How to Back up Files and Recover Data

Here is a great article I found on Microsoft at Home about backing up your files.

Even computer novices know that file backups are important in case of hard drive crashes, but many people wonder exactly how to back up files and how to recover data. This article covers the Backup and Restore feature in Windows 7 and in Windows Vista, which can help save you a lot of time and trouble. It also focuses on how to back up Microsoft Outlook files and how to back up files in the cloud. All of these tools and processes can all help with data recovery in the event that something happens to your computer.

Click here to continue reading this article.

Microsoft Word 2007 - Drop Cap

Drop Cap allows you to add a very large letter at the beginning of a paragraph.   This can help make your document more customized. 

To add a drop case, follow these steps:

1.       Place your cursor at the beginning of the paragraph.

2.       Click on Insert Tab.

3.       Select Drop Cap.

It’s as easy as that. 

Microsoft Excel 2007 - Inserting Fractions

When you enter a fraction into Excel, it converts the fraction to something else.  For example when you type 1/4 Excel converts it to January 4.  This can be annoying when you really want to enter a fraction.

A quick and easy fix is to add a zero and a space before the fraction.  For example 0 1/4 will stay as 1/4.

Try it!

Constant Contact New Feature

Constant Contact has added a new feature to allow you to share emails and events directly from the Constant Contact platform on your Facebook profile, your Facebook Page and/or your Twitter feed.  One stop does it all.  Watch this video for details. 

Call Your Computer Lady (480-929-0335) today for assistance in getting the set up done and using the tool effectively.

Microsoft Word 2007 - Controlling URL Formatting

When you type a URL into a document, Word converts it to a live hyperlink. If you don't want Word to do this, here's how to turn off the conversion of those URLs.

This feature is turned on by default in Word. If you want to turn off this feature follow these steps:

1. Choose AutoCorrect (or AutoCorrect Options) from the Tools menu.
    Word displays the AutoCorrect dialog box.

2. Click on the AutoFormat As You Type tab. (Click here to see a
    related figure.)

3. Near the middle of the dialog box, at the bottom of the Replace As
   You Type section, make sure the Internet and Network Paths With
   Hyperlinks checkbox is not selected.

4. Click on OK.

Now, as you type, the URLs you enter are not converted to hypertext links.

Your Web Site IS Customer Service

Bryan and Jeffrey Eisenberg, the founders of Future Now, state in their book Waiting for Your Cat to Bark that “The most important factors for customers today are the experience itself and the information available about that experience. Lots of choices. Lots of information. It’s the most experience-based economy we’ve ever known”.

This is the “new” customer service. From web site to voice mail to the order desk, your customers are demanding quality service. The web site is the starting point. What does your site say about your company? Does it tell your customer what kind of people work for you? Community service? Quality standards? What kind of experience does the site give them? Good navigation makes it easy to browse the pages to look for information or to go directly to the piece of information I need RIGHT NOW. Fresh information keeps the customer involved and coming back for more information. Your web site should be a resource of information. You know you’ve made it when customers come to search your site instead of googling a term.

5 Ways to Make your Keyboard Easier to Use

How to use a keyboard might seem academic, but there’s more to typing than just tapping the keys. For most people, the keyboard is the primary computer input and control device—that’s why it’s important to leverage the features and shortcuts that keyboards offer. Read on for tips to maximize ease of use, comfort, and efficiency.

1. Get to know your keyboard...

Click here to visit Micrsoft at Home to finish reading the article.

Middle Age Texting Codes

I thought you might enjoy a laugh!   Below are some middle age texting codes:

ATD = at the doctor
BFF = best friend fell
BTW = bring the wheelchair
BYOT = bring your own teeth
FWIW = forgot where I was
GGPBL = gotta go, pacemaker battery low
GHA = got heartburn again
IMHO = is my hearing aid on?
LMDO = laughing my dentures out
OMMR = on my massage recliner
ROFLACGU = rolling on floor laughing and can't get up

Brought to you by GCFL.net

Microsoft PowerPoint - The 10 Most Common Presentation Mistakes

I found a great article on the The 10 Most Common Presentation Mistakes. Here is the start of the article.

What presentation mistakes are sure-fire ways to put your audience to sleep or send them running for the doors? Even the best presentation can be destroyed by a bad presenter -- from the person who mumbles, to the one who talks too fast, to the one who just wasn’t prepared. But perhaps nothing is as irritating as the person who misuses and abuses presentation software.

1. Presentation Mistake #1 - You Don't Know Your Topic!
You memorized the content (and it shows, by the way). Someone has a question. Panic sets in. You never prepared for questions and all you know about this topic is what is written on the slides.

A better scenario
Know your material so well, that you could easily do the presentation without an electronic enhancement such as PowerPoint. Nothing will ruin your credibility as a presenter faster, than not knowing everything about your topic. Use key words and phrases and include only essential information to keep the audience focused and interested. Be prepared for questions and know the answers.

To continue reading the article, click here

Microsoft Word 2007 – Paste Special

Paste Special allows you to paste text from another source, such as Excel, or even the internet, and allows you to paste the items into Word.

When you click Paste Special, a new box pops up. If you select Formatted Text (RTF) it will paste the text so that it fits into the format that you are currently using in your document (including font, and bullets etc.).

If you select Unformatted Text it will paste all of the text in a block of text with no real formatting. You will have to do some extra work, but it is easier than trying to figure out how to "undo" what the web page looks like.

Microsoft Excel 2007 - Double-Click to Fit Columns and Rows

Sometimes when you enter or paste text and numbers into Excel, the cells don't expand to fit their contents. The fastest way to auto fit columns and rows is to hover your mouse over the header border between the column and its neighbor to the right and double-click.

12 Tips for Creating Better Presentations

This is a great article from Microsoft at Home.
You have a presentation to create. It's important. But, formatting diagrams can take forever and the text on your slides seems to have a mind of its own. Then, there's the sad fact that everybody's Microsoft PowerPoint presentations look the same.

Click here to continue reading this article.

How Often Should You Post to Facebook and Twitter?

So how do you, as a small business or nonprofit organization, get in that mix? How often should you post, and when? The specific answer is different for everyone; it depends on who you are, what your goals are, and who you’re trying to reach. Like with email marketing, knowing your audience will help you determine how often to post. That said, here’s some good conventional wisdom for two of the most popular social sites:

Read the full article.

Why is Constant Contact my #1 recommendation for Email Service Provider?

According to an independent study by the Aberdeen Group, Constant Contact customers have 36% higher open rates, 60% better click through rates, and 29% more revenue compared to users of other email marketing solutions.