-

Fundamentals of
Fundamentals of Information
Information
Communication Technology
Communication Technology
For Health Information Technician

Prepared By:

Compiled By:
__________________________________________ Belay S.
Getachew G.
Nadew T.
Tolera D.

Reviewed By:
Fitusm A.
Hiwot T.
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Tulane University Technical
Assistance Programme Ethiopia
(TUTAPE) and Ministry of Health
(MOH) - Ethiopia
 Fundamentals of Information
Communication Technology
1 INTRODUCTION TO ICT..........................................................................................12

Lesson 1.1 Concepts of ICT

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 Table of Contents
13
LESSON 1.2 HISTORY OF COMPUTERS...........................................................22
LESSON 1.3 HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE.......................................................30
LESSON 1.4 COMPUTER NETWORKS..............................................................43
LESSON 1.5 SECURITY..............................................................................48
LESSON 1.6 ERGONOMICS..........................................................................58

2 WORKING WITH OPERATING SYSTEM, FILE MANAGEMENT AND UTILITY PROGRAMS.....63

LESSON 2.1 INTRODUCTION TO MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP...............................64
LESSON 2.2 FEATURES OF WINDOWS............................................................74

LESSON 2.3 LAUNCHING PROGRAM.............................................................80

LESSON 2.4 ORGANIZING FILES AND FOLDERS................................................89

LESSON 2.5 USING THE SEARCH COMPANION.................................................99

LESSON 2.6 USING UTILITY PROGRAMS......................................................102

3 GETTING TO KNOW THE INTERNET.........................................................................109

LESSON 3.1 BASICS OF INTERNET..............................................................110
LESSON 3.2 GETTING CONNECTED..............................................................114
LESSON 3.3 SURFING THE NET..................................................................119
LESSON 3.4 ETHICAL AND PROFESSIONAL USE OF INTERNET...........................129

4 OUTLOOK 2007....................................................................................................135
LESSON 4.1 EXPLORING OUTLOOK.............................................................136
LESSON 4.2 SENDING AND RECEIVING MESSAGES........................................140
LESSON 4.3 MANIPULATING TEXT AND FILES...............................................149
LESSON 4.4 ORGANIZING MESSAGES..........................................................152

LESSON 4.5 SCHEDULING WITH THE CALENDAR............................................156

LESSON 4.6 ORGANIZING OUTLOOK ITEMS (CONTACTS, TASKS AND NOTES)........162

5 WORD PROCESSING.............................................................................................172
LESSON 5.1 INTRODUCTION TO WORD PROCESSING......................................173
LESSON 5.2 MICROSOFT WORD: CREATING AND EDITING A DOCUMENT.............177
LESSON 5.3 MICROSOFT WORD: FORMATTING A DOCUMENT............................189
LESSON 5.4 MICROSOFT WORD: WORKING WITH TABLES...............................212
LESSON 5.5 MICROSOFT WORD: DRAWING AND INSERTING OBJECTS................221
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 LESSON 5.6 MICROSOFT WORD: WORKING WITH LONG DOCUMENTS................225

6 SPREADSHEET.................................................................................................... 238

LESSON 6.1 UNDERSTANDING SPREADSHEET................................................239

LESSON 6.2 MICROSOFT EXCEL: WORKBOOKS AND WORKSHEET FEATURES.........245
LESSON 6.3 MICROSOFT EXCEL: EDITING AND FORMATTING SPREADSHEET.........252
LESSON 6.4 MICROSOFT EXCEL: FORMULAS AND FUNCTIONS...........................280
LESSON 6.5 MICROSOFT EXCEL: USING CHARTS...........................................297

7 INTRODUCTION TO PRESENTATIONS..................................................................... 307

LESSON 7.1 MICROSOFT POWERPOINT: POWERPOINT FEATURES.....................308

LESSON 7.2 MICROSOFT POWERPOINT: BASIC PRESENTATION SKILLS..............313
LESSON 7.3 MICROSOFT POWERPOINT: ADVANCED FEATURES.........................327

8 INTRODUCTION TO DATABASE..............................................................................334
LESSON 8.1 UNDERSTANDING DATABASE.....................................................335
LESSON 8.2 CONCEPTS TO PLANNING A DATABASE........................................338
LESSON 8.3 MICROSOFT ACCESS: DATABASES..............................................341
LESSON 8.4 MICROSOFT ACCESS: TABLES....................................................345
LESSON 8.5 MICROSOFT ACCESS: QUERIES.................................................373
LESSON 8.6 MICROSOFT ACCESS: FORMS AND REPORTS.................................384
Lesson 8.7 Microsoft Access: Reports......................................................391

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 FUNDAMENTALS OF ICT
A. Module Introduction
This module deals with basic information technology (IT) concepts and the different
office applications that are widely used in the day-to-day activities of any IT related
tasks. The module assumes no preliminary knowledge in IT, but rather gives a good
foundation for all beginners. Each unit contains many illustrations and exercises to
access whether the expected learning outcomes are being achieved.

B. LEARNING OUTCOMES (OBJECTIVES)

On Completion of this module students should be able to
 Describe the basic concepts of Information Communication Technology
 Identify and use computer hardware and software
 Apply the basic application software such as Ms-Word, Ms-Excel, Ms-Access,
Ms-PowerPoint, Ms-Outlook and Internet Explorer
 Use Internet services

C. HOW TO USE THIS MODULE AND READING MATERIALS

This module is the main resource for the course Fundamentals of ICT. It is serves as
the major resource and guide for the HIT students. It contains basic IT concepts that
give students the most relevant information technology and applications that are
being used enabling them to be successful in the practical world. The module also
contains theoretical as well as hands on exercises at the end of each unit. Students
are highly advised to practice the illustrations and exercises found in this module
during their labs.

D. ORGANIZATION OF THE MODULE

This book is divided into two main categories of concepts, basic information
technology and office applications. The first three units give the basic idea behind
information technology and the remaining five units deals with office application
suites.

The first unit introduces the basic concepts of ICT, history of computers and the

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nature of a computer and related issues. The second unit deals with the different
features of windows operating system, file organization and how to use the different
utility programs found in the window operating system.

The principles of internet are explained in the third unit in which you learn about the
different uses of internet and ethical usage of internet. Unit four discusses working
on outlook, in which the different components of outlook features are covered in
detail.

The fifth unit entails using the Microsoft Office Word 2007 word processing program
to create and format text based documents. In addition to learning how to format
words, paragraphs, and pages, you get a shot at working with more sophisticated
features such as tables and mail merge. The next unit shows you how to use the
spreadsheet program in Microsoft Office Excel 2007 to organize and calculate data.
After getting a preview of the new features in the program, you will learn how to
enter, format, and calculate information. You will also learn how to create powerful
charts that tell a story about your data, and how to manage lists of information.

In the seventh unit, you will learn how to get the word out with the Microsoft Office
PowerPoint 2007 presentation graphics program. This part explains how to add
information, charts, diagrams, and graphics to slides. You will also see how to
animate and automate a slide show in addition to getting expert tips about going
“live” with your presentation.

The last unit discusses how to manage detailed lists—with list of medical items or
patients’ data, for example—Microsoft Office Access 2007. This unit is extremely
relevant for you as it provides a roadmap here for designing a good database. You
will learn how to create tables, fields, and forms, and how to select and present data
with queries and reports.

E. ASSESSMENT METHODS
The assessment strategy for this module is designed to test all the learning
outcomes. Students must demonstrate successful achievement of these learning

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outcomes to pass the module.

Learning Outcomes Assessment Teaching strategy

being assessed
 Describe the different  True or False (T/F)  Lecture
ICT terms  MCQ (Multiple Choice  Reading assignment
Questions  Demonstration
 SAQ (Short Answer  Practical Exercises
Questions)  Unit Review Exercises
 (HE)Hands-on-
Exercise

 Identify the different  (T/F)  Lecture

components of a  MCQ  Reading assignment
computer and there  SAQ  Knowledge – check exercises
usage  HE  Practical Exercises
 Unit Review Exercises
 Demonstrate and use  (T/F)  Lecture
internet  MCQ  Reading assignment
 SAQ  Knowledge Unit Review
 HE  Practical Exercises
 Project work  Exercises – check exercises
 Use outlook 2007  (T/F)  Lecture
services  MCQ  Reading assignment
 SAQ  Knowledge Unit Review
 HE  Practical Exercises
 Project work  Exercises – check exercises
 Use word processor  (T/F)  Lecture
features in different  MCQ  Reading assignment
documents  SAQ  Knowledge Unit Review
 HE  Exercises – check exercises
 Project work
 Apply mathematical  (T/F)  Lecture
formulas on problems  MCQ  Reading assignment
 SAQ  Knowledge Unit Review
 HE  Exercises – check exercises
 Project work  Practical Exercises
 Design and use a power  (T/F)  Lecture
point presentation  MCQ  Reading assignment
 SAQ  Knowledge Unit Review
 HE  Exercises – check exercises
 Project work  Practical Exercises
 Create a database and  (T/F)  Lecture
all the other access  MCQ  Reading assignment
objects  SAQ  Knowledge Unit Review
 HE  Exercises – check exercises
 Project work  Practical Exercises

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F. COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE NAME: Fundamental of ICT

COURSE NUMBER:
COURSE INSTRUCTOR:

COURSE OVERVIEW:
The course covers basic concepts, use and applications of ICT, hardware and
software components of a computer and how it is used for handling various
types of documents, spreadsheet, database, presentation and how it’s
implemented for communicating and surfing the Internet. The course also
provides clear connections on how all these functions are mapped to the
health sector.

COURSE DURATION: 120 Hours

COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the course the learner should be able to:

 Describe the basic ICT concepts
 Motivated for self study to update themselves more about ICT
 Identify and use computer hardware and software
 Demonstrate and use basic application software such as Ms-word, Ms-Excel,
Ms-Access, Ms-PowerPoint, Ms-Outlook and Internet Explorer
 Use Internet services
 Keep confidentiality and security of health related electronic data
 Respect ethical usage of internet service
 Develop team sprit

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 COURSE OUTLINE
1. Introduction to ICT
1.1. Concepts of ICT
1.2. History of computers
1.3. Hardware and Software
1.4. Computer Networks
1.5. Security (data, information, networks)
1.6. Ergonomics
2. Working with Operating System, File Management and Utility
programs
2.1. Introduction to Microsoft Windows XP
2.2. Features of windows
2.3. Launching Programs
2.4. Organizing Files and Folders (File Management)
2.5. Using The Search Companion
2.6. Using the Utility Programs (Control Panel )
3. Getting to know the Internet
3.1. Basics of Internet
3.2. Getting Connected
3.3. Surfing the net
3.4. Ethical and Professional Use of Internet
4. Microsoft Outlook
4.1. Exploring Outlook
4.2. Sending and Receiving Messages
4.3. Manipulating Text and Files
4.4. Organizing Messages
4.5. Scheduling With the Calendar
4.6. Organizing Outlook Items (Contact, Notes, Task)
5. Word Processing
5.1. Introduction to Word Processing
5.2. Microsoft Word: Creating and Editing Document
5.3. Microsoft Word: Formatting Document
5.4. Microsoft Word: Tables
5.5. Microsoft Word: Drawing and Inserting Objects
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 5.6. Microsoft Word: Working with Long Documents
6. Spreadsheet
6.1. Introduction to Spreadsheet
6.2. Microsoft Excel: Workbook and Worksheet Features
6.3. Microsoft Excel: Editing and Formatting Spreadsheet
6.4. Microsoft Excel: Formulas and Functions
6.5. Microsoft Excel: Using Charts
7. Presentation
7.1. Microsoft PowerPoint: PowerPoint Features
7.2. Microsoft PowerPoint: Basic Presentation Skills
7.3. Microsoft PowerPoint: Advanced Features
8. Introduction to Database
8.1. Understanding Database
8.2. Concepts to Planning a Database
8.3. Microsoft Access: Databases
8.4. Microsoft Access: Tables
8.5. Microsoft Access: Queries
8.6. Microsoft Access: Forms and Reports

COURSE REQUIREMENT

Course pre-requisites: none

REFERENCES
 Microsoft Office Manuals, Microsoft Corp, 2007
 Office 2007 Bible by John Walkenbach, Wiley Publishing Inc, 2007
 Introduction to Microsoft Windows XP by Liz Mortimer, University of
BradFord, 2008
 Concepts of Information Technology ECDL Module 1(Using XP) 1995-
2004, Cheltenham Courseware Pty. Ltd
 Sample Microsoft Office Application Training Manuals (USA) by ICDL,
2007, Cheltenham Courseware Pty. Ltd
 Microsoft Office 2007 Help Manual
 http://www.brainbell.com.tutorials

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EVALUATION AND GRADING
Assessment Methods and Schedules
 Continuous assessment (test, group work, class participation)
 Quiz
 Assignment
 Project work
 Mid-term exam
 Final-exam
Grading
A- 85-100
B- 70-84
C- 60- 70

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 UNIT I

1 Introduction to ICT

1. INTRODUCTION

This unit gives an overview on concepts of ICT (information Communication

Technology); the history of computers (Generation of computers); the two
basic components of a computer: hardware and software; security issues will
dealing in computers and finally some of computer-health related issues will
be discuss in ergonomics.

2. UNIT OBJECTIVES

At the end of this unit the student should be able to

 Describe the basic concept of ICT
 Realize evolution of computer
 Differentiate and label different types of hardware and software
 Define the types of networks
 Recognize basics of securing data information and networks
 Apply basic ergonomics principles

3. CONTENT

1. Introduction to ICT

1.1. Concepts of ICT

1.2. History of computers
1.3. Hardware and Software
1.4. Information networks
1.5. Security (data, information, networks)
1.6. Ergonomics

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Lesson 1.1 Concepts of ICT

Lesson objective: -
At the end of this lesson the students should able to:-
 Describe the term computer, hardware, software, data, information
and information technology
 Identify the different types of computers
 Distinguish between mainframe computer, network computer, personal
computer, laptop, personal digital assistant (PDA) in terms of capacity,
speed, cost, and typical users
 Categorize documentary and non documentary sources of information
 Identify and able to explain data processing cycle.
 Describe the term ICT

What is ICT?

ICT is an acronym that stands for Information Communications Technology.

However, apart from explaining the acronym, there is no universally accepted
definition of ICT because the concepts, methods and applications involved in
ICT are constantly evolving on an almost daily basis. It’s difficult to keep up
with the changes - they happen so fast.

Before defining ICT in formal way, let us have a look at some of the words
behind ICT:
- Information
- Communications
- Technology

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1.1.1 What is information?

The term information can be defined in several ways depending on the

context in which it is used by generally speaking it can be defined as:
 Processed data that man can understand and get knowledge out of
 A collection of meaningful facts and figures that can be used for guidance
and decision making
When we say that information can be used as a base for guidance it means
information guides the activities of individuals, business organizations or
society. It is on the basis of relevant information that we make decisions. For
example you don’t wear warm clothes if you don’t have the information that it
is going to rain or you don’t come to ICT class if you are not informed about
the schedule.

These simple examples show that information is necessary for each action we
take and the decisions we make. Information is not something available
whenever and wherever we need it, we have to either produce it or know
where to look for it.

Sources of information
Information can be obtained from various sources but generally we can
classify the sources into two categories.
A. Documentary sources
B. Non-documentary sources

A, Documentary sources: these are written documents that are stored in

different formats. These sources can further be classified as primary,
secondary and tertiary sources. The order they are available to the public use
is also in the same sequence.

