Word Tips and Tricks

How to go back to your last edit March 27, 2007

Posted by iawalsh in : Misc, How do I ?, Writing, Troubleshooting, Cool Tricks, Tips , add a comment

You can tell Word to undo a mistake you’ve made and to change it back to what you wrote a few minutes ago.

If you’ve made a mistake when writing, for example deleted a few paragraphs by accident, the first reaction may be to panic. How do I get it back? Do I have to write it all again?

One way to do this is to use the Undo feature in Word. This lets you go back in time, step by step, until you find the first version of the text you wrote.

Here’s how it works:

In the Word document, press Ctrl and Z. This performs one Undo. It undoes the last edit you made to the document.
Press Ctrl and Z. This performs another Undo. It undoes the second last edit you made.
Continue to press Ctrl and Z to undo as many edits as you want.

When you’ve found the text that you were after, save the document, preferably with some naming convention that makes sense to you, for example, June Report Draft 2.

Rather than keeping one version of a document, especially one you’ll re-write many times, save it with a different version number as you work on it. This avoids losing all your work if the document crashes, which can happen if you repeatedly format a document and make changes to its layout.

At the end of the project, delete the initial drafts, then create a Gold Copy of the final draft and save it in the Archives.

Vulnerabilities in Macromedia Flash Player December 7, 2006

Posted by iawalsh in : Adobe Products, Troubleshooting , add a comment

Technet Warning for those who develop products or simply use Macromedia Flash Player.

“If a user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited these vulnerabilities could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights. Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer user rights on the system could be less impacted than users who operate with administrative user rights.”

Read the full instructions over on http://www.microsoft.com/technet/

How to go back to your last edit December 4, 2006

Posted by iawalsh in : Misc, How do I ?, Writing, Troubleshooting, Cool Tricks, Tips , add a comment

Did you know that you can tell Word to undo any mistake you’ve made and go back to what you wrote a few minutes ago? If you’ve made a mistake when writing, for example deleted a few paragraphs by accident, the first reaction may be to panic. How do I get it back? Do I have to write it all again?

One way to do this is to use the Undo feature in Word. This lets you go back in time, step by step, until you find the first version of the text you wrote.

Here’s how it works:

Press Ctrl and Z. This performs one Undo. It undoes the last edit you made to the document.
Press Ctrl and Z. This performs another Undo. It undoes the second last edit you made.
Continue to press Ctrl and Z to undo as many edits as you want.

When you’ve found the text that you were after save the document, preferably with some naming convention that makes sense to you, for example, June Report Draft 2.

Rather than keeping one version of a document, especially one you’ll re-write many times, save it with a different version number as you work on it. This avoids losing all you work if the document crashes, which can happen if you repeatedly format a document and make changes to its layout.

At the end of the project, delete the initial drafts, then create a Gold Copy of the final draft and save it in the Archives.

Change the Windows Desktop Theme November 29, 2006

Posted by iawalsh in : How do I ?, Writing, Troubleshooting, Cool Tricks, Tips , add a comment

Like its brother-in-arms, the Screensaver, the Windows Desktop Themes eat away at your computer’s memory. Unless you really need them, uninstall! You’ll have a much quicker and more reliable machine.To change or remove desktop themes, follow these steps:

On the Desktop, right-click and click Properties.
Click the Themes tab.

Change the Windows Desktop Theme

3. In the Theme box, select the theme you want or click None.

Tip: if you have to use a theme, select one with few graphics.

Why doesn’t the Date update when I open Word? November 29, 2006

Posted by iawalsh in : How do I ?, Troubleshooting , add a comment

There are two steps involved here:

To add a date that Word will updated automatically, you need to insert a ‘field’.

To do this, go to Insert, Date and Time and choose the format you want. This inserts a field in the page which displays the time. This time, by the way, is determined by your computer’s clock.
Check “Update Automatically” so that it will update when you print.Tip: to manually force an update, click in the date and press F9.

The second approach is if you want to change the format of the date field or work with the other features.

To do this: click File, Insert, Field, Date and Time. Select Date from the field names list and pick a format that suits your needs.

Why doesn’t the Date update when I open Word?

