Monday 27 July 2009

Office 2010 - Visio & Project

Microsoft Office Visio 2010


Microsoft’s diagram creating application Microsoft Office Visio 2010, although not available with Office 2010 Professional it will be included in some versions of Office 2010. Has expected the latest version of Visio been given a Ribbon. Visio is particularly useful when connected to Excel or Access files. It can be used to show representations of the data in an effective way that turns simple facts and figures into a more dynamic visual representation.

Data from most Microsoft Office 2010 applications can be imported into Visio through the Data Selection Wizard and associated with single, groups or all shapes within the diagram.

Visio diagrams should not be confused with PowerPoint or Word static diagrams, they are a means of tracking data in a visual form from any number of sources including Excel spreadsheets, SharePoint sites, Project schedules, Etc.

The Visio Ribbon Tabs and Groups are:

Home:

  • Clipboard
  • Font
  • Paragraph
  • Tools
  • Shape
  • Arrange
  • Editing

Insert:

  • Pages
  • Illustrations
  • Diagram Parts
  • Links
  • Text

Design:

  • Page Setup
  • Themes
  • Background
  • Layout

Data:

  • External Data
  • Display Data
  • Show/Hide

Process:

  • Subprocess
  • Diagram Validation
  • SharePoint Workflow

Preview:

  • Proofing
  • Language
  • Comments
  • Markup
  • Reports

View:

  • Views
  • Show
  • Zoom
  • Visual Aids
  • Window
  • Macros

Office (Visio) Button

Options

General:

General options for working with Visio.

  • User Interface options
  • Personalise your copy of Microsoft Office

Proofing:

Change how Visio corrects and formats your text.

  • AutoCorrect options
  • When correcting spelling in Microsoft Office programs
  • When correcting spelling in Visio

Save:

Customise how documents are saved.

  • Save documents
  • Offline editing options for document management server files

Language:

Set Office Language Preferences.

  • Choose Editing Languages
  • Choose Display and Help Languages

Advanced:

Advanced options for working with Visio.

  • Editing options
  • Display
  • Save/Open
  • Shape search
  • General

Customise Ribbon:

Customise the Ribbon.

  • Choose commands from:
  • Customise the Ribbon:
  • New Tab
  • New Group
  • Rename
  • Restore Defaults
  • Import/Export

Quick Access Toolbar:

Customise the Quick Access Toolbar.

  • Choose commands from:
  • Customise Quick Access Toolbar:
  • Restore Defaults
  • Import/Export

Add-Ins:

View and manage Microsoft Office add-ins.

  • Add-ins

Trust Center:

Help keep your documents safe and your computer secure and healthy.

  • Protecting your privacy
  • Security & more
  • Microsoft Office Visio Trust Center
  • Trust Center Settings

Microsoft Office Project 2010


Office Project 2010 is project management application (MSP) which, until Office 2010, has not appeared as part of any Office suite. It is designed primarily to assist project managers in analysing, budgeting and tracking the progress of a project through the use of network diagrams and Gantt charts. A Gantt chart is timeline illustration chart that shows the projects elements, dependencies, relationships, Etc.

The Project Ribbon Tabs and Groups are:

Task:

  • View
  • Clipboard
  • Font
  • Tasks
  • Schedule
  • Insert
  • Properties
  • Editing

Resource:

  • View
  • Assignments
  • Insert
  • Properties
  • Level

Project:

  • Insert
  • Properties
  • Schedule
  • Status
  • Reports
  • Proofing

View:

  • Task Views
  • Resource Views
  • Data
  • Zoom
  • Split View
  • Window
  • Macros
  • Gantt Chart Tools

Format:

  • Format
  • Columns
  • Bar Styles
  • Gantt Chart Style
  • Show/Hide
  • Drawings

Office (Project) Button

Options

General:

General options for working with Project.

  • User Interface options
  • Project view
  • Personalise your copy of Microsoft Office

Display:

Change how Project content is displayed on the screen.