1. Primary documentary sources are first published records of original

research and development activities. It may also reflect a description of new

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 application or new interpretation of an old idea. If a document represents
unfiltered and original idea it can be classifies under this category.
2. Secondary documentary sources are those sources which are either
compiled from or referred to primary source of information in order to serve a
particular purpose. Unlike the primary sources the secondary documentary
sources of information have filtered, organized, digested and repackaged
information. Examples include: indexes, textbooks, reference books etc.

3. Tertiary documentary sources contain information that is refined or

distilled and collected from primary and secondary sources. Usually these
sources are organized with the aim of assisting the search of information in
the use of primary and secondary sources. Almost all of these documents do
not contain subject matter knowledge but their importance is increasing due
to the increase in literature.

B. Non-Documentary sources are information not contained in written

format. For example, information that is transferred from generation to
generation orally is considered to be a non-documentary source.

Characteristics of valuable information

Information should provide some value to its user since we need it to make
decision or take an action. The value of information is directly related to how
it helps the user or decision maker meet individual, organizational or social
needs. To be valuable to its user, information should have the following
characteristics.
 Accuracy: The information must be clear and accurately reflect the meaning
of the data on which it is based. It must be free from errors or distorted
information. If information is inaccurate it leads to wrong decision which in
turn results in investment of unnecessary time money and energy cost.
 Completeness: Information is said to be complete if it contains all important
facts and figures that are required for a specific purpose. Complete
information enables to make a sound decision.
 Economical: Information should also be economical to produce. Users and
decision makers must perform cost benefit analysis before committing to the

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 collection of information to check that the economical value of the information
is worth the benefits.
 Flexibility: The flexibility of information implies the use of information at
hand for a variety of purposes with or without modifications.
 Reliability: Reliable information is information that is dependable for making
decisions based upon it. Reliability of information is highly related to its
source. For example information obtained from hospitals about an epidemic is
more reliable than information obtained from a construction industry about
the same issue.
 Timeliness: This refers to getting information within the needed time.
Information acquired too late is worthless. For example if your friend tells you
that you will take an exam after an hour, it may not be considered as
timeliness since you may not have enough time to prepare.
 Relevance: This refers to the use of information for a particular person.
Information with all the above qualities should be directed to the person who
really needs it. Relevant information for one person may not be relevant to
another. For example, a sports report for a sport fan may be relevant
whereas the same report can be irrelevant for individuals that are not into
sports.
 Accessibility: This is related to the smooth conditions for authorized users to
get the necessary information in the right format.

Data vs. information

Data is anything that can be observed by our five sense organs. What we
observe is the state of matters and data can be found in the form of sound,
animation, text, picture, photograph or the combination of these mentioned
states.

Information was defined as a collection of meaningful facts and figures that

can be used as a base for guidance and decision making. These facts are
called data. Specifically speaking, data is a collection of raw facts that
represent features or details about people, objects, places, ideas or events.
Data needs to be processed and organized in some way to produce
information so we can say that data is the raw material for information.

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Data processing cycle
Data processing is the manipulation of data into a more useful form. It may
include numerical calculations, classification of data, comparison, sorting and
transmission of data from one place to another. These operations can be
performed by some type of machine like a computer, although some can also
be performed manually.

Data processing is used extensively in business, engineering, and science. In

the health sector different types of data is collected from health institutes and
research centers and data processing is performed to come up with
medicines, preventive measures and useful figures that lead to advanced
research studies.

Businesses use data processing for such tasks as payroll preparation,

accounting, record keeping, sales control, market analysis and processing of
bank and credit account statements.

The data processing cycle represents the chain of processing events in most
data processing applications. It consists of data recording, transmission,
reporting, storage and retrieval. In computer systems this is performed first
by entering data by using a form that is appropriate for data entry. Once data
reaches the computer, the computer process it by using a pre defined logic
fed to it. After processing the data the computer reports summary results. It
is also capable of retrieving stored information, at later time for further
processing or analysis.

The data processing is very important activity and involves very careful
planning. Usually, data processing activity involves three basic activities. See
figure 1.1
1. Input
2. Processing
3. Output
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 INPUT PROCESSING OUTPUT

Figure 1.1: the data processing cycle, accept data,

this data processed and converted to valuable
Input information which is known as output
It is the process through which collected data is transformed into a form the
computer can understand. It is a very important step because correct output
result totally depends on the input data. In the input step, the following
activities can be performed.
o VERIFICATION: The collected data is verified to determine whether it
is correct as required. For example, the collected data of all candidate
HIT students who passed entrance examination is verified. If errors
occur in collected data, data is corrected or it is collected again.
o CODING: The verified data is coded or converted into machine
readable form so that it can be processed through computer.
o STORING: The data is stored on the secondary storage into a file. The
stored data on the storage media will be given to the program as input
for processing.

Processing
After completing the input step, processing is performed. The main purpose of
data processing is to get the required result. In the processing step, the
following activities can be performed in a systematic manner. Some of the
important activities are:
o CLASSIFICATION: The data is classified into different groups and
subgroups, so that each group or sub-group of data can be handled
separately.
o STORING: The data is arranged into an order so that it can be
accessed very quickly when required.

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 o CALCULATION: Arithmetic operations are performed on the numeric
data to get the required results. For example, total marks of each
student are calculated.
o SUMMARIZING: The data is processed to represent it in a summarized
form. It means that the summary of data is prepared for top
management. For example, the summary of the data of student is
prepared to show the percentage of passed and failed students.

Output
After completing the processing step, output is generated. The main purpose
of data processing is to get the required result. Mostly, the output is stored on
the storage media for later user. In the output step, the following activities
can be performed.
o RETRIEVAL: Output stored on the storage media can be retrieved at
any time. For example, students’ results are prepared and stored on
the disk. This result can be retrieved when required for different
purposes.
o CONVERSION: The generated output can be converted into different
forms. For example, it can be represented into graphical form.
o COMMUNICATION: The generated output is sent to different places.
For example, weather forecast is prepared and sent to different
agencies and newspapers etc. where it is required.
o FEEDBACK: After generated output and performing all activities on the
output, feedback about the generated output is collected. It is a very
important activity and it is used to improve performance of the data
processing system, so that better output can be generated in future.

The output phase also involves activity through which output result is tested.
If the output result is accurate, the data processing cycle is completed. If
output result is not accurate, some of the above-mentioned steps (or all
steps) are repeated again and again until the accurate result is achieved.

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1.1.2 What is communication technology?

Communication technology has two parts, the communication part and the
technology parts. The communication part deals with how to connect two or
more computers in order to share information among the communicated
computers, these computers are known as networked computers.
The technologies involved in communication tend to be complex. You certainly
don't need to understand them for your ICT course. However, there are
aspects of digital communications that you need to be aware of. These relate
primarily to the types of network and the ways of connecting to the Internet.

Internal networks
Usually referred to as a Local Area Network (LAN), this involves linking a
number of computers together within an office or building. The aim of a LAN
is to be able to share hardware facilities such as printers or scanners,
software applications and data. This type of network is invaluable in the office
environment where colleagues need to have access to common data or
programmers.

External networks
Often you need to communicate with someone outside your internal network:
in this case you will need to be part of a Wide Area Network (WAN). The
Internet is the ultimate WAN - it is a vast network of networks.

ICT in a Broader Context

Now we are in a position to have at least a general definition of ICT as
follows:
“ICT is concerned with the storage, retrieval, manipulation,
transmission or receipt of digital data. Importantly, it is also concerned
with the way these different uses can work with each other. “

In business, ICT is often categorized into two broad types of product: -

o The traditional computer-based technologies (things you can typically do
on a personal computer or using computers at home or at work); and

o The more recent, and fast-growing range of digital communication

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technologies (which allow people and organizations to communicate and
share information digitally)

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 Exercise 1.1

1. What is information?
2. Write and explain about the two sources of information?
3. Write characteristics of valuable information?
4. Explain the data processing cycle.
5. What is Communication technology?
6. What is ICT?
7. What is the difference between Data and Information?
8. Write some sources of information.
9. Write characteristics of valuable information?
10. Is information important? Describe your answer with example.

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 Lesson 1.2 History of Computers
Lesson objective: - At the end of this lesson the students should be able to:
 Define the term computer
 List down the characteristics of computers
 Identify the types of computers
 Describe the basic properties of the generation of computers.

1.2.1 Computer Defined

Among the number of definitions of a computer, we can use either of the

definitions given below:-
 A computer is electronic device that can store, retrieve, and process data.
 Computer can also be defined by its ability to accept input data, process data,
store data and produce output according to set of instructions from a
computer program.

1.2.2 Characteristics of computer

Using computers in our day-to-day activities has the following advantages

o Speed: The speed o f a computer in processing information is increasing from
time to time and computers can calculate at very high speed.
o Accuracy: The accuracy of a computer system is very high provided that the
data and the program given to it are accurate. Error in computer data
processing is mostly human factor. The program may be wrongly coded or the
data may be wrongly entered.
o Storage: Computers can store large amount of data using their memory unit
o Versatility: Computers can be programmed and applied for different
purposes. People can use computers for different applications.
o Diligence: The computer does the same thing repeatedly without saying “I
am tired or I am bored”.

1.2.3 Generations of Computer

The history of computer development is often referred to the different

generations of computing devices. Each generation of computer is
characterized by an invention that fundamentally changed the way computers
look and behave, resulting in increasingly smaller, cheaper, and more
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powerful and more efficient and reliable devices. Computer history is broadly
classified into five generations and the development is in terms of size, speed,
cost, technology.
First Generation -1940-1956: Vacuum Tubes
The first computers used vacuum tubes for circuitry and magnetic drums for
memory, and were often enormous, taking up entire rooms. They were very
expensive to operate and in addition to using great deal of electricity,
generated a lot of heat, which was often the cause of malfunctions. First
generation computers relied on machine language to perform operations, and
they could only solve one problem at a time. Input was based on punched
cards and paper tape, and output was displayed on printouts.

The UNIVAC and ENIAC computers are examples of first-generation

computing devices. The UNIVAC was the first commercial computer delivered
to business client.

Second-Generation -1956-1963: Transistors

Transistors replaced vacuum tubes and ushered in the second generation of
computers. The transistor was invented in 1947but did not see widespread
use in computers until the late 50s. The transistor was a far superior
improvement over the vacuum tube. Second-generation computers still relied
on punched cards for input and printouts for output.

Second-generation computers moved from cryptic binary machine language

to symbolic, or assembly, languages, which allowed programmers to specify
instructions in words. High-level programming languages were also being
developed at this time, such as early versions of COBOL and FORTRAN. These
were also the first computers that stored their instructions in their memory,
which moved from magnetic drum to magnetic core technology. The first
computers of this generation were developed for the atomic energy industry.

Third Generation -1964-1971: Integrated Circuits

The development of the integrated circuit was the hallmark of the third
generation of computers. Transistors were miniaturized and placed on silicon
chips, called semiconductors, which drastically increased the speed and

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 efficiency of computers. Instead of punched cards and printouts, users
interacted with third generation computers through keyboards and monitors
and interfaced with an operating system, which allowed the device to run
many different applications at one time with central program that monitored
the memory. Computers for the first time became accessible to amass
audience because they were smaller and cheaper than their predecessors

Fourth Generation -1971-Present: Microprocessors

The microprocessor brought the fourth generation of computers, as thousands
of integrated circuits were built onto single silicon chip.
In 1981 IBM introduced its first computer for the home user and in 1984
Apple introduced the Macintosh. Microprocessors also moved out of the realm
of desktop computers and into many areas of life as more and more everyday
products began to use microprocessors.

As these small computers became more powerful, they could be linked

together to form networks, which eventually led to the development of the
Internet. Fourth generation computers also include the development of GUIs,
the mouse and handheld devices.

Fifth Generation -Present and Beyond: Artificial Intelligence

Fifth generation computing devices ,based on artificial intelligence, are still in
development, though there are some applications, such as voice recognition,
that are being used today. The use of parallel processing and
superconductors is helping to make artificial intelligence a reality. Quantum
computation and molecular and nanotechnology will radically change the face
of computers in years to come. The goal of fifth-generation computing is to
develop devices that respond to natural language input and are capable of
learning and self-organization.

1.2.4 Types of computers

Computers come in a variety of types designed for different purposes, with

different capabilities and costs. They are categorized in four groups, i.e.
Microcomputers, Minicomputers, Mainframes and Supercomputers.

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 Microcomputers
A microcomputer is a computer that has a microprocessor chip as its central
processing unit (CPU). They are often called personal computers because they
are designed to be used by one person at a time. Personal computers are
typically used at home, at school, or at a business. In addition, they can
access the web, sending and receiving e-mail; do spreadsheet calculations,
database management, editing photographs, creating graphics, and playing
music or games. Personal computers come in two major varieties, desktop
computers and laptop computers.

o Desktop computers are larger and not meant to be portable. They usually
sit in one place on a desk or table and are plugged into a wall outlet for
power. This case may lay flat on the desk, or it may be a tower that stands
vertically (on the desk or under it). The computer
usually has a separate monitor (either a CRT or
LCD) although some designs have a display built
into the case. A separate keyboard and mouse
allow the user to input data and commands. See
Figure1. 2: Desktop Computer
figure 1.2

o Laptop or notebook computers are small and lightweight enough to be

carried around with the user. They run on battery power, but can also be
plugged into a wall outlet. They typically
have a built-in LCD display that folds down to
protect the display when the computer is
carried around. They also feature a built-in
keyboard and some kind of built-in pointing
device (such as a touch pad).
While some laptops are less powerful than
typical desktop machines, this is not true in
all cases. Laptops, however, cost more than
desktop units of equivalent processing
Figure1.3 Laptop Computer

power because the smaller components needed build laptops are more

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 expensive. See figure

PDAs and Palmtop Computers

o Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is a handheld

microcomputer that trades off power for small
size and greater portability. See figure 1.4

- PDAs typically use a touch-sensitive LCD screen for Figure

both 1.4:
output
PDA and

input (the user draws characters and presses icons on the screen with
a stylus). PDAs communicate with desktop computers and with each
other either by cable connection, infrared (IR) beam, or radio waves.
- PDAs are normally used to keep track of appointment calendars, to-do
lists, address books, and for taking notes.
o Palmtop or Handheld PC: is a very small microcomputer that also sacrifices
power for small size and portability. These devices typically look more like a
tiny laptop than a PDA, with a flip-up screen and small
keyboard as illustrated in figure 1.5. They may use
Windows CE or similar operating system for handheld
devices. Some PDAs and palmtops contain wireless
networking or cell phone devices so that users can
check e-mail or surf the web on the move
Figure 1.5: Palmtop

Workstations/Servers:
A workstation is a powerful, high-end microcomputer. They contain one or
more microprocessor CPUs. They may be used by a
single-user for applications requiring more power than
a typical PC. The term “workstation” also has an
alternate meaning: In networking, any client
computer connected to the network that accesses
server resources may be called a workstation. See
figure 1.6
Figure 1.6: Workstation

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A network client workstation could be a personal computer or even a
“workstation” as defined at the top of this section. Alternately, workstation-
class microcomputers may be used as server computers that supply files to
client computers over a network. This class of powerful microcomputers can
also be used to handle the processing for many users simultaneously who are
connected via terminals; in this respect, high-end workstations have
essentially supplanted the role of minicomputers. There are classes of
computers that are not microcomputers. These include supercomputers,
mainframes, and minicomputers.

Minicomputers
A minicomputer is a multi-user computer that is less powerful than a
mainframe. This class of computers became available in the 1960’s when
large scale integrated circuits made it possible to build a computer much
cheaper than the then existing mainframes.