Why does text disappear when I type? November 27, 2006

Posted by iawalsh in : Misc, How do I ?, Formatting, Templates, Troubleshooting, Cool Tricks , add a comment

Have you ever started to type and then see your words starting to delete the sentence in front of them? Usually when you type in the middle of a sentence, Word inserts the new letters between the existing words – it pushes them to the right of the page as you type.

However… sometimes Word eats up the existing material as you type in new words.

9 times out of 10 this is because Overtype was turned on by accident. Overtype, as the name implies, types over other words. You can tell if Overtype is turned on, by looking at the status bar (horizontal bar at bottom of screen) and seeing if OVR is turned on.

There are two ways to turn it off:

From the Tools menu, click Options, click the Edit tab, and then clear the Overtype mode checkbox.
Double-click OVR on the status bar to turn it on or off.

Hiding Text

Select the text you want to hide. Click Format, Font, and then the Font tab. Select the Hidden checkbox. Note that while ‘hidden’ text is displayed onscreen it will not be printed out. Hidden text is highlighted with underlines beneath the text.

Using Paint to Convert Images into JPG, TIFF and PNGs November 20, 2006

Posted by iawalsh in : How do I ?, Formatting, Writing, Style, Templates, Troubleshooting, Cool Tricks, Tips , add a comment

You can use Paint to convert many graphic files from one file type to another. You don’t need to buy Adobe Photoshop or other expensive graphic design tools. Paint has many small tricks up sleeve.

You can open these file types in Paint:

BMP
JPG
TIFF
PNG

You can save the BMPs (also known as bitmaps) as Monochrome, 16 colors, 256 colors, and 24 bits depending on the type of image you want. For example, if you’re creating documents that will be printed in black and white, then saving the images in Monochrome will significantly reduce the file size.

You can convert these files from one type to another. This means that you can convert, for example:

BMP to JPG
JPG to TIFF
TIFF to PNG
PNG to BMP

And all the different combinations that these offer…

If you’re creating web pages, I’d recommend using JPGs. These provide high-quality images that take up a small amount of space. You can also cut and paste them directly into Word and other Office applications.

How to Write a Report? November 16, 2006

Posted by iawalsh in : How do I ?, Writing, Style, Templates, Recommended, Troubleshooting, Tips , add a comment

To succeed as a report writer, you need to appreciate the mindset of your readers. Report writing is very specific. It’s there to help people make decisions. When you understand this, your approach to writing repots becomes much simpler. Instead of writing reams and reams of pages, you focus on the reader’s needs.

Report writing in a nutshell:

Start with a specific purpose.
Describe the problem.
Provide facts, figures and data that relate to the topic.
Draw conclusions.
Recommend a course of action.
Reports are highly-structured. They rely on headings, and sub-headings, to introduce topics while also providing direction to readers. Tables, charts, and diagrams also enhance the findings.

7 Step Plan On How To Write A Report

Consider the aim of the report and its intended audience.
Planning - Decide how you will gather information, for example, interviews, surveys, and questionnaires.
Information - Gather the information, then organize it and start analyzing it.
Conclusions - Decide your conclusions based on the information you have read.
Recommendations - Decide your recommendations and, where appropriate, the best course of action for the readers to take.
Start the writing phase. Refine the report through a series of drafts.
Edit and publish the final copy.

As you write your report, keep an eye on the following areas:

Check the accuracy of the facts, figures, and other research data.
Check cross-references and links to other sources of data.
Check that links to websites are ‘live’ as broken links will reflect poorly on your report.
Check that your conclusion and recommendations align with the data you have presented.
Avoid using industry terms or jargon. Provide a glossary where necessary.
Put charts, diagrams and statistics in context by providing some supporting text.
Use a consistent writing style throughout the document. Choose a positive language, write in the present tense, and prefer simple rather than complex words.

Basic report format:

Title Page
Give prominence to the official name of the report. Underneath this enter the name of the author, the publication date and copyright notices.
Table of Contents
Enter the table of contents, using heading 1 only. In some cases you can also use headings 2 entries, though it’s best to avoid going any deeper than this level for most reports. Keep the reader focused on the main points.
Executive Summary
In the opening paragraph introduce the main topic or issue that you’re about to discuss. If relevant, explain why this report has been commissioned. Avoid clichés, jargon or archaic words at all costs. It sets the wrong tone and you’ll lose all credibility with the reader.
Next, put the report in context by informing the reader of the methodologies you used when gathering data, research you performed, interviews and surveys carried out and so forth.

