WebJunction

Overview of Microsoft Office Programs

Word (word processing)

Microsoft Word is a word processing application equipped with templates and Wizards to help you create useful documents such as resumes, letters, and fax cover sheets. Use features such as tables and clip art to create documents with custom graphics. Some uses for Word include:

• Creating reports, doing homework, and writing letters

• Creating business press releases and peer and staff evaluations

• Keeping a daily journal

• Tables and clip art in Word can be used for professional looking documents such as brochures and newsletters

Excel (spreadsheets)

Microsoft Excel is used largely for organizing, manipulating, and charting numerical information data (spreadsheets and ledgers). You can use Excel to sort and chart both simple and complex data. Some uses for Excel include:

• Organizing phone numbers

• Tracking financial projections

• Creating budgets

• Creating invoice templates and tracking inventory control

Publisher (desktop publishing)

Microsoft Publisher is a desktop publishing application that novices can use to create professional looking publications. It is best suited for creating documents with fancy layouts and lots of pictures. Publisher's numerous Wizards guide users through the process of creating publications by asking a series of multiple-choice questions. Among the products you can use Publisher to create are:

• Newsletters

• Greeting cards

• Flyers and signs

• Business cards

• Brochures

PowerPoint (presentations)

Microsoft PowerPoint can be used to design effective presentations that can be delivered electronically with overheads or in paper form. Some uses of PowerPoint include:

• School paper presentations

• Speeches for work

• Family reunion presentations

• Web-delivered presentations (great for distance learning)

• Informational kiosks (a presentation that continually runs without human intervention)

Access (database)

Microsoft Access is a complex and powerful database program that you can use to create and manage various types of data. It can be a challenging application to learn in-depth, but it does include many Wizards that dramatically reduce the learning curve. You can use Access to manage large lists of information such as:

• Names and addresses

• Benefactors

• Inventory

• Survey responses data

• Sales performance data tracking

FrontPage (web page design)

Microsoft FrontPage can be used to design Web pages that can be posted on the World Wide Web. Some uses of FrontPage include:

• Company Web Sites

• Intranets

• Personal Web Sites

PhotoDraw (pictures and graphics)

Microsoft PhotoDraw can be used to create and modify pictures. Some uses of PhotoDraw include:

• Creating business cards

• Company logos

• Saving pictures to post on the Web