Mainframes
A mainframe computer is a large, powerful computer that handles the
processing for many users simultaneously (up
to several hundred users).See figure 1.7 The
name mainframe originated after
minicomputers appeared in the 1960’s to
distinguish the larger systems from the
smaller minicomputers. Users connect to the
mainframe using terminals and submit their
tasks for processing by the mainframe.
Figure 1.7: Mainframe

A terminal is a device that has a screen and keyboard for input and output,
but it does not do its own processing (they are also called dumb terminals
since they can’t process data on their own). The processing power of the
mainframe is time-shared between all of the users. (Note that a personal
computer may be used to “emulate” a dumb terminal to connect to a
mainframe or minicomputer; you run a program on the PC that pretends to

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be a dumb terminal).
Mainframes typically cost several hundred thousand dollars. They are used in
situations where a company wants the processing power and information
storage in a centralized location. Mainframes are also now being used as high-
capacity server computers for networks with many client workstations.

Supercomputers
A supercomputer is mainframe computer that has
been optimized for speed and processing power.
The most famous series of supercomputers were
designed by the company founded and named
after Seymour Cray. The Cray-1 was built in the
1976 and installed at Los Alamos National
Laboratory.

Figure 1.8: Super Computer

Supercomputers are used for extremely calculation-intensive tasks such

simulating nuclear bomb detonations, aerodynamic flows, and global weather
patterns. Figure 1.8 shows a super computer. A supercomputer typically
costs several million dollars. Recently, some supercomputers have been
constructed by connecting together large numbers of individual processing
units (in some cases, these processing units are standard microcomputer
hardware).

Which computers are more powerful than others?

Supercomputers are more powerful than Mainframes, and Mainframes are
more powerful than minicomputers, which are more powerful than
microcomputers. Such comparison is relative for any particular moment in
time. However, all classes of computers are becoming more powerful with
time as technology improves. The microprocessor chip in a handheld
calculator is more powerful than the ENIAC was, and your desktop computer
has more processing power than the first supercomputers did.

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 Exercise 1.2
1. What is computer?
2. Write at least five characteristics of computer.
3. Explain the basic differences of the First and Second Generations of
Computers?
4. Explain the basic differences of the Third and Fourth Generations of
Computers?
5. Describe the Fifth generations of computers.
6. Describe Micro computer types.
7. Explain about Mainframe computer.
8. What makes Supercomputer different from other types of computer?

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 Lesson 1.3 Hardware and Software
Lesson Objective:
At the end of this lesson the students should be able to:-
 Explain the difference between hardware and software
 Differentiate input and output devices
 Understand the difference between system software and application software

A. HARDWARE
Any visible part of a computer which can be seen and touch is known as
hardware. Hardware are involved in the data processing cycle as an input,
output or as both. As we discuss data processing cycle, there are hardware
used to enter data which are known as input devices and other hardware
used to display the information are known as output device but there are also
devices used as both input and output device. Moreover others are involved in
the processing cycle such as CPU, RAM, ROM, etc.

1.3.1 Input Devices

Some of input devices are mouse, keyboard, scanner, touch pad, light pen
Joysticks, and Voice input for PCs (microphones), Digital Cameras

a. The mouse
The mouse came into common use on a PC, with the introduction of the
Microsoft Windows operating system. Before this, the operating system (DOS)
would normally be controlled via the keyboard. There are many different
types of mice; a commonly used model now has a small wheel on it which
when combined with the correct (See figure). Software allows additional
functionality and fine control over the use of your

applications.

Figure 1.9: Mouse

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b. The Keyboard
The keyboard is still the most common way of entering data
into a computer. There are a number of keyboard types,
including those specially designed for use with Microsoft
Windows. The quality of the keyboard is often over looked
when buying a PC; it should be robust and easy to use as
illustrated in figure 1.10

Figure 1.10: Keyboard

c. Scanners
A scanner allows you to scan printed material and convert it into a file format
which may be used within the PC. You can scan pictures and then manipulate
these inside the PC using a graphics application of your choice. In addition, you
can scan printed text and convert this not just to a picture of the text but also to,
actual text which can be manipulated and edited as text within your word-
processor. There are a number of specialist programs, generically called OCR
(Optical Character Recognition) programs which are specifically designed for
converting printed text into editable text within your applications.

d. Touch Pads
A touch pad is a desktop device and responds to pressure. Used in conjunction
with a special pen they can be used by graphic artists wishing to create original,
digital artwork.

e. Light Pens
A light pen is used to allow users to point to areas on a screen
and is often used to select menu choices. See figure 1.11
Figure 1.11: Light Pen

f. Joysticks
Many games require a joystick for the proper playing of the
game. There are many different types, the more sophisticated
respond to movement in 3 axis directions, as well as having a
number of configurable buttons. See figure 1.11
Figure 1.12: Joystick

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 g. Voice input for PCs (microphones)
Early voice recognition systems offered very poor results, due to the
limitations of the software combined with hardware limitations. It takes an
awful lot of CPU processing power to convert the spoken word into text which
appears on the screen. Things are changing rapidly however and recent
systems allow you to talk to a PC and see text appear on the screen. Most of
These systems require an initial training period, where you train the software
to respond to your particular voice. Whilst still not perfect this is a key
technology of the future.

h. Digital Cameras
A digital camera can be used in the same way a traditional camera can, but
instead of storing images on rolls of film which require developing, the images
are stored digitally in memory housed within the camera. These pictures can
easily be transferred to your computer and then manipulated within any
graphics programs which you have installed on your computer. Currently they
are limited by the quality of the image recorded and the number of pictures

which you may store within the camera.

1.3.2 Output Devices

Devices used to display information are known as output devices some of the
output devices are The VDU, Flat screen monitors Printer, Plotters, and
Speakers.
a. The VDU (computer monitor or screen)
The VDU (Visual Display Unit) is the computer screen used
for outputting information in an understandable format for
humans. Remember that at the end of the day the
computer works in binary code (a series of on/off
impulses). It is hard to realize that the original electronic
computers did not have a screen. See figure 1.13
Figure 1.13: Monitor

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 Flat screen monitors
Traditional computer monitors are based on the same sort of technology
which is used within a television screen. Flat Screen take up a lot less room

on a desk and use less energy than the traditional, more bulky monitors . See
figure 1.14

You should be aware that often if you specify a screen of a

certain size, say a 17-inch screen, this is the size measured
diagonally, not horizontally across the screen. If you are
upgrading you should also ask for the "visible viewing area"
of the screen.
Figure 1.14: Flat Screen

b. Printer
There are many different types of printers. In most organizations, the printers
are connected to the computers via a network. This means that each person
with a computer does not require his or her own printer. Each computer

connected to the network can print using a particular shared printer . There
are different types of printers such as laser printers, inkjet printers, and dot
matrix printers.
Laser printers: In large organizations, laser printers are most commonly
used because they can print very fast and give a very high quality output.
They are called "laser printers" due to the fact that they contain a small laser
within them. There is a wide range of laser printer manufacturers and one
buzzword to be aware of is Postscript, a type of printer which is designed to
give very high quality reproduction of pictures.
Color laser printers: Originally, most laser printers would only print in black
and white (mono). More recently color laser printers have dropped in price
and are entering wide spread use. While many of these produce excellent
results, you should be aware of the fact that the "price per page", especially if
you are using a lot of color on a page can be very high compared to the cost
of printing in black and white.
Inkjet printers: Inkjet printers work by using tiny jets to spray ink onto the

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 paper. Inkjet printers are very quiet in operation and produce print quality
comparable to that of laser printers, though laser printers still have the edge
in terms of speed. Inkjet printers are ideal for low volume printing where high
quality print is required and speed is not a high priority, e.g. printing letters in
a small office or in the home.
Dot Matrix printers: Dot matrix printers work by firing a row of pins through
an ink ribbon onto the paper. The more pins the print head has the higher the
quality of the print, most modern dot matrix printers have 24 pins.
Unfortunately, dot matrix printers can generate a lot of noise and do not
produce a very high quality of print, especially when printing graphics. As a
result, the inkjet printer has now largely replaced the dot matrix printer. Dot
matrix printers are used for high volume / low quality printing, e.g. printing
company pay slips.

c. Plotters
A plotter is an output device similar to a printer, but normally allows you to
print larger images. Their use is common in the design and research sector.

d. Speakers
Most computers are sold with the capability to add a pair of speakers to your
system unit. In fact, in some cases, the monitor may have speakers built
directly into the unit. This enhances the value of educational and presentation
products and can now be considered a standard PC component.

1.3.3 Central Processing Unit

The CPU is the brains within your computer. It performs most of the
calculations within the computer and is responsible for the smooth running of
your operating system (Microsoft Windows) as well as your application
programs, such as word-processors, spreadsheets and databases.

There is a small amount of memory associated with the CPU, which it uses to
perform these operations. It also accesses and uses the main memory (RAM -
Random Access Memory) within your computer. In many ways, the CPU is the
single most important item within your computer which governs the Overall
speed of your computer. The CPU's speed is measured in MHz of GHz.
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 This relates to the frequency at which the CPU runs and the higher the MHz
(or GHz) rating of your CPU the faster your computer will run. To give you
some indication of how PCs have advanced over the years, the original IBM
PC released in 1981 ran at less than 5 MHz while modern PCs can run at
speeds well in excess of 2000 MHz (2 GHz). Note that 1000 MHz is the same
a 1 GHz.

1.3.4 Computer Memory

Computer memory refers to devices that are used to store data or programs
(sequence of instructions) on temporary or permanent basis. You can store
data on your hard disk, that used to store data permanently, while data which
is being processed is stored in RAM (Random Access Memory). Data stored in
RAM is temporary, because it is available as far as there is power. Normally
when people talk about memory in relation to a PC, they are talking about
RAM. The different types of computer memory applicable are RAM, ROM
and/or ROM-BIOS.
a. RAM
Random Access Memory (RAM) is the main 'working' memory used by the
computer. When the operating system loads from disk when you first switch
on the computer, it is copied into RAM. The original IBM PC could only use up
to 640 KB of memory (just over half a megabyte), whereas a modern
computer can effectively house as much RAM as you can afford to buy.
Commonly modern computers are supplied with over 4 GB of RAM. As a rough
rule, a Microsoft Windows based computer will operate faster if you install
more RAM. When adverts refer to a computer having 4GB of memory, it is
this RAM which they are talking about. Data and programs stored in RAM are
volatile (i.e. the information is lost when you switch off the computer).
b. ROM
Read Only Memory (ROM) as the name suggests is a special type of memory
chip which holds software which can be read but not written to. A good
example is the ROM-BIOS chip, which contains read-only software. Often
network cards and video cards also contain ROM chips.

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 How computer memory is measured
Basic Units of Data Storage: It is important to realize that the term digital
computer refers to the fact that ultimately the computer works in what is
called binary. Humans work in tens. To use the jargon humans work in base
10. A digital computer uses the numbers 0 and 1 (or on and off if you prefer).
When we talk about computer storage, either the amount of memory (RAM)
or the hard disk capacity we are talking about numbers which are multiples of
0 or 1.

Bit: All computers work on a binary numbering system, i.e. they process data
in ones or zeros. This 1 or 0 level of storage is called a bit. Often hardware is
specified as a 32-bit computer, which means that the hardware can process
32 bits at a time. Software is also described as 16 bit, 32 bit or 64 bit
software.

Byte: A byte consists of eight bits.

Kilobyte: A kilobyte (KB) consists of 1024 bytes.
Megabyte: A megabyte (MB) consists of 1024 kilobytes, approximately
1,000,000 bytes.
Gigabyte: A gigabyte (GB) consists of 1024 megabytes, approximately
1,000,000,000 bytes.
Terabyte: A terabyte (TB) consists of approximately 1,000,000,000,000
bytes.

1.3.5 Computer Storage Devices

A computer storage device is any type of hardware that stores data. The most
common type of storage device, which nearly all computers have, is a hard
drive\hard disc. The computer's primary hard drive stores the operating
system, applications, and files and Folders for users of the computer.

While the hard drive is the most ever-present of all storage devices, several
other types are common as well. Flash memory devices, such as USB
keychain drives and I pod are popular ways to store data in a small, mobile
format. zip drive, jaz drive floppy ,CD are some other types of storage
devices.

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 Internal hard disks
The hard drive is what stores all your data. It houses the hard disk, where all
your files and folders are physically located. A typical hard drive is only
slightly larger than your hand, yet can hold over 100 GB of data.
o Speed: Very fast. The speed of a hard disk is often quoted as "average access
time" speed, measured in milliseconds. The smaller this number, the faster
the disk is.
o Capacity: Enormous, Measured in Gigabytes. A Gigabyte is equivalent to 1024
Megabytes.
o Cost: Hard disks costs are falling rapidly and normally represent the cheapest
way of storing data.

External hard disks

Another type of hard drive is an external hard drive that is placed outside the
computer. This is helpful for computers that have no space inside the cabinet
for installing extra hard drive. Internal parts of the computer can be protected
by means of this and extra powering is required. A big advantage of this type
of drive is that backup of data is easier. The hard disk size is 3.5" or 2.5"
where the later has less capacity but power consumption is less and easy to
move.
o Speed: Normally slower than internal disks, but more expensive versions offer

the same performance as internal hard disks.

o Capacity: Same as internal disks.

o Cost: More expensive than internal disks.

Zip drives
You can install a Zip drive into your computer and then you can insert Zip
disks into that drive. The great thing about these disks is that you can
remove one disk and replace it with another, in exactly the same way that
you can place different diskettes in your diskette drive. They are great for
backing up data and exchanging data between non-networked computers.
o Speed: Slower than normal hard disks but ideal for backups.
o Capacity: 100 or 250 Megabytes.
o Cost: You have to consider both the cost of the drive, plus the cost of each

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 disk which you wish to use in the drive. Often suppliers will sell the drive plus
a pack of 5 disks at a bundled discount price.

Jaz drives
A Jaz drive, Figure 1.15, is similar in concept to a Zip drive.
The main difference between them is that a Jaz drive can
hold a lot more data. Alas, the disks are not the same as
used in a Zip drive and as a result, you cannot use a Zip disk
in a Jaz drive or a Jaz disk in a Zip drive. See figure 1.15
Figure 1.15: Jaz drive

o Speed: Slower than normal hard disks but ideal for backups
o Capacity: Around 2 Gigabytes (2048 Megabytes).
o Cost: You have to consider both the cost of the drive, plus the cost of each
disk which you wish to use in the drive.
Diskettes (floppy disks),
o Speed: Very slow.
o Capacity: Normally 1.44 Mbytes:
o Cost: Very cheap. See figure 1.16
Figure 1.16: Floppy diskette

CD Disks
o Speed: Much slower than hard disks. The original CD-ROM specification is
now given a value of 1x speed, and later, faster CD-ROMs are quoted as a
multiple of this value. Thus, a 50x CD-ROM is 50 times as fast as the original
1x speed CD-ROM specification.
o Capacity: Around 700 Mbytes.
o Cost: CD drives are becoming very inexpensive. The disks themselves are so
cheap that they are often given away when they contain samples or demo
software (i.e. free versions).

DVD Drives
o Speed: Much faster than CD drives but not as fast as hard disks.
o Capacity: Up to 17 Bytes.

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 o Cost: Slightly higher than CD drives.

