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UCU 002: COMPUTER APPLICATIONS Spelling and grammar check

Purpose of the course Applying formatting to text and page
The aim of this course is to provide a comprehensive understanding of Print previewing a document and print it
how computers work and the use of application software in businesses Spreadsheets
today. Spread sheet terms
Main course text Creating new spread sheets and open existing ones
 Introduction to Computer and its components Inputting text, numbers and simple formulae
 Hardware and software Employing simple functions such as SUM, AVERAGE
Hardware: input and output devices, backup storage, central Creation of and modification charts/graphs to illustrate data
processing unit, memory (ROM, RAM). Database
Software: Categories of software, System software, applications Common database terms
software, general purpose software, integrated packages and software Opening and use an existing database
suites. Designing and creating a simple database
Saving database objects with appropriate names
The key role of the central processing unit. Creating simple queries
The fetch execute cycle Designing input forms
The Control unit and the arithmetic/logic unit (ALU) Designing output reports
Peripheral Devices Presentation software
Input: keyboard, mouse, tracker ball, graphics tablet, scanner, digital Preparing a presentation
camera, touch screen, OMR, OCR, barcode scanner, magnetic stripe Using pictures and objects
reader, microphone. Using animation
Output: monitor (CRT and LCD), printer (dot matrix, inkjet, laser), Using organization charts
plotter, speakers. Using graphs
Internet and E-mail
Computer Applications - TOPICS – Details Requirements for connecting to the Internet.
Word-processing software. Features of common Internet services.
word processing terms e-mail terms
Creating new documents and open existing ones Reading, replying to and forwarding messages
Typing and editing text Sending attachments
Using Save and Save As
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INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTERS Mainframe computers
Basic Computer Concepts A mainframe is another giant computer after the super computer and
Definition of a computer can also process millions of instruction per second and capable of
A computer is an electronic device capable of executing instructions, accessing billions of data. They are physically very large in size with
developed based on algorithms stored in its memory, to process data fed very high capacity of main memory. This computer is commonly used
to it and produce the required results faster than human beings. in big hospitals, air line reservations companies, and many other huge
"one that computes; specifically: a programmable electronic device that companies prefer mainframe because of its capability of retrieving data
can store, retrieve, and process data" on a huge basis. They can be linked to smaller computers and handle
hundreds of users they are also used in space exploitation. The term
Types of Computers mainframe was mainly used for earliest computers as they were big in
What different types of computers are there? size though today the term is used to refer to large computers. A large
This categories are based on size, price and capabilities number of peripheral scan be attached to them. They are expensive to
install.
Super computers
They are very large in size and use multiple processors and superior Minicomputers
technology. Super computers are biggest in size, the most expensive in They are smaller than the main frame but bigger than minicomputers.
price than any other is classified and known as super computer. It can They support concurrent users. They can be used as servers in
process trillions of instructions in seconds. This computer is not used as companies. They are slower and less costly compared to mainframe
a PC in a home neither by a student in a college. Governments specially computers but more powerful, reliable and expensive than micro
use this type of computer for their different calculations and heavy jobs. computers.
Different industries also use this huge computer for designing their
products. Micro computers
In most of the Hollywood’s movies it is used for animation purposes. They are of advanced technology i.e. the micro era based on large scale
This kind of computer is also helpful for forecasting weather reports integration that confines several physical components per small
worldwide. They are known for von Newman’s design i.e. multiple elements thumb size IC, hence the size reduced. It is the smallest of the
processor system with parallel processing. In such a system a task is three computers. They are usually called personal computers since they
broken down and shared among processes for faster execution. They are are designed to be used by individuals. The micro chip technology has
used for complex tasks requiring alot of computational power. enabled reduction of size of computers. Microcomputers can be a
desktop, laptop, notebooks, or even palmtop
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Notebook computer An extremely lightweight personal computer. mobile phones as multipurpose devices.
Notebook computers typically weigh less than 6 pounds and are small
enough to fit easily in a briefcase. Aside from size and portability. Software and Hardware
Notebook computers use a variety of techniques, known as flat-panel A computer has to main components;
technologies, to produce a lightweight and non-bulky display screen. Hardware
Computer hardware refers to the physical components of a computer
Desktop Computer is an independent personal computer that is made such as the monitor, Keyboard, Mouse, system unit etc.
especially for use on a desk in an office or home. The term is used
mainly to distinguish this type of personal computer from portable Computer software
computers and laptops, but also to distinguish other types of computers A set of programs associated with the operation of a computer
like the server or mainframe.

