A computer is more than just another household appliance. The vast amount of information and possibilities can be overwhelming. But you can accomplish a lot with a computer, and using one can be a good experience. Let's walk through getting started with your first computer.
Word has a variety of viewing options that change how your document is displayed. You can choose to view your document in Read Mode, Print Layout, or Web Layout. These views can be useful for various tasks, especially if you're planning to print the document. You can also zoom in and out to make your document easier to read.
Switching document views
Switching between different document views is easy. Just locate and select the desired document view command in the bottom-right corner of the Word window.
Read Mode: This view opens the document to a full screen. This view is great for reading large amounts of text or simply reviewing your work.
Print Layout: This is the default document view in Word. It shows what the document will look like on the printed page.
Web Layout: This view displays the document as a webpage, which can be helpful if you're using Word to publish content online.
Zooming in and out
To zoom in or out, click and drag the zoom control slider in the bottom-right corner of the Word window. You can also select the + or -commands to zoom in or out by smaller increments. The number next to the slider displays the current zoom percentage, also called the zoom level.
Backstage view gives you various options for saving, opening a file, printing, and sharing your document. To access Backstage view, click the File tab on the Ribbon.
Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about using Backstage view.
Account
From the Account pane, you can access your Microsoft account information, modify your theme and background, and sign out of your account.
Located just above the Ribbon, the Quick Access Toolbar lets you access common commands no matter which tab is selected. By default, it shows the Save, Undo, and Redo commands, but you can add other commands depending on your needs.
To add commands to the Quick Access Toolbar:
Click the drop-down arrow to the right of the Quick Access Toolbar.
Select the command you want to add from the menu.
The command will be added to the Quick Access Toolbar.
The Ruler
The Ruler is located at the top and to the left of your document. It makes it easier to adjust your document with precision. If you want, you can hide the Ruler to create more screen space.
To show or hide the Ruler:
Click the View tab.
Click the checkbox next to Ruler to show or hide the Ruler.
Like other recent versions, Word 2016 continues to use features like the Ribbon and the Quick Access Toolbar—where you will find commands to perform common tasks in Word—as well as Backstage view.
The Ribbon
Word uses a tabbed Ribbon system instead of traditional menus. The Ribboncontains multiple tabs, which you can find near the top of the Word window.
Each tab contains several groups of related commands. For example, the Font group on the Home tab contains commands for formatting text in your document.
Some groups also have a small arrow in the bottom-right corner that you can click for even more options.
Showing and hiding the Ribbon
If you you find that the Ribbon takes up too much screen space, you can hide it. To do this, click the Ribbon Display Options arrow in the upper-right corner of the Ribbon, then select the desiredoption from the drop-down menu:
Auto-hide Ribbon: Auto-hide displays your document in full-screen mode and completely hides the Ribbon from view. To show the Ribbon, click the Expand Ribbon command at the top of screen.
Show Tabs: This option hides all command groups when they're not in use, but tabs will remain visible. To show the Ribbon, simply click a tab.
Show Tabs and Commands: This option maximizes the Ribbon. All of the tabs and commands will be visible. This option is selected by default when you open Word for the first time.
To learn how to add custom tabs and commands to the Ribbon, review our Extra on Customizing the Ribbon.
Using the Tell me feature
If you're having trouble finding command you want, the Tell Me feature can help. It works just like a regular search bar: Type what you're looking for, and a list of options will appear. You can then use the command directly from the menu without having to find it on the Ribbon.
Microsoft Word 2016 is a word processing application that allows you to create a variety of documents, including letters, resumes, and more. In this lesson, you'll learn how to navigate the Word interface and become familiar with some of its most important features, such as the Ribbon, Quick Access Toolbar, and Backstage view.
Watch the video below to become more familiar with Word 2016.
Getting to know Word 2016
Word 2016 is similar to Word 2013 and Word 2010. If you've previously used either version, then Word 2016 should feel familiar. But if you are new to Word or have more experience with older versions, you should first take some time to become familiar with the Word 2016 interface.
The Word interface
When you open Word for the first time, the Start Screen will appear. From here, you'll be able to create a new document, choose a template, and access your recently edited documents. From the Start Screen, locate and select Blank document to access the Word interface.
Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about the Word interface:
Let's imagine that you're going to start your own home business. You will need to prepare a database for your business, and the first step is to design a table that will contain a list of contacts who may one day be your clients or suppliers.
Let's assume that a database table called Business Contacts contains all of the fields listed in the first column of the following chart. The chart also contains four other columns:
Text, Numbers, or Both: Should the field accept data entry input in the form of text, numbers, or both?
Field Size: Tis is the number of spaces you think the field should have.
Required Entry: Should the field be required entry (the record cannot be added to the database without the information) or optional entry (a record can be added without entry in the field)?
Allow Duplicates: Should the database allow duplicate entries for the field (for example, can several people in the database share the same zip code)?
Practice designing fields by filling out the following table.
Every table in Microsoft Access must have at least one field that uniquely identifies each record in the table. This field is known as a primary key. This primary key essentially opens the door to the table and allows you to retrieve information from the table.
The primary key is the mechanism by which you relate different tables and combine information for viewing (query) or printing (report).
Databases can be simple—consisting of a single table—or made up of many different tables. If you were to convert your resume into a database, for example, you might have a table that contains your name and personal mailing address. We might call this the Contact_Information table.
Your work experience is a different kind of information. Instead of identifying who you are or where you live, it identifies the companies you worked for, their addresses, your job title, and your responsibilities. Because this set of information is independent from the contact information, we might instead create a second table called the Work_Experience table.
The same is true of your educational background. It has no direct bearing on your contact information or the companies where you worked. A third table might be created called the Education table to save this kind of data.
The database contains three tables, each independent of the other and all containing different types of information. The database needs a way to connect these three tables.
Every table contains a number of columns called fields or datatypes. Fields are unique pieces of information that make up the information in a table. Tables usually contain multiple fields.
In a previous example, we mentioned that a table might consist of the fields Last Name, First Name, Phone, Address, City, State, and Zip. Each field has unique properties. Some contain characters, while others contain numbers. These field properties are defined when the table is created.
The core component of a database is a table. Data is defined and stored in a table. Multiple tables—each consisting of different types of data—can be created in a database.
Each row in the database is called a record. The entry for John Smith is called a record. The entry for Martha Tompkins is also a record. Each row or record is made up of columns or fields—L.Name, F.Name, Phone, Address, City, State, and Zip—which contain a particular piece of information.
L.Name
F.Name
Phone
Address
City
State
Zip
Smith
John
919.555.6320
100 Paramount Parkway
Morrisville
NC
27560
Tompkins
Martha
919.555.6427
97 Hummingbird Court
Cary
NC
27513
In a Contact Management database, a list of names—those contacts to whom you have sent resumes or have met through your personal network—might be maintained in a table, along with addresses, phone numbers, and other personal information.
The database toolbar presents operations that can be performed against different database objects, including buttons to open an object, design an object, create a new object, and delete an object.
Left pane
Database objects are created and opened by choosing any of the buttons listed in the left pane of the database window.
Right pane
Any of the first four options—tables, queries, forms, or reports—opens additional choices related to that selection in the right pane.
Choosing the tables button, for example, displays at least three options in the right pane: Create a table in Design view, Create a table by using wizard, and Create table by entering data. It also shows any objects you created in the database.
The pictured buttons in the toolbar are quick and easy shortcuts to specific actions. For example, if you want to save a spreadsheet using the menus, then you would first click File and then click Save. Using the toolbar to perform this save operation actually saves you a click. Click the save button once to save the spreadsheet.
Some commands in the menus have pictures or icons associated with them. These pictures may also appear as shortcuts in the toolbar.
Launching Microsoft Access from the Windows desktop
Microsoft Access is launched from the Windows desktop in a manner similar to that used to launch Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. You can launch Microsoft Access either from the desktop shortcut or from the Start program.
To open Microsoft Access using the desktop shortcut:
Double-click the Microsoft Access shortcut icon on the Windows desktop.
To open Microsoft Access using the Start program:
Click the Start button located in the bottom-left corner of the Windows screen.
Click the Programs option on the Start menu.
Click the Microsoft Access selection.
If Access does not appear, click the double-down areas immediately below the Microsoft PowerPoint entry, then locate Access from a complete list of software installed on your computer.
A report is an effective way to analyze and present data in a printed format using a specific layout. You have control over the size and appearance of information printed on the report, similar to formatting you perform in a Microsoft Word document.
