In a feature in yesterday’s Computerworld (titled “The New Help Desk: Agile, Educational, Efficient”), writer John Brandon highlighted three IT departments and what they are doing to bring the help desk from where it’s stuck – the 1960s – to the present. One of the organizations featured, the University of Georgia, has put an emphasis on using calls to the help desk to educate users. We like that idea.

Click to see a video on creating charts in Excel.

The old way of working is myopic. If you keep fixing an issue that, with a little instruction, can be avoided, where is the long-term value? And, if you cannot – or do not — track where problem spots are, how can you plan for the future?

At PC Helps, we fix stuff too; we’re a help desk, after all. But we also teach customers how to resolve issues on their own, and how to avoid having them crop up again in the future.

In that spirit, today’s post offers tips for creating Excel charts, a topic we receive many calls about. Happy charting.

Creating Charts

By PC Helps Staff

Data (n.) – raw, unorganized facts.
Information (n.) – organized and processed data that can be useful in some way.

When working with a large amount of data, it often can become an overwhelming task to extract information from the data. Excel provides a great tool to facilitate converting data to visual information through the use of charts.

Follow these steps to create a chart:

Excel 2003 and older:

• Select any cell within the data you want to chart.
• Click on the Insert menu, then select Chart to bring up the Chart Wizard.
• Choose the desired chart type, then click Next.
• Excel will show you a preview of the chart using what it has detected as plot data.
• Verify that the data is correctly organized by viewing the Series tab.
• Click Next to further modify your chart options. You can add titles to the chart or axes, move your legend, add data labels, etc.
• Click Next to set the location of your chart.
• Click Finish.

Excel 2007 and 2010:

• Select any cell within the data you want to chart.
• Click on the Insert Tab, then click on the desired chart type in the Charts group. Excel will generate the chart as soon as you click on the desired chart type, using what it has detected as plot data.

NOTE: Different chart types sometimes need different types of data. For instance, a pie chart is best for displaying a single series of data, but a column chart is capable of plotting several series.

Watch a video on this tip for Excel 2003.

Watch a video on this tip for Excel 2007.

Watch a video on this tip for Excel 2010.

Reordering Data Series in a Chart

By PC Helps Staff

You may find at times that you need to rearrange the order of your data series in a chart without changing your source data. This can be accomplished easily using the Format Data Series dialog.

Excel 2003 and older: 
Click on a series in the chart to select it. Right-click the series and choose “Format Data Series.” On the Series Order tab, use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to re-order the selected series.

Excel 2007 and 2010:
 Click on a series in the chart to select it. Right-click the series and choose Select Data. Use the arrow buttons to re-order the selected series.

Watch a video on this tip for Excel 2003.

Watch a video on this tip for Excel 2007.

Watch a video on this tip for Excel 2010.

Creating a Dynamic Chart in Excel

By David McQueary

If you regularly update the data ranges for your charts, a dynamic chart will help you because it automatically shows data added to the end of a column.

First thing we need to do is create a dynamic named range.

Excel 2003 or older:

• Click on the Insert menu, select Name, and choose Define.
• Name the range, we will want two named ranges: one for our labels and one for our data. We will define the names as Label and Data, respectively.
• From here we will enter formulas to create the dynamic named range. The formula to do this, if you are starting in cell A1, is: =OFFSET($A$1,0,0,COUNTA($A:$A),1) 
Adjusting the column letter and number in the first part of the formula will allow us to change where the named range starts. For example =OFFSET($B$2,0,0,COUNTA($B:$B),1) would start the range in cell B2.
• Click OK.
• Repeat steps 2 – 4 to create the second range.
• Click Close.

Excel 2007 and 2010:

• Click on the Formulas tab, click Name Manager, and select New.
• Name the range, we will want two named ranges: one for our labels and one for our data. We will define the names as Label and Data, respectively.
• From here we will enter formulas to create the dynamic named range. The formula to do this, if you are starting in cell A1, is: =OFFSET($A$1,0,0,COUNTA($A:$A),1)
Adjusting the column letter and number in the first part of the formula will allow us to change where the named range starts. For example =OFFSET($B$2,0,0,COUNTA($B:$B),1) would start the range in cell B2.
• Click OK.
• Repeat steps 2 – 4 to create the second range.
• Click Close.

Now we create our chart.

Excel 2003 or older:

• Highlight our data and go to Insert menu and choose to insert a chart. Make all the settings that you want to the chart, and place it on the worksheet.
• Now we apply the dynamic settings to the chart. Click on one of the series in the chart and look at the formula bar.
• In the formula bar there should be something that looks like =SERIES(Sheet1!$A$1:$A$16,Sheet1!$B$1:$B$16,1). In the spot where it shows Sheet1!$A$1:$A$16 we are going to change that to Sheet1!Label.
• In the spot where it shows Sheet1!$B$1:$B$16 we are going to change that to Sheet1!Data.
• You now have a dynamic chart. If you add more data to the bottom of the column, it will automatically add that data to the chart.

Excel 2007 and 2010:

• Highlight our data and go to Insert tab and choose a chart. Make all the settings that you want to the chart, and place it on the worksheet.
• Now we apply the dynamic settings to the chart. Click on one of the series in the chart and look at the formula bar.
• In the formula bar there should be something that looks like =SERIES(Sheet1!$A$1:$A$16,Sheet1!$B$1:$B$16,1). In the spot where it shows Sheet1!$A$1:$A$16 we are going to change that to Sheet1!Label.
• In the spot where it shows Sheet1!$B$1:$B$16 we are going to change that to Sheet1!Data.
• You now have a dynamic chart. If you add more data to the bottom of the column, it will automatically add that data to the chart.

Watch a video on this tip for Excel 2003.

Watch a video on this tip for Excel 2007.

Watch a video on this tip for Excel 2010.

In the spirit of helping you get things done, we’re posting one of our favorite tips: How to create labels with mail merge. Whatever you use it for – holiday cards, end-of-year reports – it’s a time-saver and a headache-reducer. Plus, it’s the number one question our customers ask.

Mail merges make even the most nimble users shudder. That’s because they fail so often. 

Happy holidays.

Creating Labels with Mail Merge from a Data Source

Mail merges make even the most nimble users shudder. That’s because they fail so often. The most common type of merge involves taking data stored in Excel and bringing it into Word. 

If you are thinking of going beyond labels and writing full-on letters, this tip will still help you; the procedure for performing a mail merge to labels is similar to that of creating letters.

Word 2003:

1. Click the Tools menu, move your mouse cursor over Letters and Mailings, and select Mail Merge.
2. In the Mail Merge pane on the right, select Labels and then click Next: Starting document.
3. Click Label options and choose the label template you would like to use. Click OK. This should display the label gridlines on your document. If you do not see the gridlines, click the Table menu and select Show Gridlines.
4. Click Next: Select recipients.
5. Select Use an existing list, then click the Browse button.
6. Browse to and select your Excel workbook or Access database, then click Open.
7. A Select Table window will open. If you are using an Excel workbook as your data source, select the appropriate worksheet and click OK. If using an Access database as your data source, select the appropriate table or query and click OK.
8. The Mail Merge Recipients window will open. From here, you can clear the checkbox for any recipients you wish to exclude. You can also filter the list using the arrows at the top of each field, or click Advanced for more advanced sorting and filtering. Click OK when you are finished editing the recipient list, then click Next: Arrange your labels.
9. If you want standard address fields to appear on the labels, click Address block and under Insert recipient’s name in this format, select the name formatting you prefer. A preview will display how the selected option will appear on your labels. Once your labels look correct in this window, click OK.
10. Alternately, if you want to insert the fields in a specific order, click More items. An Insert Merge Field window will open; insert the fields by selecting them one by one and clicking Insert, then click Close.
11. Format the top left label any way you desire. Do not forget to add the appropriate spaces and punctuation.
12. Click the Update all labels button to update the changes to the rest of the labels. You should see <<Next Record>> on all but the first label, followed by the fields you inserted.
13. Click Next: preview your labels to view merged data. You can use the record selector arrows to switch between different records. Click Next: Complete the merge.
14. If you select Edit individual labels, the labels will be merged into a new document where you can edit the labels individually. You will not, however, be able to add more fields once this is done. The Print option will allow you to send the labels to the printer.

