COURSE INTRODUCTION

Avoid the confusion and costly drop in productivity that is traditionally associated with a new version of Microsoft Office by investing in the MS Office 2013 – New Features course. This course acts as a quick-start guide, telling students where to find each new function, and highlight the differences of which they need to be aware without the usual experimentation that an unfamiliar interface demands.

Designed to be simple and accessible, this course is best suited to:

• Existing users of Microsoft Office who are about to upgrade to the new 2013 release.
• Users who have already upgraded to Office 2013 but who are struggling to adjust to the new system and are struggling to be fully productive.
• Technical support engineers who will need to help their users adjust to the new version following a network-wide upgrade.
• Super users who will be helping their colleagues adjust to the new version of Office.

The MS Office 2013 – New Features course uses a combination of interactive examples and instructor-led videos to communicate key concepts and ideas. The course is available for access anyplace anytime using the online learning platform. A series of practical exercises will help students familiarise themselves with the new features and functions of Office 2013, and provide a visual indicator of their progress.

Students taking the MS Office 2013 – New Features course can also ask other course participants for help and guidance using our social networking platform. At the end of this course students will be fully aware of the new functions included in Office 2013 and how to use them properly to become more productive.

KEY LEARNING POINTS

This course is designed for Office users of any skill level, the only pre-requisite is that they have used a previous version of Microsoft Office at some point in the past. The course opens with an outline of general changes including:

• The Ribbon, tabs, groups and commands that provide access to key functions.
• Using “the Cloud” to extend Office functionality.
• Introducing keyboard shortcuts that can be used to speed up common tasks .
• The ribbons, contextual tabs, Quick Access and Mini Toolbars that make up the menu bars and screen elements.
• Using the screen clipping and screenshot tools to capture images to be embedded in documents.

The course then goes on to look at the new features of Word 2013 and how they are used:

• Quick Parts and Building Blocks to speed up document creation.
• How to insert content from the web.
• Expand and Collapse Paragraphs
• Using Reading Mode, Resume Reading, Live Layout and Improved Commenting and Track Changes features to simplify proofreading tasks.
• Using the Contextual Spell Checking and Word Definition Checker to correct spelling and grammar.

A similar process is repeated for Excel 2013, showing:

• The new location of old menu items.
• The use of the resizable formula bar and function autocomplete to increase efficiency.
• Using sparklines, slicers and timelines to better sort and analyse data
• Using galleries and conditional formatting to cell and font appearance.

PowerPoint has also undergone some revisions in the 2013 iteration. Students will learn about:

• How to use the new Eyeper Tool.
• The application of graphics effects, merged shapes and custom slide layouts to personalise presentations.
• Embedding online content, video and animations into presentations.

Outlook, the Office email and calendaring application has been updated to include:

• A new file tab, navigation bar, instant search tool and a weather bar.
• The use of instant Inbox filters to route messages and reduce tie spent on routine admin tasks like email filing.
• Overlaying Calendar views, to maximise the display of data.
• Using the Tasks area to record To Do items.

The changes to Office 2013 are quite extensive, and this list is not exhaustive. They do however give an idea of what students can expect to cover as part of this course.

ADVANTAGES OF THIS COURSE

The MS Office 2013 – New Features course is a simple but effective primer in Office 2013, designed to reduce the learning curve associated with new software. By familiarising students with the new Office 2013 tools in advance, they will immediately be more productive once they begin using the system for real.

The main benefits of the MS Office 2013 – New Features course are:

• A reduced learning curve for students once they begin using Office 2013, keeping productivity levels and profit margins up.
• A cost-effective way to learn about the new features of Office 2013 and how to use them.
• Basic familiarisation tools that serve as a primer/introductory training.

The MS Office 2013 – New Features course is an investment in ensuring that the move to a new version of Microsoft Office is both smooth and efficient, and that productivity levels remain unaffected during the switch over process.