If you’ve used any of the computers in the RWC Computer Concourse or computer classrooms, you know that over the summer RWC upgraded virtually all its machines to Microsoft Office Suite 2007. And because the new version looks much different from previous versions, you may have been confused about where to find some of the familiar commands.But overall, several significant improvements have been made in Microsoft Office Suite 2007.
In Microsoft Word, there is an Office Fluent user interface. The new ribbon function is one new feature. It groups formatting tools by task, and the most frequently used commands are nearby. This ribbon combines the formatting toolbar with others previously found in 2003 with its integrated user interface.
The Ribbon features seven task oriented tabs: * Home (Clipboard, Font, Paragraph, Styles, and Editing); * Insert (Pages, Tables, Illustrations, Links, Header and Footer, Text, and Symbols); * Page Layout (Themes, Page Setup, Page Background, Paragraph, and Arrange); * References (Table of Contents, Footnotes, Citations and Bibliography, Captions, Index, and Table of Authorities); * Mailings (Create, Start Mail Merge, Write and Insert Fields, Preview Results, and Finish); * Review (Proofing, Comments, Tracking, Changes, Compare, Protect), and * View (Document Views, Show/Hide, Zoom, Window, Macros).
A command button located in each group opens a window displaying a menu of options. (For example, pressing the command button next to the font group would open the font tab).
A unique feature in Word 2007 is the addition of a digital signature or signature line to your documents. Those of you who have a computerized drawing tablet may find this useful because all records can be electronic. Printing out paper for signing is no longer needed. In making revisions, old versions of documents are clearly marked with both versions viewed simultaneously. When you are making corrections, they are shown in the third version of the document.
The last feature in Word allows you to quickly save documents as PDF or XPS files. This is also available in PowerPoint.
In Excel, you have the option to add a theme to your spreadsheets using a predefined set of colors, fonts, and fill effects to an entire workbook or to detailed items, like charts or tables. A new look for charts allows adding format to OfficeArt objects such as a soft shadow or bevel effect to make an element stand out, or you can use a transparency to make elements previously obscured in a chart layout visible. You can also add 3-D effects to these objects.
The PivotTable new features in Excel allow for quick and easy editing of data.
In PowerPoint, new themes, layouts, and Quick Styles are available to make your presentations look professional. You can also create custom slide layouts, allowing you to be more creative in your designs and not having to be confined to the prepackaged layouts.
With the new SmartArt graphics, you can create designer-quality diagrams and charts. In adding visual effects to your SmartArt graphics, you can create editable illustrations without the aid of a professional designer. For all you IT majors with a tight budget, PowerPoint makes your work a lot easier to do.
In Access, getting started is much faster. Just click on the Table in the Create tab and start entering data. In creating relational databases, adding existing fields from another table are less of a hassle now. Just drag the field from the Field List Pane onto the datasheet. Access automatically creates any needed relationships or prompts you throughout the process. The new layout is similar to Word with the Office Fluent user interface.
In conclusion, this new instructional software for teachers and students at RWC is a whole new learning experience for everyone. Commonly, the file menus in each of the Office Suite programs have been combined into one. The Office button, located in the upper left hand corner, contains your standard New, Open/Close, Save, and Print options. The new interface reduces the time spent on searching through menus and sub-menus in formatting text and objects.