Word 2007 and 2010:

1. Click the Mailings tab.
2. Click the Start Mail Merge drop-down arrow and choose Labels.
3. Select the Label vendor and the product number for the label you are using and click OK.
4. Click the Select Recipients drop-down arrow and choose Use Existing List.
5. Browse to and select your Excel workbook or Access database, then click Open.
6. A Select Table window will open. If you are using an Excel workbook as your data source, select the appropriate worksheet and click OK. If using an Access database as your data source, select the appropriate table or query and click OK.
7. Click on Edit Recipient List if you would like to exclude any recipients.
8. If you want standard address fields to appear on the labels, click Address block and under Insert recipient’s name in this format, select the name formatting you prefer. A preview will display how the selected option will appear on your labels. Once your labels look correct in this window, click OK.
9. Alternately, if you want to insert the fields in a specific order, click Insert Merge Fields, and choose the fields you want.
10. Format the top-left label any way you desire. Do not forget to add the appropriate spaces and punctuation.
11. Click the Update Labels button to update the changes to the rest of the labels. You should see <<Next Record>> on all but the first label, followed by the fields you inserted.
12. Click the Preview Results button to view merged data.
13. Click the Finish & Merge drop-down arrow, choose Edit Individual Documents, select All, and click OK. Your labels will appear in a separate window; this document is editable, but you can not add additional fields to it.

For more merging tips, visit our eTips Library. 

Here’s a gaggle of tips that promise to clear up the outlining mystery once and for all.

You may wonder if there are any rules to them, or if they are just a test of your patience.

Tips written by PC Helps staff.

Applying Outline Numbering

Microsoft Word 2003, 2007, 2010

The multilevel list tool in Word allows you to create outlines, grouping items related to a list item in sub-lists. One common multilevel list format will start with an item labeled using a Roman numeral, followed by related sub-items labeled with capital letters. Each of these sub-items may also have their own related sub-items, which would then be labeled using Arabic numerals; for a fourth level labels would use lowercase letters. Multilevel lists can be customized, allowing you to choose the number or letter type for each level of the list.

The feature of a multilevel list that distinguishes it from a combination of several nested lists is that the numbering for a particular sub-level will restart automatically after a new item is added to the level above it. (Using the example format given, this means that if you’ve created item I followed by a sub-list containing items A and B, and you then enter item II, the next sub-item you add will automatically restart labeling with A.) Follow the steps below to create a multilevel list in a document of your own.

Word 2003:

1. Start by typing a simple line of text, such as “This is level 1.” Press Enter to make a new line afterwards.
2. Type “This is level 2.” on the second line you just created. Press Enter to create another new line.
3. On the third line, type “This is level 3.”
4. Click and drag to select the three lines of text you just typed, so that they are highlighted.
5. Click on the Format menu, select Bullets and Numbering, and choose the Outline Numbered tab.
6. From the choices, select a list style to apply and click OK.
7. Notice how your text now has numbers or letters, denoting they are all Level 1.
8. Click the cursor in front of line 2, where it reads “This is level 2.” Click after the bullet, but before the word “This.”
9. Press Tab to indent this line, making it level 2.
10. Using the same procedure, indent line 3, but press the Tab key two times, making this level 3.
11. You can use Tab to “demote” a line, or indent it.
12. You can use Shift + Tab to “promote” a line, or unindent it.

NOTE: Some of the list styles are linked to heading styles, such as Heading 1, Heading 2 and Heading 3. If you choose one of these styles, your text will change to take on the formatting of the selected style.

Word 2007 and 2010:

1. Start by typing a simple line of text, such as “This is level 1.” Press Enter to make a new line afterwards.
2. Type “This is level 2.” on the second line you just created. Press Enter to create another new line.
3. On the third line, type “This is level 3.”
4. Click and drag to select the three lines of text you just typed, so that they are highlighted.
5. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the multilevel list icon.
6. From the List Library menu that appears, choose one of the List Styles.
7. Notice how your text now has numbers or letters, denoting they are all Level 1.
8. Click the cursor in front of line 2, where it reads “This is level 2.” Click after the bullet, but before the word “This.”
9. Press Tab to indent this line, making it level 2.
10. Using the same procedure, indent line 3, but press the Tab key two times, making this level 3.
11. You can use Tab to demote a line, or indent it.
12. You can use Shift + Tab to promote a line, or unindent it.

NOTE: Some of the list styles are linked to heading styles, such as Heading 1, Heading 2 and Heading 3. If you choose one of these styles, your text will change to take on the formatting of the selected style.

Promoting and Demoting Points in an Outline Numbered List

Microsoft Word 2003, 2007, 2010

From time to time, you may need to create or edit your outline numbered list. Making a point of emphasis stand out to show its relationship to the document is called promoting. Conversely, making a point of emphasis to a subheading is called demoting. Promoting or demoting your headings can be done in two ways: keyboard shortcuts or using the menu options in Word. In the steps below, we will promote a heading if it belongs at the top (move the text closer to the left) or demote a heading if it should be a sub section (move the text closer to the right).

Word 2003:

1. Begin by selecting an Outline Numbered List format by going to the Format menu, choose Bullets and Numbering, and select the Outline Numbered tab.
2. Select any of the list options. For our example, we have selected the first option. (NOTE: If you choose one of the lists in which the word Heading appears, you will need to have heading styles applied in the document.)
3. Begin typing what should be in the list and press Enter after each line of text. Your list should look something like this, currently, with every line of text at the first level:
   1) Level 1
   2) Level 2
   3) Level 3
   4) Level 4
   5) Level 5
4. Now we will begin demoting lines of text (moving them farther to the right) to create the sub-points.
5. Begin with the first line from the top that needs to be a sub-point. Place the cursor at the beginning of the text and to the right of the bullet or number.
6. Now press the Tab key, which is the shortcut for demoting text. Your updated list should look something similar to the image on the right.
7. Notice that the first demoted line now has an “a)” next to it. Continue demoting areas, and watch as the level identifier changes.
8. Now, we want to promote a sub point that was demoted. To do this, get to the beginning of the line then press Shift+Tab. This will move the item closer to the left or promote it.
9. Promoting or demoting can also be done by use of the formatting toolbar. Hover your mouse on the formatting tool bar icons and locate the “Decrease Indent” or “Increase Indent” buttons. In order to promote an item you would use Decrease Indent and to demote an item you would use Increase Indent.

Word 2007 & 2010:

1. Click on the Home tab, locate the paragraph section, and choose Multilevel List.
2. Select any of the list options. For our example, we have selected the first option. (NOTE: If you choose one of the lists in which the word Heading appears, you will need to have heading styles applied in the document.)
3. Begin typing what all should be in the list and press Enter after each line of text. Your list should look something like this, currently, with every line of text at the first level:
   1) Level 1
   2) Level 2
   3) Level 3
   4) Level 4
   5) Level 5
4. Now we will begin demoting lines of text (moving them farther to the right) to create the sub-points of emphasis.
5. Begin with the first line from the top that needs to be a sub-point. Place the cursor at the beginning of the text and to the right of the bullet or number.
6. Now press the Tab key, which is the shortcut for demoting text. Your updated list should look something similar to the image on the right.
7. Notice that the first demoted line now has an “a)” next to it. Continue demoting areas, and watch as the level identifier changes.
8. Now, we want to promote a sub point that was demoted. To do this, get to the beginning of the line then press Shift+Tab. This will move the item closer to the left or promote it.
9. Promoting or demoting can also be done by use of the formatting toolbar. Hover your mouse on the paragraph group and locate the Decrease Indent or Increase Indent buttons. In order to promote an item you would use Decrease Indent and to demote an item you would use Increase Indent.

