One of the most important set of trainings offered by Academic Technologies is the Microsoft Office suite. This set of programs is used by virtually everyone throughout the entire campus. Having users become more and more comfortable using these tools is our goal, and to that end we continually offer training sessions in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. Additionally we are always developing new courses to help users learn specific techniques so that they work smarter instead of harder.

As always, please check our ITSS website for what classes are currently being offered, where and when. If you need more immediate help you can set up an individual training session with us. Additionally we can work with you to identify and schedule small-group training targeted toward your department's specific needs; learn more by seeing the Departmental Training portion of this website.

Academic Technologies also offers Open Lab hours in Walker 216, from 2 to 4pm on several Fridays each semester, that are dedicated to answering questions about the Office suite; please check the Open Labs section of our website for specific dates.

Microsoft Office Trainings we have Developed

Word 2007: What You HAVE to Know

Word is a very powerful program, and one that most of us use on regular basis. Unfortunately, most of us have a dysfunctional relationship with this powerful word processor, especially when it comes to formatting. To help leverage this power we have developed a class that looks specifically at the use of formatting with Styles and Themes in Word 2007. Harnessing the power of these tools is the essential key skill to working in harmony with Word. This class will focus on how to apply built-in and custom styles, how to create your own styles and themes, and learn to appreciate what Word is looking for so that you can follow a path of least resistance and enjoy the many benefits of the built-in Styles and Themes available in all of the Microsoft Office programs.

If you find yourself cursing Word, rather than developing documents with a confident sense of control, then this class is definitely for you. This is the stuff you really HAVE to KNOW in order to get the most out of Word. This class is an overview of the tools offered to control styles and themes in your documents; while some of the class is hands-on in nature, the primary function is to expose the user to what is available and how the different pieces work together.

Excel 2007 Overview

This overview class is designed to expose new and advanced users alike to some of the new features of Excel 2007 with hands-on exercises in building a worksheet from scratch, utilizing basic formulas and functions, formatting the worksheet, and creating a chart based on that worksheet. We will also review the basics of the new Office 2007 interface (Office button, ribbon, Quick Access Toolbar, Live Preview, et al) and discuss the new document formats. If you have never used Excel before and want to learn some of what it can do, this session is great for you, but even if you feel you already know Excel, and are waiting for a more advanced class, please consider attending this one-hour section just to brush-up on your skills and see some of the new features in action.

Objectives

• Building and formatting a basic worksheet
• Using basic formulas and functions
• Creating and formatting an embedded chart
• Familiarization with the Excel 2007 interface
• Review of the new Office 2007 interface (Office Button, Ribbon, et al)
• Discussion of the newer formats (.xlsx .xlsm .xltx .xltm)
• Excel parlance: quick rundown of Excel terms

Excel 2007: Formulas

This particular class is designed to familiarize new and advanced users alike to the basic features and uses of formulas in Excel 2007. There are several new features that make creating formulas easier in Excel 2007 that will be covered. With no shortage of hands-on exercises we will create several formulas (and a few functions) using real-world scenarios. We only have an hour-and-a-half to cover a LOT of material, so please come prepared to dig right in and stay focused.

PLEASE NOTE that if you are not already familiar with the basics of the new Office 2007 interface (Office button, ribbon, Quick Access Toolbar, Live Preview, mini-toolbar, et al) and the new document formats (xlsx, xltx, xlsm, xltm), then PLEASE DO NOT COME to this session until you have first attended a Microsoft Office 2007 Overview or Excel 2007 Overview session as WE WILL NOT BE COVERING THESE BASIC ESSENTIALS in this training session.

Excel 2007: Functions

Functions are an integral and essential feature of Excel, and Excel 2007 offers 356 different functions including the 89 Analysis Tool Pack (ATP) functions that were previously only available as an add-in. That is a lot of functions, to be sure, and the applications for them range from financial, mathematical, statistical, to engineering as well as a host of general-purpose functions for everyday use. This session will not go over each function but will rather explore the new tools and features that make finding, understanding, and applying these functions easier. As usual there will be no shortage of hands-on examples to work through featuring many of the most commonly used and useful functions within the context of real-world scenarios. Please note that this is an advanced Excel class which carries a prerequisite of familiarity with the new user-interface, including the Office button, the ribbon, Quick Access Toolbar, et al, so be aware that these features will NOT be covered in this class. It is additionally very helpful, though not absolutely essential, if users have previously attended the Excel 2007: Formulas class. Come prepared to work!

