This command replaces your Recent Document list that was on the right side of the Office button’s command pane in Office 2007. Yes it is an extra step: File tab/ Recent but offers so much more.

The Recent Documents not only display the document name but also the file location.

Unless you are moving to Office 2010 from Office 2007, pinning is a new concept. You will notice the push-pin to the right of the listed document. Click and push the pin in so the document is now “pinned” to the list. Push again and it is unpinned. This was introduced in Office 2007 and is a time saving feature — especially for those documents you access regularly.

You also can right-click any document in the list and choose shortcut menu commands such as “Remove from list” as well as “Clear unpinned items”.

You also can quickly customize your display of recent documents by adjusting the number to collect at the bottom of the Recent Backstage View.

When you open multiple windows on the desktop, sometimes it can be a challenge to view separate windows and switch between them. Using the Windows 7 Aero Peek feature you can quickly preview the desktop without minimizing all your windows or preview an open window by pointing at its button on the taskbar.

Point to the new Windows 7; click the Show desktop button at the right end of the taskbar. The open windows fade from view, revealing the desktop. Click it again and the windows return.

In Windows 7 use any program Taskbar button to take a quick look at other open windows without clicking away from the window you are currently working on. Point your mouse at a taskbar button, and thumbnail previews of any open windows associated with that button appear above the taskbar. If you want to open a window you are previewing, just click its thumbnail

Yippee!! Back in control of MY commands

Unless you are still using Office 2003, Office 2010 is the follow up to Office 2007, which introduced the “Ribbon”. The Office 2010 upgrade to the Ribbon is worth screaming about. Yes…you can now customize the Ribbon as well as create a personal Ribbon.

Using the Options window in each application you can access tools and commands to Customize Ribbon. You can add a new Tab or even a group within a tab then using the rename button you can personalize so it makes sense to you.

With application tabs as well as custom tabs you can toggle their appearance by checking or unchecking the preceding box. You can also remove a custom tab from list by right-clicking Remove and the custom tab is removed from the list.

Document printing made simple and fast!

Printing has become so much easier with Office 2010:  Printing has been significantly improved using a new print menu that will allow you to change the print settings as well as see the print preview in the same window.

Printing has been completely revamped providing a tremendous improvement. For instance, you can tweak printer settings (like page margins, etc.) and preview the changes side-by-side.

This is a fantastic addition, clicking ‘Print’ under the File tab (Backstage view) opens a plethora of printing options. No need go through a ‘Print Wizard’ you can select all your print options from here & go!

In Windows 7 it is easy to compare the contents of two windows. Drag the windows to opposite sides of the screen. Each window will resize to fill half of the screen.

Use Aero Shake in Windows 7 to quickly minimize every open window except the one you want. You can then restore all of your windows just as easily. The window you want to keep open, shake the title bar back and forth quickly. Then when you are ready to restore the minimized window, simply shake the open window again.

To use Snap, drag the title bar of an open window to either side of the desktop to align it there, or drag it to the top of the desktop to maximize the window. To expand a window vertically using Snap, drag the top edge of the window to the top of the desktop.

In Windows 7 right-click a taskbar button (open – button has a frame or not open – button doesn’t have a frame) to display a list of Recent files (Word – open) or Tasks (Skype – open) or Frequent websites (IE – not open) as well as commands to pin (preceding pin button gray) or unpin (preceding pin button is blue) the program to or from the taskbar or Close the program window.

In addition to right-clicking the taskbar button, you can drag the button toward the desktop and click the item to open.

You can pin a favorite item to a Jump List, so it will always appear at the top of the list. That way, you’ll be able to get to the file quickly and easily

Though I wasn’t the impetus for Windows 7, I do know that the new features and enhancement would have been my idea. Windows 7 has simplified your computing experience. Windows 7 has better ways to find and manage files—like Jump Lists and improved Taskbar previews—to help you speed through everyday tasks. Windows 7 also has great features like HomeGroup, Windows Media Center, and more to make new things possible.

The Taskbar has bigger buttons and full-sized previews—and you can pin programs to it for one-click access. Jump Lists provide shortcuts to files, folders, and websites. And Snap, Peek, and Shake give you easy (and fun) new ways to juggle all those open windows.

Besides all of this, there is a new set of Theme Galleries with real-time previews so you can customize the interface to look, feel and be Yours!

Isn’t it beautiful?

What you need to know to be successful!

Getting Started with Microsoft Office 2010

• Learn the terminology of the new interface
• Tour the new environment
• Learn how to navigate the new environment
• Overview of Backstage view, Quick Access toolbar and Ribbons
• Working with Backstage view
• Work with the Recent Document List
• Saving, Printing and so much more….
• Customize the User Interface both Quick Access toolbar and Ribbons
• Identify and work with Contextual Tabs
• Work with the Status Bar
• Review program Options
• And so much more…..

Pinning programs to the taskbar in Windows 7 complements pinning programs to the Start menu, like in earlier versions of Windows. When you pin a favorite program to the taskbar, you can always see it there and easily access it with a single click. Right click the program in the Start menu and Windows 7 displays a menu with pinning options.

Only you know this answer but from a technical, productivity, proficiency point of view I would say YES!

To make sure the right decision is made for your organization and your users you first may want to assess the way that Office 2003 is being used. Is this an opportunity to address training from multiple perspectives? This answer will enhance the transition training by including new ways of doing old activities. Not only addressing the “What’s New” aspect of Office 2010 but also addressing “How do we Work”. Which tools do we use and how? How often are we using these tools?

With the first look at Office 2010 user’s reaction will be “where are the menus?”, “where are my commands and toolbars?”, “where is the “X” command that used to be right here” and more. There’s a good bit of free Microsoft Office 2010 training tools and information available but… Do your users have the time to teach themselves and get up to speed to continue performing well?

Though we use computers daily will the new Office 2010 interface be easy to navigate and locate what is needed quickly, easily and intuitively? Only you can decide but remember not only has the interface changed, commands have been re-organized and re-positioned, there is new terminology and new approaches to working smarter and better if you know where to look.

Only you can answer “Do we need Training”. If the answer is yes, ISIS Training is ready to help. Give us a call 415.563.4747 we are here for you.