A
AndyD
I use the Task Panes in Word, Excel and Powerpoint all the time. Tonight I
realised that a really obvious feature has been missed from these core
applications: a How To task pane.
This would give you dynamic help as you move around your document,
spreadsheet or presentation. For example, if I am working in Word and have
switched to Outline view, the HowTo task pane would suggest:
To indent, select text and Tab
To demote, select one or more items and Shift+Tab
The most useful shortcut keys for Outline view are: __ __ __
A good way to organise a document in Outline mode is to enter your content
with Headings 1, 2 and 3. This will allow you to switch between Outline and
Print view with no format troubles.
Or if I am working in a table in Word, the HowTo task pane will offer:
To delete a row, press __
To adjust the right-most column, move the mouse so that ...
Common problems with tables are __, __, __ please click if you need help
with one of these.
I think the same feature would be really useful in Excel. The HowTo task
pane offers dynamic help on the current item you are working on, whether it's
a picture or table or view in Word, a chart or cube or formula in Excel, or a
slide, movie or font in Powerpoint.
Even better would be for the HowTo task pane to offer help based on user
feedback. In other words, as users ask questions in help and online, the
Office applications update the HowTo "tips" each month so that you get more
and more relevant content to help you - not just the static material written
during the development of the product.
Hope you can use this idea.
----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.
http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...-0bd8fac213e4&dg=microsoft.public.office.misc
realised that a really obvious feature has been missed from these core
applications: a How To task pane.
This would give you dynamic help as you move around your document,
spreadsheet or presentation. For example, if I am working in Word and have
switched to Outline view, the HowTo task pane would suggest:
To indent, select text and Tab
To demote, select one or more items and Shift+Tab
The most useful shortcut keys for Outline view are: __ __ __
A good way to organise a document in Outline mode is to enter your content
with Headings 1, 2 and 3. This will allow you to switch between Outline and
Print view with no format troubles.
Or if I am working in a table in Word, the HowTo task pane will offer:
To delete a row, press __
To adjust the right-most column, move the mouse so that ...
Common problems with tables are __, __, __ please click if you need help
with one of these.
I think the same feature would be really useful in Excel. The HowTo task
pane offers dynamic help on the current item you are working on, whether it's
a picture or table or view in Word, a chart or cube or formula in Excel, or a
slide, movie or font in Powerpoint.
Even better would be for the HowTo task pane to offer help based on user
feedback. In other words, as users ask questions in help and online, the
Office applications update the HowTo "tips" each month so that you get more
and more relevant content to help you - not just the static material written
during the development of the product.
Hope you can use this idea.
----------------
This post is a suggestion for Microsoft, and Microsoft responds to the
suggestions with the most votes. To vote for this suggestion, click the "I
Agree" button in the message pane. If you do not see the button, follow this
link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft Web-based Newsreader and then
click "I Agree" in the message pane.
http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...-0bd8fac213e4&dg=microsoft.public.office.misc