I find that when I’m staring at a blank canvas or a nice and blank “new document” I don’t have a good idea of what direction I could be heading with my thoughts or needs. If you start with a template and see what other people have done with the tool you’re using, it can help get your own gears of creativity spinning and give you an idea of what’s possible with the application you’re getting started using.

If you’re trying to learn what one of the Microsoft Office applications are capable of, starting with a template is a great way to see the power and features of the app.

You can look through templates based on themes, industry or in our case of learning a new program, by “Program Category”. The Microsoft Office Online website has templates available in the following apps:

• Microsoft Office Access
• Microsoft Office Excel
• Microsoft Office InfoPath
• Microsoft Office OneNote
• Microsoft Office Outlook
• Microsoft Office PowerPoint
• Microsoft Office Project
• Microsoft Office Publisher
• Microsoft Office Visio
• Microsoft Office Word

So, whatever the business app you’re more than likely trying to learn, Microsoft probably has a template to help get you started.

Post from: EveryJoe

Use Templates to Help You Learn a New Office Program

Since I couldn’t make it to the early class where they were covering Word 2007, I spoke on the night they covered Access 2007. I ended up hanging around through the entire class to get a little introduction and overview of the power of Microsoft Access 2007.

I’ve been working with SQL databases and a few Access databases for the past 4 years now. I was thrown into figuring out SQL and troubleshooting items, but I never really had the opportunity to take things from the start and move from there. Much of what was discussed in class was information I already grasped easily. There was a true benefit of seeing how to start from scratch. From my experience, it’s like I was taught how to fly a plane but I only took control after someone else had already gone through take-off. Last night helped me learn how to take-off in Access.

As I was in class I was intrigued by the potential for Access to be used more by individuals for things they do everyday. Many people use Excel as their “database”, basically a simple flat file version. That’s not the true strength of Excel though.

Do you use Access? Let us know in our poll below. If you are a user, let us know how you use the tool in the comments. If you’re not a user, why not? Cost? Availability? Fear of the tool? I’ll be jumping into a few test projects soon, I’m looking forward to it.

A quick thank you to Bob Burchfield that invited me to speak to the class. He and I have met through our work blogging and supporting websites in Indianapolis. He runs AroundIndy.com which is a HUGE wealth of information about everything going on around Indianapolis.

Post from: EveryJoe

The Power of Access – User Poll

Zoho DB comes with a simple spreadsheet like user interface. You can create online databases and analyze your data using different views and charting tools. You can start by creating a database from an existing XLS/CSV/TSV files or by creating blank database. Once you have the data in the database, you can create different views and do visual analysis on the data in your database.

Zoho DB lets you create multiple types of views – Tabular View, Chart View, Pivot View, Summary View etc from the ‘New’ button.

One of the core functionalities of Zoho DB is Data Visualization. The ‘Chart View’ option enables you to visualize your data in simple charts. This complex functionality is simplified with a very simple Drag-n-Drop interface. You have to play with it to really know the power of this feature.

This Drag-n-drop interface is also extended to creating ‘Pivot Tables’ in Zoho DB.

One of the unique features of Zoho DB is the ability to run SQL Queries of ANY dialect on the data. It understands SQL Queries/dialects from any of the supported databases which include Oracle, SQL Server, DB2, Sybase, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Informix and ANSI SQL. So you can run the SQL queries you already know on Zoho DB data to create custom tables or reports.

Post from: EveryJoe

The new Zoho Database & Reports

In my professional use, I’m using Access 2007, Outlook 2007, Word 2007 and Excel 2007 on a regular basis and pretty much function with no problems. As I stated before, sometimes some oddities pop-up but nothing big.

One thing I’m wondering though is that I get some weird crashes every now and then with programs that aren’t related to Office 2007. Yesterday, I was working in Crystal Reports and would crash on a certain thing on a regular basis.

I’m wondering if anyone else out there using the beta is getting weird crashes with other software they’re using on the same machine as their beta software for Office. I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Post from: EveryJoe

Unexpected Errors

Working on a client project today and Access 2007 keeps crashing whenever I try to enter “Design View” on a report that’s developed in Access. When I submit the error report and click the link to get more information on what caused the error, I get the message above.

Granted, I probably shouldn’t be completely relying on the Office 2007 beta like I am, but this is business critical and I’m doing my best to put Office 2007 through the punches and see how it’s going to hold up. This isn’t helping.

Now I’ve got to figure out if I can and want to uninstall Access 2007 and reinstall 2003 to get the job done. Anyone else have this problem happen to them.

Post from: EveryJoe

Access 2007 Error Details Report

I’m working with a client who’s trying to import records from ACT into BCM. Everything’s gone fine so far but trying to get the “Notes” field of the ACT! contacts into the appropriate corresponding field in BCM. Has anyone done this? Do you have a map of what needs to go where and how to validate the right notes go to the right contacts?

Let me know by e-mail or in the comments.

Thanks.

Post from: EveryJoe

Outlook 2003 and Business Contact Manager and ACT!

The applications I use daily for work are:

• Outlook
• Word
• Access
• Excel

Expect to see some frequent posts from my experience and snags running it full time.

I made an announcement and request once before to my readers, but I’d like to know what you’re interested in knowing about the new Office suite from Microsoft. Anything you’d like to see some screen shots of or little tests you’d like to put me through?

Let me know in the comments.

Post from: EveryJoe

Running Office 2007 Full-time

Here’s how it should work in Outlook

On the details page, if I can put in information such as an Anniversary date, why can’t I link that contact to their spouse in Outlook? If contacts are linked, I should then also be able to share an address for those two people across contacts. This is a very normalized way of looking at things, but why should I have to enter the same address for someone that I’ve already entered once?

This would be more common with business contacts and a business address right? And that brings me to my second question.

Why can’t I add one contact and then say add another contact for the same company without repeating basic company information like name, address, phone #’s, website, etc.?

This just seems too simple to do for Microsoft to not have done it already, what’s the deal? Why isn’t Outlook seemingly based much more on Access database principles than it already is?

Post from: EveryJoe

Outlook Functionality

1. Course 4697: Introduction to the New Microsoft Office User Interface
2. Course 4622: What’s New in Microsoft Office Access 2007
3. Course 4623: What’s New in Microsoft Office Excel 2007
4. Course 4624: What’s New in Microsoft Office InfoPath 2007
5. Course 4625: What’s New in Microsoft Office OneNote 2007
6. Course 4626: What’s New in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007
7. Course 4627: What’s New in Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007
8. Course 4628: What’s New in Microsoft Office Word 2007
9. Course 4629: What’s New in Microsoft Office Visio 2007
10. Course 4698: What’s New in Microsoft Office Groove 2007

Post from: EveryJoe

Office 2007 Training Resources

All that aside though, if you’re interested in learning more about the functionality of Office, but don’t have time to sit and read, this may just be the thing for you.

There are lots of topics now available, check the list out at the The IW Center, A community portal for information workers….

Jensen Harris is to be thanked for this heads up as well.

I’m downloading and listening to one on Windows Mobile 5.0 right now, I’ll let you know what I think of it and some others specifically related to Office 2007 soon.

Post from: EveryJoe

Office 2007 Prodcasts