With the trees budding and the rain we know that spring is here. That also means spring cleaning. We thought this would be a good time for some spring technology cleaning and a refresher on a few technology tips and tricks specifically with Microsoft.

Spring Cleaning for Technology

Spring is a great time to clean up your home and office. Not only should you look at the physical spaces to clean, but also how to clean up your digital spaces.

Here are a few technology tips and tricks for spring cleaning.

• Empty your computer’s recycle bin and restart your computer.
• Clear your web browser’s cache and delete cookies.
• Unsubscribe from any unwanted email lists. (Be careful they are legitimate and not phishing emails!)
• Get a refresher on cyber security awareness to see what new threats are on the landscape.
• Use velcro loops to tie together cables and cords running in the same direction.
• Remove unused applications from your phone and computer.
• Recycle old, unused items from the IT closet or server room.
• Clean your keyboard, mouse, and monitor with a soft, microfiber towel.

Technology Tips and Tricks

Not only is spring a good time to get your digital and physical workspaces clean, it is also a good time to learn some new tricks or refresh some old ones.

Microsoft 365 is crucial to many organizations to get their work done. Depending on your industry and job position, the different Microsoft 365 products might have varying degrees of use. Thankfully since the different applications are all part of the Microsoft suite of products there is some crossover in their user experience.

Here are a few technology tips and tricks for you to try out in the Microsoft Office suite.

• Across all apps, use Ctrl + z to undo your last action.
• In Word, when placing an image, in the Layout options select “In Front of Text” to place the image anywhere on the page.
• In Word, use Shift + Enter to start a new line of text directly below your current line, rather than using the full space created when hitting Enter.
• In Excel, use Ctrl + Shift + ↓ (or ↑) to highlight down (or up) to the next empty cell.
• In Excel, use Ctrl + (+)  (or – ) to add (or delete) a row.
• In PowerPoint, insert an image into a new slide and use the Designer button to get layout and design suggestions.
• In PowerPoint, use the Zoom tool to give your presentation more dynamic movement rather than the standard linear slide show.

Conclusion

Whether it is cleaning up your physical and digital workspace or using the above technology tips and tricks for Microsoft, we hope that you can implement this information to complete your work more efficiently this spring.

As always, we are here to help.