Microsoft introduced a brand new default file format for Office 2007.  The new format, docx, is incompatible not only with applications produced by other vendors, but it’s also useless for users of Office/Word 2003.  What does this mean to the average user?  Nothing less than the inability to click “save” in Word 2007, and then access the file in previous Office releases.  Because there are currently a lot more users of Office 2003 than for Office 2007, it might be advisable to change the default format to someething more compatible with older versions.

Why the new file format?  Microsoft explains that it was necessary to allow for all the new embedded features available in Word 2007.  That’s well and fine, except that users of both versions of Office can’t easily work on the same documents without taking extra steps each time it is saved.  By following the simple steps given below, you’ll be able to change the default file format to the more compatible Word 2003 doc format, thus eliminating the problem until such time as everyone is using the new software application.

Follow these simple steps:
1. Start MS Word 2007
2. Click the “Office” button (upper left of  the screen), then click “Word Options”
3. Click on “Save” in the left panel
4. Change the “save files in this format” from “Word Document (*.docx)” to “Word 97-2003 Document (*.doc)“
5. Click “OK”

Now, on those occasions when you want to save those nifty new features into your document, you can click “Save As” instead of “Save”.  All of the rest of time, to save a normal document in a compatible format, you can simply click “Save”.

Article written by MyComputerAid.com

Post from: MyComputerAid.com Computer support

Set Excel to auto save in 2003 format

Being a spreadsheet, Microsoft Excel is a powerful application.  Most of the functions built into Excel are available through hotkeys, also.  The following list is quite possibly the longest set of control keys available in a single type of application.  Your productivity would be greatly enhanced by learning these hotkeys, and applying them to your use of Excel.

General Purpose Hotkeys

Ctrl + N                 New file
Ctrl + O                 Open file
Ctrl + S                  Save file
Ctrl + F6                Move between open workbooks
Ctrl + F4                Close file
F12                         Save as
Ctrl + P                  Display the print menu
Ctrl + A                  Select whole spreadsheet
Ctrl + Space           Select column
Shift + Space          Select row
Ctrl + Z                  Undo last action
Ctrl + Y                  Redo last action
Equal (=)                Start a formula
Alt + F4                  Exit Excel 97

        
Navigation  Hotkeys

Tab                               Move to next cell in row
Shift + Tab                   Move to previous cell in row
Page Up                        Up one screen
Page Down                   Down one screen
Ctrl + Page Down         Move to next worksheet
Ctrl + Page Up              Move to previous worksheet
Ctrl + Home                  Go to first cell in data region
Ctrl + End                     Go to last cell in data region

Formatting Text In Worksheet

Ctrl + B                              Bold toggle for selection
Ctrl + I                                Italic toggle for selection
Ctrl + U                              Underline toggle for selection
Ctrl + 5                               Strikethrough for selection
Ctrl + Shift + F                   Change the font
Ctrl + Shift + P                   Change the font size
Ctrl + Shift + 7                   Apply outline borders
Ctrl + Shift + Underline      Remove all borders
Alt + Enter                          Wrap text in same cell

Formatting Cells

Ctrl + 1             Format cells
Ctrl + Shift + F                     Select font
Ctrl + Shift + P                     Select point size
Ctrl + Shift + 4                     Format as currency
Ctrl + Shift + #                     Format as general (to remove any formatting)
Ctrl + Shift + 5                     Format as percentage
Ctrl + Shift + 1                     Format as number

Editing/Deleting Text

Delete                           Delete one character to right
Backspace                     Delete one character to left
F2                                  Edit active cell
Escape Key                   Cancel cell entry

Highlighting Cells

Ctrl + A                                           Select entire worksheet
Shift + Spacebar                              Select entire row
Ctrl + Spacebar                               Select entire column
Hold Shift + Left Arrow Key            |
Hold Shift + Right Arrow Key          |    Manual    
Hold Shift + Up Arrow Key              | /    Select
Hold Shift + Down Arrow Key         |/

Copying and Moving Text

Ctrl + X                         Cut
Ctrl + C                         Copy
Ctrl + V                         Paste

Inserting Text Automatically

Alt + Equals Sign              Autosum a range of cells
Ctrl + ; (semicolon)           Insert the date
Ctrl + Shift + ;                    Insert the time
Ctrl + Shift + + (plus)        Insert columns/rows
Shift + F11                         Insert a new worksheet

Misc

Ctrl + F                                Find text
Ctrl + H                               Replace text dialog
F11                                      Create a chart automatically on new sheet
Shift + F2                             Edit a cell comment

