More MRU (Most Recently Used) magic

Office Watch has a post on More MRU magic.

The Most Recently Used list in Microsoft Office can be handy, but it can also have a lot of stuff you don’t need or want again.  This post tells you where to find the lists and remove the unwanted items.

UBitMenu for Office 2007

UBitMenu is the answer for those who just can’t get used to the “ribbon” menus in Microsoft Office 2007.

UBitMenu gives you menus like the old Office 2003 to use with 2007.

Recommended by Office Watch.  The regular UBitMenu is freeware protected by a Creative Commons Licence (CCL) for individuals.

Word 2007: headers & footers

Tutorials are available for the various tasks needed in doing papers using Microsoft Word 2007.  Microsoft has some step-by-step instructions with screenshots.

• Adding headers and footers
• Remove a header or footer
• Insert different headers/footers on pages
• Change header/footer position
• Add document author to footer

Monitors, efficiency and Microsoft Office

OfficeWatch has a post on Monitors, efficiency and Microsoft Office which concludes that in some cases,  a second monitor can improve efficiency, especially with Microsoft Office.

Take a look at it, however many monitors you use to do it.

10 obscure Excel tricks that can expedite common chores

TechRepublic has 10 obscure Excel tricks that can expedite common chores.

Make the Office 2007 ribbon go away, please!

Make the Office 2007 ribbon go away

Office Watch has instructions on making more room for your document in Office 2007 by removing the ribbon at the top, but still usable.

Then it automagically disappears again when you’re done using some function.

Microsoft Office student discount

While this site normally doesn’t promote commercial software (companies have budgets of their own for that!), the Microsoft Office Suite is the campus standard software and many students would like to get it at a discount.

Try the student discount for the ultimate package here.

DocSyncer for Google docs

Somebody had to come up with a way to synchronize the documents you edit in Microsoft Office so they are available in Google Docs.

Try the free service at DocSyncer to migrate files to Google.

Excel 2007 shortcuts

PC Magazine (June 2008) has a list of “11 Killer Excel 2007 Shortcuts”:

Ctrl-Shift-&	Apply the outline border to the selected cells
Ctrl-Shift-#	Apply the Date format with day, month and year
Ctrl-Shift-@	Apply the Time format: hour, minute, AM or PM
Ctrl-Shift-:	(colon) Enter current time
Ctrl-;	(semi-colon) Enter date
Ctrl-O	Hide selected columns
Ctrl-’	(single quote) alternate: cell values/formulas
Ctrl-H	Find and replace
Ctrl-F2	Print Preview
Ctrl-F6	next workbook
Alt-F8	macro dialog box

Microsoft Office 2007 without a mouse

Okay, some of us keyboard-oriented types hate to take our hands off the keyboard to use a mouse to navigate. It’s hard on the ol’ carpal tunnel problem.

Office 2007 has a neat little trick to help: press the Alt key while in any Office 2007 program, and the ribbon with the menus instantly has a batch of little labels with the keystroke to use.  You can then use H for Home, and N for Insert, etc.

Recommended by PC Magazine, June 2008.

Best academic discounts for students, faculty & staff

Windows Secrets had instructions on how to get Microsoft Windows software at an academic discount for students, faculty & staff.  Requirements on what they want differ from vendor to vendor.  This article was dated April 12, 2007 so check current prices starting with these sites, and then perhaps elsewhere.

Where to shop for academic discounts

“Using your favorite search engine, you should have no difficulty finding software retailers that offer academic discounts. The ones I’ve found that have the best prices and selection are, in alphabetical order:”

• Academic Superstore
  Campus Tech
  Creation Engine
  CCV Software
  JourneyEd
  School World
  VioSoftware
  

Here’s looking at you, Office

Microsoft Office viewers are available if you don’t have Microsoft Office programs. Click here for the download page for viewers for all MS Office products, Word, Powerpoint, Excel, Outlook, Access, and Visio.

Remember: you can see the files with these viewers, but you cannot edit them in any way.

You can also use OpenOffice (freeware compatible with MS Office Suite before 2007) to view Word, Powerpoint, Excel, and Access files (before 2007) as well as edit and save them to MS Office formats such as 97-2003 formats.

Remember: you must not use 2007 formats (ending in “x” such as “.docx“) if you want to use other programs such as OpenOffice, WordPerfect, etc. to view or edit them reliably.

Office 2007 tutorials

Access Librarian Joni Stine recommends the Office 2007 tutorials at Microsoft Online.

Saving money on Microsoft products

Windows Secrets has advice and links on how to save money on Microsoft Windows and other products. Use at your own risk.

WARNING: Student/Faculty, aka “Academic” versions of Microsoft products, may NOT qualify you for cheaper “upgrade” versions later.
For example, the Office Suite’s academic version for 2003 may not be eligible for the discounted upgrade to the 2007 version, even if it
says “all versions” on the box. You may need to buy another complete academic version instead.

Microsoft Word 2003 to 2007 cheat sheet

USC Marshall has a cheat sheet for Word 2003 commands in 2007.

Beginning PowerPoint 2007

What beginners need to know about PowerPoint 2007 and PowerPoint 2007 Tutorials for Beginners from PresentationSoft at About.com .

Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 manuals

USC Marshall tutorials on PowerPoint 2007 (copies of these PDFs are posted in the Library too — they’re very good).

Microsoft Excel 2007 – dealing with the bugs

Windows Secrets has a section on the bugs in Excel 2007 and how to deal with them.

Microsoft Excel 2003 cheat sheets for 2007

USC Marshall has some excellent cheat sheets for Excel 2007 giving the equivalents for Excel 2003.

Office 2007 add-ons

[updated 2009.10.24]

Download Free Office 2007 Software from Microsoft is a list of freeware to enhance MS Office 2007.