Tech

Compute your entire Excel worksheet with a click of the mouse

Microsoft Excel

Most users know how to take advantage of Excel’s AutoSum feature to quickly total spreadsheet data across a row or a column.

For example, in the spreadsheet below, most users would use AutoSum to calculate the totals for each state by clicking in B7, double-clicking the AutoSum button, and then copying the formula across the range C7:E7.

Likewise, to obtain the total sales for each software category, they would click in cell F4, double-click the AutoSum button, and then copy the formula down the range F5:F7.

Even though using AutoSum this way can save users quite a bit of time over entering each formula separately, they can save even more time by following these steps:

1. Select the range A2:F7.
2. Click the AutoSum button.

AutoSum lets you enter all the formulas with just one click! What's more, you can do this for all the auto functions.

For example, if we change the labels in F3 and A7 to Average, we can then complete the worksheet by following these steps:

1. Select the range A2:F7.
2. Click the AutoSum button drop-down arrow and select Average.

Microsoft Access

You can control how your data records will display when a user opens a form in your Access application. If you want your users to work with only one record at a time, you would open the form in Single Form view.

If you want users to view more than one record at a time--or as many records that can fit on a screen--you would specify Continuous Forms view. If you choose Datasheet view, the form displays records in rows and columns similar to a spreadsheet.

You can also have the form open in PivotTable or PivotChart view. Access 2007 users also have the option to open the form in Split Form view. Split Form view displays the records in a datasheet in the upper section of the form and as single records in the lower section of the form.

Selecting a record in the datasheet displays the information for that record in the lower section of the form for editing.

Once you have chosen which view to display when a user opens the form, you need to specify it as the form's Default View property. For example, to set Continuous as the default, follow these steps:

1. Open the form in Design view.
2. In the Property Sheet, click the drop-down arrow in the Selection type box and choose Form.
3. Under the Format tab, click the Default View drop-down arrow and select Continuous.

Microsoft Word

If you want to add a voice comment to a document in Word 2002 and 2003, you simply click the drop-down arrow of the New Comment button on the Reviewing toolbar and select Voice comment. This opens the Sound Object dialog box for you to record your comment.

With that experience in mind, if you want to add a voice comment in Word 2007, your first thought might be to look for the Voice Comment button in the Review ribbon.

However, the Review ribbon has no such tool. Don’t worry! You can still add voice comments in Word 2007, but you will need to add the Insert Voice button to the Quick Access toolbar first. Follow these steps:

1. Click the Office Button.
2. Click the Word Options button.
3. Click Customize.
4. Click the drop-down arrow of the Choose Commands From box and select Commands Not In Ribbon.
5. Scroll to and select Insert Voice.
6. Click the Add button, and then click OK.

Now the Insert Voice button will be available for you to add voice comments to any Word 2007 document.

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