Laptop: A small portable computer light enough to carry comfortably, BASIC HARDWARE UNITS OF A COMPUTER
with a flat screen and keyboard that fold together. Laptops are battery- At the end of the chapter the learner shall be able to;
operated, often have a thin, back lit or side lit LCD display screen, and Explain the different hardware units of a computer system such as
some models can even mate with a docking station to perform as a full- input, output, Central processing unit (CPU), main memory and
sized desktop system back at the office. Advances in battery secondary storage
technology allow laptop computers to run for many hours between Explain how the different units of a computer interact with each other to
charges, and some models have a set of business applications built into give the user out put
ROM. Today's high-end (Advanced) laptops provide all the capabilities Explain how information is stored in a computer
of most desktop computers. Explain the different storage units of a computer such as byte ,
Kilobyte, megabyte, Gigabyte and Terabyte
Palmtop: A small computer that literally fits in your palm. Compared
to full-size computers, palm tops are severely limited, but they are Hardware units (Devices) of a computer can be categorized into five
practical for certain functions such as phone books and calendars. Palm units;
tops that use a pen rather than a keyboard for in put are often called  In put unit
hand-held computers or PDAs. Because of their small size, most  Output
palmtop computers do not include disk drives. However, many contain  Central processing unit (CPU) or processor
PCMCIA slots in which you can insert disk drives, modems, memory,  Main Memory
and other devices. Nowadays palmtops are being integrated into the  Secondary storage/Backing Storage
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Input Devices Optical Mark Reader (OMR) A special scanning device that can read
An input device lets you communicate with a computer. They are used carefully placed pencil marks on specially designed documents. OMR is
to enter information and issue commands to the computer. Commands frequently used in forms, questionnaires, and answer-sheets
tell the computer to do something, like save the file. A keyboard, Output device
mouse, scanner, digital camera, touch pads and joystick are examples of An output device displays information on a screen, creates printed
input devices. copies or generates sound. A monitor, printer, and speakers are
Keyboard Used to type data into the computer. It has special keys for examples of output devices.
giving the computer commands called command or function keys Monitors and Displays Shows the processed information on a screen. A
Pointing Devices Pointing devices move some object on the screen and monitor uses a Picture Tube like a television with the image displayed
can do some action Mouse is a common pointing device on the front of the tube, which is called the screen.
Scanner allows you to scan documents, pictures, or graphics and view Printers produce a hard copy. The information is printed on paper and
them on the computer. You can also use software to edit the items you can be used when the device is off. It is also called a printout.
scan. Used to put printed pictures and text into a computer. It Converts
an image into dots that the computer can understand. To scan text, Speakers Used to output sound
optical character recognition (OCR) software is needed. LCD Projectors Similar to monitors but projects an image on to a
Digital Camera Used to take electronic pictures of an object. The screen. They are mainly used for presentations.
pictures taken by a digital camera can be used directly by a computer
Microphone Used to put sound in to a computer. Need sound recording Central Processing Unit (CPU)/Processor:
software It is the main part of a computer system like the brain of a human being.
Video Capture Card Usually place inside the computer's case. Use to It interprets the instructions in the program and executes one by one.
put video into a computer. Need a video source, either a video camera The CPU of a microcomputer is called a microprocessor. Central
or video recorder Processing Unit is implemented in a single piece of silicon device
Voice input device-A computer I/O device in which vocal commands known as a computer chip.
may be entered into a computer system. The processor and main memory of a PC are commonly held on a
Optical character recognition (OCR) is computer software designed to single board called a mother board.
translate images of handwritten or typewritten text (usually captured by
a scanner) into machine-editable text, or to translate pictures of The processor has the following functions:
characters into a standard encoding scheme representing them (e.g. It controls the transmission of data from input devices to memory;
ASCII or Unicode). It processes the data held in main memory;
It controls the transmission of information from main memory to out
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put devices. access devices which must be accessed in order.
The processor contains the control unit and the arithmetic/logic unit RAM is volatile; losing the stored information in an event of power
(ALU). loss, and quite expensive.
The control unit coordinates and controls all the operations carried out
by the computer. The control unit operates by repeating three operations There are two basic types of RAM.
which are: Static RAM does not need to be refreshed, which makes it faster; but it
Fetch–cause the next instruction to be fetched from memory; is also more expensive than dynamic RAM. Dynamic RAM needs to be
Decode – translate the program instruction into commands that the refreshed thousands of times per second. Both types of RAM are
computer can process volatile, meaning that they lose their contents when the power is turned
Execute – cause the instruction to be executed. The arithmetic/ logic off.
unit (ALU) plays two roles.
Arithmetic operations – these operations are addition, subtraction, ROM (Read only memory)
multiplication and division Is also random access but only for reads, once data has been written
Logical operations – it compares two data items to determine whether onto a ROM chip, it cannot be removed and can only be read.
the first one is smaller than, equal to or greater than these condition. It refers to special memory used to store programs that boot the
computer and perform diagnostics. Most personal computers have a
Main Memory: small amount of ROM (a few thousand bytes).
The cycle (input - processing - output) would not be possible without a Retains its contents even when the computer is turned off and is
holding place for the instructions and data that the processors (CPU) therefore referred to as being non-volatile.
can easily reach. This holding place is known as memory also called
main storage and is internal to the computer consisting of RAM and Secondary storage
possibly These are devices which are used to store huge information for future
use. This is mostly hard drives and removable media such as floppy
disks, optical media (CD ROM) etc.