  • Calendar
  • Show indications and options for this project:
  • Show indications and options buttons for:
  • Show these elements

Schedule:

Change options related to scheduling calendars, and calculations.

  • Calendar options for this project:
  • Schedule
  • Scheduling options for this project:
  • Schedule Alerts Options:
  • Calculation
  • Calculation options for this project:

Proofing:

Change how Project corrects and formats your text.

  • AutoCorrect options
  • When correcting spelling in Microsoft Office programs
  • When correcting spelling in Project

Save:

Customise how projects are saved.

  • Save projects
  • Save templates
  • Cache
  • Language:
  • Set the Office Language Preferences.
  • Choose Editing Languages
  • Choose Display and Help Languages

Advanced:

Advanced options for working with Project.

  • General
  • Project Web Access
  • Planning Wizard
  • General options for this project
  • Edit
  • Display
  • Display options for this project:
  • Cross project linking options for this project:
  • Calculation options for this project

Customise Ribbon:

Customise the Ribbon.

  • Choose commands from:
  • Customise the Ribbon:
  • New Tab
  • New Group
  • Rename
  • Restore Defaults
  • Import/Export

Quick Access Toolbar:

Customise the Quick Access Toolbar.

  • Choose commands from:
  • Customise Quick Access Toolbar:
  • Restore Defaults
  • Import/Export

Add-Ins:

View and manage Microsoft Office add-ins.

  • Add-ins

Trust Center:

Help keep your documents safe and your computer secure and healthy.

  • Protecting your privacy
  • Security & more
  • Microsoft Office Project Trust Center
  • Trust Center Settings

Sunday 26 July 2009

Office 2010 - News

Office 2010 - Sample Templates


I was beginning to think that we would have to wait for the full release of Office 2010 to see the support programs up and running. Over the last couple of days I’ve noticed the Office Online has been functional, albeit in a limited manner, though better than nothing.

Also the Sample Templates are now active and, although it is still not possible to search for additional templates, there seems to be quite and extensive list for each application.

Access 2010 (Available Templates)

  • Assets
  • Bugs
  • CharitableContributions
  • Contacts
  • Details_Part
  • Events
  • Faculty
  • Issues
  • MarketingProjects
  • Multiple_Part
  • Northwind
  • Notes_Part
  • Projects
  • SalesPipeline
  • Students
  • Tasks
  • Tasks_Part

Excel 2010 (Available Templates)


  • Billing Statement
  • Blood Pressure Tracker
  • Expense Report
  • Loan Amortization
  • Personal Monthly Budget
  • Sales Report
  • Time Card

InfoPath 2010 (Available Form Templates)

Popular Form Templates

  • SharePoint List
  • SharePoint Document Library
  • Blank
  • E-mail
  • Blank (InfoPath Editor)

Advanced Form Templates

  • Database
  • Web Service
  • XML or Schema
  • Data Connection File
  • Convert Word or Excel Form
  • Document Information Panel

InfoPath 2007 Form Templates

  • Blank
  • Blank (InfoPath Editor)

Template Parts

  • Blank
  • XML or Schema

PowerPoint 2010 (Available Templates and Themes)

  • Apex
  • Aspect
  • Civic
  • Concourse
  • Equity
  • Flow
  • Foundry
  • Median
  • Metro
  • Module
  • Opulent
  • Oriel
  • Origin
  • Paper
  • Solstice
  • Tecknic
  • Trek
  • Urban
  • Verve

Word 2010 (Available Templates)

Sample Templates

  • Equity Fax, Letter, Merge Fax, Merge Letter, Report, Resume
  • Median Fax, Letter, Merge Fax, Merge Letter, Report, Resume
  • New Blog Post
  • Office Word 2003 Look
  • Oriel Fax, Letter, Merge Fax, Merge Letter, Report, Resume
  • Origin Fax, Letter, Merge Fax, Merge Letter, Report, Resume
  • Urban Fax, Letter, Merge Fax, Merge Letter, Report, Resume

