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For the Week of
10-16-2000

FAST SHORTCUTS FOR OFFICE PROGRAMS

"My favorite Office Tip is to have keyboard shortcuts set up for all Office programs. Then to run an Office program, all you need do is press Ctrl+Alt+W to run Word, or Ctrl+Alt+E to run Excel etc. This is far quicker than
selecting the program from the menu, and is easier than double-clicking on a desktop-icon-if you're running Excel and need Word, just press Ctrl+Alt+W and you have both programs running (use the taskbar buttons to switch between them).

  This tip works in all versions of Office.

  These are the keyboard shortcuts I have set up for Office:

  Ctrl+Alt+A    Access

  Ctrl+Alt+E    Excel

  Ctrl+Alt+W    Word

  I don't use PowerPoint very often, so Ctrl+Alt+P is set up
  to run Publisher.

  You're not just limited to Office products either. I often
  use Notepad, so Ctrl+Alt+N activates that program.

  Steps
  ~~~~~
  1. Right-click on the program icon (if it's on the desktop, or in a menu).

  2. Choose Properties from the bottom of the pop-up menu.

  3. You should be on the shortcut tab for the program. Click in the Shortcut
       Key box. Your cursor will appear after the word None.

  4. Press the keyboard letter that you want. (eg for Word, press W: the
      shortcut will appear as Ctrl+Alt+W)

  5. Click OK.

  6. Test your shortcut by pressing the keyboard combination.

 To remove a shortcut key, repeat the steps, but press backspace in the
 Shortcut Key box.

You aren't limited to A-Z either. Number and punctuation keys can also be used along with function keys. The only restraint is that it can't be a keystroke used in a program (like F1) otherwise the shortcut won't work. Although more
cumbersome to use, shortcuts like Ctrl+Alt+Shift+W can be set up. Just experiment with the Properties | Shortcut dialog box. "

The shortcuts will start the program, not switch to it.  So if you press your Word shortcut while Word is already running you'll open a new document.

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