B. SOFTWARE
Computers can not do anything without step-by-step instructions written out
for them. These lists of instructions are called programs. Programs (and the
associated data) are known as software. Software needs to be installed onto a
computer before it can be used. Software is often sold in sets of several
programs and associated data called a software package, and typically comes
on a CD-ROM or may be downloaded from the Internet. The Microsoft Office
Suite is such a collection of programs and data that allows users to
manipulate words, numbers, and data. There are two major categories of
software: System software and Application software.

1.3.6 System Software

The operating system is a special type of program which loads automatically

when you start your computer.
The operating system allows you to use the advanced features of a modern
computer without having to learn all the details of how the hardware works.

An operating system (such as Microsoft Windows) acts as a link between you

and your computer hardware. Ultimately your computer works using binary
signals (i.e. 1s and 0s). The operating system means that you do not have to
work directly with binary arithmetic. Using Windows means that you do not
have to worry how the computer works, you do not need to be a computer
expert.

The operating system is a special type of program which loads automatically

when you start your computer. The operating system allows you to use the
advanced features of a modern computer without having to learn all the
details of how the hardware works.

There are a number of different types of operating system in common use.

The IBM PC (Personal Computer) was introduced way back in 1981 and was
originally supplied with an operating system called DOS (Disk Operating
System). This operating system was very basic, and you had to be a bit of a

Page 40
 computer expert just to understand how to use it. But it was NOT user-
friendly. Later on, Microsoft introduced Windows and this is the operating
system which is most widely used on PCs today. The first widely used version
of Windows was called Windows 3.1. This was more powerful than DOS and
far easier to use. It had a Graphical User Interface (GUI), i.e. you could
'drive' it using a mouse and drop down menus. Later, different releases of
Windows were introduced. The good news is that later versions of Microsoft
Windows look almost identical to each other and are all much easier to use
than Windows 3.1. IBM produced an operating system called OS/2 but this
was largely ignored and is only used by a few companies. UNIX and Linux are
other examples of operating systems which may be run on PCs. Other types
of computers, such as those manufactured by Apple have a completely
different operating system.

1.3.7 Application software

An application program is the type of program which you use once the
operating system has been loaded into memory (RAM). Examples include
word processing programs (for producing letters, memos etc), spreadsheets
(for doing accounts and working with numbers), databases (for organizing
large amounts of information), games and graphics programs (for producing
pictures, advertisements, manuals etc).
An application program is the type of program which you use once the
operating system has been loaded. Examples include word-processing
programs (for letters, memos etc), spreadsheets (for doing accounts and
working with umbers), databases (for organizing large amounts of
information), games programs and graphics programs (for producing pictures,
advertisements, manuals etc).

a. Word processing
A word processing program (such as Microsoft Word) allows you to produce
letters, memos, etc., easily. You can easily mail merge a list of names and
addresses to produce mass mailers, individually addressed to customers or
subscribers.

b. Spreadsheets
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 A spreadsheet program (such as Microsoft Excel) allows you to work out a
company’s income, expenditure and then calculate the balance. It enables
you to make 'what if' type projections of how the company will fair in the
future and to forecast how changes in prices will affect profits.
c. Databases
A database program (such as Microsoft Access) allows you to compile
information and then to search this information to extract just the information
you require. For instance, if you have a database of all the equipment housed
within an office you can very simply produce a report listing only the
equipment above a certain value.

d. Presentation
A presentation program (such as Microsoft PowerPoint) allows you to produce
professional looking presentations, which can be printed out directly onto
slides for use with an overhead projector. Alternatively, you can display your
presentations directly on a computer screen or via a computerized projector.

e. Accounts / Payroll
In most large organizations, the accounts are maintained by a computerized
system. Due to the repetitive nature of accounts, a computer system is
ideally suited to this task and accuracy is guaranteed.
f. Web authoring
These applications allow almost anyone to create a web site, quickly and
easily.

Why are new versions of software released year after year?

A cynic might say 'so that the companies which manufacture software can
continue to make money each year. Another cynic may say ' so that you can
pay to have the unfinished version you bought last year patched up a little, so
there are less bugs in it this year'. The software manufactures claim that each
new release has less bugs, greater flexibility and more features. Often if you
wish to see the version of software you are using, you can click on the
product’s “Help” drop down menu, and then click on the about (or similar)

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command.

Page 43
 Exercise 1.3
1. Describe the terms computer hardware and software and give
examples.
2. Give typical examples of Basic computer hardware.
3. Write computer hardware which can be found in the inside part of the
system unit.
4. Define input devices and output devices mean and give at least three
examples for each.
5. What is CPU?
6. What is memory? Write the name of the two primary memories and
describe their differences.
7. What is computer storage device?
8. What is system software?
9. What is application software?
10. Write the functions of computer CPU. What are its components?
11. Write the different secondary storage media in our computer system.
12. What is the function of operating system on our computer? Give
example of operating system
13. . Categorize the following items as Hardware and software
Hard disk Microsoft Word Visual Basic Floppy Disk Flash Disk
C++ Speaker Mouse CPU Mother Board
Java Dos Windows Monitor Plotter
14. From the above given groups identify the software that you get as
application, programming language or operating system software.
15. Find the binary equivalents of the numbers below which are given in
decimal
A) 12 B) 21 C) 32
D) 54 E) 128 G) 129
16. Find the decimal equivalents of the numbers below which are given in
binary
A) 11011101 B) 10011110
C) 10110011 D) 11001110
17. Describe the difference between Bit Byte and word
18. What do we mean by a hard disk has 40GB capacity? Describe it.

Page 44
 Lesson 1.4 Computer Networks
Lesson objective:-
At the end of this lesson the students should be able to:-
o Describe the term network
o Recognize terms related to client, server, LAN, WAN, Intranet and Extranet
o Illustrate advantage of telephone network and workgroup

1.4.1 What is Computer Network?

A computer network is a collection of computers and devices connected to

each other. The network allows computers to communicate with each other
and share resources and information. The Advanced Research Projects
Agency (ARPA) designed "Advanced Research Projects Agency Network"
(ARPANET) for the United States Department of Defense. It was the first
computer network in the world in late 1960s and early 1970s.

1.4.2 Network Types

Networks are often classified as Local Area Network (LAN), Wide Area
Network (WAN), Metropolitan Area Network (MAN), Personal Area Network
(PAN), Virtual Private Network (VPN), Campus Area Network (CAN), Storage
Area Network (SAN), etc. depending on their scale, scope and purpose.
Usage, trust levels (The degree of security of the transmitted data) and
access rights (The right to read, write or both read and write) often differ
between these types of network - for example, LANs tend to be designed for
internal use by an organization's internal systems and employees in individual
physical locations (such as a building), while WANs may connect physically
separate parts of an organization to each other and may include connections
to third parties.
LAN (Local Area Network): is a system whereby individual PCs are
connected together within a company or organization. For instance, if ten
people are working together within an office, it makes sense for them all to be
connected. In this way, the office can have a single printer and all ten people
can print to it. In a similar way, other devices such as modems or scanners
can be shared. Even more useful is the ability to share information when

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connected to a network. See figure 1.17

Figure.1.17: LAN

A WAN (Wide Area Network): as the

name implies allows you to connect to other computers over a wider area (i.e.
the whole world) as illustrated in figure 1.18

Figure 1.18: WAN

Client/server
This term relates to the type of network where resources are kept centrally on
the server and used locally by the client. The server tends to be a very
powerful PC (or group of PCs), while each client workstation, which the users
have, is less powerful. Some of the advantages associated with group working
such as: sharing printers, applications, and files across a network.

Workgroup computing
The idea of a workgroup is that groups of people working together can share
their resources with each other. People within the workgroup can share
information on their hard disks as well as sharing printers, modems and
scanners. The workgroup is connected via a computer network. This network
can simply consist of a few computers at a single location physically
connected to each other via a network cable, or it may be a workgroup of

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computers connected globally via the Internet.
Advantages of workgroup computing
 As there is no reliance on a central computer, there is less chance of
major disruption if one computer goes down for a while.
 Provided members of the workgroup have the authority and access rights,
they can share data on a temporary basis with colleagues, as required,
without the need for a network administrator to get involved.
 In small offices there may be no need for a dedicated network
administrator, and this can result in considerable cost savings.
Disadvantages of workgroup computing
 If you share files on your PC with many other people, this can slow down
the running of your PC.
 The security of the computer network may not be as good as the
traditional client/server network arrangement.
 You may give total access to the files on your PC, which may then be
damaged or even deleted, by other members of the workgroup.

Intranet, Extranet
An Intranet is a smaller, closed version of the Internet, which can only be
accessed by authorized members of an organization. Intranets are becoming
an increasingly popular way to share information within a company or other
organization. An Intranet uses Internet technologies to allow users to access
company documents, search databases, schedule meetings and of course
send e-mails. Once a company has installed a comprehensive Intranet many
users need only one piece of software on their PC, a web browser.

Difference between an Intranet and an Extranet An Extranet is an

Intranet which is partially accessible to authorized outsiders. An Intranet is
normally only accessible by members of the same company or organization;
an extranet also allows outsiders who have been issued with a password to
gain limited access to information held on a company network. Extranets are
being used as a way for business partners to share information.

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1.4.3 The Internet

A collection of networks started by and for the US military to enable them to

'survive' a nuclear war. Later adopted by the educational system, and now
exploited by the commercial world.
How it is useful
The unique thing about the Internet is the sheer amount of information
which you can access from it. Whatever your interest, you can search for
and find information on the most obscure topics. For research the Internet
is an incredibly valuable tool. Whether you are gathering information about
a rival company on the other side of the world, or are looking for
information about your family tree, you will find there is plenty of
information available. If you publish material on the Web, it can be accessed
by everyone on the Web (providing they can find it.). As a marketing tool,
this has interesting possibilities. It is possible for a small company to sell
products and services worldwide, without the need for a single sales-person.
These days the problem is often not finding information but rather dealing
with the sheer amount of information which is available. Also, you have no
idea how accurate or up to date a lot of the information you access really is.

The World Wide Web (WWW) and the Internet

The World Wide Web (WWW) is just a small part of the Internet as a whole.
The Internet relates to all the hardware and software involved, as well as the
WWW, it also includes FTP (File Transfer Protocol), e-mail and newsgroups.
The WWW is basically the text and pictures which you can view using your
web browser, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, or Netscape Navigator.

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 Exercise 1.4

1. What is computer network?

2. Write the types of computer networking?
3. Write the difference between LAN and WAN.
4. Define the terms Intranet, Extranet and Internet
5. What are the environmental factors that can affect the security of
computers? Write if any.
6. Can a given resource in one computer used by another person in another
location? How?
7. Describe the network types LAN and WAN. In which category do you put
Internet?
8. Suppose you have three computers in your office which network type will
use to connect them? (LAN/WAN)
9. What are the different types of topology used in computer network?

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 Lesson 1.5 Security

Lesson objective: -
At the end of this lesson the students should be able to:-
 Identify and apply how to Protect data and information
 identify the different types of computer threats and their
impact on computers

Introduction
This section discusses how to protect (make secure) data from different kinds
of threats. These threats can be natural like any damage that can happen on
your commuter or human made like computer virus or unauthorized access
by different users. In addition it also discuses the different kinds of safety
issues the users need to take in there working places.

1.5.1 Information Security

This is a general term which covers all aspects of computer security. It covers
protection against viruses and hackers, password and access control, that we
will discuss in the following topics, policies as well as procedures for the
regular backing up of your data (to guard against computer failure). In any
organization there should be clearly defined policies for the detection of
security problems, and what to do if a problem is noticed. Security problems
may range from the physical presence of unauthorized persons in an office,
through to suspicion of attempted unauthorized electronic entry to your
computer networks. In all cases you should know whom to contact, and how
to contact the relevant person, so that the matter can be investigated further.

A proactive information security policy anticipates problems and attempts to

guard against future problems, as opposed to discovering a problem and then
trying to deal with the problem.

There are different methods to secure your information such as user IDs and
passwords, shutting down your computer; UPS, Electrical surge protection,
etc. Let us explore each method one by one:

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A. User IDs and passwords
A User ID is normally used to logon to a computer, or computer network. It
uniquely identifies you to the network. In addition you use a password which
is only known to you. The password guarantees that no one can access the
network and impersonate you (in theory). Once you have logged on (i.e.
connected) to the rest of your computer network, you will have been assigned
access rights to the network. Your network administrator will have defined
these access rights. The idea of access rights is that you only have the ability
to connect to, or share, devices which you have authority to use. In other
words, the network administrators often have access rights to just about
every computer, printer, modem etc on the network. You on the other hand
may have access rights to print to only certain, specified printers and you
may be able to access only certain data held on the network.

B. The Importance of shutting down your computer

When you are using a Windows based system it is important to remember
that just switching off the computer or losing power due to a power cut
(power outage) can cause loss of data. To protect against this you should
save your work regularly. Many programs have a facility which automatically
saves your work; say every 10 minutes.
Some operating systems, such as the later versions of Windows 95 and also
Windows NT have a facility which will automatically detect that the computer
was not properly shut down the last time it was used. If this situation is
detected, then a special recovery program will be run which will attempt to fix
any damage caused by the power cut.

C. UPS
A UPS (Un-interruptible Power Supply) is a device which you can attach to
your computer which will guard against power cuts (or indeed someone
tripping over your power cable and pulling the plug out). It contains batteries
which will keep your computer alive long enough for you to use the shutdown
command and turn off the computer in the proper way. This is especially
important for PCs on a network which might provide data for many users on
the network.

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 D. Electrical surge protection
The voltage which is supplied to your computer via the power cable can vary
from time to time, and there are occasional power surges. Power surge
protection devices are readily available and offer low cost protection again
these occasional power surges.

Things computers Things to avoid

like
Good ventilation Dust

Clean environment Drinking and eating over the keyboard

Stable, vibration Heat, Cold, Moisture

free surface
Do not move the system while it is switched on.

Do not just switch the computer off at the mains.

Follow the correct shutdown procedure or data could
be lost

1.5.2 What to do if the computer fails down

If you are working within a large organization, you should be aware of the
company’s policy if the computer suddenly breaks down. Many large
companies have a special computer support department and you should make
sure that you know how to contact them in case of emergency.
In many smaller organizations, the situation is much less formalized. If you
are not qualified to make repairs on the computer, do NOT attempt to open
the computer case and investigate. This is especially true of the computer
monitor, inside are many components operating at VERY HIGH VOLTAGES,
which can kill. If in doubt, get a qualified technician to fix the problem. Prior
to contacting your computer support staffs you may (if authorized by your
organization) check that the various external components, such as the
mouse, keyboard, monitor and network connections are in fact properly
connected to the back of the computer. A very common complaint to support
groups is that the screen is not working.

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 You may wish to check that someone has not inadvertently switched off the
screen, prior to ringing the support group. One of the more common reasons
for a network not working is that someone (maybe an overnight cleaner) has
accidentally pulled the network cable out of the back of a computer.

1.5.3 Responsibilities for dealing with security problems

If you are reporting a security problem, you should do so without delay, to

the relevant person within your organization. If you are responsible for
dealing with reports of security incidents, you should always take action
immediately, and follow the correct procedure within your organization for
investigating any problems.

Security rights and obligations

If you are working for a large organization you have both rights and
obligations to the organization. For instance, does an employer have the right
to video film and record employees without their permission? Can an
employer read all e-mail sent and received by employees? Can an employer
monitor what Internet sites an employee is accessing? The employer must
make clear the security obligations of employees, such as keeping network ID
and logon passwords secure and how to report security incidents.

