by going to the Page Setup window and selecting orientation, adding headers or footers, etc., you can write a macro to do all of these steps.

Click on Tools in the Menu Bar, click on Macro, click on Record New Macro. In the Record Macro window, type in a name for the macro, and click on the Keyboard button. In the Press new shortcut key box, type in a shortcut (for example, hold down the Ctrl key and press a key, such as the period). Click on OK.

You are now recording: follow the steps exactly as you want them to be performed. When you have finished all the steps, click Tools in the Menu Bar, click Macros, click Stop Recording.

To run the macro, press the keyboard shortcut. (again, keep a list of your shortcuts posted by your computer!)

Create Templates.

Create templates, or forms with fill-in-the-blanks, for any documents or spreadsheets you use often. For example, you can create a template for a fax cover sheet, leaving out the information that will be different each time you use the cover sheet. Or create a spreadsheet with all of the formulas and formatting in place, leaving out the numbers that may be different each time you use the spreadsheet.

To create a template, type and format the document or spreadsheet exactly as you would like it to look, leaving any changeable information blank. Click on File in the Menu Bar, click on Save As. In the Save As window type a name into the File name box, and in the Save as type box, click on the drop down list and select "Document Template" (Word) or "Template" (Excel).

To use a template, click on File in the Menu Bar, click on New, and double-click on your template.

These techniques will greatly increase the amount of work you can accomplish in a given amount of time. What company would want to lose their most productive worker?

Frances Espresso Machine certified Microsoft trainer for over 10 years, is the author of the book "Hot Tips for Excel', with easy-to-use tips for using Excel to work faster and easier. For a free weekly emailed computer tip or to order the book "Hot Tips for Excel", see website Computer Tips