RAM: Random Access Memory (RAM)
Is the basic kind of internal memory that holds data and instructions Hard Drive:
while the computer is in use. Floppy Disk: Floppy disks allow information to be transported easily
It can be read from and written to (editable). from one computer to another they have limited storage capacity,
It is called random access because the processor or computer can access generally 1.44 MB. Saving and retrieving information from a floppy
any location in memory in any order as contrasted with sequential disk is slower than on a hard drive. They are more susceptible to
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physical damage and viruses than the hard drive. The size of a hard eneral purpose and special purpose software
drive is usually expressed in terms of megabytes and gigabytes.
Compact Disk Read Only Memory (CDROM): CD ROMs are read Explain Readymade software vs tailor made software
only storage medium. Typically, a CD ROM holds up to 650 MB of SoftwareisaProgramcommerciallypreparedandtestedinsoftwarebyoneora
information. While information retrieval is faster than from a floppy groupof programmers and system analyst to perform a specified task.
disk, it is still not as fast as from the hard drive. Software is simply set of instructions that cause a computer to perform
one or more tasks. Computers cannot do any useful work without
Compact Disk-Writable (CD-R): A CD-R is highly effective for instructions from software; thus a combination of software and
storing a large amount of data. Can hold up to 700MB of information. hardware (the computer) is necessary to do any computerized work. A
A CD-R is a one time recordable compact disc. Compact Disk-Re- program must tell the computer each of a set of tasks to perform, in a
Writable (CD-RW): frame work of logic, such that the computer knows exactly what to do
A CD-RW allows you to read, write, erase and write again. Writing and when to do it. Data are raw facts and ideas that have not been
takes place in a single pass of the focused laser beam. This is sometimes processed while Information is data that has been processed so as to be
referred to as direct overwriting and can be repeated several thousand useful to the user
times per disc.
Classification of software
Size (unit of measure) Classification of software Utilities Development programs Operating
Byte – a string of 8 bits. system Service programs Special/tailor made applications General
Kilobyte – 1,000 bytes /ready-made applications System software Application software
Megabyte – 1,000,000 bytes Software Communication programs
Gigabyte – 1,000,000,000bytes Software can be broadly classified into system software and application
Terabyte – 1,000,000,000,000 bytes software

COMPUTER SOFTWARE
At the end of the chapter the learner shall be able to; System software
Explain computer software and the classification of computer software Consists of programs that control operations of the computer and enable
Explainsystemsoftwareandthedifferentsoftwareinthatcategoryandtheir user to make efficient use of computers. They coordinate computer
application and importance in computing. activities and optimize use of computers. They are used to control the
Explainapplicationsoftwareandthedifferentsoftwareinthatcategorysuchg computer and develop and run application programs examples of jobs
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done by the system software are management of computer resources, Firewalls prevent outsiders from accessing your computer over a
defragmentation etc. They can be divided into; network such as the Internet.
Operating system – is a complex program and most important program Developmentprogramsareusedinthecreationofnewsoftware.Theycompris
that runs on a computer and which controls the operation of a computer. eof sets of software tools to allow programs to be written and tested.
It perform basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, Knowledge of appropriate programming language is assumed. Tools
sending output to the display screen, keeping track of files and used here are
directories on the disk, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk Text editors that allows one to enter and modify programs statements
drives and printers. In general the operating system supervises and Assembler- allows one to code in machine programs language. i.e.
directs all the software components and the hardware components. processor specific
Sophisticated operating system could handle multi-processors, many Compilers-makes it possible for programmer to convert source code to
users and tasks simultaneously. Examples of computers operating object code which can be stored and saved on different computers.
systems are UNIX, Microsoft windows 95/98, Windows NT, Windows Interpreters-used to convert source programs statement by statement as
2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista and Linux. it executes the program without being compiled first.
Service programs are programs designed for general support of the Libraries- commonly used parts or portions of a program which can be
processes of a computer; "a computer system provides utility programs called or included in the programmer’s code without having to recode
to perform the tasks needed by most users". The service program scan that portion.
further be divided into; Diagnostic utilities-used to detect bugs in the logic of program during
program development
Utilities Performs a variety of tasks that maintain or enhance the Communicationprograms-
computer’s operating system Utility programs are generally fairly refertoprogramsthatmakeitpossibletotransmitdata.
small. Each type has a specific job to do. Below are some descriptions
of utilities. Application software
Anti-virus applications protect your computer from the damage that Are programs for user to do their jobs e.g. typing, recording keeping,
can be caused by viruses and similar programs. production of financial statements, drawing, and statistics.
Compression utilities make files smaller for storage (or sending over General/ ready-made software is developed to perform a variety of
the Internet) and then return them to normal size. tasks, usually determined by use. Such software can be customized by
Data recovery utilities attempt to restore data and files that have been user to achieve specific goals e.g. ms office which is a suit of programs
damaged or accidentally deleted. performing a variety of tasks e.g. word processing for producing
Disk defragmenters reorganize the data stored on disks so that it is documents, database for storing, retrieving and manipulating data and
more efficiently arranged. various calculations on spreadsheets. General purpose programs are
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discussed below; and queries. For example, all the names listed for a given area code
could be printed out and used for a commercial mailing to that area.