Creating and Modifying Bullets

Microsoft Word 2003, 2007, 2010

Have you ever realized how much easier a complex document is to read when items have been identified via bullets? Bullets allow you to convey a lot of information in short bursts of text, and short lines are easier to read than longer ones. Here are the quick and easy steps to add bullets and make your points stand out.

Word 2003 and older:

1. Click on the Format menu and select Bullets and Numbering. This opens up the Bullets and Numbering dialog box.
2. Click one of the eight styles from the Bullets and Numbering dialog box.
3. Click OK.

Word 2007 and 2010:

1. Click on the Home tab of the Ribbon and select the arrow next to Bullets in the Paragraph section. This will open the Bullets drop-down list.
2. Choose from the Bullet Library, Document Bullets, Recently Used Bullets, and Define New Bullet.
3. You can also change the Bullet List Level if there are bullets already in the document.

To Customize Bullet or Numbering Styles:

Word 2003 and older:

Open the Bullets and Numbering dialog box again and select Customize. From here, you have the ability to change the look of the bullet inserted. Customizable options include font, symbol, color, and image. You can use any of the special symbols listed in Word as a bullet; you can also use any pictures you have stored on your PC, by selecting Import while in the Customize Bullet dialog box.

Word 2007 and 2010:

Open the Bullets and Numbering dialog box again and select Define New Bullet. From here, you have the ability to change the look of the bullet inserted. Customizable options include font, symbol, color, and image. You can use any of the special symbols listed in Word as a bullet; you can also use any pictures you have stored on your PC, by selecting Import while in the Define New Bullet dialog box.

How To Set Up Multi-level Bulleted Lists

Microsoft Word 2003, 2007, 2010

Multilevel bulleted lists give you the ability to further organize your lists. This is incredibly useful when you are working with a list of information that really does not fit well with a numerical order (i.e. types of fruit). The nice thing is that you are not limited to a single level on a list, which is important if you want to split fruit up into different types of fruit (i.e. citrus, berries, tropical, etc.).

To create a multileveled bulleted list in Word 2003:

1. Move the insertion point (denoted by the flashing vertical bar) to the point in the document where you want to insert your bulleted list.
2. Click on the Format menu and select Bullets and Numbering.
3. Click on the Bulleted tab, select the style of bullets you wish to use for the list.
4. Click OK to return to the document.
5. Begin typing in the first item in your list and then press Enter to go to the next line. This will create a new bullet point on the same level.
6. To move the new bulleted item to a lower level on the list, press the Tab key on your keyboard.
7. To move back to a higher level on the list, press Backspace on the keyboard at the beginning of a bullet point.
8. To complete your list and return to the standard formatting of your document, press Enter at the beginning of a bullet point, this will move the insertion point to the next line at the left margin where you can continue your document.

To create a multi-leveled bulleted list in Word 2007 and Word 2010:

1. Move the insertion point (denoted by the flashing vertical bar) to the point in the document where you want to insert your bulleted list.
2. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph section, click on the Bullets button (denoted by the icon with three vertical bullets with lines next to them).
3. Begin by typing in the first item in your list and then press Enter to go to the next line. This will create a new bullet point on the same level.
4. To move the new bulleted item to a lower level on the list: press the Tab key on your keyboard or click the drop-down arrow to the right of the Bullets button, select Change List Level, and select the level for the bullet you wish to type. Note that pressing Enter after typing on this line will take you to the next line and will leave you at the same level in the bulleted list.
5. To move back to a higher level on the list hold down Shift on your keyboard and press Tab or click the drop-down arrow to the right of the Bullets button, select Change List Level, and select the level for the bullet.
6. When you are finished typing your list, press Enter at the end of your last bullet point twice to return to your standard document formatting.

How to Make Vertical Selections of Text

Microsoft Word 2003, 2007, 2010

Our consultants’ top keyboard tricks.

This is by far the coolest keyboard trick I’ve ever learned. When selecting data, you may need to select portions of multiple lines of text but not the entire line of text. To do this, use a simple trick: hold down the ALT key.

1. Make sure the text you want to select is on screen.
2. Press and hold the ALT key.
3. Click and drag with the mouse to select the text.
4. Release the ALT key, then release the mouse.

Now you can format, copy, cut, or anything else you need to do with selected text.

Using Keyboard Shortcuts to Select and Move Text

Microsoft Word 2003, 2007, 2010

When typing in a Word document, it may be inconvenient to switch to the mouse for selecting text. If you are looking for a way to select and move text while keeping your hands on the keyboard, familiarize yourself with the keyboard shortcuts in this tip.

Shortcut keys are keys or key combinations that perform a special function. When using a keyboard combination, you need to hold down all the keys together, and then let them go at the same time to achieve the desired result. For example, when using the CTRL+SHIFT+down arrow combination, you would want to hold down the CTRL key, hold down the SHIFT key, press the down arrow key, then let go of all three keys at the same time.

Use the following keyboard shortcuts to select text:

• SHIFT+up/down arrow – Selects the text between the cursor and the character directly above/below it.
• SHIFT+left/right arrow – Selects one character to the left/right of the cursor.
• CTRL+SHIFT+up/down arrow – Selects the text between the cursor and the top/bottom of the paragraph.
• CTRL+SHIFT+left/right arrow – Selects text up to and including the previous/next space character.
• SHIFT+Home/End – Selects text between the cursor and the beginning/end of the current line of text.

There is also a keyboard shortcut that can be used to move an entire paragraph in a document. With the cursor anywhere within a paragraph, use the keyboard shortcut SHIFT+ALT+up/down arrow to move the entire paragraph up or down. This trick even works on items in a numbered or bulleted list.

Moving Text with the Mouse

Microsoft Word 2003, 2007, 2010

If you are anything like me when moving sentences around in a document, you delete the sentence and retype it in a new location. This leaves the retyped sentence open to spelling or grammar errors — especially if it already has been checked using Word’s built-in tools. Copy and paste works nicely, but there is an even easier way to move text. By using the mouse to select and drag text to a new location, you minimize both mouse clicks and potential errors.

1. Start by clicking and dragging to select the text you want to move.
2. Click anywhere within the selected text and keep the mouse button held down.
3. With the mouse button held down, move the cursor to the text’s new location.
4. Release the mouse button. The text is in its new position.

NOTE: Be sure to select any spaces or punctuation at the end of the sentence so that they are moved with the text.

Moving Data Around a Spreadsheet

Microsoft Excel 2003, 2007, 2010

A common problem in large spreadsheets (or even small ones just starting to spread their wings) is that they need room to grow. When they grow, things need to be moved, copied, and pushed around. Copy and pasting works, but can quickly become tedious when rearranging large portions of a worksheet. Fortunately, Excel has a “hidden” feature that makes moving and copying cells much easier. Here is how:

To insert a selection:

1. Highlight a range of cells.
2. Hold down the SHIFT key.
3. While holding SHIFT, click on the black selection box around your cells and drag to the new location.
4. This will insert the cells in their new spot in the worksheet.

To replace with a selection:

1. Highlight a range of cells.
2. Click on the black selection box and drag cells to new location where they will replace whatever was previously in those cells.

To copy a selection:

1. Highlight range of cells.
2. Hold down the CTRL key.
3. While holding CTRL, click on the black selection box around your cells and drag to the new location.
4. This will copy the cells to the new spot in the worksheet. Essentially, this is a faster copy and paste.

Moving Text on an iOS Device

iPad iOS 4.x

With enough practice, you can become quite adept at typing on the virtual keyboard of your iOS device. However, there is no obvious way to use the keyboard to rearrange text in an email or other document. This tip will explain how to use the clipboard features of your iOS device to move text.