Main Jaws Keystrokes In Excel

Ctrl + Shift + V                   Say Version of Excel
Ctrl + Page Down               Move to Next Sheet
Ctrl + Page Up                    Move to Prior Sheet
Ctrl + G                              Go to a cell command
Shift + Backspace               Collapse Selection To Active Cell
Insert + C                            Say Active Cell Coordinates
Alt + Equals                        AutoSum
Equals Sign                         Formula Mode
Ctrl + ; (semicolon)             Insert Date In Current Cell
Ctrl + Shift + ;                     Insert Time In Current Cell
Alt + 1                                 Current Column First Cell From Top
Alt + 2                                 Current Column Second Cell From Top
Alt + 3                                 Current Column Third Cell From Top
Alt + 4                                 Current Column Fourth Cell From Top
Ctrl + Left Arrow                Data Region Left
Ctrl + Right Arrow              Data Region Right
Ctrl + Down Arrow             Data Region Down
Ctrl + Up Arrow                  Data Region Up
Ctrl + Shift + 8                     Select Whole Data Region
Ctrl + F2                              Say Formula
F7                                         Spell Check
Alt + Shift + g                       Report Gridline Status
Insert + Delete                      Read Row Total
Insert + Enter                        Read Column Total
Alt + Shift + C                      Say Column Title
Alt + Shift + R                      Say Row Title
Alt + Shift + V                      Say Visible Range Coordinates
Tab                                       Cycle Through Controls in Dialog Box
Shift + Tab                            Tab Backwards
Ctrl + Shift + ‘ (apostrophe)  List Cells With Comments
Alt + Ctrl + 2                        Row Second Cell From Left
Alt + Ctrl + 1                        Row First Cell From Left
Alt + Ctrl + 3                        Row Third Cell From Left
Alt + Ctrl + 4                        Row Fourth Cell From Left
Alt + Shift + B                      Describe Cell Border
Alt + Shift + ‘ (apostrophe)   Read Cell Comment
Ctrl + Shift + A                     Auto Filter
Alt + Shift + H                      Read Cell Hyperlink
Ctrl + Insert + F4                  Close Office Assistant
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + 1             Set Monitor Cell One
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + 2             Set Monitor Cell Two
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + 3             Set Monitor Cell Three
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + 4             Set Monitor Cell Four
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + 5             Set Monitor Cell Five
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + 6             Set Monitor Cell Six
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + 7             Set Monitor Cell Seven
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + 8             Set Monitor Cell Eight
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + 9             Set Monitor Cell Nine
Alt + Ctrl + Shift + 0             Set Monitor Cell 10
Alt + Shift + 1                       Read Monitor Cell One
Alt + Shift + 2                       Read Monitor Cell Two
Alt + Shift + 3                       Read Monitor Cell Three
Alt + Shift + 4                       Read Monitor Cell Four
Alt + Shift + 5                       Read Monitor Cell Five
Alt + Shift + 6                       Read Monitor Cell Six
Alt + Shift + 7                       Read Monitor Cell Seven
Alt + Shift + 8                       Read Monitor Cell Eight
Alt + Shift + 9                       Read Monitor Cell Nine
Alt + Shift + 0                       Read Monitor Cell Ten
Ctrl + Shift + D                     List Visible Cells With Data
Ctrl + Shift + C                     Lists Data In Current Column
Ctrl + Shift + R                     List Data In Current Row
Ctrl + Shift + H                     Select Hyperlink
Ctrl + Shift + S                     Move To Worksheet Listbox
Ctrl + Shift + M                    Move To Monitor Cell
Ctrl + Shift + O                     Select Worksheet Objects
Ctrl + Shift + B                     List Cells At Page Breaks
Insert + V                              Options Listbox

Article written by MyComputerAid.com

Post from: MyComputerAid.com Computer support

Excel hotkeys and shortcuts

When working in MS Office and Excel, you may occasionally need to protect files from prying eyes and searching fingers.  This can be accomplished easily in Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, using the Password to Modify feature.  This allows anyone to open and read the file, but modification requires a password..  The Password Protection feature offers greater security, in that a user cannot open the file at all without the proper password

The process for use is as follows:

To use read-only protection:
1. Open the file.
2. Click the Tools menu.
3. Click Options >> Security.
4. In the “Password to modify” box, enter a password.
5. “OK”.
6. Reenter the password in the verification box.
7. Click “OK”

To password protect a file:
1. Open the file.
2. Click the Tools menu.
3. Click Options >> Security.
4. In the “Password to modify” box, enter a password.
5. “OK”.
6. Reenter the password in the verification box.
7. Click “OK”

Article written by MyComputerAid.com

Post from: MyComputerAid.com Computer support

password protect Excel