Computer Skills for the Workplace

Lesson 1

Overview: The Workplace Technology Solution

Whether you're looking for a new job or looking to improve your position at your current company, computer skills are essential to your success. In our first lesson, we'll examine how companies set up and use technology solutions. Then we'll take a close look at some of the components of those solutions. Just understanding how technology fits into the overall flow of work at your company will advance your position relative to your peers.

Outlook: Email and Scheduling

Your computer has a software program installed on it that's referred to as an "operating system." Most often, this system is Microsoft Windows, but it could be others, such as macOS or Linux. In this lesson, you'll learn how this system controls many important parts of the computer and how you use those controls every day for tasks like managing where you keep important files, and printing hard copies of documents. We'll also talk about menus, taskbars, and shortcuts along the way.

Word: Creating and Formatting Documents

Next to email, the word processor is probably the most frequently used application software in the workplace. Yet, if you've never taken the time to learn the basic features of most word processors, you're not performing nearly to your potential. In today's lesson, you'll learn and practice the important capabilities of word processors like Microsoft Word.

Word: More Advanced Formatting

There are many excellent features in Microsoft Word that can enable you to create and edit very professional-looking documents. In this lesson, we are going to incorporate some of the more advanced Word functions to create documents that are sure to impress your peers and your supervisor. We'll focus on formatting and organizing your information using a wide range of Word processor tools.

Excel: Spreadsheet Basics

During today's lesson, we'll go over some important fundamental concepts related to spreadsheets, including spreadsheet organization, formatting, basic formulas, and data sorting. Once you discover how to create a basic budget spreadsheet, you'll see how the skills and knowledge you gain from this lesson can have a powerful impact on your ability to contribute more in the workplace.

Excel: Formatting, Charts, and Printing

In this lesson, we'll discuss more details about the spreadsheet, and how to provide easy-to-understand, accurate data. You'll learn how to build graphs that can graphically display numeric information so you can easily demonstrate trends, analyze past results, and predict future performance. You'll also find out how to use some advanced spreadsheet tools that can make your spreadsheets even more effective.

Access: Database Basics

During this lesson, we'll examine the components of a database, focusing primarily on the user interface. In your job, you might use this interface to perform a lot of different functions, including data input, data output, and data maintenance. Clerks work with databases to input information. Other employees might work with databases to filter, sort, and read information. Database-management personnel interface with databases to keep them accurate, reliable, and secure.

PowerPoint: Creating and Editing a Presentation

PowerPoint is an important tool for creating presentations suitable for the work environment. This powerful program has many features, but they must be used correctly or else your audience will be distracted or overloaded. In this lesson, we'll explore the best ways to create an effective presentation that incorporates the right mix of multimedia. You'll learn how to insert graphics and audio into your presentation in an effective and organized manner.

Integrating Microsoft Office Programs

The suite of Microsoft Office products includes Excel and Access, which are both very powerful on their own. In this lesson, you are going to learn how to actually integrate information from one program to the other. You can create data lists with either program and easily transfer the information to the other. Considering all the work we do with lists on the computer, this is a very important skill in today's work environment. Plus, you'll find out how mail merge can save you time and effort by allowing you to customize letters, labels, and more!

Using the Internet

In today's lesson, we're going to have fun working with the Internet. This is the greatest source of information you'll ever have access to—yet it can be confusing and overwhelming if you are not familiar with the basic Internet tools. You'll really enjoy seeing how easy it is to find information that specifically meets your needs and interests.

Transferring and Protecting Data

Today, we'll go over various methods for transferring information from one computer to another. We'll explore different terms used to describe the volume of information—or size of a file—and then learn how to most effectively and efficiently move that data from place to place. You'll learn about bytes, megabytes, memory sticks, and external hard drives.

Putting Your Skills to Work

In our final lesson, we will focus on putting all your new knowledge to work! We have three specific goals. The first is to identify ways to use your computer skills to find a new job. The second is to use those same computer skills to get a promotion within your current organization. Our third goal is to explore strategies for continued learning in order to support your ever-growing employment goals.