Word processing applications. Writing tasks previously done on Examples of database software is Ms Access, Dbase, Oracleetc.
typewriters with considerable effort can now be easily completed with
word-processing software. Documents can be easily edited and Presentation software: for making slide shows. Allows users to create
formatted. Revisions can be made by deleting (cutting), inserting, visual presentation A speaker may use presentation software to organize
moving (cutting and pasting), and copying data. Documents can be a slide show for an audience. Text, graphics, sound, and movies can
stored (saved) and opened again for revisions and/or printing. Many easily be included in the presentation. An added feature is that the slide
styles and sizes of fonts are available to make the document attractive. show may be enhanced by inclusion of handouts with two to six slides
Example: MSWord, Word Pad etc. printed on a page. The page may be organized to provide space for
notes to be written in by the audience as the presentation ensues. An
Spreadsheet applications. spreadsheet software permits performance example of this is Power Point. Preparation of the software is simplified
of an almost endless variety of quantitative tasks such as budgeting, by the use of 'wizards' that walk the user through the creation of the
keeping track of inventory, preparing financial reports, or manipulating presentation.
numbers in any fashion, such as averaging each of ten departmental
monthly sales over a six- month period. A spreadsheet contains cells, Desktop publishing software: This software permits the user to
the intersection of rows and prepare documents by using both word-processing devices and
columns. Each cell contains a value keyed in by the user. Cells also graphics. Desktop publishing software uses word-processing software,
contain formulas with many capabilities, such as adding, multiplying, with all its ease of entering and revising data, and supplements it with
dividing, subtracting, averaging, or even counting. An outstanding sophisticated visual features that stem from graphics software. For
feature is a spreadsheet's ability to recalculate automatically. If one example, one can enhance a printed message with virtually any kind of
were preparing a budget, for example, and wanted to change a variable illustration, such as drawings, paintings, and photographs. . Examples
such as an increase in salary or a change in amount of car payments, the of Desktop publishing software is PageMaker, Corel Draw, and Ms
formulas would automatically recalculate the affected items and the Publisher
totals. Multimedia applications for creating video and music. Allows users to
create image, audio, video etc. Example: Real Player, Media Player etc.
Database software: A database contains a list of information items that Activity management programs like calendars and address books
are similar in format and/or nature. An example is a phone book that NB: Nowadays most of the general purpose software is being sold as a
lists a name, address, and phone number for each entry. Once stored in complete software suites such as Microsoft office or Lotus Smart Suite.
a database, information can be retrieved in several ways, using reports These suites offer four or more software products packaged together at
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a much lower price than buying the packages separately. procedures:
Tailor made/special purpose software Tailor-made computer system
refers to computer application developed by in-house IT personnel or The Power- On Self-Test Phase
outside software house according to specific user requirements in a BIOS ROM Phase
firm. They are developed for given purpose e.g. Payroll system, stock Boot Loader Phase
control systematic. Operating System Configuration Phase
Security & Logon Phase
WINDOWS BASICS Logging On to Windows
At the end of the chapter the learner shall be able to; You must log on to the PC before you can use it. Each user is given a
Explain the process of booting a computer user name and a password which must be entered in the log-on screen
Start a computer system and log on to windows operating system before Windows will start up. When you log on you will have access to
Start a program using the all programs menu your own personal space.
Turn off and restart a computer The default Login screen for Windows computers is appears when you
Retrieve files, create a folder and a short cut to a program switch on the machine. To login; Enter your user and password in the
respective boxes.
Windows operating system Boot up Process When you enter your password, Windows will display a series of
Booting Up It is useful to understand what happens behind the scenes ●●●●●●●●●●●s to protect your password from wandering eyes.
when you switch on your computer from an idle machine to an operable Press ENTER on the keyboard or click OK
and functional system. There are essentially two forms of booting-the
soft boot and the hard boot. The warm boot or hard boot involves Windows Desktop
powering the computer up from an initial zero power supply. A cold Desktop is your work area on which program and files icons are
boot on the other hand takes place when a software application or located. it is basically a workspace where you can access everything
operating system triggers the computer to perform a reboot. A you need to operate your computer, such as system components,
successful boot is dependent on 3 conditions - the hardware, BIOS and applications, the Internet, etc.
operating system files to function without errors. When an error occurs,
you will be notified by error messages, beeping sounds or in the worst The desktop contains: icons
scenario, a blank screen. Boot-up Process The boot-up process is a list Start button task bar System Tray
of detailed procedures that the system undergoes to perform all system The desktop contains:
checks and load all necessary files to bring the computer to an operable Start button: one of the most important tools you will use while
state. The Windows XP boot-up process comprises of the following working with Windows XP. The Start button allows you to open menus
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and start applications. window. Windows are used in most programs, but the good news is
once you learn the window of one program, you will be familiar with
Task bar: primarily used to switch between open windows and the windows for most programs since the window, menu and button lay
applications out appears in just about every window program.