Selecting Text

There are three ways to enter text selection mode:

1. Double-tap on a single word to select it.

2. Tap the blinking text cursor briefly. Choose the Select button to select the word adjacent to the cursor, or choose Select All to select all the text inside that object of your app (for example, the entire body of an email message, an entire Note, or the entire subject of an email message).

3. Tap text and hold until the magnifier window opens. Let go to move the cursor position to that point and bring up the Select/Select All buttons simultaneously. Choose the Select button to select the word adjacent to the cursor, or choose Select All to select all of the text.

Adjusting Text Selection

Once you have selected a single word or the entire body of text, you can change the selection by using the blue grab points that appear at either end of the currently selected text.

1. Tap and hold one of the grab points and slide your finger to the point to which you want to move your selection. Lift your finger immediately after you are done sliding, and the grab point will move to include the entire word you stopped on. Hold briefly before releasing it and it will stay where you put it, extending or contracting the selection accordingly.

Cutting and Copying Text

Once text has been selected, buttons floating above the text offer Cut and Copy options. A Paste button appears as well if previously copied text is on the clipboard.

1. Choose Cut to delete the currently selected text and place it in the clipboard memory for later pasting.

2. Choose Copy to leave the currently selected text intact and make it available to the clipboard for later pasting.

Pasting Text

Insert text at the current cursor position or select text that will be replaced by the text on the clipboard by choosing Paste.

1. To paste text at the current position of the cursor without removing any other text, tap the cursor once briefly. If you see Select, Select All, and Paste buttons, you can safely tap Paste to insert the text that you cut or copied earlier.

NOTE: If you see Cut, Copy, and Paste buttons, you have selected some text and it will be replaced with the text from the clipboard when you choose Paste.

2. If you would like to remove a section of text and replace it with the text you cut or copied to the clipboard, use the methods outlined in the first two sections above to select it. When it is selected, you will see Cut, Copy, and Paste buttons. Choose Paste to remove the selected text and insert the text from the clipboard.

NOTE: If you choose Cut or Copy after making a new selection, the text you previously placed on the clipboard will be lost and can no longer be pasted. This cannot be undone.

Undo a Removal

If you cut something inadvertently, choose Paste on a selection you did not intend to remove, or accidently type over selected text, you can undo the removal.

1. After making the mistake, but before continuing, shake your device gently.
2. A window will pop up in the center of the screen. Tap the Undo button to reverse the last action.
3. If you want to undo another action, shake the device again and choose Undo in the pop up window.
4. If you do not like the results of the undo, shake the device again and choose Redo in the pop up window.
5. If you inadvertently shook the device and do not want to undo or redo anything, tap the Cancel button in the pop up window.

NOTE: On the iPad only (but not an iPhone or iPod Touch), the virtual keyboard also offers undo and redo buttons that eliminate the need to shake the device.

1. To find the Undo button, tap one of the buttons labeled “.?123″ to display the numbers section of the keyboard. The Undo button is in the third row of the keyboard on the left side.

2. To find the Redo button, first go to the numbers section of the keyboard by tapping one of the “?.123″ buttons. Then tap one of the buttons labeled “#+=”. The Redo button is in the third row of the keyboard on the left side.

3. Tap either ABC button on the bottom row of the keyboard to return to the letters section of the keyboard.

With software, these types of changes also need to occur; not seasonally, but by task. We have gathered some tips to help you get your software application windows to behave the way you want so you can quickly switch gears.

Tips compiled by PC Helps staff.

What Is the Windows Key Used For?

Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7

Have you ever wondered about that strange key between the Ctrl and Alt keys on the left side of your keyboard? It is commonly known as the Windows key, and can be used in conjunction with other keys to perform a variety of useful tasks.

First and foremost, it will open the Start menu; all you have to do is press it. Press it a second time to close the Start menu. Here are a few of its other uses:

• Windows Key+D – Show/hide desktop
• Windows Key+M – Minimize all open windows
• Windows Key+Shift+M – Undo minimize all open windows
• Windows Key+Tab – Cycle through taskbar program buttons
• Windows Key+L – Lock your computer

For more Windows 7 shortcuts, check out Lifehacker’s “master list.”

Switch Windows Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Windows XP, Vista, 7

You are a multitasker extraordinaire. Single-handedly mouse-clicking back and forth between application windows, accessing just the right window for the task, you are an unstoppable, clicking machine. And yet, you may find that your mouse just does not click fast enough for you, or you may just want to improve your speed. We are about to unveil a new weapon for you; a weapon so fast and accurate, you may never want to click again.

Clicking the icons on the Taskbar to switch applications is a time-honored tradition among multitaskers, but our method may make you even more efficient. Give this a try:

Windows XP:

Hold down the Alt key and do not let go. Next, tap the Tab key, but do not let go of that Alt key. Notice that a bar appears on your screen with small thumbnails that represent each of the application windows that you have open. While still holding the Alt key, each time you press the Tab key, the gray selection box moves from left to right, highlighting each application. When you get to the application of choice, let go of both keys, and the selected window is in front and active.

The Shift key works with the Alt+Tab combination to reverse the order you go through the windows.

Windows Vista, 7:

Hold down the Windows key and do not let go. Next, tap the Tab key, but do not let go of that Windows key. All of your windows appear as large thumbnails and you can cycle through them as you continue pressing the Tab key. Release the keys when you reach the window you want, and that will be window in front of everything with the cursor active.

The Alt and Tab key combination also works without using the Aero feature. Notice that a bar appears on your screen with small thumbnails that represent each of the application windows that you have open. While still holding the Alt key, each time you press the Tab key, the gray selection box moves from left to right, highlighting each application. When you get to the application of choice, let go of both keys, and the selected window is in front and active.

The Shift key works with both combinations and reverses the order you go through the windows.

How to Open and Work with a Second Window of Your Spreadsheet

Microsoft Excel 2003, 2007, 2010

Sometimes you need to see file in two (or more) windows. In Excel, you might have to view data from multiple worksheets in the same workbook at the same time. You may not have enough screen space to view different areas of the file all at once. By viewing the same file in multiple windows, you can easily see different parts of it all at once, even if they are nowhere near each other on the worksheet.

Follow the steps below for your version of Excel.

Excel 2003:

1. Click the Window menu.
2. Click on New Window.
3. You will see the title in the title bar change to “Filename: 2″ (where “Filename” is the name of your file. You now have two windows showing the same file. Any changes you make in either window will show in the other window). Depending on your configuration, you may also notice that a second instance of Excel has appeared in your taskbar, containing the second copy of your workbook.
4. To properly close the extra window(s), click the small “x” icon in the upper-right corner of the workbook. Be sure not to click the red “x” to close Excel, but the small black “x” to close just the active workbook.

NOTE: If you save the file with multiple windows open, the next time you open it, both windows will open. You will have to close one of the windows and re-save the file.

Excel 2007:

1. Click the View tab on the Ribbon.
2. Click on the New Window icon.
3. You will see the title in the title bar change to “Filename: 2″ (where “Filename” is the name of your file. You now have two windows showing the same file. Any changes you make in either window will show in the other window). Depending on your configuration, you may also notice that a second instance of Excel has appeared in your taskbar, containing the second copy of your workbook.
4. To properly close the extra window(s), click the small “x” icon in the upper-right corner of the workbook. Be sure not to click the larger “x” icon to close Excel, but the smaller “x” icon to close just the active workbook.

NOTE: If you save the file with multiple windows open, the next time you open it, both windows will open. You will have to close one of the windows and re-save the file.

Excel 2010:

1. Click the View tab on the Ribbon.
2. Click on the New Window icon.
3. You will see the title in the title bar change to “Filename: 2″ (where “Filename” is the name of your file. You now have two windows showing the same file. Any changes you make in either window will show in the other window). Depending on your configuration, you may also notice that a second instance of Excel has appeared in your taskbar, containing the second copy of your workbook.
4. To properly close the extra window(s), click the small “x” icon in the upper-right corner of the workbook. Be sure not to click the larger “x” icon to close Excel, but the smaller “x” icon to close just the active workbook.

