Category: The Office Tech Pro

An Admin Pro forum reader reports a problem with Excel. The workbook window appears to be missing, though Excel indicates the file is open.

Large or small, projects need to be managed. Or, quickly, we will find them managing us. Many of us can’t afford or choose not to use robust project management software. Can Microsoft Outlook 2007 be an alternative? You bet! Using Outlook tasks and a view called Timeline can give us the kind of look into our current projects once thought to be available only in expensive project management systems.

20 years ago this would have simply been a string of pronouncable syllables to describe the noise your furnace makes when it first starts up in the fall. These days, it represents 3 of the top 4 places people go to search for information the Internet, according to The Nielsen Company. The 4th by the way is Facebook: Not going there, can’t make me; at least not for this article.

Vertical look-ups or the VLookUp function in Excel has eluded many formula writers. See how a VLookUp works exactly the same way your brain does when you have to look something up.

You got results you didn’t expect, don’t understand what you’re supposed to click on next, want to do what you just did, but in way less time! A compass for intermediate and advanced Microsoft Office users.

If you have attended any of our recent webinars on Microsoft Office applications, you have probably heard me tout the value of using keyboard shortcuts as time savers and accuracy boosters. Another side benefit to navigating around your applications without scrolling is avoiding hand, wrist and elbow injuries which may result from repetitive strenuous motion, like excessive use of your mouse. Here are 3 great tips to save your body and mind while working in Excel.

I get asked a lot if it still pays to hone your skills on Office 2003, with 2007 out now for 3 years and 2010 on the horizon. While the installed base of Office 2007 is going up all the time, there are still many organizations on previous versions. What I want to know from […]

My writing usually focuses on technical tips and tricks. But in all honesty, the best tip I can offer is to get trained. Most of us are self-taught in the office software products we use. Unless you are the type to read all your manuals thoroughly before touching the mouse or keyboard, it’s safe to […]

There are three types of messages Excel gives us that aren’t technically error messages, but they are notifying us that something MIGHT be wrong. In this second half of my Excel Error Messages training, we’ll explore #N/A, FALSE and circular cell references. #N/A#N/A actually means no answer. The most common place you’ll see an #N/A […]

Excel error messages aren’t always terribly clear to us. We know we have a problem, but we don’t know where to go to start fixing it! In this and next week’s article we’ll examine 6 common errors in Excel and how they show up, including 2 error messages that may not be errors at all! […]