Your ability to demonstrate a commitment to the topic in question may significantly influence the reader’s opinion. Alternately, if the reader feels that you lack interest in the subject matter they will hardly be encouraged to turn the next page. Would you?
Finally, summarize your main findings and outline the key recommendations. Keep this succinct. Providing too much detail will discourage the reader from continuing. Stimulate their interest.

Keep this to one page!

Tip: the Executive Summary is like a standalone document. People should be able to read this as it stands and understand the essence of your report.

Introduction
You’re now into the document proper.
Outline what you’re going to cover in this report. For larger reports, you may want to list the main chapters and describe what each one will cover. However, for most reports you can stick to:
-Background. Does this follow from previous reports? It this part of a larger project? Will additional reports follow?
-Role. Outline its value to the reader and why they should study its findings. What does this report discuss that other reports have overlooked? Does it break new ground? Are its authors uniquely qualified?
-Objectives. Describe your objectives in writing this report, for example, to investigate the success of online banking in Asia. Describe how successful you were to achieving this and obstacles you encountered, such as data protection, legislation, or language issues.
-Scope. Clarify the boundaries of this report by defining what’s within scope and also, most critically, areas that are out of scope. This is important to address as the reader may have expectations or assumptions that could color their thinking. By defining the scope, you reduce the likelihood that your report will be mis-interpreted and remove any ambiguity that may exist in the reader’s mind.
-Limitations. Similar to the point above only. Highlight areas that were not covered, or not covered in sufficient depth, due to restrictions placed on the report’s authors. Examples of this could include financial restrictions, lack of technical resources, time constraints, access to data sources, or legal issues.
Heading
This is where you start the main discussion. In the following chapters, use headings and subheadings to organize your data. Provide data in tabular format (tables) where appropriate. Label and number all tables, figures, diagrams, charts, and other such pieces of information.

2.1 Subheading
2.2 Subheading
2.3 Subheading
Heading

3.1 Subheading
3.2 Subheading
3.3 Subheading
Conclusion
After presenting your case to the reader in the previous chapters, draw your own conclusions by interpreting the data as you see fit. Explain to the reader why you have come to these conclusions while also acknowledging any limitations or concerns you may have with the research findings, sources of data, or validity of information.
But, don’t mince your words. The reader has made the effort to get this far. They deserve to know where you stand on the matter.
Recommendations
This chapter dovetails from your conclusions. Recommendations outline the course of action based on data you’ve analyzed. When making recommendations, give consideration to the following areas:
Actions that are required
Individuals who will perform these actions
Guidelines to quantify the success or failure of the proposed actions
Warnings, threats, or dangers that may arise if these recommendations are not implemented.
References
Provide a list of all resources, (individuals, companies, books, websites etc) mentioned in the document.
Appendices
Attach supporting documentation to the report where appropriate. This could range from datasheets, technical specifications, to surveys, statistics, market research, or charts, diagrams, and other types of illustrations.

Sticking to a Schedule; Time Management Tips November 16, 2006

Posted by iawalsh in : How do I ?, Writing, Recommended, Troubleshooting, Tips , add a comment

Here are some tips for managing your schedule, especially if run your own business:

Create a Schedule – if you run a small business, chances are that you have an endless to-do list. It can be very stressful, and unproductive, to manage these unless you have a plan.

Here’s a suggestion. Don’t try to keep everything in your head. Open up Excel, create five columns for each day of the week, and give each day a specific task. You can use the template at this url to get you started. Once you have this in place, print it out and keep it on your desk. Stick to this schedule as close as possible. The more consistent you are, the more productive you’ll become!

PS – refine the schedule every now and then based on your overall workload.

Make your aims smaller – most of us don’t achieve our aims as they are too large. Create small bit-size aims. You will achieve more in the long run by using this approach instead of tacking massive 5 year plans.

Make your aims even smaller – try to create 1 minute aims. That’s an aim you can achieve in 1 minute. For example, delete all the newsletters, ezines, and promotions from your inbox. A clean inbox will help you focus and concentrate on what needs attention. Get rid of the clutter. Print out the schedule. Keep it on the wall where you can see it. Don’t make appointments or arrange meetings without first checking your schedule. This will help give your business more structure. It will also make you feel more professional as you are working in a more structured and organized environment.