NOTE: If you save the file with multiple windows open, the next time you open it, both windows will open. You will have to close one of the windows and re-save the file.

How to View Two Workbooks Side by Side

Microsoft Excel 2003, 2007, 2010

In this age of advanced technology and multi-tasking, it is often necessary to work with more than one file at a time. Excel has a built-in feature that is easy to use, and more importantly, very useful, that lets you view two workbooks side by side. You can even scroll through both files simultaneously, so that you do not have to keep switching windows and scrolling through both separately.

To enable Side by Side view, follow the steps for your version of Excel below.

Excel 2003:

1. Open at least two Excel workbooks.
2. Click the Window menu.
3. Click the option for “Compare Side by Side with…” If you only have one other file open, that file’s name will display. If you have more than two files open, a dialog box will open that will let you choose the second file to view. Just click on the file to select it and click the OK button.
4. Excel should arrange the windows horizontally or vertically. You should notice a small toolbar pop up called Compare Side by Side. If the windows did not arrange properly, press the Reset Window Position button, which looks like two pieces of paper with arrows pointing towards each other. If you only have two documents open in Excel, you can also modify the arrangement by going to the Window menu, and then Arrange. Choose horizontal or vertical, then click the OK button.
5. When you scroll through one worksheet, the other worksheet will scroll as well. This is referred to as “synchronous scrolling.”
6. To disable synchronous scrolling, click on the synchronous scrolling icon on the Compare Side by Side toolbar. It is on the left side of the toolbar. Notice that it is no longer illuminated. Click it again to reactivate.
7. To close Side by Side view, click the Window menu and then click on Close Side by Side. You can also click on the same option from the Compare Side by Side toolbar.

Excel 2007:

1. Open at least two Excel workbooks.
2. Click the View tab.
3. In the Window group, click on the option for View Side by Side. The icon looks like two pieces of paper next to each other. If you have more than two files open, this will open a dialog box that will let you choose the file you want to view side by side with. Just click on the file to select it and click the OK button.
4. Excel should arrange the windows horizontally or vertically. If the windows did not arrange properly, press the Reset Window Position button, which is located on the View tab in the Window group and looks like two pieces of paper with arrows pointing towards each other. If you only have two documents open in Excel, you can also modify the arrangement by going to the View tab, and then Arrange All. Choose horizontal or vertical and then click the OK button.
5. When you scroll through a worksheet the other worksheet will scroll as well. This is referred to as “synchronous scrolling.”
6. To disable synchronous scrolling, click to deselect the synchronous scrolling icon on the View tab, in the Window group.
7. To close Side by Side view, click the View tab, and in the Window group, click to deselect the View Side by Side option.

Excel 2010:

1. Open at least two Excel workbooks.
2. Click the View tab.
3. In the Window group, click on the option for View Side by Side. The icon looks like two pieces of paper next to each other. If you have more than two files open, this will open a dialog box that will let you choose the file you want to view side by side with. Just click on the file to select it and click the OK button.
4. Excel should arrange the windows horizontally or vertically. If the windows did not arrange properly, press the Reset Window Position button, which is located on the View tab in the Window group and looks like two pieces of paper with arrows pointing towards each other. If you only have two documents open in Excel, you can also modify the arrangement by going to the View tab, and then Arrange All. Choose horizontal or vertical and then click the ok button.
5. When you scroll through a worksheet the other worksheet will scroll as well. This is referred to as “synchronous scrolling.”
6. To disable synchronous scrolling, click to deselect the synchronous scrolling icon on the View tab, in the Window group.
7. To close Side by Side view, click the View tab, and in the Window group, click to deselect the View Side by Side option.

How to View Two Documents Side by Side

Microsoft Word 2003, 2007, 2010

When examining changes between documents or when working with two at the same time, it would be nice to be able to see them both at once. In Word you can view two documents side by side, and even scroll through them at the same time. The Compare Side by Side feature places two documents on screen, right next to each other, so that you can easily work with both.

Follow the steps for your version of Word below.

Word 2003:

1. Ensure that you have more than one document open.
2. Click the Window menu.
3. Click the option for “Compare Side by Side with…”. If you only have one other file open, that file’s name will display. If you have more than two files open, this will open a dialog box that will let you choose the file you want to view side by side with. Just click on the file to select it and click the OK button.
4. Word will arrange the windows vertically.
5. When you scroll through a document the other document will scroll as well. This is referred to as “synchronous scrolling.”
6. To disable synchronous scrolling, click on the synchronous scrolling icon on the Compare Side by Side toolbar that appears when in Side by Side mode. It is the icon on the left side of the toolbar.
7. To close Side by Side view, click the Window menu and then click on Close Side by Side. You can also click on the same option from the Compare Side by Side toolbar.

Word 2007:

1. Ensure that you have more than one document open.
2. Click the View tab.
3. In the Window group, click on the option for View Side by Side. If you have more than two files open, this will open a dialog box that will let you choose the file you want to view side by side with. Just click on the file to select it and click the OK button.
4. Word will arrange the windows horizontally.
5. When you scroll through a document the other document will scroll as well. This is referred to as “synchronous scrolling.”
6. To disable synchronous scrolling, click to deselect the synchronous scrolling icon on the View tab, in the Window group.
7. To close Side by Side view, click the View tab, and in the Window group, click to deselect the View Side by Side option.

Word 2010:

1. Ensure that you have more than one document open.
2. Click the View tab.
3. In the Window group, click on the option for View Side by Side. If you have more than two files open, this will open a dialog box that will let you choose the file you want to view side by side with. Just click on the file to select it and click the OK button.
4. Word will arrange the windows horizontally.
5. When you scroll through a document the other document will scroll as well. This is referred to as “synchronous scrolling.”
6. To disable synchronous scrolling, click to deselect the synchronous scrolling icon on the View tab, in the Window group.
7. To close Side by Side view, click the View tab, and in the Window group, click to deselect the View Side by Side option.

How to View Two Presentations at the Same Time

Microsoft PowerPoint 2003, 2007, 2010

When creating a new presentation, it is often necessary to review a previous presentation to make sure that formatting and styles conform. With two presentations on screen at the same time, you can easily see differences between them, and make changes to both at once. The Arrange All feature does this quickly and easily. This will save you time and effort so that you do not have to continually switch back and forth between windows.

Follow the steps below for your version of PowerPoint.

PowerPoint 2003:

1. Ensure that you have more than one PowerPoint presentation open.
2. Click the Window menu.
3. Click on Arrange All.
4. The presentations will be arranged vertically, with each presentation taking up an equal amount of the screen. They will share the same main PowerPoint application window.
5. To close a single presentation, click the “x” icon in the upper-right corner of its window.
6. To maximize an individual presentation, click the maximize icon in the upper-right corner of its window.

PowerPoint 2007:

1. Ensure that you have more than one PowerPoint presentation open.
2. Click the View tab.
3. Click on Arrange All.
4. The presentations will be arranged vertically, with each presentation taking up an equal amount of the screen. They will share the same main PowerPoint application window.
5. To close a single presentation, click the “x” icon in the upper-right corner of its window.
6. To maximize an individual presentation, click the maximize icon in the upper-right corner of its window.

PowerPoint 2010:

1. Ensure that you have more than one PowerPoint presentation open.
2. Click the View tab.
3. Click on Arrange All.
4. The presentations will be arranged vertically, with each presentation taking up an equal amount of the screen. Each presentation will be in its own PowerPoint application window.
5. To close a single presentation, click the “x” icon in the upper-right corner of its window.
6. To maximize an individual presentation, click the maximize icon in the upper-right corner of its window.

Tips were compiled and written by PC Helps staff.

Long before there were apps, there was Excel.