Icons (or graphical pictures): represent applications, files, and other
parts of the operating system. By default, Windows based computers
provides you with one desktop icon, the Recycle Bin. Toolbar
My Computer/This PC. The My Computer icon provides access to the Close Button Closes the window or program, removing it from the
resources on your computer. You can access your drives and other screen and the computer’s memory. Minimize Button Minimizes a
peripherals by clicking on the My Computer icon. You can also access program from view. The program is still ready for use and can be found
the Control Panel through My Computer. in the task bar.
Internet Explorer. The Internet Explorer icon launches the Internet Maximize Button Enlarges the window so that it fills the entire screen,
Explorer browser. allowing you to see your entire workspace. Notice, when a window is
My network places. If you are working on a network, this displays all of maximized, this button is not shown.
the computers on the network Restore Button When a window is maximized, this button is shown.
System Tray. The part of the task bar that holds the clock, volume Clicking it will make the window smaller.
control, and icons for other utilities that runs in the background of your Menu Bar Controls what a program does. The menu functions listed
system. will change from program to program, but the bar is always located at
the top.
Recycle Bin. This is where you dump any files you want to delete. Status Bar Displays information about the program, such as instructions
or special information.
Starting a Program Title Bar Displays the name of the program and name of the file in use.
1. Click the Start button, the Start menu will popup. Main Window. This is where you work within a program. If it is
2. Point your cursor to All Programs. A Menu listing the different Microsoft Word, this is where you would type, if it is a web browser
program categories pops up. this is where the web page would be displayed.
Point your cursor to Microsoft Office Another menu will appear to the Toolbar. Have shortcuts to the menu items
right of the All Programs menu
4. Clickon Microsoft Word. Log off and Switch Users
Parts of a Window More than one person may use your computer. For example several
Windows contain buttons and menus to control the program and coworkers may be able to access your computer on a computer network.
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Windows allows everyone who uses your computer to have separate A dialog box opens. Click Restart.
computer accounts. A computer accounts tracks each person's unique Always turn off or restart your computer using this method. Do not turn
settings, documents, and email accounts. off your computer by switching the power off and on. If you do so, you
Windows even enables you to log off the computer so someone else can may damage Windows XP.
log on without having to restart the computer. Working With Files and Folders Open your Folders
Double click my computer and locate your file.
To log off/switch users: Double click on the folder.
Click the Start menu and click Log Off. The contents of the folder will be displayed in the open window. To get
A dialog box appears as king you if you want to Switch User or Log back to the previous folder, click the Back Button.
Off.
Switch User allows someone else to log on to the computer. If you Creating a Folder
choose to Switch User, your applications will continue to run in the Locate the place to create your folder e.g. My Documents, Desktop, C
background while the new user logs on. Drive
If you choose Log Off, your applications will close. Go to File – New – Folder. Or if creating on the desktop right click on
In any case, you're taken to a Windows logon screen where you're the desktop and use the new option to create a folder.
prompted to enter your username and password. The folder will appear at the bottom of your list. When it displays as a
black rectangle with the words New Folder highlighted in blue, it is
Turn Off and Restart the Computer prompting you to give it a name. Type the name of your folder and hit
When you've finished using Windows XP, be sure to turn off (or shut Enter.
down) the computer correctly.
To turn off the computer: Renaming a Folder
Click the Start menu. To rename an existing folder, move your mouse over the name and
Click Turn Off Computer. right click. A menu will appear. Close to the bottom you will see the
A dialog box opens. Click Turn Off. word Rename. Click it, and the black rectangle with the word
If you're experiencing computer problems or have installed something highlighted in blue will appear. Rename your folder and hit Enter.
new, you can simply
restart your computer. Deleting a folder
To restart the computer: Right click on the folder and select delete or.
Click the Start menu. Select the file, go to file menu and select delete
Click Turn Off Computer. A dialog box appears asking if you want to delete the folder, click yes
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Once files are deleted they go to the recycle bin which is a holding or
storage location for files not required. Such files are still in the hard
disk. These files can be retrieved from recycle bin as long as recycle bin
have not been emptied.

Retrieving files
Go to recycle bin.
Locate the file and right click on it and select restore.

Moving and copying files in folders

Using menu command
Select the file
Go to edit and click on copy
Select the folder
Go to edit and click on paste.

By dragging
Click on the file and hold
Drag it to the folder and release the button
Procedure of creating shortcuts

Locate the item

Right click and select shortcut
Drag the shortcut created to the desktop.
To set a program to start when windows start
Right click on the start button and select open.
Click on the program or file you want and hold and drag it to the start
menu on the icon for programs.
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WORD PROCESSING MENU BAR: It contains menus. Each menu has a set of commands.
At the end of the chapter the learner shall be able to; FORMATTING BAR: It has formatting features and commands
Explain the different word processing terms e.g. B IU
Creating new documents and open existing ones DRAWING BAR: It consists of drawing tools.
Type and edit text STATUS BAR: Gives information about the current selection or
Use Save and Save As cursor position.