Office Online Templates (Not yet Available)

  • Budgets
  • Business Cards
  • Calendars
  • Faxes
  • Forms
  • Gift Certificates
  • Invoices
  • Minutes
  • More Categories (Analysis worksheets, Office document themes, SmartArt Graphics)
  • Planners
  • Plans

Saturday 25 July 2009

Access 2010 - Database III

Access 2010 Objects


Queries

Using a Query in Access 2010 allows you to extract database information from Records that meet a certain criteria. Let’s say your database is concerned with holidays in European resorts and the customers who booked them. A query can be asked to filter customers of a given age group, those choosing a particular destination or any combination of factors. Most Reports and Forms are based on the results of Queries.

In Access 2010 Queries can be found on the Create Tab under the Group Other:

Query Wizard

Show the Query Wizard, which helps you create a Simple Query, Crosstab Query, Find Duplicates Query or a Find Unmatched Query

Query Design

New Object Query

Create a new, blank Query in Design view

The Show Table dialogue box is displayed, from which you can choose tables or Queries to add to the Query design.

Reports & Labels

A Report in Access 2010 is a way of exporting, sharing and printing data, it can be all the data or that part which meets the conditions set by a Query. The names and addresses of customers that meet a certain criteria (or several) can be extracted in Report form. Financial Reports based on sales is another example.

Create > Reports:

Report

Create a basic Report to the data in the current Query or Table, to which you can add features such as groups or totals.

New Object: Report

Create a new blank Report in Design view

In Design view, you can make advanced design changes to Reports, such as adding custom control types and writing code.

Blank Report

Create a new blank Report so that you can insert fields and controls and design the Report.

Report Wizard

Show the Report Wizard which helps you to create simple, customised reports.

Labels

Show the Label Wizard to create standard or custom labels.

Forms

Forms in Access 2010 allow users to add data to a table and display data in a more coherent view than the datasheet format. The accuracy of the data can be checked before being added to the Fields. A Form can also be used to display, print and share selective Fields from a Table while restricting access to other Fields.

Create > Forms

Forms

Create a Form that lets you enter information for one record at a time.

New Object: Form

Create a new blank Form in Design view.

In Design view, you can make advanced design changes to Forms, such as adding custom control types and writing code.

Blank Form

Create a Form with no controls or format.

Form Wizard

Will let you choose which Fields you want on your Form, you can choose from more than one Table or Query.

Navigation

Allow users of your application to get to the Forms and Reports they need.

More Forms

  • Multiple Items
  • Datasheet
  • Split Form
  • Modal Dialogue
  • PivotChart
  • PivotTable

Other Access 2010 Objects are: Create > Other

Module

Class Module

Visual Basic

Create > Templates

Application Parts

Insert or create portions of a database or an entire database application.

Create Tables, Forms and Reports as database parts. Save combinations and use them to form common components. You can also save an entire application.

Create > Tables

Table

Create a new blank Table. You can define the Fields directly in the new Table, or open the Table in Design view.

Table Design

New Object: Table

Create a new blank Table in Design view. You can add Fields, set indexing options and perform other advanced Table design tasks.

SharePoint Lists

  • Contacts
  • Tasks
  • Issues
  • Events
  • Custom Existing SharePoint List

Friday 24 July 2009

Access 2010 - Database II

Creating a new table

Regardless of what experience you have using Access 2010 or earlier versions there are certain concepts to a database that you need to understand though it must be said that the levels to which you can take that understanding are endless.

When we open Access 2010 the program starts on the Office Button New tab with ‘Blank Database’ selected. Click ‘Create’. Access creates a new database (Table1 : Table) listed in the Navigation Pane on the left. In the main window is the Datasheet.



The Datasheet is not a database object though it is one of the numerous ways of viewing the data contained within the database, for now it is empty and ready for data to be added.