Choosing a secure password

Your password is the only thing which will prevent someone else logging into
a computer using your user ID and impersonating you. It is important to
choose a password which cannot be easily guessed by other people. Ideally a
password should be at least 8 characters long & contain a mixture of words
and numbers. It is also recommended that you change your password
regularly; some computer systems will require you to change your password
periodically.

How secure is your software?

Microsoft Windows does seem notoriously easy for talented hackers to crack.
It seems that there are rather too many 'fixes' which companies such as
Microsoft release and then ask you to install to help plug some of the holes in

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 their in-built security. As soon as you connect a computer to a computer
network or the Internet your risk of attack increases. Applications are also
vulnerable to attack. For instance there are some virus programs which
explore security weaknesses within Microsoft Word to spread themselves and
infect your computer.

Managing data securely

Make sure that there is a policy in place for the management of sensitive
data, especially if it involves the transmission of the information beyond your
organization. If you are sending a fax or email, be sure that the message
contains your contact information, and a message describing the contents as
confidential, with instructions for what to do if the recipient has received the
message in error. Logs should be kept of all faxes and e-mail sent and
received. Sensitive printed materials should be clearly marked, maybe saying
confidential or draft only.

Disposing of data securely

Floppy disks: If you perform a full re-format on a floppy disk, this will
remove the data. However be aware that there are programs available which
will undo the effect of this formatting. The only way to be sure that the data
is removed is to physically destroy the floppy disk.
Hard disks: If you delete a file, then it is actually only moved to the Recycle
Bin. As a first step, empty the Recycle Bin of deleted files. Even where a file
appears complete deleted, it can still often be recovered using specialist data
recovery programs. Be warned. If you are disposing of an old hard disk which
used to contain sensitive data, the safest way is to crush it.

1.5.4 Backing up your computer

The most important thing which you store on your computer is information.
Often the contents of a hard disk can represent years of work. If the hard disk
stops working one day you could lose all those years of work. For this reason
it is VITAL that you take regular backups of the information which is stored on
the computer. In large organizations this backup procedure is normally
performed automatically by your computer support team, where the data is
normally held on a centralized, networked computer. In smaller organizations,
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 it is often up to the individual to organize some sort of data backup. If
nothing else is available, copy your files to a floppy disk and make sure that
these backup disks are stored away from the computer, ideally off-site. If
there is a fire and your office burns down, if your backup disks are stored
next to the computer they too will be incinerated.
When you think about it, you have a computer containing many programs and
also a large amount of data which you have created, and then it is only the
data which you really need to backup.
Complete vs. incremental backups
A complete backup means that you backup all the data on your computer.
This has the advantage that the entire hard disk can be backed up, but
suffers from the disadvantage that this process can take a long time if your
computer contains a lot of data. An incremental backup means that once a
week you can perform a complete backup, but every night for the rest of the
week, you only backup files which have been newly created or modified since
the last backup, saving time. With the right backup software, this process is
automatic, and normally you only have to select full or incremental.
Why you should use 'off-site' storage?
It is no good backing up your data only to leave the item which you backed
up to next to the computer; if someone steals your computer it is likely that
they will also steal your backups too. If you have a fire, then again you will
lose your backups if the backups are stored next to the computer. Ideally,
backups should be stored off-site at a safe location. At the very least,
consider storing your backups in a fireproof safe, which will give some
protection against fire damage.
You should perform backups at night. If you backup your computer during the
day (when you are using programs on the computer) then any program or
data files which are in use at the time of the backup will not be backed up.

1.5.5 Computer viruses

Viruses are small programs which hide themselves on your disks (both
diskettes and your hard disk). Unless you use virus detection software, the
first time that you know that you have a virus is when it activates. Different
viruses are activated in different ways. For instance, the famous Friday the

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13th virus will activate only when it is both a Friday and the 13th of the
month. BEWARE: Viruses can destroy all your data.

How do viruses infect PCs?

Viruses hide on a disk and when you access the disk (either a diskette or
another hard disk over a network) the virus program will start and infect your
computer. The worst thing about a computer virus is that it can spread from
one computer to another, either via use of infected floppy disk, or over a
computer network. The Internet allows you to access files from all over the
world and you should never connect to the Internet unless you have a virus-
checking program installed on your computer. It is vital to keep your virus
monitoring software up to date. Many anti-virus programs, such as Norton
Anti Virus allow you to update the program so that the program can check for
recently discovered viruses.
Preventing virus damage
There are a number of third party anti-virus products available. The main
thing about your virus checker is that it should be kept up to date. Many
companies supply updated disks on a regular basis or allow you to receive
updates automatically via the Internet.
Password protecting computer
You can set a power-on password on your computer. The mechanism for
setting this will vary from one computer to another, and is determined by the
makers of the computer, rather than by Windows. The advantage of a power-
on password is that the computer will not boot to Windows until you supply
the correct password. This means that no one else can play around with your
computer and in the process accidentally infect it with a virus.
Protecting computers from attack
The safest way to use a computer is to not connect it to a Local Area network
or the Internet. This is called a 'stand-alone' computer, providing that you do
not use floppy disks on that PC which have been used in other computers;
this type of computer is virtually immune from any form of intrusion.
Unfortunately it is the ability to connect to other computers or indeed the
Internet, which makes the modern computer so versatile and so useful.
Always make sure that all computers require an ID and password to access

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them. Make sure that all relevant 'security patches' from Microsoft have been
applied.
Make sure that the password is long enough, contains a random mixture of
numbers and letters, and that the passwords are changed on a regular basis.
There are many examples, where people have used passwords which relate to
something personal, such as a partner’s first name, the dog’s or cat’s name,
etc. For a determined, serious computer hacker, these are easy to guess. If
you have a system, where lots of different passwords are required to access
the system, then security often breaks down and computer users will
sometimes keep a list of these passwords in their disk. This defeats the whole
object. If you forget your network access password, the network
administrator should be able to assign you with a new one.

What to do if you discover a virus on your computer

If you discover a virus on your computer don’t panic. If your virus checker
alerts you to a virus, then the chances are that it has caught the virus before
the virus could infect your computer and cause damage. For instance you
may insert a diskette into your computer and the virus checker should
automatically scan the diskette. If the diskette contains a virus, a message
will be displayed telling you that the diskette is infected, and it should
automatically remove the virus. If you work within a larger company, you
should have a company IT support group which will come and rid your
computer of viruses. Be sure that you are familiar with your company’s policy
regarding viruses.
The limitations of anti-virus software
Anti-virus software can only detect viruses (or types of viruses) which the
software knows about. As such it is vital that you keep your anti virus
software up to date so that it can detect new viruses which are constantly
appearing.

Virus disinfecting
Running a virus checker on a machine which contains a virus is known as
disinfecting the PC, as the virus program will detect, and then eliminate the
virus.

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Take care when opening e-mail:
Be very cautious about opening unsolicited e-mail, especially if they contain
file attachments. A good anti-virus program should detect most threats from
virus- infected e-mail.

Beware of Internet Downloads:

Any file which you download from the Internet may in theory contain a virus.
Be especially careful about downloading program files (files with a file name
extension of .COM or .EXE). Microsoft Word or Excel files can contain macro
viruses. Basically trust no one when it comes to downloading files. Do not
connect to the Internet unless you have a good anti-virus program installed
on your computer.

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 Exercise 1.5

1. What is information security?

2. Write different methods to secure your information.
3. How do you dispose your data securely?
4. Why do you need to back up your computer?
5. What is computer virus?
6. Does a virus affect the functionality of computer? Write if any.
7. Can computer virus transfer from one computer to another? How?
8. How do you protect your computer from computer virus?

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 Lesson 1.6 Ergonomics
Lesson objective:-
At the end of this lesson the students should be able to:-
 Recognize the elements and practices that can help create a good, working
environment
 List some common health problems which can be associated with using a
computer
 List some safety precautions when using a computer
 Recognize the use of electronic documents in reducing of having printed
materials

Ergonomics is study about what elements and practices can help create a
good, working environment such as: appropriate positioning of monitors,
keyboards and adjustable chairs, use of a mouse mat, use of a monitor filter,
provision of adequate lighting and ventilation, frequent breaks away from the
computer.

1.6.1 Five aspects of ergonomics

There are five aspects of ergonomics: safety, comfort, ease of use,

productivity/performance, and aesthetics. Based on these aspects of
ergonomics, examples are given of how products or systems could benefit
from redesign based on ergonomic principles.
1. Safety - Medicine bottles: The print on them could be larger so that a sick
person who may have bad vision (due to sinuses, etc.) can more easily see
the dosages and label. Ergonomics could design the print style, color and size
for optimal viewing.
2. Comfort - Alarm clock display: Some displays are harshly bright, drawing
one’s eye to the light when surroundings are dark. Ergonomic principles could
re-design this based on contrast principles.
3. Ease of use - Street Signs: In a strange area, many times it is difficult to spot
street signs. This could be addressed with the principles of visual detection in
ergonomics.
4. Productivity/performance - HD TV: The sound on HD TV is much lower than
regular TV. So when you switch from HD to regular, the volume increases

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 dramatically. Ergonomics recognizes that this difference in decibel level
creates a difference in loudness and hurts human ears and this could be
solved by evening out the decibel levels.
5. Aesthetics - the look and feel of the object, the user experience

1.6.2 Good working practices

Good working practices are situations should be practiced while you are on a
computer this Includes the following:-
 Your chair:
Your chair should be fully adjustable, and be able to be moved up or down. It
should have an adjustable back.
 Your screen:
Your screen should be fully adjustable so that your eyes are at the same
height as the top of the screen. You may wish to use a filter attached to the
screen to reduce glare. If the screen is badly focused, too bright or appears to
flicker, then get a qualified technician to take a look at it. You should
periodically refocus into the distance, as opposed to always gazing at a screen
a few inches from your eyes.
 Your keyboard:
Use a good keyboard and you may also wish to use a wrist pad to relieve
pressure on your wrists.
 Your feet:
You may wish to use a footpad to rest your feet while using the computer.
 Your mouse:
Use enough space to a mouse to make the mouse easier to use. Ensure that
you have enough space to comfortably use the mouse. If your arms or fingers
become tired or painful when using the mouse, take a break and do
something else.
 Breaks:
Take frequent breaks when using a computer.

Other factors:
Make sure that the area where you are using the computer is adequately lit

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 and well ventilated. Ventilation is especially important if you are using a laser
printer, which may produce ozone when printing.

1.6.3 Health Issues

Some common health problems which can be associated with using a

computer such as: injuries to wrists caused by prolonged typing, eye strain
caused by screen glare, back problems associated with poor seating or bad
posture. Using a computer incorrectly can damage your health
Take regular breaks, have regular eye tests and get a good desk and chair to
maintain good posture.
 Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
Often referred to as RSI this is a condition caused by constant use of the
keyboard or mouse. You should take regular breaks to help avoid this type of
injury. You may want to consider the use of a pad on which you can rest your
arms, which will help to some extent.
 Glare from screens
You should take regular breaks to avoid staring constantly at the screen and
straining your eyes. You should consider using the best (i.e. most expensive)
monitor which you or your company can afford.
With better monitor we get a better screen resolution and higher refresh rate.
For detailed work, you should also consider using a large screen rather than
the 'standard' 14" or 15" screens which are in common use. In many
countries, your employer has a legal duty to pay for eye tests for employees
as and when they request it. You can get filters which fit in front of the screen
and reduce glare.
 Bad posture
When sitting at your computer you should have a monitor at eye level which
can be adjusted to suit you. In addition, you may want to consider a footrest.
Neck ache and backache can result from prolonged bad posture.

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1.6.4 Precautions

Some safety precautions when using a computer:-

Make sure that cables are safely secured
You should always use the power cables which were supplied with your
computer or cables of a similar quality. Make sure that the cables are safely
secured at the back of the desk and that you have power points located near
the desk. If your desk has a cable ducting system make sure that you use it.
Avoid long trailing cables as you or other people can easily trip over them and
cause injury to yourself or others.
Apart from personal injury, accidentally pulling out a power cable could cause
your computer to lose power and you will lose data as a result. Network
cables tend to be delicate and easily damaged and the most common cause of
failure to log onto a network server is that someone has accidentally
dislodged or damaged the network cables.
Make sure that power points are not overloaded
Overloading of a power point is dangerous and a potential fire hazard. If you
need more power sockets, have them properly installed by a qualified
electrician.

1.6.5 Computers and the environment

1. You should have a separate bin for paper which can be sent for recycling (be
sure that sensitive material is first shredded).
2. Printer toner cartridges can be sent for recycling; in fact some charities now
collect spent toner cartridges, and send them for recycling. You may also wish
to consider the use of recycled toners in your printers (but be aware that in
some cases this may invalidate the printer’s guarantee).
3. Many monitors and other peripherals will automatically switch into 'sleep'
mode after a period of inactivity. This means that even though the computer
is still switched on, it will consume less power.
4. Where possible the use of on-screen manuals and help systems, rather than
printed manuals, will save on the amount of paper consumed.

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 Exercise 1.6

1. What is ergonomics?
2. Write the five aspects of ergonomics.
3. Write some examples of good working practices.
4. Write some common health problem associated with using Computer.
5. What precaution measures do you need to use with your computer and
the environment?
6. Are there any environmental conditions which may affect the security of
our computer? Write them and suggest how to secure computers from
them.

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 Unit II

2 Working With Operating System, File

Management and Utility Programs

1. INTRODUCTION

This unit is an introduction to Windows XP. It assumes no previous knowledge

and includes a series of self-paced exercises, which you are recommended to
follow in the order in which they appear. It also gives a brief introduction to
some of the more advanced features. Many tasks in Windows XP can be
carried out in a variety of different ways and this guide attempts to introduce
you to the more common ones.

2. UNIT OBJECTIVES

At the end of this unit the students should able to:-

 Recognize the Microsoft Windows XP environment
 Recognize and use the features of windows such as basic information
and operations, changing the computer’s desktop configuration,
setting and changing keyboard language, formatting removable disks
,
 Installing and uninstalling software and use the print screen tool
 Recognize and use launching a program
 Recognize and use files and folders organization

3. CONTENT

2. Working with Operating System, File Management and Utility programs

2.1. Introduction to Microsoft Windows XP
2.2. Features of windows
2.3. Launching Programs
2.4. Organizing Files and Folders (File Management)
2.5. Using The Search Companion
2.6. Using the Utility Programs (Control Panel )
2.7. Working with Hardware Accessories

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 Lesson 2.1 Introduction to Microsoft Windows XP
Lesson objective: - At the end of this lesson the students should able to
 Identify Computer environment
 Open and close a computer
 Recognize and use computer mouse

 Recognize and use the start menu

2.1.1 What is Windows XP?

The Windows XP environment closely resembles the office environment. A desk of an

office will usually have several documents on it at any one time, but with only one
being worked on. The documents may be of different types, such as reports, letters,
spreadsheets, databases, etc. Imagine the telephone ringing and the call refers to
one of the other documents on the desk; the one being worked on will be put to one
side and the relevant document brought to the fore. The Windows XP screen
represents the desk and, indeed, is referred to as the desktop. The different
documents, which are open on the desktop, are known as files and are represented
in a rectangular area known as a window. A file is an electronic document or an
application that has been given a name and is stored on either the computer’s hard
disk or your floppy disk. A folder (sometimes referred to as a directory) is a
collection of files and/or other folders stored at the same location on a disk. If you
think of the hard disk on a computer as a giant filing cabinet, then the folders are the
drawers containing the files. One of the main advantages of Windows XP is that all
applications which run in it, work in much the same way. Therefore, once you have
learnt how to open menus, put applications to one side and bring them back into
action, there are few problems in doing likewise in other packages

2.1.2 Running windows XP

In the IT Services public cluster rooms, the PCs should always be left
switched on. As an environmental issue however, many PC monitors now
have energy saving software installed, which may give the appearance that
the PC is switched off. To activate the PC, you should therefore "wiggle" the
mouse, and wait a few moments.
First Steps with the Computer

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 Starting the computer
 Ensure that all cables are plugged securely into the rear of the
machine.
 Make sure that there is no floppy disk inserted in the floppy drive.
 Locate the power switch and turn the computer on.
 After a few seconds, you should see something on the screen. If not,
ensure that the monitor is switched on.
 You may be asked to supply a logon ID and a password

2.1.3 Using Log In

To ensure only authorized users can use the facilities, you will need to "log in"
with your username and password as illustrated in figure 2.1
 Press the Ctrl+ Alt+ Delete keys together to enter the login screen.
 Type in your Username; ensure that you use only lower case
characters. If you make a mistake, press the Backspace key to delete
unwanted characters. If you enter your details incorrectly, you will be
asked to try again.

