As a student you are required to use various software applications to complete projects, write lab reports and papers. Knowing which application to choose for your task and how to take advantage of that application's features can make your student life much easier. CPS 105 will introduce you to the main applications in Microsoft Office - Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Access. Each application was designed with a different type of data in mind and thus works differently.

Word, for example, is used for text documents (letters, papers, etc) so it has features that make working with text documents easier. Excel is used for managing data and handling calculations so it has features that make data manipulation and calculations easier. Trying to write a paper in Excel is almost impossible, as is trying to do calculations in a Word document! Using the right tool for the right job is critical to success. This course will also teach you how to use the features of each application to your advantage.

This course will also show you how to move data from one application to another so you do not need to re-create it. For example you might use Access to manage all the data you are collecting from a science experiment. You could then export data to Excel so you could analyze the data using Excel's functions and formulas. You could also chart your results with Excel's charting tools. Your analysis and charts can then be added to a Word document that contains your lab write up and into a PowerPoint presentation you give to the class.

Whether your main reason for using Office is creating documents, analyzing data, or managing the flood of information you gather-take a moment to consider what other tasks you might be able to delegate to your Office programs. When you use the best tool for the particular job, you not only get the best results with the least amount of work-you're also likely to discover new ways to save time, get connected, and get it done.