Excel 2007: Intro to Pivot Tables

Pivot tables have been around since the 1990’s and are one of the most useful features in all of Excel, yet they are still widely underused and misunderstood. In this workshop we will crack open the door into this very powerful analysis and reporting tool, using hands-on examples, so that you will come away with, at least, a cursory understanding and some practical knowledge in seeing, considering, and creating pivot tables using Excel 2007 for the PC.

Excel 2007: Tips & Tricks

The Excel 2007 Tips & Tricks series explore quite a variety of time-saving and - dare I say - nifty techniques that can and will improve the manner and efficiency in which you perform routine tasks, allowing you to work smarter instead of harder. Each technique includes hands-on exercises to help drill the points into the psyche so that you can begin using these time-saving secrets immediately in your own work. Additionally, each tip and technique has a set of instructions so that you can refer back to your included digital-handout at any time to refresh your skills, all at no extra charge! I believe everyone attending will come away from each session with several new skills that will be immediately accessible. As more and more techniques are added the series will expand to accommodate them all into discreet 1.5-hour sections, so check often to see if yet another section has been added (e.g. Tips & Tricks I, Tips & Tricks II, Tips & Tricks III, etc.). This is one Excel series you do not want to miss!

PowerPoint 2007: Overview

This overview class is designed to expose new and advanced users alike to some of the new features of PowerPoint 2007 with hands-on exercises in building a PowerPoint presentation utilizing some of the new functionality in the 2007 version such as SmartArt and Themes. We will also review the basics of the new Office 2007 interface (Office button, ribbon, Quick Access Toolbar, Live Preview, et al) and discuss the new document formats. If you have never used PowerPoint before and want to learn some of what it can do, this session is great for you, but even if you feel you already know this program, and are waiting for a more advanced class, please consider attending this one-hour section as well just to brush-up on your skills and see some of the new features in action.

Objectives

• Use SmartArt graphics
• Get to know master slides and content containers
• Review of the new Office 2007 interface (Office Button, Ribbon, et al)
• Discussion of the newer formats (.pptx .pptm .potx .potm)
• Familiarization with the PowerPoint 2007 interface
• Build and format a presentation

PowerPoint 2007: Just Beyond the Basics

Picking up where the PowerPoint Overview class left off this session will delve into slide transitions and animations, using and customizing the new Office 2007 Themes, and a cursory overview of the power of slide masters. We will go more in depth into the new SmartArt graphics as well as some basics of utilizing the custom drawing tools and adding sound and video to your presentations. The session will also include more on pictures and clip-art and explore some of the basics of implementing tables and charts in your slides. We will not directly cover the basics of PowerPoint, nor the user-interface (Office button, the ribbon, Quick Access Toolbar, et al), so a prerequisite for this class is to already be familiar and comfortable with these features and tools. Come prepared to work as this is not a lecture but rather a hands-on experience.

Outlook 2007: Overview

This hands-on workshop demonstrates some of the new and improved features in Outlook 2007 such as the Ribbon (a more intuitive interface) and the Quick Launch bar. Find out how the Instant Search feature and the color categories can help you become more organized and efficient. Also learn how to set up side-by-side calendars in overlay mode which can help you better manage multiple calendars.

Outlook 2007: Advanced

Learn how to save time and effort by setting up everyday Outlook activities. You will learn how to: setup email templates, customize your toolbar, work with categories, perform mail merges using Outlook contacts, and other tips and tricks.>

Outlook 2007: Calendars

This hands-on workshop takes an in depth look at the Calendar functionality in Outlook. Topics covered include how to schedule meetings, how to color-code your calendar appointments, using side-by-side appointments to save time, and how to use Public Calendars to your advantage.

Office 2007 Overview

This workshop provides a general introduction to Office 2007 focusing on how to get around and begin using the new interface in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook. We will discuss the new file formats and some of the many new features that are offered throughout these four software tools, so that anything we learn in PowerPoint, for example, will be applicable to the other programs as well. The class lasts all of two hours, and the instructor will also stay a bit longer for any who desire individual help or who have specific questions not addressed by the training.