Figure 2.1 the Login box

 Press the Tab key to move the cursor into the next box.
 Type in your Password, making sure you uses the correct upper and
lower case characters. For security reasons, your password will be
displayed on the screen as a row of asterisks.
 When both boxes are complete, press the Enter key

2.1.4 Understanding the Computer Environment

Most operations within Windows can be achieved in two ways: The hard way

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and the easy way. Which would you choose? Read the basic techniques in this
section and remember them! They are tricks which you will be able to apply
repeatedly in a wide variety of different situations when using not just
Windows itself but also many Windows applications!
Using the mouse
If you are new to computers you may not know how to use a mouse. This is
a small hand-held pointing device that you can use to move around a screen,
select items and choose commands. You should find it at the side of your
keyboard. As you move the mouse on the work surface, you should see a
pointer moving around the computer screen. The pointer may change shape
depending on the items at which you are pointing. A mouse often has two or
more buttons but for the purpose of these exercises, unless you are told
otherwise, you need only be concerned with the left mouse button. When the
pointer is in the correct place on the computer screen, click the left mouse
button to execute the command. Try to relax but hold the mouse firmly. The
more tense you are the harder it is to gain mouse control. Sometimes you
may be asked to "double click", in which case you should click the left mouse
button twice in quick succession.

Which mouse button?

To select something, click on it with the left mouse button. In this training
manual when an instruction says use the mouse button, unless otherwise

specified, it is always the left mouse button. While using Windows or a Windows
based application, when you want to do something you have to tell Windows what
you are intending to edit or manipulate. You need to select something first before
you can manipulate it.

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 Thus if you wish to move an icon on your Windows screen (the

Desktop) you will first click on it once to select it and then use drag and drop

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techniques to move the icon.

Double clicking
Double clicking means that you click once and then (as fast as you can) click
a second time. Double clicking is an acquired art and often the reason why it
does not appear to work, is because you may move the mouse slightly
between the first click and the second click. Windows interprets this as
something else! If you are sure that you are clicking fast enough, but nothing
happens, then pay attention to keeping the mouse still between your clicks!
As an example of double clicking, double click on the Recycle Bin icon located
on your Windows screen (Desktop).

Drag and drop Moving

The term drag and drop basically means "picking" up an item with the mouse
and putting it to a new location. This could apply to moving an icon from one
location on the screen to another position, or to physical files on your hard
disk being dragged from one folder to another.

To drag and drop an item you first have to click on it (with the normal, left
hand mouse button). This selects the item. You then press the left hand
mouse button and while keeping the button pressed move the mouse pointer
on the screen to a new location. When you let go of the mouse button,
whatever you are dragging will be moved to the new location.

For instance you can drag the My Computer Icon from the left top corner
window of the desktop to right corner window using a drag and drop
techniques. In short, drag and drop is an easy way of moving selected items.

Drag and drop Copying

This is basically the same as drag and drop moving, except that you end up
with a copy of the item you are dragging, at the new location. To copy rather
than move, press the Control (Ctrl) key as you are dragging with the mouse.

Multiple selection techniques

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You click on something to select it. However, once something is selected and
you then click on something else, the second item becomes selected, while
the first item is de-selected. This would be true of say
selecting an icon on your Windows screen. To select
multiple items, keep the Control (Ctrl) pressed while
you are selecting items and they will all remain
selected when you release the Control key after
selecting all the required items.

The Right Mouse button

Once you have selected something, you often find that right clicking on the
selected item displays a popup menu which relates directly to the selected
item. Thus if you right click on an empty part of your Window screen, you will
see a popup menu which will allow you to customize your Windows Desktop.
In other situations, a different popup menu would be displayed. If you were
to right click on this word, a popup menu would be displayed offering
suggestions for the correctly spelt word. Figure 2.2: The short cut menu

The Desktop
Once you have successfully logged on
to Windows XP in a public cluster
room, you will be presented with the
Windows XP desktop, which should
look similar to desktop icons. The
items which appear on your desktop
are known as icons and will vary
depending on how your computer is
set up. However, the “My Computer”
icon (which allows you to see
everything on your Computer) and the Recycle Fig 2.3 The desktop Bin
(which contains deleted files) will generally always be displayed. See figure
2.3

Taskbar

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 The Taskbar, located at the bottom of the screen, will show a button for each
program or window open at the time.
This makes it easier to keep track of what is open and to switch between
open windows. The icons displayed in the notification area will change
depending on what task you are working on. The quick launch portion
contains shortcuts to frequently used programs. A clock is displayed at the
end of the taskbar. See figure 2.4

Fig 2.4: Windows task bar

As you become more proficient and start

working with numerous applications, the
taskbar may become crowded. When this
happens, multiple documents in the same
application are grouped together and
accessible from one single button.

Start Button
The Start button at the bottom left-hand
side of the screen is used to start
programs, open documents, get Help, and
Log Off.
The idea behind the Start button is to
allow the user to access their work or application with the least amount of
fuss in a way which is ‘discoverable’ to the first time user (actions such as
double clicking are not discoverable).
A single click of the right-hand mouse button will display a popup menu
Containing options such as Open, Explore and Search as illustrated in figure
2.3

 Open: The contents of the Start menu can be viewed. Folders and icons can
be deleted, copied, and moved using drag and drop techniques.

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 Explore: Will invoke the powerful Windows Explorer. The Windows Explorer
can display a hierarchical representation of the
Figure 2.5: the start menu
entire system and permit further Desktop
manipulation and configuration.
 Search: Will invoke the Windows file searching utility from which you may
search for any file either by its name or by its actual content.

The start menu

 Move the mouse pointer over the Start button, and click the left button once
to display the Start menu.
 Without pressing any buttons, slowly move the mouse pointer over the items
in the menu.
 Note the highlight and the accompanying tool tip, which appears when the
mouse passes over each item. Where an item contains an arrowhead, this
indicates that secondary menu is available.
 Practice moving the mouse into some of the secondary areas and back again
to the original one.
 The Start menu contains the various categories where your applications and
work are stored. You can move further into the various sub-categories by
positioning the mouse over the category you are interested in to
automatically open the next sub-category (you do not even have to click the
mouse!).
 If you drag an object either from the Desktop or from the Windows Explorer
and drop it directly onto the Start button a link to that object will
automatically appear in the Start menu. There are different ways to display
the start menu
 To display the Start menu using a mouse Click on the Start Button located at
the bottom left of your screen.
 To display the Start menu using a keyboard shortcut Press: Ctrl+Esc.
 To display the Start menu using a Windows keyboard Windows aware
keyboards have two extra keys.
 Pressing the key with the Windows symbol on it will open the Start menu.
 To close the Start menu Press the Esc key.

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 Shutting down the computer
 Save any files you may have been working on.
 Close any open applications.
 Use the Turn off Computer
(accessed via the Start button)
command to Close down the
system.
 Then select the Turn Off button.

‘Turn off Computer’ Options

The 'Turn Computer Off' option
(See figure 2.6 and figure 2.7)
allows the user to close down the
Windows operating system cleanly
so that any unsaved data may be
saved to your hard disk. Several
options are available when shutting down the computer:

 Turn Off: Allows you to save any

unsaved data to disk and closes the
computer down.
 Restart: Allows you to save any
unsaved data to disk and then
restarts the computer down.
 Stand By: Places your computer in
'power saving, standby'
Figure 2.6: Turn off button along with the log off button
mode. To reawaken your
computer,
simply press any key or move the mouse.
 Not all PCs support this feature.

Restarting the computer

To restart your computer
 Never just switch off your Windows based computer.

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 Click on the Start icon.
 Click on the Turn Off Computer button.
 Click on the Restart button Figure 2.7: Turn off options

Sometimes your computer will crash due to 'bugs' in the software. This crash
may freeze the computer and not
allow you to use the computer or mouse. If your computer appears frozen,
leave it for a few minutes and see if it un- Figure 2.8: the Task Manager

freezes itself. If the computer remains

frozen, then you may have no option but to switch off and restart your
computer.

Shutting down a non-responding application

If you have an application which is not responding to the keyboard or mouse,
then the program cannot be closed down in the normal way. Sometimes the
program will display a message like “You should ask your IT support staff
whether they wish you to send this information to Microsoft. If in doubt,
select Don’t Send. The program should then close down.”

Sometimes the program which has frozen cannot be automatically closed

down. In this case try the following. Press the Ctrl+Alt+Del keys
simultaneously which will display the Task Manager, Select the Applications
tab. select the ‘Not Responding’ program (from a list within the dialog box),
then click on the End Task button.

Note: Closing a program in this way may result in the loss of data!

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 Exercise 2.1

1. What is an Operating System? Write some features of the Operating

System.
2. Give some examples of Operating System Software?
3. What is Windows XP? Compare it with other versions of Windows
operating systems.
4. Explain how you Boot (Start) Or Restart Windows XP operating system?
5. What is Desktop? Write its elements.
6. Write important mouse skills and techniques that you need to know to
operate on computer.
7. What do you mean by Shutting down computer? Write the available
options when you turn off your computer.
8. Can you turn off a computer while a program is running?
9. What can you do with CTRL + ALT + DEL keys?

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Lesson 2.2 Features of windows

Lesson objective: - At the end of this lesson the students should be able to:-
 Recognize and apply windows features
 Customize windows such as day and time, appearance screen saver and
 Realize and use formatting of removable disks

Any rectangular area in a computer is known as windows and all windows

have at least some common features such as the title bar, the menu bar, the
tool bar, the states bar, etc.

2.2.1 Windows Toolbars

The following section discuses the different kinds of toolbars available in the
windows environment.

The Title Bar

The Title Bar is displayed along the top of almost all program, folder and
dialog box windows. It is used to display information such as the name of the
application (or folder) and the document you are working on. Information
which is displayed here may vary. For example, figure 2.9 shows the title bar
for a program called
Document WordPad.

The Menu bar Figure 2.9: the title bar

The Menu Bar, contains a series of drop down menu as shown in figure 2.10

Figure 2.10: the menu bar

The Tool
Bar
The tool bar contains a series of icons (see figure 2.11), which allow you to

achieve a desired effect as quickly as possible.

Figure 2.11: the tools bar

The Status Bar

Most application windows have a status bar displayed along the bottom of the

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window. The status bar Conveys information about the page of the document
within in which you are working on along with other relevant information.

The scroll bar

When a program or folder needs to display information within a window, two
sets of scroll bars, may be displayed along the bottom and right side
of the window. By using the scroll bars it is possible to move to any
within a document and also work on a document many times bigger
than your physical screen size.
To move up and down within a window (using the scroll bar)
To scroll upwards in a window, click on the upwards at the top of
the vertical scroll bar. To move downwards in a window, click on the
downwards-pointing arrow at the bottom of the vertical scroll bar.
See figure 2.13 Figure 2.13 Vertical scroll bar

To move right to left within a window

To move to the right-hand side of a window, click on the right-hand arrow on
the horizontal scroll bar. To move to
the left-hand side of a window, click
on the left-hand arrow on the
Figure 2.13 horizontal scroll bar
horizontal scroll bar.

To scroll through a window at speed

Click on the scroll box and drag the small shaded box up and down the
vertical scroll bar.

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2.2.2 Collapsing, expanding, resizing, moving and closing a
window

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The Maximize, Minimize and Restore buttons, are located

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in the top, right-hand corner of every window. When you click on the
Maximize button, the window expands to fill the screen, the Minimize button
reduces the window to an icon on the Taskbar and the Restore button returns
the window to its original state.
To minimize a window
Click on the Minimize icon.

To maximize a window
Click on the Maximize icon.

To restore a maximized object to run in a window

Click on the Restore icon,

2.2.3 Restoring a window from the Task Bar by single clicking on it

Within Windows all windows which have been minimized, are minimized down
to the Task Bar. If you wish to restore the window, simply click on the icon in
the Task Bar.

2.2.4 Resizing a window

To make a Desktop window taller or shorter

 Move the mouse pointer to either of the horizontal borders.

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  Press the left-hand mouse button (and keep it pressed).
 Drag the mouse pointer up or down the screen.

 Release the mouse button when the window attains the size and shape
required.
To make a Desktop window narrower or wider
 Move the mouse pointer to either of the vertical borders.
 Press the left-hand mouse button (and keep it pressed).
 Drag the mouse pointer to the left or right across the

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 screen.
 Release the mouse button when the window attains the size and shape
required
To resize a Desktop window in two directions at once
 Move the mouse pointer to any corner of the window.
 Press the left-hand mouse button (and keep it pressed).
 Drag the mouse pointer diagonally across the screen.
 Release the mouse button when the window is the size and shape
required.

2.2.5 Closing a program using the Close button

The Close button is located in the top, right-hand corner of every program or
folder window. It allows you to close the current window in the same way as
double clicking on the small Control menu icon found in the top left-hand
corner of each window, but only requires a single mouse click. If you have
any un-saved work, Windows will first ask if you want to save your changes
before final termination of the application. Move the mouse pointer to the
Close button and click once using the left hand mouse button.

2.2.6 Switching between open windows

To switch between programs (using the Task Bar)

To switch between open application windows, simply click on the application
icon, as displayed in the Windows Taskbar (normally displayed across the
bottom of your screen).
To switch between programs (using a keyboard shortcut)
Use the keyboard shortcut by pressing the Alt+Tab.

2.2.7 Using 'Print Screen' and pasting into a document

If you press the Print Screen key, then the entire screen will be copied to the
Windows Clipboard. Once in the Clipboard, you can switch to a program, such
as a word processor, and then click on the Edit drop down menu, and select
the Paste command. The contents of the screen will then be displayed within
your word processing document.

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 2.2.8 Using the Windows Help
and Support

The Windows Help and Support

Center is accessed from the Start
button on the desktop and provides
extensive on-line assistance
whenever it is needed, by way of a
table of contents, an index, and a full-
text search. See figure 2.14. (You can
also get help on a particular application running at the time, by clicking on its
Help menu or pressing the F1 key.)

In the Help and Support Center window, browse through the given topics and tasks.
(To move backwards or forwards through previously viewed topics, click on the
arrow keys at the top left-hand side of the window.) Alternatively, try searching for a
specific topic, by entering a word or short phrase in the Search box and then clicking
on the Start Searching arrow. The results of the search will be displayed on the left-
hand side of the window, under the following three headers:

1. Suggested Topics Figure 2.14: help window

2. Full Text Search Matches

3. Microsoft Knowledge Base
Explore the results under each header and then click the most relevant item. This
will display the full description on the right-hand side of the window.

