Productivity Portfolio
Offers short articles and online tutorials to Windows users on how to better use personal technology. Site includes information on email, PDAs, cell phones, browsers, software and more.

Using Outlook to Document Phone Calls
Do you ever wish that you had a good record of the times when you talked to a company? Maybe you needed to make notes about a support call to your PC manufacturer or a call to your insurance company. Regardless of whom you’re calling, Outlook’s Journal can help you keep good records and even dial the number in some cases.
Outside Help - Week 18
This week focuses on upgrades. On the home front, I’ve been busy making changes to better performance. The site should look the same with the exception on one icon and a new custom search refinement. If you see any odd site behavior, please drop me an email. My test and production sites have different configurations and don’t always act the same. But I wasn’t the only one doing updates as a couple of software publishers had major releases and Microsoft added a freebie.
Excel Basics and the IF Function
Oh, have times changed. When I was a kid, my parents constantly told me, "no ifs and buts". Clearly, Microsoft Excel wasn’t around at that time or I could’ve provided a better argument for using these words. Excel’s IF function is a useful feature and one my parents could have mastered. (Includes sample Excel worksheet)
Web Due Diligence
In the last several years, I’ve done articles on how I use this site’s web log data. This year, I’ll provide insight on how I look at web services before I share my data. Like many of you, I’m storing more of my information online. I’ve got a list of 12 evaluation questions I try to answer before becoming dependant on a site. You might think of these questions as a "web due diligence".
Resources for Converting Microsoft Word Files to HTML
Few people would argue that Microsoft Word is a versatile program. The problem is that the software may not be the best tool for converting your Word documents to HTML. This is true if you need watch files sizes as it adds code that increases page size. It may also include information you don’t expect. If you need to get your Word content to the web, we’ve got some tips and alternatives.
Add IE Search Prefixes with TweakUI
One browser feature that gets little coverage belongs to Internet Explorer. In 2005, Microsoft added a feature called IE search prefixes. These shortcuts allow users to type a prefix & query and get answers from some of their sites. For example, you can type "define" and a word to get a listing of definitions. The good news is you’re not limited to just the ones Microsoft provided. I’ll show you how to edit or add your own search prefixes for other sites if you use Windows XP
How to Use RSS in Your Job Search
Looking for a new or better job? If so, take a look at how RSS feeds can help your job search. A RSS job feed can compliment your other job hunting methods by regularly bringing you targeted employment listings. (Includes screencast showing how to create a RSS feed with Indeed.com)
Using Readability Statistics
Imagine for a moment there was a tool that scored your writing for readability. It provided numeric and grade scores. Would you be interested? Whether you’re writing in Microsoft Word or Google Docs these readability statistics provide an easy way to judge your writing. The hardest part is finding the option.
Learn to use Pivot Tables in Excel 2007 to Organize Data
Pivot tables are an Excel feature that you should learn how to use. Instead of analyzing rows upon rows of records, a pivot table can aggregate your data and show a new perspective with few clicks. You can also move columns to rows or vice versa. The problem is people believe creating a pivot table is too difficult to learn. Grab a seat and we’ll walk you through a short tutorial using Excel 2007. (Includes tutorial in PDF format with larger images)
Word 2003 to Word 2007 Upgrade Tips
Do you own Microsoft Word 2007, but still use an older version? It’s OK, you can say "yes". Even though “familiarity breeds contempt”, some people are slow to upgrade. We address two common excuses regarding the Office ribbon and file formats. We also provide some tips on how to transition to Microsoft Word 2007.

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