Richland College Green Commons

The Maymester, Summer I and Summer II 2012 Schedules are now available to view online. Registration for all students is now available.  Don’t wait too late to register!  You cannot register for a class once it has met for the first time.

Maymester term:   5/14 – 6/1
Summer I term: 6/6 – 7/3  (including the following Fridays: 6/8, 6/15, 6/22, 6/29)
Summer II term: 7/9 – 8/9  (no Friday meetings)

REMINDER: All students who were not enrolled in an ON CAMPUS class Spring semester 2012 MUST furnish evidence of the Meningitis vaccination by having their doctor fax the appropriate form to the registrars office and have it entered into the system PRIOR to their being cleared for registration.

The Distance Learning waiver is still available for those taking only DL Courses. Meningitis information and forms are available at: http://bit.ly/vwe90B

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Questions about our Business Office Systems and Support schedule? Contact Becky Jones, Associate Dean, at bjones@dcccd.edu or 972-238-6215

Are you working on a project that involves collecting data from several applications or sources? Are you are at the stage in the project where you just “jotting down” and collecting ideas? Let Microsoft’s OneNote 2010 help you collect and organize your thoughts.

Although OneNote has been around since the 2003 Office version, many people are still not aware of the package or its ability to help with planning and bringing information together effectively.

OneNote acts as a “one-stop” digital notebook for gathering and putting all of your material together for a project or for developing ideas.

For example, getting that 10-page feasibility report file from Word, along with some charts from the sales data in Excel, and important images from the company’s web site, and those key multimedia slides from last month’s Chicago PowerPoint presentation can now be collected, “scrap booked,” and assembled in OneNote, which is not restricted by margins or space. OneNote 2010 is fully integrated with the other Office 2010 products.  You can also sync your OneNote files with your desktop, laptop, SmartPhone app, tablet, and the cloud.

If you need to get input from others by having them contribute information/data to the project, it is very easy to collaborate with them, or perhaps you just want to hear what they have to say about the project, you know, letting them add their “2 cents worth.” You decide!

As offices move from being heavily dependent on paper to being places that are more focused on the “paperless” digital world, packages such as OneNote will become more commonplace.

For anyone interested in adding another certification accomplishment to his or her skills set and resume, OneNote has become Microsoft’s latest productivity software package to join the MOS certification group. You can get more details by visiting Microsoft’s certification partner Certiport.

Find out more about this package today by looking at one of Microsoft’s introductory free training videos on OneNote 2010.

For more information on BOSS software offerings, the BOSS degree and certificates, and how the BOSS program can help you with your career, contact Becky Jones, Associate Dean, bjones@dcccd.edu 972-238-6215.

Hold on–don’t be so quick to reboot your Windows PC. Rebooting is the go-to solution when a program won’t shut down or the system starts dragging or acting unstable.  There is, however, another way. The Windows Task Manager is a powerful tool for troubleshooting and resolving issues in Windows.

Task Manager shows you the programs, processes, and services that are currently running on your computer. You can use Task Manager to monitor your computer’s performance or to close a program that is not responding.

What is the fastest way to get to Windows Task Manager?  Many of you probably use the shortcut key combination Ctrl + Alt + Delete.  Did you know that there is an even faster way to launch Windows Task Manager that will bypass the Ctrl + Alt + Delete menu?

The next time your computer is being cantankerous try this shortcut key combination: Ctrl + Shift + Esc.  Your computer will load Windows Task Manager and allow you to instantly use the troubleshooting tools available in Task Manager.  After all, Windows Task Manager is about resolving your Windows issues and getting you back to the task at hand!

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For more information on BOSS software offerings, the BOSS degree and certificates, and how the BOSS program can help you with your career, contact Becky Jones, Associate Dean, bjones@dcccd.edu 972-238-6215.

The Maymester, Summer I and Summer II 2012 Schedules are now available to view online. Registration for continuing students will begin on Tuesday, April 17th.  Registration for new students will begin on Monday, April 23rd.

Maymester term:   5/14 – 6/1
Summer I term: 6/6 – 7/3  (including the following Fridays: 6/8, 6/15, 6/22, 6/29)
Summer II term: 7/9 – 8/9  (no Friday meetings)

REMINDER: All students who were not enrolled in an ON CAMPUS class Spring semester 2012 MUST furnish evidence of the Meningitis vaccination by having their doctor fax the appropriate form to the registrars office and have it entered into the system PRIOR to their being cleared for registration.