Fields, Records & Values

The data, when added, is displayed in rows and columns much as you would see data in an Excel spreadsheet. The column headings are called ‘Fields’ and the contents of the rows ‘Records’. A row in a database is a single Record consisting of different Fields.

A Field has many properties that can define the specific types of data contained within it, or which can and can’t be added to it. If for example you have a Field called ‘Year’ and its properties have been set to only accept numeric data then it will not accept words, letters or symbols.

The Value is the actual data where the Record meets Field. For example under the Field ‘Year’ on the first Record the Value could be ‘2009’ and, although there will be many instances of 2009, this Value is specific to this Record.

Naming Names

Whilst a database is small in size the names of objects might not seem to have much importance but once it starts to grow it will have. It is important to determine a convention for naming objects in a database even the tables themselves. If you create Reports, Forms, Queries, Etc. Based on a table, changing the name of the table will break the link between the table and the objects that use its information.

Tables and Queries share the same namespace within a database accordingly they need to have different names. Tables, Forms, Macros and Reports may share the same name. My own preference is to precede the name of an object with a shortened description, underscore and its name:

  • tbl_Name
  • qry_Name
  • rpt_Name
  • frm_Name
  • mcr_Name
  • mod_Name

It is always a good idea to give both Fields and Objects clear and descriptive names when you create them, regardless of the fact that most work done using Access 2010 or any other version is usually done on an existing database. The point being that, although AutoCorrect will accept changes, it will not update the name changes in the properties nor in any VBA code or Macros.

Thursday 23 July 2009

Access 2010 - Database

Microsoft Office Access 2010

Access 1.0, based on the Jet Database Engine was released at the end of 1992 and was intended to be Jet-compatible through its scripting language Access Basic. It became a full member of the Office line-up as Access 95 abandoning Access Basic for VBA (Visual Basic for Applications).

Although Access 2010 will probably be known as Access 14 (Office 13 having been skipped for superstitious reasons) it is actually the tenth full release of the program.

A database is a table based on a filing system that contains data in columns and rows (similar to Excel) and each table constitutes a single entity which enables the data to be manipulated in a logical manner. You can think of it as an automated version of an archive of files that can be retrieved and help turn even large amounts of date into useful information.

Access 14, 10 or 2010 is a relational database management system (RDBMS) and is the overall container for the data associated with it. Some of the more commonly used objects in Access are Tables, Forms, Reports, Queries and Macros. It is my intention to look at all five, if not more, in the following days, weeks.


Wednesday 22 July 2009

Outlook 2010 - Add-Ins

Add-Ins for Outlook 2010

Never having been a big fan of Add-ins, Add-ons, Extensions, Plugins, Etc. It is not surprising that I don’t have many to mention. I was going to look at the two that I do have but one of them (Snagit) added its add-in when I installed the program without asking if I wanted an Outlook 2010 Add-In during the installation.

Snagit 9 is a screen capture application with many useful tools and an excellent image editing program. Unfortunately, for Snagit, the Outlook Add-in is for taking a single screen capture and inserting it into a new Outlook message. The reason it is unfortunate is that Outlook 2010 has that capacity itself.

With the New E-mail window open Insert > Illustrations > Screenshot > Screen Clipping and drag a rectangle/square around the area to capture. If you want to capture a specific window a preview of available widows will appear in the Screenshot dropdown. The tool is most useful for adding webclips and images but in this case I’ve just added my desktop clock to a message!


Twitter on Outlook 2010

The second Add-In I have on Outlook 2010 is TwInBox. It is basically Twitter on Outlook 2010 and has a few useful features including; the mandatory 140 character update, direct message, @, ReTweet. If you intend using the Search/Track/Group feature it’s a good idea to create a separate folder for the results (for example searching/tracking Office 2010 gave 600+ feeds in two days).

After installing you’ll need to create a new folder in the Navigation Pane, before logging into your Twitter account, into which will go your updates.