Help and Support Index

1. To see all the help topics listed alphabetically, click on the Index button on the
Navigation bar at the top of the window.
2. In the Type in the keyword to find: box, type the topic on which you want
assistance, e.g. formatting a disk as you type, relevant help topics start
appearing in the lower box.
3. Click on the most applicable entry, and then click on the Display button.
4. When you have finished reading the Help information, close the window by
clicking on the close button in the top right-hand corner.

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 Exercise 2.2

1. List and discuss the basic elements of Microsoft window.

2. What are the different kinds of windows toolbars?
3. What is the use of Vertical scroll bar?
4. How do you switch among different programs?
5. What is the purpose of Using Minimize, Maximize, Restore and Close Buttons?
6. Write the screen elements of an opened window.
7. What do we mean by formatting? What is the advantage of formatting?

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 Lesson 2.3 Launching Program
Lesson objective:
At the end of this lesson the students should be able to:-
 Open, Save, and Edit text documents using WordPad

 Open, Save and Draw Pictures using Ms-Paint

Introduction
This lesson will cover how to launch an application programs such as WordPad and
Microsoft paint which are basic accessories of Microsoft windows

2.3.1 WordPad

WordPad is one of the application software that is used to process text. It is a text-
editing program you can use to create and edit documents as illustrated in figure
2.15. Unlike Notepad, WordPad documents can include complex formatting and
graphics, and you can link to or embed objects, such as pictures or other documents,
within a WordPad document. To open the window follows the following procedure:
 Click start
 All programs
 Accessories
 WordPad

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 Picture 2.15: WordPad

Entering Text
In the WordPad window, type a small amount of text, e.g. your address. (To start a
new line press the Enter key; to delete unwanted characters use the Backspace
key.) When complete, the WordPad screen should contain the text that you have
entered.

Saving Files
When you create new data, it is held in the computer's memory until you save it as a

file. Until saved, your work is particularly vulnerable as a system crash or Power cut
will almost always result in the data being lost. We recommend therefore, that you
save your work every five minutes.

By default, Windows XP will save a file in a folder named My Documents. Therefore,

whenever you save a file to My Documents, it will in fact be saved on the Central File
Store (C: drive). You should save and work on your file in this area

Saving a File
 To save and name the text you have just typed in the WordPad window, click on File
on the Menu bar. See figure 2.16
 Click on the Save as... Option. The Save As window now appears.

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 Figure
2.16:
Save As Dialog

Window contents can be display in different ways (these will be explained later). For
the moment, click on the View Menu button and select List from drop-down menu.

 In Windows XP, file names can be up to 255 characters long, but keeping them short
is advisable at this stage. File names may include spaces and capital letters, but the
following characters are not permitted? / : < > * etc
 Now type in a file name of your choice.
 WordPad can save files in a variety of different formats; however, for now leave it
the Save as type: entry as suggested – Rich Text Format (RTF). This points to your
personal file space on (C: drive).
 As you are going to save the file on the c: drive, leave this destination as it is. Now
click on the Save button to save the file in My Documents. The new name given to
the file now appears in the top left- hand corner of the WordPad window. The
taskbar also displays the new document name.

CLOSING DOWN A PROGRAM

 The easiest way to exit from any program running Windows XP is to click on Click
button (X) on the top right-hand corner of the application's window.
 Alternatively, click on the File menu and choose Exit. See figure 2.17

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 Figure 2.17: Exit from File Menu

ENDING A SESSION AND LOGGING OUT

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 When you want to finish a Windows XP session or hand over to another

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user, click on the Start button and click the mouse on the Log Off button you will
then be asked to confirm if you wish to log off.

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 RE-OPENING A DOCUMENT

 To re-open the document created previously, by restarting WordPad.

 When the WordPad window appears on screen, click on the File menu and choose
the open option by default the open window displays the my document folder as the
current location with its content displayed in the box underneath in figure 2.18
 The Open window, displays any folders and files which have been saved
 Click once on the file to select it, and then click on the Open button.

Figure 2.18: Open Dialog Box

WORKING WITH MORE THAN ONE PROGRAM

Windows XP allows many programs to be run at the same time, making it easy to
switch between the various applications. However, having too many windows open
on the screen at once can be confusing. To reduce the WordPad document to a
button on the taskbar, (without closing the application), click on the Minimize button
in the top right-hand corner of the window

2.3.2 Starting Microsoft Paint

Paint is a program used to create and edit pictures, which can then be transferred
into other documents. See in figure 2.19
 From the Start menu, click in turn on: Programs, Accessories, Paint.
 When the untitled Paint window is displayed, resize it to approximately 15 cm x 12
cm (6" x 4").

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 Figure 2.19: Paint Program

 Draw your picture using toolbox

 Save the file in My Documents (the C: drive) using the File, Save As... Method (as
you used in WordPad), but with the following two significant differences.
 Ensure the File name is different from that of the WordPad document, and then click
on the Save as type: arrow to display a list of alternative options.
 Paint can save files in a variety of formats, some of which require large amounts of
disk space.
 Choose the 16 Color Bitmap option, and then click on Save.
 A warning message may advise that the format chosen may result in some color
loss. If so, answer yes to continue.

Using Paint
 You are about to create the following graphic – a rounded rectangle with a shadow,
containing your name. After saving it, you will copy it into the WordPad document.
 Cutting and pasting between different applications is one of the most useful and
Powerful features of Windows and can be done between any Windows applications.
Paint Tools
To select a tool from the Toolbox, simply click on the required tool. The cursor will
change shape when moved into the window. Feel free to experiment if you do not
want to draw the graphic described below, but do take care when using the "Fill with

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 color" or "Polygon" tools. Until you know your way around the application, it is
probably better to avoid them. If you do get in a mess, pull down the File menu and
select New. When offered the chance to save the changes made, choose No.

Creating a Graphic
 To create the graphic, follow the steps below.
 Select the Rounded Rectangle tool in the Toolbox,
 Notice the set of three rectangle shapes which now appear beneath the existing tools
in the Toolbox.
 Click on the middle one. This will produce a color-filled shape and border with colors
chosen from the palette.
 Click the left mouse button on the black color in the Color palette.
 Place the cursor somewhere in the top left-hand corner of the Paint screen, not
too near the edges.
 Keep the right mouse button held down, and drag diagonally to create the rectangle
Release the button only when you are satisfied with the shape.
If the box is not to your satisfaction, pull down the Edit menu and click on Undo Now
a white rectangle needs to be drawn on top of the black one Click the left mouse
button on white in the Color palette.
 Click the right mouse button on black in the color palette.
 The Selected colors box should now be Fill color Outline displaying the fill color as
white and the outlines as black color.
 Holding down the right button, drag to draw another rounded rectangle slightly to
the left and up, so it overlaps most of the black rectangle already there.
 If you are not happy with your first attempt, pull down the Edit menu and choose
Undo.
 When you are satisfied with the boxes, click the left-hand mouse button on black in
the palette and the right-hand button on white.
 The Selected color box changes again; the fill color should now display black and the
outline color white. Select the Text tool, and move the pointer inside the rectangle.
 Hold down the left mouse button and drag to form a "frame" for the text.
 When you release the mouse button, the Fonts box should appear. (If it does not,
click on the View menu and select Text Toolbar.)

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  Click on the arrow to the right of the font box, and from the drop down list choose
Times New Roman. (Scroll down the list by dragging the scroll bar or
clicking on the arrowheads.)
 Now click on the arrow to the right of the
number box, and choose 14 as the size.
 Finally click inside the frame on your
graphic and type in some text, example:
your name. If the frame is too small to
take all the text, place the cursor on one
of the eight re-sizing handles.
 When it changes to a double-headed
arrow, drag the frame to increase its size.
 To move the text frame into the centre of
the graphic, place the mouse pointer on
the frame edge (but not on a handle) and
re-position it by dragging.
 Click outside the frame to complete the
text entry process.
Figure 2.20: Picture Toolbox

 Save your work by clicking on File and then choose Save

2.3.3 Copying Data between Applications

The Edit menu in Windows XP applications includes options to Cut, Copy and Paste.
You can select text or graphics in one application, then by choosing Cut from its Edit
menu and Paste in another application’s Edit menu, the data will be moved from one
application to another. Copying and Pasting leaves the data in the original application
while pasting a copy into the other application. WordPad should be currently
displayed as a button on the taskbar.

Copying the Paint Graphic into the WordPad File

 In the Paint window, click on the Select tool, hold down the left mouse button and
draw a dotted line around your graphic.
 Click on the Edit menu and choose Copy.
 Click on the Minimize button to reduce the Paint window to a button on the taskbar.
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  Restore WordPad to the screen by clicking on its button on the taskbar.
 Place the cursor at the end of your text in
 WordPad by clicking the mouse, and then press the Enter key twice.
 Pull down the Edit menu and choose Paste.
 The graphic is now pasted into the WordPad file.
 Click outside the graphic to
 De-select it and then click on the Save button on the toolbar to save the file.
 Close down WordPad by either clicking on the
 Close button, or choosing Exit from the File menu.

2.3.4 Closing Applications on the Taskbar

An application does not have to be restored in order to close it. Click the right
mouse button on the Paint button in the taskbar.
When the following pop-up menu appears, choose
Close. See in figure 2.21. if the file contains
unsaved changes, you will be prompted by the

following message. Figure 2.21: Close by Right click Method

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 Exercise 2.3

1. Run WordPad from Accessories

2. Type the following text
“Welcome to the HIT Program”
3. Format the above text as follows: Font Comic Sans Ms, Size 24, Centered
alignment and Red font color.
4. Save the above text inside My Document with a file name Welcome.
5. Close WordPad
6. Open your file named Welcome from My Documents
7. Is it possible to reopen a saved file? If yes write the procedure.
8. Draw the following on a paint window.

9. Save this drawing as MyPicture

10. Open a new blank Paint program and draw Ethiopian Flag.
11. Make a print screen of your document and from there cut out the icon of my
computer and recycle bin

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 Lesson 2.4 Organizing files and folders
Lesson objective: - At the end of this lesson the students should be able to:-
 Develop the skill of Crating files and folders
 Develop the skill of Viewing contents of a folder
 Develop the skill of Opening and closing folders from different drives

Introduction

In this lesson we will cover to crate files, folders and to

manipulate on them .To see its content, to save and retrieve the files and folders
from the drives we have to start from “My Computer”

2.4.1 My Computer

My Computer enables you to access everything on your PC. Its contents can be
viewed as thumbnails, tiles, icons, as a list or as a detailed view. By double clicking
on any item, its contents then appear in the window. At the left-hand side of the
window, under Other Places, you will see links to common areas such as My
Documents and Control Panel. When a folder is open, quick links to copying,

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renaming or deleting files will also appear at the left-hand side under a section
headed File and Folder tasks.

Opening My Computer

 Click on the Start button and then click on My Computer When My Computer first
opens it displays all the storage devices available on your PC, i.e. the Hard disk
drive, the C: drive, the Floppy disk drive and the CD drive.
 If the full name of the drive is not displayed, widen the column by holding down
the mouse on the Name column boundary and drag it to the right.

Displaying the Contents of My Computer

The content of my computer contain list of Files stored in the computer, hard disk
drives and devise with removable storage follow the following steps to see its content
in different form.
 To see the different ways in which the My Computer window can be displayed,
click on the View menu
 In turn, click on Thumbnails, Tiles, Icons, List and Details, and observe the
different layouts.
 If you choose Arrange Icons by, a sub-menu offers further ways to display the
contents of the window.
Thumbnails: if a folder contains images, these are displayed on the folder icon
enabling you to see at a glance what the folder contains.

Tiles: in this view, all the folders and files are shown as large icons.
Depending on how you arranged the icons, information regarding their name,
size, type, or when they were last modified, appears alongside the icon.

Icons: this view displays the contents as small icons.

List: if you have numerous files and folders they are best viewed as a list. Each
item is preceded by a small icon. Details this displays the contents of the open
folder as a list along with information such as file type, size, and date modified.

Filmstrip: this is only available where you have picture folders. All the pictures
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 appear in a single row, which you can scroll through, by clicking on the left and
right arrow buttons. You can also choose to group your files together according to
their name, size, type of date modified. For example, if you arrange your icons
by type, all your Microsoft Word documents will then be placed together, as will
any JPEG files, Excel files and so on.

 In turn, click on View, Arrange Icons by, Show in Groups Seeing What’s on a
Specific Drive.
 In the My Computer window, double-click on the relevant drive icon.
Alternatively, right-click on icon and from the small sub-menu, choose Open

The contents of the selected drive now appear in the window. (To return at
any time to the previous window, click the Up arrow button on the toolbar.)

2.4.2 Managing Folders and Files

Both the WordPad and Paint files created earlier were saved directly on the C: drive.
In time, however, your number of files will increase and saving them in folders
relevant to their contents will make them much easier to find.

The following instructions describe how to create two separate folders one for
graphics files and one for Word Processing files.

Creating a New Folder

 Under File and Folder Tasks, click on Make a new folder.
 A new folder appears in the current window, with the cursor flashing at the
end of the New Folder text.
 Type the name: and then press: Enter key.
 Now create another new folder, this time Processing. The two new folders are
displayed beneath the other files and folders.
 To rearrange the contents of the window so all the folders appear
alphabetically at the top of the list, click twice on the column header with the
(Name).
Copying Files
Copying a file leaves the original in the old location while an exact duplicate appears

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in the new location.
 To place a copy of the file created earlier in Paint in a folder on the hard
disk, first click the file to select it.
 Notice that the File and Folder Tasks menu expands and lists a number of file
Options.
 Click on Copy.
Moving Files
The following method explains how to use the Drag and Drop method of
maneuvering a file. (You may find this easier to do in "Icons" view - click on the
Views button and select Icons.)
 To move the file created earlier in WordPad, (in this example address) first
select the file, and then hold down the left mouse button, while dragging the
file onto the Word Processing folder. A silhouette appears as the file moves
across the window.
 When the image is positioned precisely on top of the Word Processing folder,
release the mouse button.
Renaming Files and Folders
 Right click on the relevant file or folder.
 Popup menu will appear, click on Rename. A box will now surround the
existing filename.
 Type in a new name, and then press the Enter key.

Deleting Files and Folders in My Computer

Right-click on the file and choose the Delete command from the pop-up menu. If the
file is on a floppy disk, or the C:\ drive, you will be asked to confirm the deletion.

Opening Files from My Computer

 Files can be opened directly from the My Computer window, without having to
go through the Start program process.
 Double click on the drive icon containing one of your files.
 Locate the relevant folder (if the file is saved in one), and double click on it to
open its window.
 Double click on the file to open it. After a few moments, the file and its
associated application appear on screen.

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Page 102
2.4.3 Windows explorer

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Windows Explorer displays all the folders, files and drives on your PC in a single
window, using a hierarchical order similar to a family tree. See figure 2.22

Like My Computer, it offers many facilities for managing your information such as
copying and moving files and folders to new destinations. The way in which Explorer
displays information can be modified, as well as the amount of detail, to suit the
individual user.