The Distance Learning waiver is still available for those taking only DL Courses. Meningitis information and forms are available at: http://bit.ly/vwe90B

_____________________________________

Questions about our Business Office Systems and Support schedule? Contact Becky Jones, Associate Dean, at bjones@dcccd.edu or 972-238-6215

Does it bother you that the results from search engine to search engine can be very different?  As I sometimes do, you probably run an important search in various search engines just to make certain you did not miss anything important.  Take a minute and experiment with Zuula!

Zuula is really one part metasearch engine and one part time-saver! It searches other engines and brings you individual lists that you can compare and contrast without running multiple searches or opening multiple windows. 

Zuula’s real power is not as much in its search but in its functionality and customization.  Run a search in Zuula and you will get a series of results tabs.  Each tab is a results list from a different search engine.  Simply click the tabs to compare and contrast the results. 

Want to specify which engines are being searched and in which order?  No problem!  Zuula can be customized to poll only the search engines you trust and in an order ranked by you.  You can even set your preferences by type of content (web, images, video, blogs, etc.) being searched. 

Visit www.zuula.com and give it a try!

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For more information on BOSS software offerings, the BOSS degree and certificates, and how the BOSS program can help you with your career, contact Becky Jones, Associate Dean, bjones@dcccd.edu 972-238-6215.

When you first use Excel 2010, you may have a few items that you have to go hunting for in the ribbon.  If you use macros, you will need to have the Developer tab available.  By default, the Developer tab does now show.  On the File tab, click Options, then select Customize Ribbon in the left pane.  On the list on the right, click the Developer check box and then click OK.  The developer tab will now be available for you.

Your buttons for access to macros and Visual Basic elements are on the developer tab.  In addition, you have form and Active X controls, XML schemas, and Add-Ins. There are two of these common Add-Ins that you might be looking for that you used in previous versions of Excel or that you would like to explore.  To get these to show up, click on the Developer tab and select the Add-Ins button (look for the gears on the button).  Then, click to place a check box for Analysis Toolpak and Solver Add-in.

Once these two elements are enabled, they will appear under the Data tab.  The Data Analysis button will be on the far right side of the Data tab ribbon.  This is a fantastic tool for statistical analysis of your data.  If you currently use a separate statistics package for market research or similar analysis, you might be able to use Excel instead.  Many of the everyday market research statistics can be done within the data analysis feature of Excel!

Solver is a great tool, too. Once you click the Solver option, it opens a dialog box that will allow you to enter parameters and conditions to try to solve a problem.  For example, if you are attempting to rent vehicles to transport a certain number of people to a conference, you could use solver to plug in the total number of people and the target budget.  You would input which cells had the numbers in it that could change and adjust (i.e. the number of vehicles and the number per vehicle).  You would also key in the constraints, like how many people could ride in each vehicle type (van, car, etc.) and that there could only be whole numbers of people in each vehicle. Once you set all of this information, Solver will attempt to analyze it for you. I actually used solver to figure this out for one of my advanced Excel classes.  It was really interesting to watch the class come together to think through all of the constraints, etc.

Enjoy using your tools!

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For more information on BOSS software offerings, the BOSS degree and certificates, and how the BOSS program can help you with your career, contact Becky Jones, Associate Dean, bjones@dcccd.edu 972-238-6215.

As technology continues to move forward at a dizzying pace and as companies search for more effective ways to reduce or eliminate soaring travel costs, new strategies are being used for the time-honored task of interviewing potential job candidates.

In the past, the expense of bringing out-of-town candidates in to be interviewed could prove quite costly to companies. One web tool that is gaining acceptance to help in this process is Skype. Skype software, which has a free version, allows human resource personnel and other hiring managers to interview potential job candidates without the candidates having to leave the comfort of their homes—literally!

In her article “6 Steps To Prepare For A Skype Interview,” Debra Wheatman provides readers with several key technical steps to keep in mind when preparing for virtual interviews.

In addition to researching the prospective company and preparing impressive responses that emphasize how great an employee you would be, follow these technical steps to get the most out of Skype software. You should go over these steps at least one full day before your scheduled interview to make sure everything is working properly. You should probably do a final spot test an hour or two before on the day of the actual interview.

1.  Make sure your system is equipped with a web cam and a microphone. Download and configure the free version of Skype software to your computer if it isn’t already loaded on your system. You can visit Skype’s web site at http://www.skype.com.

2.  Test the sound and video on your system to be sure your head and upper body are visible and that the volume is satisfactory. Enlist the help of a good friend or family member to help with this process.

3.  Make sure the viewing area is neat, clean, and professional looking. The last thing you want to have the interviewers see is an area that looks cluttered and sloppy. Remember the walls and area behind you as well!