Clean Desk policy – throw out all magazines, newspapers, printouts, bits of paper, post-it notes that clutter your desk. Scan in those you MUST keep. Otherwise, get rid of the rubbish. You deserve to work in a clean, organized environment. A clean desk may seem difficult at first, but once you get into the habit, you will be amazed others don’t the same!

Evaluating Proposals November 16, 2006

Posted by iawalsh in : How do I ?, Writing, Templates, Recommended, Troubleshooting, Tips , add a comment

I was asked recently how to evaluate a proposal that had been sent to over 200 bidders. The Proposal Writer was thinking of developing a checklist and using this to score the bids. While this does make some sense, in reality such as checklist should have been prepared long before the RFP was published. Writing proposals in one thing; knowing how to evaluate them is another. Let’s look at how this process works.

My first question when I spoke to the writer was if the RFP had included a scoring matrix. It hadn’t. The second was how the bidders could tell which of the requirements was the most important. While the Executive Summary alluded to these, it was couched and vague terms.

From a neutral’s point of view, it was hard to know exactly what the government agency (i.e. those who issued the proposal) wanted to achieve. Vague requirements create vague proposals. How could it be otherwise?

How to evaluate proposals ?

What we did in this case was: Reviewed the RFP and made a list of all the requirements. 40 requirements were found.

Created an Excel file, made three columns, and divided the requirements into three groups: Must Have, Would Like To Have, and Not Necessary. Divided the total points to be awarded into three sections: 70% for must have, 20% for would like to have, and 10% for not necessary.

Once we had this nailed down, we started to examine the bids. It became clear that some bids had totally missed the mark. Their proposals focussed on technologies and services that had little value for the agency, though in the bidder’s defence, the RFP hadn’t provided much direction. With 200 documents to read, we had to weed out the weaker bids fast. This allowed us to concentrate on the better ones. Several days later, we had boiled down the list to 4 bids.

Next, we prepared a second checklist. This checklist had five columns: Understanding of Requirements, Proposed Solutions, Pricing, CVs, and Track Record.

In reality, this second checklist should have been used when evaluating all proposals. However, with over 200 bids to work though this was not going to happen. Instead, we focused on the better bids and read these line by line several times.

Who Evaluates the Proposals?

I’ve worked on small projects where it was possible to write, publish, and evaluate each bids. This is not practical on large-scale proposals where you need a broader range of skills and industry knowledge to evaluate the bids. For a recent project, the evaluation team was made of five individuals. Each was an expert in their own field and could be trusted to analyse their portion of the bid accurately.

The team members were: Project manager – studied the project plan, looked for risks and issues that would impact the deliverables. Necessary for interviewing bidder’s pm at presentations.

Finance Officer – checked the final bid prince, daily rates, breakdown of costs, company financial background, soundness etc. Necessary for negotiating, especially costs associated with change control. 2 x Technology Experts – examined the solution proposed by the bidder. Having two experts allows you to get contrasting opinions, especially when the solution is very complex. It also protects you from scenarios whereby one reviewer has an inclination towards a particular software technology.

Bid manager – reviews the bid against the original RFP. Ensures it addresses all requirements and that no (mandatory) requirements have been overlooked or misinterpreted. Drives the project, coordinates reviewers, and schedules the final presentations. As mentioned above, the first set of activities in the evaluation process include:

Using checklists and scoring matrices to assess bids, i.e. define how close the proposals match the requirements Compiling the scores from all evaluators. Preparing a final evaluation report. Outline the strength and weakness of each bid.

After you’ve completed this first phase, you then need to: Schedule presentations with bidders who have been short-listed. Bring in 3-5 at the most.

Allocate 5% approx for presentations. Update the proposal’s scores based on the presentations. Award the bid.

Inform the successful (and unsuccessful) bidders of your decision. Hold debriefing sessions with the unsuccessful bidders.

The final step is very useful as it helps these bidders understand your reasoning, improve their bids and increase competition by setting the standard for all future proposals. If you don’t provide feedback to the bidders, they’re doomed to repeat the same mistakes in the next round of proposals.

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