Microsoft Office applications can be accessed by clicking the Start button, selecting Programs, Microsoft Office and then the appropriate program. If working on a machine with desktop shortcut icons, you can access the appropriate program via double clicking on the icon.

It is common to become confused between what is Microsoft Office and what are Microsoft operating systems. Systems such as Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 are known as operating systems which help you display and organise applications and folders you save items to. Microsoft Office 2003 and Office 2007 contain the applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher etc.

Saving Documents

This is one of the most important commands within the office applications. You cannot over save a document, but you can under save. When the computer saves, it writes over the previous information with any amendments you have made. It is imperative that a document is saved regularly as computers like many other electrical products can all of a sudden malfunction, or you may get a power-cut, so saving at regular intervals is a good habit to get into to avoid any data loss.

To save a document you can either:

• Click on the Save icon; • Go to the File menu (or the Office button in Office 2007) and select Save; or • Press Ctrl + S.

If you are saving a brand new document, select the option Save As and then save the document in the appropriate location.

Opening a Saved Document

To open a document that has already been saved, click on the File menu or Office button and select Open, or press Ctrl key + O. The Open dialog box will appear on the screen and from here you will be able to browse through the folders to where your document is saved.

Printing Documents

It is sometimes good to preview your document before printing in a screen known as Print Preview. This can be found under the File menu or Office button, Print and Print Preview. The Print Preview box shows a picture of the document you are working on. This is a very useful tool when reviewing your document for any formatting and alignment errors.

Spelling and Grammar

The shortcut key is F7 which checks your document for basic spelling and grammar mistakes. If using the icon it is on the Reviewing toolbar in Office 2003 or the Review Ribbon in Office 2007.

Cut, Copy and Paste

All three of these icons can either be found on the Edit Menu in Office 2003 or on the Home Ribbon in Office 2007.

The scissors icon is the Cut function which removes words and pictures from your document.

The Copy icon (or Ctrl + C) copies information or pictures and places them on the Clipboard (which is a temporary storage place). After copying the information, move the insertion point the new location then click on Paste icon or Ctrl + V.

Undo and Redo

Undo is one of the most widely used icons. Clicking on the Undo icon or pressing Ctrl + Z removes the last change you made to your document.

Redo is the opposite of Undo. If you just clicked on the Undo button, then decide you do want that information, click on Redo to bring it back. Both can be found either under the Edit Menu or on the Quick Access Toolbar.

By Kelly Foxhall