Course Descriptions

Course Title:

File System Organization

Summary:

Students learn to manage the drives, folders, and files available to them, so they can quickly and safely store and retrieve information.

Topics:

• Using Microsoft Windows Explorer
• Accessing drives where files can be stored
• Creating folders and subfolders
• Coping, moving, and deleting files
• Creating shortcuts to files
• Finding files
• Maintaining disk drives

Prerequisite:

Experience with basic computer operations such as using a mouse and opening/closing files

Hands-on Exercise:

Organize the files on your computer according to  customer/employee/department/topic, etc.

Course Title:

Practical Word Processing

Summary:

Students learn to efficiently create, format, and print common documents such as letters, envelopes, and flyers.

Topics:

• Using Microsoft Word menus and toolbars
• Creating a document
• Writing a letter or memo
• Checking spelling and grammar
• Formatting text
• Setting up headers and footers
• Printing a document

Prerequisites:

Experience with basic computer operations such as using a mouse and opening/closing files, as well as knowledge of letter and memo layouts

Hands-on Exercises:

• Create and format a letter to a customer
• Print an envelope to accompany the letter
• Create a simple flyer

Course Title:

Mass Mailing Proficiency

Summary:

Students learn to create letters, labels, or envelopes to send to a mailing list.

Topics:

• Using an existing data source for the mailing list
• Building a data source in Word or Excel
• Creating letters, labels, and envelopes that can be merged with a mailing list
• Checking and printing a mass mailing

Prerequisites:

Knowledge of how to create a basic letter in Microsoft Word and a list in Excel

Hands-on Exercises:

• Send a reminder to an existing list
• Send a letter to a list you create

Course Title:

Advanced Document Formatting

Summary:

Students learn how to build templates and streamline the creation of complex documents such as invoices, forms, and reports.

Topics:

• Creating a template
• Building an online form
• Adding section breaks to control page orientation, margins and headers/footers in multi-page documents
• Using tables to structure and organize information
• Managing graphics and other imbedded objects

Prerequisites:

Knowledge of how to create a basic letter and manage headers/footers in Microsoft Word

Hands-on Exercises:

• Create a portrait letter that contains a landscape page
• Build a diagnostic form
• Develop a survey

Course Title:

Spreadsheet Basics

Summary:

Students will learn to create formulas and format data for efficient calculations, viewing, and printing in Excel.

Topics:

• Using Excel menus and toolbars
• Navigating spreadsheets
• Creating a worksheet with data, values, and formulas
• Formatting data such as headings, currency, and percentages
• Setting up headers and footers
• Saving and printing a workbook

Prerequisites:

Experience with basic computer operations such as using a mouse and opening/closing files

Hands-on Exercise:

• Create an employee list with wage information and calculations
• Build a commission spreadsheet

Course Title:

Advanced Spreadsheet Management

Summary:

Students will learn to apply sophisticated formulas and formatting to manage complex spreadsheets in Excel.

Topics:

• Creating subtotals
• Sorting and filtering data
• Summarizing and comparing data
• Building charts
• Importing data from other applications
• Applying decision-making formulas such as IF statements

Prerequisites:

Topics covered in Spreadsheet Basics

Hands-on Exercises:

• Create formulas to summarize information, including counts, averages, and minimums
• Organize and chart data for presentations

Course Title:

Managing Multiple Worksheets and Workbooks

Summary:

Students will learn to manipulate and create summaries from multiple worksheets and workbooks.

Topics:

• Grouping and formatting worksheets
• Linking workbooks and worksheets
• Naming ranges when printing complex workbooks
• Creating hyperlinks between worksheets

Prerequisites:

Topics covered in Spreadsheet Basics

Hands-on Exercise:

Produce a report that summarizes a year’s worth of income, expenses, and other activities

Course Title:

Creating a Slide Show

Summary:

Students will learn to create focused and interesting slide presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint.

Topics:

• Creating a slide presentation
• Modifying a presentation
• Adding animation effects

Prerequisites:

Experience with basic computer operations such as using a mouse and opening/closing files

Hands-on Exercises:

• Create an association presentation
• Create a product presentation

Course Title:

Managing Activities and Communications with Outlook

Summary:

Students will learn to manage email, maintain contact information, organize tasks, and schedule events in Microsoft Outlook.

Options:

• For businesses with an Exchange Server, we can add instruction on using public calendars, public folders, and meetings.
• Students with Personal Digital Assistants, such as a Palm Pilots, can learn how to synchronize them with Outlook.

Topics:

• Using Outlook menus and toolbars
• Creating appointments and tasks
• Setting up contacts and contact folders
• Creating and replying to emails
• Attaching files to emails and opening attachments
• Creating folders to organize email
• Searching for contacts, appointments, and emails
• Printing calendars, contacts, tasks, and emails

Prerequisites:

Experience in creating, formatting, saving, and printing documents with Microsoft Word

Hands-on Exercises:

• Create a directory of contacts
• Enter appointments and tasks
• Create and reply to emails
• Create email folders and organize emails

Course Title:

Publisher Basics: Flyers, Postcards, and more!

Summary:

Students will learn to create dynamic flyers, postcards, gifts certificates and brochures.

Topics:

• Creating documents
• Formatting content
• Adjusting margins
• Using headers and footers
• Printing publications

Prerequisites:

Experience in creating, formatting, saving, and printing documents with Microsoft Word

Hands-on Exercises:

• Create a flyer
• Create a brochure

Course Title:

Creating Newsletters in Microsoft Publisher

Summary:

Students will learn to create newsletters complete with graphics and sophisticated layouts.

Topics:

• Using the Publisher Wizard
• Adding company logos and other graphics
• Creating a newsletter template
• Preparing newsletters for a printer

Prerequisites:

Topics covered in Publisher Basics

Hands-on Exercises:

• Create a basic 2-page newsletter
• Create a more complex, 4-page newsletter