4.  Position the lighting to make sure that it is complimentary to you. Be on the lookout for unflattering shadows or glares that make it difficult to see you. Again, the help of a friend or family member can help you here.

5.  Wear clothing that is flattering. According to Ms. Wheatman, you should stay away from clothing that has patterns or that is light in color (or white). Instead, wear darker colors that convey a more professional look. Dress as if you were actually going to a face-to-face interview (at least from the waist up)!

6.  Develop good eye contact with the camera. Ms. Wheatman offers readers the suggestion that you should not focus your glance at the image of the person on the screen. Doing so will make it appear as though you are looking down. One trick that she offers is to tape a photo of somebody next to the web-cam lens.

7.  Finally, on the day of the interview (and well ahead of time) she advises the candidate to take precautions to eliminate all potential noise.

Following these technical tips can help you interview successfully in the virtual world of job hunting! For more details, visit her blog at http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/6-steps-prepare-skype-interview/.

Have you ever noticed the double arrows pointing up and down at the bottom of the vertical scroll bar on the right side of a Word document? Click those and they will take you to the previous or next page, respectively. Do you see the circular button in between the arrows? It is a very important button and one that will change the action of the double arrows.

If you point to the button, you will notice a tooltip suggesting that you Select Browse Object. If you actually click on the button, you will get a box with a bunch of icons. If you hover over each icon, it will let you know its purpose.

Browse by Page is the default setting, which lets you click the arrows and browse page by page. The next button is Browse by Section. If you have sections in your document, clicking this will allow you to go section by section. You will find options to browse by comments, footnote, endnote, fields, tables, graphics, headings and edits.

The final two options are not actually browse by options. Click on the binoculars button to get the Find dialog box. The last button, which is an arrow, brings up the Go To dialog, which gives you a list of options from which you can choose.

Here’s another Go To feature in Word.  Did you know that Word remembers the last three locations you edited. If you want to return to one of those edited sites, press SHIFT+F5 until you reach the location that you want. It will not undo your edits; it will simply move you to that spot.

Take a minute and experiment with the Browse Object Button and the SHIFT + F5 shortcut.  These features could be time savers when you are in a time crunch!

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For more information on the Business Office Systems and Support department, contact Becky Jones, Associate Dean, bjones@dcccd.edu 972-238-6215.

Have you explored the SmartArt tools yet in Office 2007 and 2010?  In PowerPoint, Word and Excel, you can use SmartArt to create an organizational/hierarchical chart.  It is easy to create and modify SmartArt.

To insert a SmartArt figure into your PowerPoint (or Word and Excel), select the Insert tab and click the SmartArt command button on the ribbon.  A dialog box will open, allowing you to select the category of SmartArt on the left side.  The Office 2010 version added a new category called “Office.com”.  The items available in this category can be added to over time.

If you choose the “Hierarchy” category, you can select from one of 15 organization charts.  For our example, choose the “Name and Title Organization Chart”. You will see the SmartArt figure appear encased in a frame with a bulleted list pane next to it.  You can type into the chart boxes themselves or in the bulleted list.  In this variation on the organization chart, you can type in the person’s name in the main box and then type the position or title in the smaller offset white box.

If you want to change the colors or style, they are both available on the SmartArt tools Design tab at the top.  The two SmartArt tools tabs (Design and Format) only appear when you are clicked on the SmartArtfigure itself.  You will see a “Change Colors” button in the middle of the SmartArt tools Design tab ribbon.  You can choose one of the preformatted colors that are may vary according to the background design you have chosen for your presentation.

The SmartArt styles gallery is just to the right of the Change Colors button.  You can click the down arrow or the more arrow to see all of the styles available for the layout you have set.  If you want to change the layout, do this first before picking the style, since your styles list will change depending on the layout you have chosen.  (The layout options are on the same tab to the left of the Change Colors button.)

If you have too many boxes, you can easily remove a shape by right clicking the shape and selecting “Cut”. If you need to add a shape, choose the shape you would like to add it to first.  Then, on the SmartArt tools Design tab, click the “Add Shape” button on the very left side of the ribbon.  You can promote or demote shapes by selecting them and clicking on the “Promote” or “Demote” button on the left side, too.

To customize and individual shape, you can go to the SmartArt tools Format tab and use on of the preformatted “Shape Styles”.  Or, you can click on the “Shape Fill”, “Shape Outline”, or “Shape Effects” button in the Shape Styles group of buttons.

You really have unlimited choices to customize your organization chart.  Enjoy and get creative!

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For more information on BOSS software offerings, the BOSS degree and certificates, and how the BOSS program can help you with your career, contact Becky Jones, Associate Dean, bjones@dcccd.edu 972-238-6215.