Tips for Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Other Applications

Who Are You Anyways?

So how did I get into the tutorial business for Excel and other Office Suite applications? I became a heavy user of Excel when I started my career as a consultant with the Mitchell Madison Group (MMG) in 1997 and later, Silver Oak Solution. Because MMG was a new consulting firm without tons of pre-developed training infrastructure, a group of enterprising consultants created an opportunity to develop an Excel and Access course for new hires. I joined the team about a year later to help refine the materials and deliver training to new hires and clients. We later expanded the training program to include training to corporate and state clients.

I've also been teaching for a long time and consider it a hobby for lack of a better description. I believe that if I know "how to", then I can teach someone else how to also. In addition to Excel, I also write game guides on the side. Enemy Territory: Quake Wars 4 Newbies is my latest endevour.

Do I consider myself an expert? Not at all, but I am practiced at data modeling and analytics and messaging that results from that. It continues to amaze me, how much you can do with Excel. I love to play with it and try new things. Conversely, I'm appalled at how poorly developed general Excel skills are. Basic questions are left unanswered, sometimes even unasked, because people are afraid of Excel and avoid using it until the last minute possible.

I don't intend to provide a beginners' 'how to' for Excel, Word, and PowerPoint nor will this provide an expert level discourse on specific Excel functions. I think we can have a good discussion about capabilities, demonstrate how you can use them in your day-to-day work, and provide practical examples that help you put them to immediate use. I get ideas for new tips as I come across new functions/uses in the Office suite or as people ask for help with specific problems. However, the program is only as good as the people who use it. Have questions, got something you want to know more about, want to contribute? E-mail me using the link in the nav bar and let's chat.