Perform spelling and grammar check after typing a document Ms-Word Screen
Apply formatting to text and page When the program starts, the following document window will be
Print preview a document and print it displayed on the screen.
Menu bar
Word processors are programs that enable you to Create, Edit and Title bar Toolbars
Format documents. Examples of word processors are, Microsoft Vertical
Word, Word perfect, Word star. Scroll Bar
Microsoft Word (MS-WORD) Work area Status bar
Ms Word is a powerful word processing program that helps the user Horizontal scroll bar Blinking
create, edit, format and save documents. Cursor
Creating, Saving and Closing Documents Creating
Loading Ms-Word
Click start button at the task bar Option 1: From the File Menu, click New then double click the
Point at programs Blank Document icon.
Click at Microsoft word Option 2: On the standard tool bar click the ‘New’(icon)
Loading can also be achieved by clicking the Ms Word icon on the
Microsoft shortcut bar (only if it is available) Saving
The Ms-Word Screen To save a new document
The Ms Word screen contains various features. The common ones On the file menu click File and choose Save As.
are: Type the file name on the File name box that appears.
TITLE BAR: This bears the name of the application followed by Chose the location to save the file in the Save in box e.g. floppy (A),
the name of the current document or the file. hard disk(C) etc
STANDARD BAR: It contains shortcut command buttons for some Click the Save button.
of the commonly used commands.
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Closing
Click close button on the Ms-Word desk top or To change Font size
From the file Menu click Exit. Select or highlight the text.
Selecting Text/Block of Text In the format menu click font.
SELECT DO THIS Under font size choose and click the font size desired.
A word Click Ok.
Drag over the word or Double click it A graphic Click any where
with in the graphic To change Font type of text
A line of text Drag over the text or Double click at the start of line Select or highlight the text.
A sentence Hold Down Ctrl key and click anywhere in the Sentence In the format menu click font.
A paragraph Triple click anywhere in the paragraph to select Under font choose and click the font type desired.
Entire document From Edit, click Select All Click Ok.
To change the font color
Formatting To bold text
Select or highlight the text. Select the text.
In the format menu click font. On the format menu, click Format and choose font.
Under font style choose and click bold. Under color box, choose the color desired.
Click Ok. Click Ok.

To Italicize text Formatting Paragraphs

Select or highlight the text. Word displays text, as it will appear when printed.
In the format menu click font. About line spacing
Under font style choose and click italic. Line spacing determines the amount of vertical space between the
Click Ok. lines and text. Word uses single line spacing by default.
Inserting line spaces
To underline text In the format menu click paragraph.
Select or highlight the text. Underline spacing, choose and click the desired line spacing.
In the format menu click font. Click Ok.
Under underlining choose and click the underlining desired.
Click Ok.
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Aligning text Click Ok.
Select or highlight the text.
In the format menu click paragraph. Remove bullets or numbering
Under alignment, choose and click alignment desired i.e. left, right Select the items, which you want to remove bullets or numbers.
or center. On the format menu, click Bullets and Numbering.
Click Ok. Chose one.
Click Ok.
Creating drop caps
Place the cursor at the beginning of the line/paragraph you want to Page Break
have a drop cap on. Position the cursor where you want the page break to appear.
In the format menu, click drop cap. From the insert Menu, click Break then select page break.
Under position in the dialogue box choose either Dropped or in Click Ok.
margin.
In the lines to drop box specify the number Add a background
Click Ok. You can add different backgrounds to Word documents.
Note: You can specify the distance from the text and type of the On the format Menu, point to background and then check the color
font for the drop cap. you want or click more colors to see additional color choices. Click
fill effects for special effects such as textures.
Change case Select the option that you want.
Highlight or select the text. Note: To remove a background, click NO FILL option.
In the format menu click change case.
Choose and click the desired case option e.g. upper, lower, title or Using Word art
sentence cases. This feature enables you to create visually compelling text affects
Click Ok. e.g. slanting, curving text in a document.
From the insert menu, select pictures, and then move to word art and
Adding bullets and numbers click.
Select the items, which you want to add bullets or numbers. Select and click the word art style desired.
In the format menu, click bullets and numbering Type your text in the area “YOURTEXTHERE”
Click on the Bulleted or Numbered tab. Click Ok.
Choose and click Bullet or Number format desired.
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Drawing tool Bar To insert page numbers
The drawing bar has a variety of features used to create different Select insert, page numbers
shapes in a document. Choose the position of page numbers
From the drawing toolbar, select a tool that you will use to draw a Choose alignment of page numbers
certain shape e.g. a rectangle. Check the box show numbers on first page
Click and drag to the desired position. Click format button to change the number style
Click Ok button
Insert a picture
You can insert a clip art or a picture from the clip Gallery. Removing Page Numbers
Position the insertion point (cursor) where you want to insert a clip Select view, header and footer
art or a picture. Select the page numbers to be removed
From the Insert menu, point to picture then click art then click the Press delete key
clip art tab. Click close button
Click a clip art category then choose a clip art and click insert clip.