Counting Days Between Two Dates

Microsoft Excel 2003, 2007, 2010

Do you need to know how many days are between two dates? If you ever have to figure out how long before a payment is due, how long it takes to manufacture a product, how many days shipping took, or how long before a perishable product is out of date, then this tip will help you.

For this example we will create a blank worksheet and enter the following data:

Excel 2003 and older:

1. To determine the difference between two dates simply subtract the earlier date from the later date. Using our example worksheet the formula would be =A2-A1. The result of the formula will display as a date; in order to display the number of days between the dates we need to change the cell format.
2. To view the result as a number, select the cell, then go to the Format menu and click Cells.
3. Click the Number tab in the Format Cells dialog box.
4. Choose Number in the Category list box, change the Decimal places to zero (0), and then click OK.
5. To determine the number of days between the current date and a past date we can use the Today function to return the current date. Using our example data: if cell A2 contains the date our library books were due we would calculate the number of days overdue using the formula =TODAY()-A2.
6. Repeat steps two (2) through four (4) to format the result as a number.

Excel 2007 and 2010:

1. To determine the difference between two dates simply subtract the earlier date from the later date. Using our example worksheet the formula would be =A2-A1. The result of the formula will display as a date; in order to display the number of days between the dates we need to change the cell format.
2. To view the result as a number, select the cell and then go to the Home tab and click the Format drop-down in the Cells group, and choose Format Cells.
3. Click the Number tab in the Format Cells dialog box.
4. Choose Number in the Category list box, change the Decimal places to zero (0), and then click OK.
5. To determine the number of days between the current date and a past date we can use the Today function to return the current date. Using our example data: if cell A2 contains the date our library books were due we would calculate the number of days overdue using the formula =TODAY()-A2.
6. Repeat steps two (2) through four (4) to format the result as a number.

How to Extract the Month from a Date

Microsoft Excel 2003, 2007, 2010

For this tip, enter a date in cell A1, for example 7/4/2010. In cell B1 you would like to return the month of that date, which would be 7. In order to return the correct month we are going to use the MONTH function.

In cell B1, type the formula =MONTH(A1) which would return 7 since that is the month of the date in A1.

The MONTH function takes a date or serial number as its argument:

• In the above example the date entered into a cell was 7/4/2010 which returns a 7.
• A date could also be entered as a formula such as =DATE(2011,1,15). Using MONTH to return the month from this value would result in 1.
• A date could also be entered as a serial number. 39000 formatted as a date would be 10/10/2006, and the formula would return a 10.

NOTE: To see an abbreviated or full name of the month you can make use of a custom format. Say you have the date 7/4/2010 in cell A1. In B1 you can write the formula =A1, which should return the same date. Now you can right-click on B1 and choose Format Cells. Click on the Number tab and choose the Custom category of the left hand side. If you want the see the abbreviated way to spell the month, type in mmm under the Type section. If you would like to see the full name, type mmmm.

How to Calculate the Last Day of the Month

Microsoft Excel 2003, 2007, 2010

From time to time it may be necessary to return the last day of a month in the future when calculating loan maturity dates or other due dates. Of course, knowing that September is two months from July is nice and those of us who paid attention in school know that September has 30 days, but the EOMONTH function in Excel does the work for us and is easily updatable.

To see how this function works, type a date in cell A1. In cell B1, enter the following formula: =EOMONTH(A1,2). The first argument in the formula, the A1 refers to the start date, or our starting point. The second argument indicates how far into the future to look before returning the last day of the month. For example, if the date in A1 is July 2, 2011, then the formula will return September 30, 2011 — the end of the second month from the start date. Replacing the 2 in our formula with a 3 would return October 31, 2011.

The formula will return the date as a serial number, so you may want to change the cell display formatting to either Short or Long Date, depending on preference.

NOTE: In Excel 2003, you may receive a #NAME? error upon entering the formula. If this happens, you need to enable the Analysis Toolpack add-in. To do this, go to Tools, Add-Ins and check the box for Analysis Toolpack and click OK. Once the add-in is enabled, Excel can make sense of the function.

The EOMONTH function can also be used to return the first day in the current month by using this formula: =EOMONTH(TODAY(),-1)+1. This formula will look at the current date (the TODAY function) and return the first of the month. It does this by finding the last day of the preceding month (that is the reason for the -1) and adding one day to it. Another way to return the first day of any month is with this formula: =A1-(DAY(A1)-1). This formula uses the DAY function, which returns the day of the month as an integer between 1 and 31. Subtracting this from the date in A1 gives the date of the last day of the preceding month; adding 1 day to that number gives the first day of the month containing the A1 date

How to Use the DATEDIF Function

Microsoft Excel 2003, 2007, 2010

Do you need to determine the number of years between two dates? For instance, it might be important to know how many years an employee has worked for you or to determine what age an employee is for benefits eligibility. The DATEDIF function combined with the TODAY function can provide this information and more for you.

In this tip we will specifically deal with years. The DATEDIF function can also give you results in months, days, and several other variations.

1. Enter the initial date, 1/1/1987 in cell A1.
2. Click in B1 and type the following formula: =DATEDIF(A1,TODAY(),”y”)
3. Press ENTER. You should get the result of 24.

See the extra tip below for a more informative result if you will not be doing any further calculations with the number.

The DATEDIF function has three parts, separated by commas. The first part of the formula contains the initial or start date. In this case, we substituted the cell reference (A1) containing that date instead. The second part of the formula usually contains the ending date. In our case, we substituted the TODAY() function which represents the current date since it is a function that updates as the function is calculated. The third part of the function determines the unit of measure for the result, in our example years (“y”). The function can also report months or days.

Extra Tip

If you would like the see the result as “21 years,” enter the formula with this variation:

=DATEDIF(B4,TODAY(),”y”)&” years”

We used the ampersand (&) symbol to concatenate the result with the text “years” to provide a more informative solution. Make sure you include a space inside the quotes before the word years. Adding text to the number has one side effect; you cannot use that number in further mathematical calculations easily.

To display the result of the DATEDIF function in months or days, simply substitute the appropriate letter “m” or “d” for the letter “y” in the formula.

For more tips on Excel and other applications, visit our eTips Library.

Are you the type who steps away from the grill for a sec to check your e-mail?

So why would work stop on a holiday like the Fourth of July? (It doesn’t.) If you are the type who steps away from the grill for a sec to check your e-mail, here are a few of our most popular tips that promise to make your holiday a little less work-infused:

iPhone

Easy punctuation

Inserting a period from the symbols box can become tedious. You want to send messages with proper punctuation, but deadlines get in the way. Here’s a quicker way: Double-tap the spacebar. Problem solved. Reputation saved.

Copy Web images

Do you often come across images in your Web travels that you’d like to save for later use? Try this shortcut: Press and hold your finger on the photo and you’ll be prompted to “Save Image.” Now it’s in your Camera Roll.

Making sense of time zones and meetings

Sometimes technology’s intuitive functionality can get the better of you, especially when traveling across time zones. Case in point: the Time Zone Support feature, which shows event dates and times in the zone you selected for your calendar. For example, if you scheduled a 10 a.m. conference call while at the home office in Philadelphia, and you are currently visiting Los Angeles, your meeting will still show up as scheduled for 10 a.m. Turning off the Time Zone Support feature can make your schedule a little clearer by automatically adjusting your calendar to the time zone you are in. To do so, go to Settings | Mail | Contacts | Calendar and toggle off Time Zone Support.

Easy Scrolling

Mobile devices are practical, yes, but not when it comes to screen size. Scrolling, in particular, can become tiresome on an iPhone, or any smart phone for that matter. Whichever screen you are on – your contacts, a Web site – you can quickly return to the top by tapping the status bar (at the very top of every iPhone screen).

For the BlackBerry

Filter incoming mail

Say, for example, you receive a daily report that you will not read or deal with on your phone and would prefer to just handle it back at the office. Can you create a filter for that?