TinyUrl

If you wish to post links in your updates then the tinyurl creator is a useful tool to have on the Compose Update dialogue box. Although tinyurls are useful in a limited space (140 characters) I would make the point that they are being over used and unless I know and trust the person posting them I wouldn’t touch them. If you have an URL that isn’t that long to begin with then don’t shorten it. An example would be this site is http://officetwoten.blogspot.com and its shortened version is http://tinyurl.com/mt37j9 which would save a full seven characters!



Tuesday 21 July 2009

Outlook 2010 - Rules

Rules in Outlook 2010

Using Rules in Outlook 2010 is a great way to have messages do something specific before you actually read them. Rules also apply to sent messages but for the moment I will deal with received mail. There are many conditions you can apply to your incoming mail, for this example I will redirect some mail to a specific folder.

I get daily updates in my Gmail account from a few sites that I subscribe to. These sites could best be described as technology news sites like TechCrunch, Slashdot TechRepublic Etc. I don’t necessarily want to read them when I first open my inbox but for the moment that is where they appear.

Firstly I create a folder where I want the mail to be sent. After right-clicking on Outlook Data Files (in the left folder pane) and selecting New Folder I give the folder a name.


On the Home Tab, with one of the tech news emails selected click Rules, Create Rule from the Action Group.


In the Create Rule dialogue box the name TechRepublic Daily Digest has been inserted in the list of ‘When I get e-mail with all of the selected conditions’, which I tick. Under ‘Do the following’ I tick ‘Move the item to folder: TechNews.


Clicking Advanced Options will open the Rules Wizard options and give lists of conditions that can be applied.




By selecting ‘Run this rule now on messages already in “Inbox”’, all older/read mail from TechRepublic will be move there.





Monday 20 July 2009

Office 2010 - Calendar Templates

Calendar Templates 2010


New Calendar Templates are now available for download from Office Online. The link is here. Here are a few examples.

Word



Excel


OneNote


Publisher




Sunday 19 July 2009

Outlook 2010 - Import Contacts II

Outlook 2010 - Import Contacts (the Movie)



Outlook 2010 - Import Contacts

Office 2010 - Outlook Contacts


To import contacts to outlook 2010 from a webmail account; sign in to your webmail account, click contacts, depending on the account you will either see at the top of the contacts box/list ‘Export’ or Manage > Import/Export. Download the CSV file to your computer/desktop. CSV Comma-Separated Values (sometimes called Comma-Separated Variables) are Excel files used to export data. Basically, each row entry from a table, for example, is separated by a comma enabling data to be passed (as a whole) from one application to another (usually databases to spreadsheets and vice versa).

With the CSV file save somewhere on your computer, I usually download files that will only be used once to the desktop.


Open Outlook 2010, with the Navigation Pane showing, right-click Contacts and from the context menu click new folder. You can, of course add your contacts to an existing folder but I prefer to keep them separate.


Give the folder a name.


There is no File menu in Office 2010 so everything you would usually find there is now on the new, classier Office Button. Office (Outlook) Button > Open > Import. I assume they get well paid for doing this, they should, but I don’t associate open and import in the same context, logically speaking. It can be a good barometer when applications follow a logical sequence. Or, where someone has said something like “yeah, I know where it can go, let's see if it passes the focus group”.


Import and Export Wizard: Import from another file.


Import a File: Make sure Comma Separated Values (DOS) is selected.


Choose the file from your desktop or documents. Duplicates are not an issue if you are importing to a new folder so leave it on ‘Allow duplicates to be created’.






Saturday 18 July 2009

Office 2010 - Office Tools

Office Tools 2010


  • Digital Certificate for VBA Projects
  • Microsoft Clip Organiser
  • Microsoft Office Language Preferences
  • Microsoft Office Picture Manager
  • Microsoft Office Send-a-Smile
  • Microsoft Office Synchronisation Center


Digital Certificate for VBA Projects

“Microsoft® maintains a list of trusted third-party commercial certificate authorities to enable secure and usable e-commerce for Microsoft® Windows® users. These certificate authorities validate the identity and entitlement of an applicant, and as an output of this process, issue the applicant a digital certificate.

