Apply computer software in solving tasks

Introduction
The term software refers to the set of electronic program instructions or data that a computer
processor reads in order to perform a task or operation. Software can be categorized
according to what it is designed to accomplish. The main two types are: System software and
application software. Under this unit, we will talk about application software. Application
software (or simply applications) are often called productivity programs or endusers
programs because they enable the users to complete tasks such as: Creating documents,
spreadsheets, databases, publications, doing online research, sending email, designing
graphics etc. Application software is specific to the task it is designed for and can be simple
as a calculator application or as complex as word processing application. When you begin
creating a document, the word processing software has already set the margins, font and line
spacing for you. Microsoft Word is a popular word processing application that is included in
the software suite of applications called Microsoft Office.
A software suite is a group of software applications with related functionality. For example
 Office software suites might include word processing, spreadsheets, and database,
presentation and email applications.
 Graphics suites such as Adobe Creative Suite might include applications for
creating and editing images.
 Audio suits such as Sony Audio Master Suite is used for audio productions.

In designing databases, there are a few rules to stick to. It is important to know what these
rules are, but more importantly to know why these rules exist, otherwise you will tend to
make mistakes. On the other hand, worksheets help you with your financial calculations.

Definition of key terms

Word processor: This is a computer program or device that provides for inputs, editing,
formatting and output of text often with additional features.
Word documents: All items created using a word processing software.
Word Processing: A computerized method of writing, editing, saving, formatting and
printing texts.
Text: Consists solely of letters.
Characters: Anything typed from your keyboard.
Text wrap: In word processing programs, this occurs when you get to the end of the line and
the text wraps without you pressing the enter key.
Font: Size and style of writing.
Edit: To make changes to a document.
Table: Refers to data arranged in a series of rows and columns.
Word Processing Utilities: These are the software used to manipulate text and apply a
basic design to your pages.
Database: An organized collection of data, generally stored and accessed electronically fora
computer system.
Update: Insertion, modification and deleting of the actual data.
Spreadsheet: A user interface that resembles one or more paper accounting worksheets.

Word Processing Concepts Are Applied in Resolving Workplace Tasks,

Report Writing and Documentation
As we have seen, word processing is the production of typed documents (such as business
letters) with automated and usually computerized typing and text editing equipment. A word
processing program allows you to create, edit, format and print many types of documents
such as letters. Memos, CVs, etc.
You can create World Wide Web pages withsome word processing programs

Word Processing Concepts and Descriptions

a) Opening word processing package: Word processing package is mostly used in
offices on microcomputers. To open a new document, click on the “start”
button and go to “all programs” and click on “Microsoft word”
b) Opening and closing of documents: Word automatically starts with a blank
page. To open a new file, click on “new”.
c) Page set up: Page set up options are usually available on the “page layout menu”.
Parameters defined by the user help in determining how a printed page will
appear.
d) Print preview: This option is used to view the page or adjust before any
document gets printed.
e) Cut, copy, paste.
f) Table manipulation: Manipulation of table includes drawing a table, changing
cell width and height, alignment of text in the cell, deletion/insertion of rows and
columns and boarders and shading.

In summary, this topic provides us with a clear idea about components of word processing
basics, opening and closing the documents, text creation and manipulation, formatting the
text, table manipulation.

Word Processing Utilities are applied in Accordance with Workplace Procedures

Under this topic, we look at some of the word processing utilities in Microsoft word. They
include:
A) Checking spelling. To check spelling in an entire document:
i) Under the review menu, choose spelling and grammar under the proofing submenu.
ii) A popup box will appear where you will get to specify exactly what you want
to check. It will also give you suggestions to the current sentence.
iii) Then you will click change command and it will automatically save the changesand
take you to the next sentence. Once finished, you will close the spelling andgrammar
popup box by clicking the close command.

b) Finding Synonyms. To find synonyms for a word in a document:

1. Select the word in your document.
 2. Click the review menu then choose the thesaurus from the submenu.
3. To replace the word with a synonym, select the synonym and click replace.

c) Hyphenating words.
Hyphenation allows words to break between the syllables of words. Books and magazines
hyphenate their texts in order to have more uniform spacing between words.
Under the page layout menu, select hyphenation from the page set up submenu and the word
processor will automatically hyphenate the text

Getting word count and other document statistics.

Word count is finding out the numbers of words, characters, paragraphs and lines in the
document.
Under the review menu, click the word ‘count’ from the porting submenu. A popup box will
appear showing the document’s statistics which includes pages, words, characters (with and
without spacing), paragraphs and lines.

a. Worksheet Layout Is Prepared in Accordance with

Work ProceduresPreparing worksheet layout
A worksheet is a collection of cells where you keep and manipulate the data. Each excel
workbook can contain worksheets.
i. Select a worksheet: When you open an Excel workbook, Excel
automatically selectssheet 1 for you. The name of the sheet appears
on the sheets tab at the bottom of thedocument window.
ii. Insert a worksheet: You can insert as many worksheets as you want.
To quickly insert a worksheet, click the plus sign at the bottom of the
document window.
iii. Rename a worksheet: To give a more specific name, execute the following steps:
 Right click on the sheet tab of sheet 1
 Choose to rename
 Type a new name
iv. Delete a worksheet: To delete a worksheet, right click on the sheet tab
and chooseto delete.

b. Building A Worksheet and Applying Data Manipulation on Worksheet

i. Develop a spreadsheet to analyze your expenditures for a month or for
whatever period you like and learn the basics of organizing budgets
with key features of spreadsheets.
ii. Choose a file and save it as Financials.
iii. Begin to enter information by simply clicking on a cell and typing your entry.
iv. Plan your needed data. Before creating any kind of spreadsheet. You
need to plan what it will include so that you can structure and format it
accordingly. While it is possible to change the spreadsheet structure
later on, the more data you have added,the more inconvenient it
becomes.
 v. Create headings. You create headings depending on the topic being
covered. To create diagonal names, navigate the ‘home’ tab and
‘find’ and click the formattingoption with a diagonal rising
appearance. This means the headings stand out withoutchanging the
column width.