Of course you can. Here’s how:

1. Click on the Messages icon to open your messages, then click the trackwheel or Menu button and select Options.

2. Select E-mail Filters.

3. Click your trackwheel or Menu button, select New and then type a filter name.

4. You have several fields you can filter on: From; Sent To; Subject; Message; Sent directly to me; CC to me; BCC to me; Importance; Sensitivity. You can choose more than one option here. For example, to take care of your daily report problem, create the following filter:

From: coworker@domain.com
Subject: Daily Report
Action: Do not forward

This will affect any e-mails from colleagues with “daily report” in the subject.

5. Click your trackwheel or Menu button and save the filter. By default, it is enabled and will function immediately with any new incoming messages.

If you want to temporarily allow filtered messages, simply click on the filter name to uncheck in the filter list. Take note, however, that filtering works only if your BlackBerry is activated on a BlackBerry Enterprise Server; to access filters with BlackBerry Internet Service you must check with your wireless carrier.

High-priority e-mail notifications

You want to make sure you know when high-priority e-mails come in, and the standard notification doesn’t quite command your attention. To set up special notices, start at the home screen, go to Profiles, then Advanced. Here you can create a new profile or modify your current one. Set the desired notification for Level 1 Messages and save. Note: High-priority message notices will work even if you have disabled those for other types of messages.

Shortcuts

BlackBerry offers ample useful shortcut keys, most of which are only available on a device that has a full keyboard. They are performed by simply pressing the key or combination of keys listed below.

Open a message that was sent to you and try the following shortcuts:

R: Reply to message

L: Reply to all

F: Forward message

I: File highlighted message into a folder

Q: Toggle the display name and full e-mail address of a contact in an e-mail address field

G: Move to the last cursor position in a received message after closing and re-opening it

How to Mark an Email as Unread from Your iOS Device

Sometimes when you check your email on a mobile device, you might start reading a message and realize that it is better for you to deal with it later when you have more time. On a PC you can flag the message for follow-up in Outlook, but on a mobile device like an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch, that feature is not obvious. Here’s a way for you to flag a message for later.

3 tips for setting up iPad email the way you like it.

NOTE: Messages that are marked as unread are indicated by a blue dot to the left of the message preview in your message list.

How to Mark an Email as Unread

1. Scroll to the top of your email message. If it is a long message, you can quickly do this by tapping on the time in the status bar at the top of your screen.
2. If the only email header you see before the subject is From, tap on the word Details to the right of that line. This will reveal the To and CC fields (if completed). The word Details will also change to the word Hide.
3. If you see the word Hide across from the From line, look below the address fields, at the subject line. You will see Mark as Unread in blue text across from the subject line.
4. Tap the blue Mark as Unread text. The text color will change to dimmed-out gray, but the message will remain open. This color indicates that the message will appear as unread in your inbox.
5. Once Mark as Unread changes to the gray text, tapping it again does nothing. If you change your mind and want the message marked as read again, simply read a different message, then read the first one again.

Adding an Email Signature on Your iPad

When sending mail, especially for business, it is a good idea to add a signature to your messages. The signature identifies you and provides information that will allow your recipient to contact you.

1. On the main screen of the iPad, tap the Settings icon.
2. In the left-hand menu, tap Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
3. In the second section under Mail, tap Signature.
4. Type whatever you would like to show as your signature, exactly as you would like it to appear.
5. When you are finished, simply tap another option or click the Home button to exit the screen.

The signature you enter here will be automatically added to all email messages you create on your iPad. If you would like to edit or delete the signature for one specific message, you can edit it as you would the rest of the text while you are typing the message.

Increasing the Amount of Mail and Calendar Items Synced to Your iOS Device

When setting up your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch to sync your email and calendar appointments, the default settings on the device limit the amount of information that will download to the device. Particularly in situations where there is potential for the loss of a reliable network connection, it is important that you have all of your email messages already downloaded to your device. Follow the steps below to ensure that more data is pushed to your iOS device.

Increasing how much mail syncs to your device:

1. Open the Settings app from the home screen.
2. Tap the “Mail, Contacts, Calendars” category.
3. Under Mail, tap Show and change it to 200 Recent Messages to download up to 200 messages to your device’s memory.
4. Return to the previous screen by tapping the “Mail, Contacts, Calendars” category again. Under Mail, tap Preview, then choose 5 Lines to maximize the number of lines of the message that will appear in the message list for quick scanning.
   NOTE: If you are not using an Exchange email account, you are now finished with the process. You can return to the previous screen by tapping the “Mail, Contacts, Calendars” category.
5. If you have a work email account using a Microsoft Exchange server, return to the previous screen by tapping the “Mail, Contacts, Calendars” category again. Scroll up and tap on your Exchange Server’s name under Accounts.
6. To increase how many days of email are synced to the device, tap Mail Days to Sync. Choose No Limit to allow email from an unlimited number of days to come to the device. Press the Exchange back arrow button at the top of the dialog box when you have finished making your selection.
   NOTE: This will not fill up your entire device memory if you have a large mailbox, since only as many messages as you chose in Step 3 will sync. However, it will allow you to find older messages via searching the server.
7. To specify that messages moved from Outlook to other email subfolders are automatically “pushed” to your device, tap Mail Folders to Push. Choose the folders you would like to see populated immediately when a message is moved to them. This will reduce delays with waiting for them to download later. Press the Exchange back arrow button at the top of the dialog box when you have finished making your selections. Press Done to close the Exchange dialog box.

Increasing the number of calendar appointments that sync to device:

1. Open the Settings app from the home screen.
2. Tap the “Mail, Contacts, Calendars” category.
3. Under Calendars, tap Sync. Choose All Events to download all events from your calendar to the device.
4. Tap the “Mail, Contacts, Calendars” category again to return to the previous screen.

Tips were compiled and written by PC Helps staff.

Below are some tips for creating presentations that will survive the trip from the PC to the iPad.

Tips for creating presentations that will survive the trip from the PC to the iPad.

Choosing Fonts and Bullets That Will Display Properly on the iPad

Microsoft PowerPoint 2003, 2007, 2010

The iPad is a natural choice for running presentations without having to carry a bulky laptop, but sometimes fonts and bullets do not display properly on the device. Consider the following tips before sending your PowerPoint file to someone who will run it from a tablet. In all cases, allow enough time to review and tweak the presentation on the iPad, as some translation issues are likely.

Fonts:

The following list of fonts (or a close substitute) are available in many installations of Microsoft Office on the PC and in Keynote on the iPad. When working in PowerPoint, choose from these fonts if you want your text to look the same in both PowerPoint and Keynote. While you still may get a warning about missing fonts when the presentation is opened in Keynote, the font will most likely appear unchanged:

Arial, Arial Rounded MT Bold, Courier, Courier New, Georgia, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Papyrus.

NOTE: Calibri, the default font used by Microsoft Office 2007 and 2010, is not available on the iPad and Helvetica will be substituted. If you choose Calibri (or any other unsupported font) when creating your presentation in PowerPoint, Helvetica may be substituted on the iPad.

Bullets:

Only the first two bullet types from the default Bullets and Numbering dialog in PowerPoint will appear correctly on the iPad. If you want to use a bullet other than Filled Round or Hollow Round, follow these steps:

PowerPoint 2003:

1. Select the text that requires a custom bullet.
2. Right-click on the text and choose Bullets and Numbering in the context menu.
3. Choose any of the gallery positions in the second row of the dialog box, and click either the Picture or Customize button. For the Picture button, select a Picture Bullet, then click OK. For the Customize button, click the Font drop-down list in the Symbol dialog box that appears and choose one of the fonts available on the iPad as listed in the Fonts section above. Scroll through the characters available for that font and choose one to use for your bullet. Click OK in both open dialogs.