Digital certificates can be used to prove the identity of a remote person or resource, since not all certificate authorities follow the same operational practices. Microsoft uses an independent third-party audit (WebTrust for Certificate Authorities) along with other technical requirements to ensure our customers are have access to trustworthy CAs.

For information on Microsoft Root Certificate Program requirements, see the Microsoft TechNet Web site.”


Microsoft Office Language Preferences


Microsoft Clip Organiser


Microsoft Office Picture Manager


Microsoft Office Send-a-Smile


Microsoft Office Send-a-Frown


Feedback is always a great thing to have though I’m not sure where the Send-a-Smile & Send-a-Frown are leading. I mean imagine being assigned to the Send-a-Frown desk! I suppose our first ‘Frown’ to Microsoft will be; if MS-Paint and Word Pad (in Windows 7) can have Ribbons then why not the Clip Organiser and Picture Manager in Office 2010? As for sending a ‘Smile’ I think I’ll reserve judgment until I see the pricing of Office 2010.

Microsoft Office Synchronisation Center



Thanks to Gleanie for letting me use her photo.

Friday 17 July 2009

Office InfoPath 2010 – Designer/Editor

InfoPath 2010


InfoPath 2010 is a XML-based (XML, Extensible Markup Language, is the specification for creating custom markup languages, allowing users to define the ‘mark-up’ components) form creating and data gathering application that first appeared in 2003. The purpose of InfoPath is to create/edit XML-based entry forms and transfer data between applications and in some cases even between organisations.

Once a form has been filled-in the data will be incorporated into the ‘back-end’ procedures that understand the particular structure of that form. Yes, it has to be said, that you can build forms with Word and Excel and they both have the capacity for interaction with XML data, though you will need at least some understanding of Visual Basic.Net to do so. Neither Word nor Excel can offer the structural XML editing that InfoPath offers.

The swift adoption of XML technologies in recent years has uncovered the need for an application that allows users (non-developers, anyone using Word or Excel can create a form in InfoPath) to share and interrelate with XML data.

The InfoPath Ribbon Tabs & Groups are:

Home:

  • Clipboard
  • Format Text
  • Font Styles
  • Controls
  • Rules
  • From

Insert:

  • Page Layouts
  • Section Layouts
  • Tables
  • Illustrations
  • Links
  • Page Format
  • Symbols

Page Design:

  • Views
  • Layout Styles
  • Background
  • Header & Footer

Data:

  • Form Data
  • Get External Data
  • Submit Actions
  • Rules
  • Roles

View:

  • Show

Developer:

  • Code
  • Events
  • Control Events

Contextual Tabs;

Control Tools

Properties:

  • Properties
  • Modify
  • Display Text
  • Control Size
  • Rules

Table Tools

Layout:

  • Table
  • Rows & Columns
  • Merge
  • Cell
  • Alignment
  • Borders & Shading
  • Draw

Picture Tools

Format:

  • Adjust
  • Borders & Shading

The Office (InfoPath) Button

Info


Recent


New


Print


Share


InfoPath Options


InfoPath Options

General:

General

  • Top options for working with InfoPath
  • Personalise your copy of Microsoft Office

Language:

Set the Office Language Preferences.

  • Choose editing languages
  • Choose display and Help languages

Customise Ribbon:

Customise the Ribbon.

  • Choose commands from:
  • Customise the Ribbon:
  • New Tab
  • Restore Defaults
  • Import/Export

Quick Access Toolbar:

Customise the Quick Access Toolbar.

  • Choose commands from:
  • Customise Quick Access Toolbar:
  • Restore Defaults
  • Import/Export

Add-Ins:

View and manage Microsoft Office add-ins.

  • Add-ins

Trust Center:

Help keep your documents safe and your computer secure and healthy.

  • Protecting your privacy
  • Security & more
  • InfoPath Editor Trust Center
  • Trust Center Settings

Controls & Fields



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