Conventions Used in This Book

This book uses several common conventions to help teach its topics most effectively. Here is a summary of those typographical conventions:

• Commands, computer output, and words you type appear in a special monospaced computer font .

• To type a shortcut key, such as Alt+F, press and hold the first key, and then press the second key before releasing both keys.

• If a task requires you to select from a menu, the book separates menu commands with a comma. For example, File, Save As is used to select the Save As option from the File menu.

In addition to typographical conventions, the following special elements are included to set off different types of information to make them easily recognizable:

Special notes augment the material you read in each chapter. These notes clarify concepts and procedures.

You find numerous tips that offer shortcuts and solutions to common problems.

The cautions are about pitfalls. Reading them saves you time and trouble.

Sidebars Take some time out of your training to sit back and enjoy a more in-depth look at a particular feature. The sidebars are useful for exploring unusual features and show you additional ways to utilize the chapter material.

Part I: Looking at Office from a Bird's-eye View

Chapter

Chapter 1. Office: Seeing the Big Picture

Microsoft Office offers tools you typically need to manage a busy day, both at work and at home. Whether you work in an office environment where you must share corporate-wide information with others or if you spend time at home writing letters and managing household tasks , the Office suite of products provides exactly the right amount of power you need to get your job done.

In this introductory chapter, you'll see what Microsoft Office can do. If you are familiar with one or more of the Office programs but have not looked at others, this chapter's overview is general enough to tell you what you're missing. Then, you can decide if you need to add to your computer toolkit by learning another Office program. If you decide you want to, you'll find all the necessary help right here throughout the rest of these chapters.