PowerPoint 2007 and 2010:

1. Select the text that requires a custom bullet.
2. Right-click on the text and choose Bullets and then Bullets and Numbering in the context menu.
3. Choose any of the gallery positions in the second row of the dialog box, and click either the Picture or Customize button. For the Picture button, select a Picture Bullet, then click OK. For the Customize button, click the Font drop-down list in the Symbol dialog box that appears and choose one of the fonts available on the iPad as listed in the Fonts section above. Scroll through the characters available for that font and choose one to use for your bullet. Click OK in both open dialogs.

How to Minimize Text and Objects Moving on Slides Designed in PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint 2003, 2007, 2010

The easiest way to make sure a presentation looks good on the iPad is to design it from the ground up on the device itself using your favorite app. But if you do not want to work exclusively on the iPad, you can make some changes to settings in PowerPoint that will reduce the amount of fine tuning needed when moving the presentation to your iPad.

TIP: Prevent objects from disappearing off the screen.

Setting the Slide Show resolution to the same dimensions as the iPad screen can reduce some formatting problems.

PowerPoint 2003:

1. Click the Slide Show menu and choose Set Up Show.
2. Change the Slide show resolution drop-down box at the bottom of the dialog box to 1024×768.
3. Click OK.
4. Save changes to the presentation before exiting.

PowerPoint 2007 and 2010:

1. Click the Slide Show tab on the Ribbon.
2. In the Monitors group, change the Resolution drop-down box to 1024×768.
3. Save changes to the presentation before exiting.

TIP: Reduce the amount of AutoShape shifting.

On the iPad, sometimes lines and other objects created in PowerPoint 2007 or 2010 will shift position. Reduce this problem by saving your file to the PowerPoint 2003 file format.

PowerPoint 2007:

1. Click the Office button and choose Save As.
2. Click the Save as type drop-down arrow and choose PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation (*.ppt).
3. Choose your folder location and change the filename, if desired.
4. Click Save.

PowerPoint 2010:

1. Click the File tab and choose Save As.
2. Click the Save as type drop-down arrow and choose PowerPoint 97-2003 Presentation (*.ppt).
3. Choose your folder location and change the filename, if desired.
4. Click Save.

TIP: Prevent text from getting cut off at the bottom of the page when previewing presentation attachments in the Mail app on the iPad.

PowerPoint has a feature that will fit text within a placeholder without the user manually altering the font size or line spacing. When this is enabled (as it is by default), PowerPoint slides with a large amount of text may not preview correctly on the iPad. Before creating presentations that will be viewed on an iPad, turn off this feature by following these steps.

PowerPoint 2003:

1. Click the Tools menu and choose AutoCorrect Options.
2. In the AutoCorrect dialog box, click the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
3. In the “Apply as you type” section, uncheck “AutoFit body text to placeholder.”
4. Click OK.
5. Save changes to the presentation before exiting.

PowerPoint 2007:

1. Click the Office button and choose PowerPoint Options.
2. Choose Proofing from the categories on the left.
3. Click the AutoCorrect Options button.
4. Click the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
5. In the “Apply as you type section,” uncheck “AutoFit body text to placeholder.”
6. Click OK twice to close both dialog boxes.
7. Save changes to the presentation before exiting.

PowerPoint 2010:

1. Click the File tab and choose Options.
2. Choose Proofing from the categories on the left.
3. Click the AutoCorrect Options button.
4. Click the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
5. In the “Apply as you type section,” uncheck “AutoFit body text to placeholder.”
6. Click OK twice to close both dialogs boxes.
7. Save changes to the presentation before exiting.

Preventing Unwanted Font Substitutions and Layout Shifts When Viewing Presentations on an iPad

Microsoft PowerPoint 2007, 2010

Sometimes fonts in PowerPoint presentations will not display properly on the iPad. Also, some objects such as AutoShapes or pictures may not align correctly when viewed on the device. If you don’t have animations in your presentation and don’t anticipate editing it on the iPad, PowerPoint 2007 and 2010 offer built-in ways to save presentations in a format that will display correctly on the iPad.

NOTE: These methods will not allow you to edit individual slides of the presentation from the iPad. Because of this, perform the following steps only after you have completed your edits and are ready to email the file to someone who will view or run the presentation using an iPad.

Saving as PDF:

PowerPoint 2007

1. Click the Office button and choose Save As.
2. In the Save as type drop-down choose PDF.
3. Browse to the desired folder location and change the file name if you wish. Click Save.
4. Using your email program, attach the PDF file to a message and send it to the iPad recipient.
5. PDF files can be previewed from the Mail app on the iPad or opened in many third-party apps that support the file type. However, PDFs cannot be opened in Keynote.

PowerPoint 2010

1. Click on the File tab and choose Save and Send.
2. Choose Create PDF/XPS Document, and click the Create PDF/XPS button.
3. Browse to the desired folder location and change the file name if desired. Click Publish.
4. Using your email program, attach the PDF file to an e-mail and send to the iPad recipient.
5. PDF files can be previewed from the Mail app on the iPad or opened in many third-party apps that support the file type. However, PDFs cannot be opened in Keynote.

Saving as a Picture Presentation with PowerPoint 2010:

1. Click the File tab and choose Save As.
2. In the Save as type drop-down choose PowerPoint Picture Presentation, which is near the bottom of the list.
3. Browse to the desired folder location and add something like “pictures” to the file name so you can differentiate from the standard version. Click Save.
4. Using your email program, attach the file to a message and send to the iPad recipient.
5. This type of file can be previewed from the Mail app on the iPad or opened in the Keynote app or any other third-party app that supports the PPTX file type.

Tips were researched and written by Brian Choplick.

But as with every upheaval, there’s some pain to be had. In the same study, researchers note that while employees are using their iPads, iPhones, Androids and netbooks at work, their employers are unaware of the extent, and have not put solid plans in place to regulate the use of employee-owned devices.

Not only are they on a different page as their employers, they’re in another bookstore.

Here are some of the highlights from the study:

• Employers don’t have an accurate understanding of what and how many consumer technologies their employees are using in the workplace. For example, workers in the survey reported that they are using smart phones, laptops and mobile phones in the workplace at nearly twice the rate reported by employers.
• Workers are using consumer technologies and applications for business, but give their employers poor grades for the internal IT support they provide for these technologies. The researchers found that more than 40 percent of workers surveyed are using text and instant messaging, online communities and blogs for work. Also, industry analysts predict that the number of workers using smart phones for work will double between 2009 and 2014. Yet not even half of employers allow workers to access enterprise applications via smart phones.
• Employees say their employers are more permissive about use of consumer technologies than is reported to be case by organizations. Sixty-seven percent of workers say they can access non-work-related websites, but only 44 percent of employers say their employees can access non-work-related sites. Likewise, 52 percent of workers say that can store personal data on the company network, but only 37 percent of employers say this is the case.
• Employers expect to increase business use of social networking applications significantly in the next year, yet they are not integrating those applications with their enterprise apps and often lack basic guidelines and policies governing the use of social media in the workplace. Forty-six percent of workers surveyed are dissatisfied with their employers’ integration of consumer devices and social networks with enterprise applications. What’s more, 40 percent of organizations surveyed say that don’t have guidelines for social media use in the workplace.

Researchers conclude that, “While [information workers] are intimately familiar and facile with technology, they have little understanding of the security risks, management issues, and policy and governance implications that arise from mass introduction of consumer devices and applications into the workplace.”

In other words, preparedness — that’s IT’s job. And here are some suggestions from the study authors:

• Manage and support these popular consumer technologies;
• Secure critical data and assets against hackers, viruses, identity thieves, and other widespread consumer IT threats;
• Offer the interactive “app” experiences that consumers are looking for when transacting with their suppliers;
• Handle the expected increase in transaction load that these new interactive experiences will impose on the IT infrastructure;
• Attract and retain the new generation of workers entering the workforce.

In a recent post here and on Forbes.com, our CEO Brian Madocks offered his own suggestions. Read what he had to say.