Basic Terms in Excel

Formulas: It is an expression that operates on values in a range of cells or a cell. Example
=A1+A2+A3 which finds the sum of the range of value from cell A1 to cell A3.

Functions: These are predetermined formulas in excel. They eliminate laborious manual entry
of formulas while giving them human friendly names. For example, = SUM [A1:A3]. This
function sums all the values from A1 to A3.

c. Ways to Insert Data in A Worksheet

 Simple insertion: Typing a formula inside a cell. This is the most straightforward
method of inserting basic excel formulas. The process starts with typing an equal
sign, followed by the name of the function.
 Using insert function option from formulas tab: To achieve this, go to the
formulas and select the first menu labeled ‘insert’ function. The dialog box will
contain all the functions you need.
Using Auto sum option: Navigate to the home tab in the far-right corner, click the‘auto sum’
option. Then click the caret to show other hidden

Basic Excel Formulas for your Workflow

SUM
Aggregates values from a selection of columns or rows from your selected range.
=SUM {number 1, [number 2],}

AVERAGE
= AVERAGE {number 1, [number 2,}

COUNT
This function counts all cells in a given range that contain only numeric values.
=COUNT {value 1, [value 2],}

COUNTA
This function counts all cells in a given range regardless of the type i.e. it counts dates, times,
strings.
= COUNTA. {Value 1, [value2],}

IF
It is used when you want to sort your data accordingly to a given logic.
=IF {logical –test, [value –if-true], [value-if-false]}
TRIM
This function makes sure your functions do not return errors due to unruly spaces.
=TRIM [text]

MAX and MIN.

Functions help in finding the maximum number and the minimum number in a range of
values.
=MIN {number1, [number2],}
=MAX {number1, [number2],}

Preparing A Database and Manipulating the Data

Designing a database is in fact easy, but there are a few rules to stick to. It is important to
know what these rules are, but more importantly, know why these rules exist, otherwise you
will tend to make mistakes. Standardization makes your data model flexible and that makes
working with your data much easier. A good database design starts with a list of thedata that
you want to include in your database and what you want to be able to do with thedatabase
later.

i) Identifying Entities: Types of information that are stirred in a database are called entities.
These entities exist in four kinds: people, things, events and locations. If the information
you want to include doesn’t fit in these categories, then it is probably not an entity but a
property of an entity, an attribute.
ii) Identifying Relationships: Identify the relationship between entities and determinethe
cardinality of each relationships. The relationship is the connection between entities.
Types of relationships include:
 One to one
 One to many
 Many to one
 Many too many
iii) Identifying attributes: The data elements that you want to save for each entity
arecalled attributes. For example, about the product that you sell, you may want to know
the price, name of the manufacturer, etc.
iv) Assigning keys
 Primary keys: One or more data attributes that uniquely identify an entity. A key
that consists of two or more attributes is called a composite key. All attributes part
of a primary key must have a value in every record (which cannot be left empty)
and the combination of these attributes must be unique in the table.
 Foreign keys: This is an entity in reference to the primary key of another entity. It
can also be part of a primary key, in that the attribute will be indicated primary
key behind its name.
 Defining the attributes data type
The standard data types that every database knows and are most likely to be used are:
i) CHAR: Includes characters, numbers, and punctuations and has a characteristic thatis
always saved as a fixed amount of positions e.g. CHAR 10.
ii) VARCHAR: same as CHAR but the difference is that VARCHAR only takes asmuch
space as necessary.
Iii) TEXT: Contains large amounts of texts.
IV) INT: Contains a positive or negative whole number e.g. INT 10
v) FLOAT, DOUBLE: It can store floating point numbers.

Provides Data Sorting, Indexing, Storage, Retrieval and Security in Databases

Data storing in database is done by a process called Normalization.
Normalization
Normalization makes your data model flexible and reliable. It does generate some overhead
because you usually get more tables, but it enables you to do many things without having to
adjust it.
 Normalization the first form: States that there may be no repeating groups of
columns in an entity.
 Normalization the second form: States that all attributes of an entity should be
fully dependent overall primary key.
 Normalization the third form: States that all attributes need to be directly
dependent on the primary key and not on other attributes.

Types of database objects

 Tables: They store information.
 Queries: Lets you perform an action on a table.
 Forms: Attractive windows that you create, arrange and colorize.
 Reports: Help you print some or all of the information in a table.
 Macros: Mini programs that automate custom tasks.
 Modules: Files that contain visual basic code.

Saving Databases
Access doesn’t require that you save your data. It automatically saves any edits you maketo the
records in a table.
When you add or edit a database object, Access waits until you finish and close the objectat
which it prompts you to save or discard your changes.