Adding Headers and Footers
To resize the objects A header is the text that appears repeatedly at the top of a document
Click inside the object i.e. clipart, word art or a drawing. while footers is that text that repeatedly occurs at the bottom of a
Position the mouse pointer in either of the place holders. document.
Click and drag to the desired size. To add a Header and Footers
Release the mouse button. Select view header and footer

Editing Your Document To undo mistakes Type the header text

In the edit menu, click undo or click the Undo button on the Click the switch button to move to the footer
standard toolbar. Type the footer text
To undo several actions Align the text as desired using formatting toolbar
Click the arrow next to the Undo button on the standard toolbar to Click close button to return to the document.
see a list of the most recent actions. To remove a header /footer - refer to removing page numbers
Click the action you want to undo. If you don’t see the action, scroll
through the list. Copying and Pasting Text
An existing piece of text may be required in a different document.
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Ms word allows the user to copy this text rather than retype then To Replace Text
paste it to the required area. When text or graphic is copied or cut, it You can find and replace test at the same time
is stored in the clipboard and can be pasted into as many documents On the edit menu, click edit and choose replace
as desired. In the find what box type word/text as above
To copy and paste text In replace with box type the word/ text to replace the sought
Select the text to copy. word/text
Select Edit, Copy or copy icon on the standard toolbar. Click replace all button
Position the cursor where the text is to be placed.
Select Edit, Paste or Paste icon on standard toolbar. To close the dialogue box click cancel button
Changing Page Setup
Moving text Dependingonthesizeofthepaperrequiredand/orpaperorientationandlay
Select the text to move. out, Ms–word will allow changing of the default to users
Select Edit, Cut or click cut icon on the standard tool bar. requirement.
Position the cursor where you want the text placed.
Select Edit, Paste or click paste icon on standard toolbar. To change page setup
Note: When you cut, the text is completely removed from the On the file menu, click file menu and choose page setup…
original location. Click paper size tab to change the paper to A4, A5, DL etc.
Under orientation check the circle for either portrait or landscape
To spell check a Document Click layout tab to adjust the vertical alignment of the page.
Select Tools, Spelling and Grammar… or choose Spell check icon Under vertical alignment box choose top, center or bottom
on the standard toolbar. Click ok button
Follow the instructions as given to replace a word, ignore, edit etc
Click Ok button when spelling and grammar is complete. Working With Tables
A table is made up of rows and columns that can be filled with text
To find text and graphics. You can sort and perform calculations on them. Tables
On the edit menu, click Edit and choose Find. make it easy to read in formation that would otherwise have to be
In the find what box, type the word/ text being sought written in a representative and lengthy fashion. Use tables to
Click find next button organize information and create interesting page layouts with side-
To close the dialogue box, click cancel button by-side columns of text and graphics.
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The simple table: Adjusting column width
In the table menu click insert table. Position the mouse pointer over the column boundary until it
In the no. of columns box enter the number of columns. changes shape
In the no of rows box enter the number of rows. Drag the column boundary to the right or left
Click Ok.
Adding rows to a table
Creating a table with a different format Select the row to row as above which you want to insert a new row
In the table menu click insert table From the table menu choose insert cells
In the number of columns box enter the number of columns In the insert cells dialog box choose an option e.g. insert the entire
In the number of rows box enter the number of rows row.
Click auto format Click Ok.
In the format list box choose a format type To delete cells in a table
Click Ok. Select the cells you want to delete
From the table menu choose the deleted cell
Merging cells in a tab Select an option in the delete cells dialog box
Select the cells to be merged. Click Ok
From the table menu choose merge cells.
Sorting
Splitting the cells Information in the table can be sorted in either ascending or
Select cell to be split descending order
From the table menu choose split cells Click any cell in the table
Type the number of columns and rows each cell is to be cell splitted From the table menu choose sort
Select the ascending or descending option button.
To delete rows and columns in a table
Select the row or the column to be deleted Performing calculations in a table
From the table menu choose deleted cells Click the cell in which you want the result to appear.
In the deleted cell dialog box choose an option i.e. entire row or On the Table menu, click Formula.
column If Ms Word proposes a formula that you do not want to use, delete it
Click Ok from the Formular box leaving the equals (=) sign.
In the paste function box, click a function. For instance, to get the
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average, click average. From the file menu choose new.
In the brackets () specify whether it is above, left or right. Click on the relevant tab depending on the type of document you
Click Ok. want to create e.g. letters and faxes, legal document, menus etc.
Select the template hat you want to use.
Columns Click Ok.
Newspaper style columns Delete the default text and type your own.
You can format text into multiple newspaper style columns. This is
best applied when creating documents like newspaper, newsletters To Print a Document
or brochures. You can print the active document by clicking the print icon on the
standard toolbar. This will not give you the option of choosing a
Option 1 variety of commands.
Using the column button on the standard toolbar From the file menu, clickprint.
Highlight the text to be columned. In the name box select a printer.
Click the column button on the standard bar. Choose an option for the number of pages to be printed i.e.
