Project 2010 courseware is now available for download from CustomGuide. For a look at the table of contents, and a preview of some courseware lessons, view our Project 2010 title page.

Waiting for online learning? Work on Project 2010 online learning is currently in progress; look for the complete online learning course this spring.

Microsoft fans are abuzz with developments of new versions of Windows and Office currently in development. There are still a lot of unknowns in these early stages, but in case you haven’t been following along, here are the broad strokes:

 

• Windows 8: The highlight of this new version of Windows is the Metro user interface. Taking a cue from the clarity and readability of transportation signs, Metro is an aesthetic that is modern, clean, fast, and efficient, and it’s the way of the future for all Microsoft products.

• Windows on ARM: Microsoft is taking a plunge into the tablet market with this new operating system. Windows on ARM (or WOA for short) is a sleeker, faster, and more efficient version of Windows that is suitable for tablet hardware and touch interactivity. There is also speculation as to whether Office will come pre-loaded on ARM machines. Whatever they decide, you can bet that the final release will include a Windows app store that provides Office, and all other approved apps, for this device. (Note: ARM refers to the processor that would run this tablet-friendly version of Windows.)

• Office 15: Early screenshots show a very open and clean appearance for the new version of Office, but they don’t give much indication as to how commands will be given. Some speculate that the Ribbon is gone. Whatever the final user interface is, it will probably be one that works well on desktops and touch screens.

When can you plan on seeing these products on shelves? These are still the early stages of development, and Microsoft has ambitious plans for rollout with updates across all Microsoft products including all Office programs, Windows, servers, Office 365, SharePoint, and more. But look for more information as betas are released over the summer, with a possible release date before the end of the year, probably around October.

It’s Thanksgiving time, and as you go about your usual Thanksgiving rituals, take a moment to think about things you’re thankful for in your own office. It might be a colleague always able to lend a hand or a word of advice, or a boss who is truly interested in seeing you succeed. And though it’s not really tradition to be thankful for your computer, you have to admit it’s nice to have great business tools and applications. Just think: can you imagine doing your work without Microsoft Office? Sure, it’s not always perfect, but where would you be without it? So with that in mind, here are some Office features to be thankful for:

1. The Ribbon
   Yes, it was widely panned. Yes, it seems bulky and cartoonish sometimes. But admit it; it’s not that bad. In fact, you even kind of like it because the layout makes it easier to find commands, and the screen tips are really useful. Time to ‘fess up: thanks for the change, Microsoft.
2. Conversations in Outlook
   Isn’t it great to see all the messages together in one place? And to be able to see messages you’ve sent in context of the others in your Inbox: priceless.
3. Cool graphics tools
   It’s true that working with graphics and images can still be dicey at times. That whole business with the drawing canvas is particularly irritating. But oh, the wonderful things you can do with images in your documents and slides. You can add some really nice borders, artistic filters, and fun effects like shadows that really do take things to the next level. Having the tools to make eye candy is a glorious thing.
4. Office for Mac
   Have your pumpkin pie and eat it too.
5. Excel
   Who doesn’t love Excel? Can you imagine a business world without it? Definitely something to be thankful for.

What would you add to the list? Let us know!

Enjoy your friends and family this weekend!

Every year I reply to over 10,000 emails from clients, employees, vendors, and other business associates. Since e-mail correspondence is only part of my daily responsibilities, corresponding quickly without losing the quality is very important.

As you probably already know, Microsoft Office contains a useful tool called AutoCorrect that will automatically replace commonly misspelled words, such as “teh” or “recieve” with the correct spelling. Office allows you to add your own AutoCorrect entries, so if you always misspell “bureau” as “buerue”, you can add an AutoCorrect entry so the misspelling is automatically corrected whenever it is typed.

I noticed that for my e-mails, I tend to write the same words or phrases again and again and again, so it’s really a no-brainer to have “autocorrect shortcuts” to quickly write out as many as possible. For example, instead of typing out interactive assessment or interactive eLearning, I’ve entered custom autocorrect entries of “ia” and “ie “ which will then change the abbreviations with the entire words.

I have created and regularly use about over 200 autocorrect entries to increase my productivity. Here’s a partial list:

• cg: CustomGuide
• pp: PowerPoint
• tu: Thank you
• wi7: Windows 7
• dl: Download
• pod: Print on demand courseware
• o10: Office 2010
• pa: This customer needs assistance. Please assist right away.
• ra: Right away

Thus to come up with the following response:

“Thank you for your interest in CustomGuide’s computer training products. Our PowerPoint 2010 course is available as an interactive online course (best for self-paced) or as customizable print on demand courseware (best for instructor led training). Please let me know if you have any other questions.”

I use these autocorrect abbreviations:

“Ti in cg’s ct products. Our P10 course is av as an io course (best for sp) or as cz pod (best for ilt). Plq.”

You and your company, of course will have your own words and phrases that you’ll want to use in your AutoCorrect list. I’d recommend starting with a few long ones that you are sure to use again often (perhaps starting with one for your company name). One pitfall to avoid—be sure not to redefine abbreviations for actual abbreviations. For example, adding an AutoCorrect abbreviation for Windows Vista as “wv” might seem like a good idea, but you’ll have some annoyances as soon as you try writing a letter to someone in West Virginia.