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STEP 8:  WORD PROCESSING, SPREADSHEET, DATABASE, APPLICATION SUITE
 

 
WORD PROCESSING
A word processing program helps you create professional-looking documents quickly and efficiently. Popular word processing programs include Microsoft Word, Corel Word Perfect, and Lotus Word Pro. Documents such as letters, reports, project manuals, newsletters and brochures can be created with ease. You can style documents to make them attractive even adding photographs. This entire document has been created using Microsoft Word 6.0 and Microsoft Excel 2000. Word processing programs include many features. Some are:
  • creating tables to organize information.
  • a merge feature that lets you quickly produce personalized letters, envelopes, and mailing labels for every person on a mailing list.
  • automatically uses a wrap around feature that moves typed text to the next line. This is called word wrapping.
  • when typing text, you only need to press Enter when you want an extra space or to start a new paragraph.
  • after typing text in a document, you can easily add new text, delete text or move text to a new location.
  • Before performing these or many other tasks you have to select or highlight, see HIGHLIGHTING, the data you want to work with. This can be done with one character or large amounts of data.
  • You can undo or cancel the change or the changes made to a document or cancel them all in one process.
  • You can search for every occurrence of a word or phrase and replace any or all of them.
  • Most word processing programs include a spell check and a grammar to find and correct errors. Some will correct common spelling errors as you type.
  • To add additional variety you can choose your font (see FONTS) design, size, and color.
  • Select style, for a character or total text or anything in between, such as making it bold, italicized, or underlining it.
  • You can add a header or footer to each page of a document to display information such as the date, the page number, or the Company name.
  • You can enhance the appearance of a document by aligning paragraphs in different ways.

The word processing program can assist anyone to produce professional looking documents. The user does not necessarily have to know how to type, but it helps!!!
 

 
SPREADSHEETS
A spreadsheet program helps you manage personal and business fiscal records. Popular spreadsheet programs include Microsoft Excel and Lotus 1-2-3. You can use a spreadsheet program to perform calculations, analyze data and present information in new formats. A spreadsheet looks the same as an accounting ledger and performs the same functions, except it will do the mathematical calculations automatically and will automatically recalculate them if you change one number. It will even complete a series for you such as numbers, text, or time periods. For example, if you enter January in a heading it will complete the series typing in the adjacent column headings to December automatically. Spreadsheet programs save you vast amounts of time and are accurate when given correct information. Like the word processing programs you can add borders, colors, shading, different fonts, and styles to represent your numbers. You can change the alignment of a row or a column to center it, align it left or right, and you can do whole sections in different alignments. The program can then convert all numbers into any one of many chart styles, which you can color and label separately if you wish.
 

 
DATABASES
A database program helps you manage large collections of information. They are commonly used to manage mailing lists, phone directories, products listings and payroll information. You can perform calculations on the information in a database. You can then analyze the results to make quick, accurate and informed decisions. You can change the order of the information by choosing to sort it. For example you can sort it alphabetically or arrange a list in ascending or descending order by date or you can query the program to find information that meets certain criteria, or conditions. You can use the results of a query to create a report. You can find specific information quickly by using the find feature. You can use a form to help you enter data into a database. A form has boxes that clearly show you where to enter data. Like word processing programs and spreadsheet programs your information can be colored and done in different styles to help make the presentation of large amounts of information clearer.
 

 
APPLICATION SUITES
An application suite is a collection of programs bundled together in one package. For example a suite can include a word processing program, a spreadsheet program, a database program, a presentation program and a personal data management program. The advantage of buying programs as part of a suite is it costs less than buying each program individually, and programs in an application suite share a common design and can readily talk to one another. This means the applications can easily share data embedded within documents. Once you learn one application program with a suite like Microsoft's Office Suite, you can easily familiarize yourself with the other applications.
 

 
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