Select the number of columns you want. ALL: -Prints the entire document CURRENT PAGE:- prints the
current page 44
Option 2 PAGE: -you can select certain pages within a document
This command control other options i.e. width, spacing, line In the number of copies box, specify the number of copies you want
between columns etc. in each page.
From the format menu choose columns. Click Ok.
Select a column format under preset i.e. one, two, three etc.
Type or select the number of columns in the number of column box Note: All programs in a computer uses MS-Word as a backbone
(if it is not included under preset in step two above) for entering and formatting data.
To insert a line between columns click the line between the check
box.
Click Ok.

Templates
A template is a document that contains predefined settings. The use
of templates ensures that there is consistency between documents.
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Microsoft Excel Guide 5. Status Bar: Shows the current status of the worksheet and
provides quick access to tools like zoom.
Purpose of the Course
Working with Workbooks and Worksheets
The aim of this guide is to provide a comprehensive understanding
Creating a New Workbook
of Microsoft Excel and its application in managing data, performing
1. Go to File > New > Blank Workbook.
calculations, and creating visual representations of information in
2. Alternatively, use the shortcut Ctrl + N.
business and personal contexts.
Saving a Workbook
Introduction to Microsoft Excel 1. Save: Updates the existing file.
Microsoft Excel is a spreadsheet program that is part of the 2. Save As: Creates a new file.
Microsoft Office suite. It is used for organizing, analyzing, and o Go to File > Save As.
visualizing data through cells arranged in rows and columns. Excel o Choose the location, type a name, and click Save.
supports features like mathematical functions, charts, pivot tables, Renaming Worksheets
and macros for automation. 1. Right-click the sheet tab.
Key Terms 2. Select Rename and type the new name.
1. Workbook: The entire Excel file containing one or more 3. Press Enter.
sheets. Adding and Deleting Sheets
2. Worksheet: A single spreadsheet within a workbook. 1. To add: Click the + icon next to the sheet tabs or press Shift
3. Cell: The intersection of a row and a column (e.g., A1, B2). + F11.
4. Range: A group of selected cells (e.g., A1:A10). 2. To delete: Right-click the sheet tab and select Delete.
5. Formula: An equation used to perform calculations. Data Entry and Formatting
6. Function: Predefined formulas such as SUM, AVERAGE, Entering Data
etc. 1. Click on a cell and type the data.
Getting Started with Excel 2. Press Enter to move to the next cell.
Opening Excel Formatting Cells
1. Click the Start button. 1. Font Style: Go to the Home tab, and select font style, size,
2. Go to All Programs, select Microsoft Office, and click or color.
Microsoft Excel. 2. Alignment: Use the alignment group on the Home tab to
Excel Screen Components center, left-align, or right-align text.
1. Title Bar: Displays the name of the workbook. 3. Number Format: Apply currency, percentage, date, or
2. Ribbon: Contains tabs with commands and tools. custom formats.
3. Formula Bar: Displays the contents of the active cell and 4. Cell Borders and Fill: Use the Borders and Fill Color tools
allows editing. from the Home tab.
4. Worksheet Area: Where cells are organized into rows and Using Formulas and Functions
columns. Creating Formulas
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1. Start with an equal sign (=). 2. Go to Home > Conditional Formatting.
2. Enter the formula (e.g., =A1+B1). 3. Choose a rule (e.g., highlight cells greater than a value).
3. Press Enter. Macros
Common Functions 1. Go to View > Macros > Record Macro.
1. SUM: =SUM(A1:A10) adds values in a range. 2. Perform the actions to record.
2. AVERAGE: =AVERAGE(A1:A10) calculates the mean. 3. Stop recording and save.
3. IF: =IF(A1>10, "Yes", "No") checks a condition. Printing in Excel
4. VLOOKUP: =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, Print Preview
col_index_num, range_lookup) searches for a value in a 1. Go to File > Print or press Ctrl + P.
table. Page Layout
Absolute vs. Relative References 1. Use Page Layout > Orientation for portrait or landscape.
1. Relative: Adjusts when copied (e.g., =A1+B1). 2. Adjust margins under Margins.
2. Absolute: Stays constant (e.g., =$A$1+$B$1). Printing Options
Working with Charts 1. Print the active sheet, selected range, or entire workbook.
Creating Charts 2. Set print titles under Page Layout > Print Titles.
1. Select the data range.
2. Go to the Insert tab.
3. Choose a chart type (e.g., column, line, pie).
Customizing Charts
1. Use the Chart Tools tabs (Design and Format) to edit
elements like titles, axes, and colors.
2. Add data labels by right-clicking on the chart and selecting
Add Data Labels.
Data Analysis Tools
Sorting and Filtering
1. To sort: Select the range, go to the Data tab, and click Sort.
2. To filter: Use Filter under the Data tab and apply criteria.
Pivot Tables
1. Select your data.
2. Go to Insert > PivotTable.
3. Drag fields to the Rows, Columns, Values, or Filters areas.
Advanced Features
Conditional Formatting
1. Highlight a range.