Starting Windows Explorer

1. Click on the Start menu; select All Programs, followed by Accessories, then
Windows Explorer display. Alternatively click on the Explorer icon in the
Quick Launch section of the Taskbar. If the Folders panel does not appear on
the left of the Explorer window, click on the Folders button.
Notice the signs next to some of the folders. This indicates that there may be
sub-folders which are not currently visible.
2. Click on the sign next to “My Computer” then click the sign next to Local disk
(C) and the left-hand pane now contains a list of the disks and folders when
a folder on the PC or drive is selected on.
3. Notice the signs, which now appear next to My Computer and Local Disk (C).
These indicate that the folders are "expanded" and further folders are
displayed beneath them. Similar to “My Computer”, the Windows XP Explorer
window can be viewed in different ways.
4. For the purpose of the following exercises, click on the View button on the
toolbar, and then choose Details, from the drop-down list.
5. Ensure the left-hand side of the window is displaying.
It is important to identify the various icons used in the Explorer window. The
table below describes some of the ones you are likely to encounter.

Displaying Folder Contents

To display the contents of a folder, right click the mouse button on the folder icon
And select property.

Picture 2.22: windows explorer

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Using Explorer to Copy a File from a Removable Storage Device
The following instructions explain how to "copy" a file from a removable storage
device on to the "user" folder (a public storage area) on the hard disk.
 Insert the memory stick or floppy disk.
 In Explorers left-hand pane, click to select the device.
 Click on the file in the right-hand pane to select it.
 Drop down the Edit menu, and then choose Copy.
 In Explorer's left-hand pane locate the hard disk - the one ending in (C :).
 If the icon next to the hard disk drive contains a plus sign, remember to
"expand" it, and then locate the user folder.
 Click on the user folder to open it, and then drop down the Edit menu and
choose Paste.

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 Copying Multiple Files

 If you want to copy more than one file at a time, the CTRL key must be held
down while clicking on the relevant files. When all the files are selected,
release the CTRL key, and then choose Copy from the Edit menu.
 Open the folder where the files are to be copied to, then choose Paste from
the Edit menu.

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Copying a File from the Hard Disk to a Removable Storage Device
 Insert the device.

Picture 2.23: copying file

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 On the hard disk, select the folder

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 containing the file to be copied, and then click the right mouse button on the
file, to display the following list. See figure 2.23
 Choose Send To and from the sub-menu.
 Select removable Disk, to save onto memory a stick, or to save to removable
storage media.
 This method places a "copy" of the file on the floppy disk while the original
remains unmoved

Copying Files using Drag and Drop

 The following "drag and drop" technique is a quick way of copying files; however,
it is only recommended for Users with accurate mouse control. See Figure 2:24
 Select the file in Explorer's right-hand pane.
 On the left-hand side of Explorer, ensure the destination is visible.
 While hold down the left mouse button on the file and drag the file from the right
hand window on to its new destination in the left-hand pane.
 As the file moves across the screen, a silhouette appears and the new destination
highlights as the file is dragged towards it.
 Release the mouse when the file is positioned above the correct icon.
 If the folder you are copying to already contains a file with the same name, you
will be asked if you wish to replace it.

Using Explorer to Move a File

The following instructions explain how to "move" a file to a new location. After the
move process, the file disappears from its original location.
 Select the file.
 Ensure the destination is visible using the right mouse button; drag the file to the
new destination. As the file moves across the screen, a silhouette appears. The
new destination highlights as the file is dragged towards it. A message appears

Picture 2.24: copying file using drag drop

method
asking if you want to copy or move the file.
 Click on Move.
Opening Files from within Explorer

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Instead of returning to the Start menu to open an application, you may open files
directly from Explorer.
 Select and open the folder containing one of the files created earlier.
 In the right-hand side of Explorer's window, double click on the file to be opened.
After a few moments, the file and its associated application will appear on screen.

Deleting a File or Folder in Explorer

Similar to “My Computer”, there are a number of ways in which files and folders may
be deleted. One method is to right-click on the file or folder and then choose Delete
from the sub-menu. A message box will then ask you for confirmation before the
deletion take place. Another method of deleting files is to use the Delete option
under File and Folder tasks. To display this, click on the Folders button on the
toolbar.
Deleting Multiple Files
If you have a number of consecutive
files to be deleted, these may be
selected in a block and removed
together.
 Place the mouse in the space to
the right of the first file to be
deleted.
 Hold down the left mouse button
and drag over the files.
 As the mouse moves, a dotted, flexible box forms around the files and highlights
them. If you make a mistake, click in the white space and start again.
 When all the files are selected, release the mouse, and then click on Delete. The
selected items under File and folder Tasks Before the files are removed, a
message box states the number to be deleted and requests confirmation.

Deleting Multiple, Non-Consecutive Files

If you need to delete files which are not grouped together, hold down the CTRL key,
while clicking the appropriate files to select them. Release the mouse and the CTRL
key, and click on Delete the selected items under File and folder Tasks. See figure
2.25

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 The Recycle Bin
When a file or folder is deleted from the hard disk, it is placed in a temporary holding
place known as the Recycle Bin. Should you delete a file in error, it can be retrieved
from the Recycle Bin provided the bin has not been emptied by another user or the
PC restarted.

Files and folders deleted from a memory stick, floppy disk, or from Network
locations, are not transferred to the Recycle Bin and therefore are not recoverable.
Retrieving Deleted Files
To retrieve a deleted file,
 Double click on the Recycle Bin icon on the Desktop.
 Displays all the deleted files and folders since it was last emptied.
 Right click on the file(s) or folder(s) you wish to retrieve. (To select more
than one, hold down the CTRL key.)
 Drop down menu will appear and select Restore .After a few moments, the
file(s) and folder(s) will be restored to their original location.

Emptying the Recycle Bin

The entire contents of the Recycle Bin can be permanently deleted by clicking on the
File menu, and choosing Empty Recycle Bin. Once the bin it empty, the icon changes
to a closed bin shape.

Figure 2.25: The Recycle Bin

If you wish to remove only certain items from the bin, hold down the CTRL key and
click on the relevant files/folders to select them.
Then drop down the File menu and click on Delete.

2.4.4 Printing a Document

This section explains how to print the document created earlier in WordPad

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 Start WordPad, and then open a file.
 From the File menu, click on Print. A Print dialog box will be displayed. See
figure 2.26
 The layout of Print boxes may differ depending on the application being used.
 Select the option including Central Printer.
 Click on Print.

Figure 2.26: print options

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 Exercise 2.4
1. What is a file? What is a folder?
2. Write different methods for copying a file.
3. Write the procedure to move a file from one location to another.
4. Write a procedure to print a document.
5. Writ your life history in one page and print the file
6. Create the following directory structures windows explorer

C :\> YOUR NAME

AFRICA

ETHIOPIA
KENYA

UGANDA

EUROPE
a. Under ETHIOPIA create a file by the name SUN save it and write the text
“Ethiopia a land of 13 months of Sun Shine.”
b. Create the file below on your directory UGANDA and save it by COMP.
“Computer has two essential components hard ware and soft ware.”
c. Copy the file SUN from ETHIOPIA to KENYA.
d. Copy thee file COMP from UGANDA to EUROPE.
e. Move the file SUN from ETHIOPIA to EUROPE.
f. Move the directory KENYA from AFRICA to EUROPE.
g. Rename the directory UGANDA by CAMERON.
h. Rename the file SUN in EUROPE by MOON.
i. Remove the directory KENYA. Justify the message that will be displayed.
j. Delete the file COMP in CAMERON.
k. Make the file SUN in KENYA to be read only. What effect doest it have on
the file?
l. Make the file COMP in EUROPE to be hidden. What effect doest it have on
the file

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 Lesson 2.5 Using the Search Companion
Lesson objective: - At the end of this lesson the students should be able to :-
 Search for files by content ,date or size
 View the list of recently used files

Introduction
This lesson is deals about how to search or find a missing file or folder by name or by
specific phrase or word within a file

2.5.1 Searching

The Search utility allows you to search for files by name, part of a name, content,
and even by the date of a files creation. You may also search for a particular type of
file such as searching for all sound files (ending in an extension of .WAV). You can
also search for a file containing a particular word or phrase!
 To open the Search dialog box, click on the Start button, click on the Search
command.
 This will open the Search Results dialog
box as illustrated in figure 2.27.
 You can use the options within the search
facility to search for files and folders by
name, contents, size, type and date
modified!

Figure 2.27: The search Window

To Search for a file, or folder, by name

 Click on the Start button and then click on the Search command.
 Click on All files and folders
 In the All or part of the file name section, enter the name of the file you are
searching for. To start the search click on the Search button.
 To open the file which has been found, double click on it.

To search for a file using wildcards instead of the full name

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In the previous example, we knew the full name of the file or folder for which we
were searching. In some cases we may only know part of the name, in which case
we can use wild cards. See figure 2.28.

Figure 2.28: the search window ready to accept the file name

For example:
 To search for all files whose names start with z
o We would search for z*
 To search for all files whose names start with za
o We would search for za*
 To search for all files whose names start with za and contains 5 characters
o We would search for za???
 To search for all Microsoft Excel files whose names start with za and contains
5 characters
 We would search for za???.xls

To find a file containing a specific word or phrase

Often you may create a document using a word-processor and save the file when
finished to disk. Some time later (often weeks or months later) you may wish to re-
open the file, but are unable to remember the file name used to store the file. Sound
familiar? Well you can use, the Search facility to help you out and find files
containing a phrase which was contained within the document you created, maybe
the name of the person you were writing a letter to.
 Open the Search dialog box, by clicking on the Start button and then clicking on
the Search command.
 Click on All files and folders.

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  Within the dialog box which is displayed, enter a word or phrase in the following
section.
 If necessary specify where to search using the Look in section of the dialog box.
 Click on the Search button to start the search.

To find a file created on or around a certain date

 Open the Search dialog box, by clicking on the Start button and then clicking on
the Search command.
 Click on All files and folders.
 Click on the down arrow to the right of the When was it modified section of the
dialog box.
 Select the option required and if necessary define where you wish to search
using the Look In section of the dialog box,
 Click on the Search button to start the search.

To find files of a particular type

 Open the Search dialog box, by clicking on the Start button and then clicking on
the Search command.
 Within picture, music or video Section of the dialog box, you can select the
required file type, such as the first option which includes pictures, music or video
files.
 The second option helps you to find application program type files.
 You can select the third option called All file and folders.
 You can then enter a star (*), followed by a dot, followed by the file name
extension of the type of files you are searching for. (i.e. “*.filename.xls”)

2.5.2 Viewing a list of recently used files

Click on the Start icon (bottom-left of your screen), and from the popup menu
displayed select My Recent Documents. A submenu will display a list of recently used
documents. Clicking on one of these document files will load the document into the
relevant program.

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 Lesson 2.6 Using Utility Programs
Lesson objective:
At the end this lesson the students should be able to
 Adjust the mouse , the date and time, display setting
 Change keyboard language setting

 Format disk
 Install and uninstall a program

Introduction
Utility program is a program that one can manipulate, change, insert or delete
properties of hardware o r software installed in the computer. This facility is in the
control Panel. Control panel is appropriately named because its features allow you to
make adjustments or "fine-tune" an aspect of your computer For instance, you may
need to adjust the mouse to accommodate a left-handed person you may need to
change the time displayed by the clock. You may even want to know how to activate
those great screen-savers that you see people using Although the features covered
in this section is only a small part of the Control Panel, they are those most
necessary to the "everyday" computer user, with a little bit.

2.6.1 Changing the Mouse Property

The ability to alter the mouse and keyboard settings, lets you make allowances for
differing levels of manual dexterity. In other words, not everyone clicks, drags, and
types at the same speed or in the same way. Since the mouse settings dialog is so
different between Windows 2000 and XP we have
included a separate section for each
Changing basic mouse settings
 Click the Start button, point at Settings, click
Control Panel, and double-click the Mouse
icon. See figure 2.29
 Click the pointer option tab.
 Click and drag the Pointer Speed
 Slider bar to the left or right to adjust how
fast or slow the pointer moves.
Figure 2.29: Mouse property

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The Control Panel

 For Pointer Selection, choose the Left or lower option for a traditional mouse
buttons or choose the Right or Upper option to reverse the mouse buttons

 For Double-Click Speed, double click the picture beneath Set, then double-click
the picture beneath Test to be sure you like the double-click speed. Double-click
the picture beneath Set again if you want to change the speed.
 Click the OK button to close the dialog. If you switched the mouse buttons, you
will need to use the right mouse button to click on OK.

Changing the pointer features

 Click the Start button, point at Settings, point
at Control Panel, and
 Choose Mouse on the submenu.
 Click the Pointers tab in the Mouse Properties
dialog as shown in figure 2.30
 Choose a preset pointer scheme from the
Scheme drop down list.
 Click the OK button to close the dialog.

Figure 2.30: Select the Pointer Feature

2.6.2 Changing the Date and Time Property

Does it drive you nuts when your watch, desk clock, phone and computer all show a
different time? Well you may already know how to adjust the time on your watch,
desk clock, and phone, so here are some steps to set your computer clock as well.

Adjusting the date and time

 Click the Start button, point at Settings, point at Control Panel, and choose
Date/Time on the submenu, click Control Panel, and double-click the
Date/Time icon, OR double-click the time displayed on the right end of the
taskbar. Click the Date & Time tab. In the Date section, choose the month as
illustrated in figure 2.31.
 Select the year, and click on the appropriate date in the calendar.

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  In the Time section, double-click the hours digits, the minutes, the seconds,
or the AM/PM display and type in new values
 OR use the up and down arrows to the right to adjust
 Click the OK button to close the dialog

Figure 2.31: The Date and time property window

2.6.3 Changing the Display Property

Your computer is a very visual and visible device. In many cases, its proper
function depends on what you see and how you see it. Although some of the aspects
of the Display have nothing to do with the proper function of your computer, they
are still fun! Here are a few instructions on the
more trivial but fun features.
Changing the desktop background
 Click the Start button, point at Settings,
point at Control Panel, and choose Display,
on the submenu.
 Click the Start button, point at Settings,
click Control Panel, and double-click the
Display icon. OR right-click any empty area
of the desktop and select Properties. See
figure 2.32.
 Click the Background tab.

Figure 2.32: The Desktop display property window

 Choose a Pattern from the drop down list, OR choose Wallpaper from the

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 drop down list. When choosing Wallpaper, you can click the Browse button to
locate an image not in the list, but in another location on your computer. Any
.gif or .jpeg image works well as a background image. CENTER - Places the
graphic, at its current size, in the center of the desktop while the rest of the
background is a solid color.
TILE - Repeats the picture, at its current size until the monitor screen is covered.
This often does not work well with traditional picture images, but works well with a
patterned image.
STRETCH - Adjusts the size of the graphic to exactly fit the monitor screen.
Click the OK button to close the dialog.
Choosing a screen saver
Click the Start button, point at Settings, point at Control Panel, and choose Display
from the submenu, and double-click the Display icon, OR right-click any empty area
of the desktop and select Properties. Click the Screen Saver tab.
 Choose a Screen Saver from the drop down list.
 Click the Settings button to adjust any screen saver options.
 Choose the n umber of minutes in the Wait box. This is the number of
minutes the computer must be inactive before the screen saver will
automatically display.
Select the Password protected option so that
when the screen saver appears, it locks your
computer. See “Unlocking the computer”
Altering the appearance of the windows
 Click the Start button, point at Settings,
and point at Control Panel and choose
Display on the submenu.
 Click the Start button, point at Settings,
click Control Panel, and double-click the
Display icon, OR right-click any empty
area of the desktop and select Properties
 Click the Appearance tab

Figure 2.33: The Appearance tab

 Choose a preset color scheme from the Scheme drop down list.

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  To alter individual aspects of a scheme, choose an element from the Item
drop down list and change the size and/or color with the settings to the right.
 Use the Font button to adjust text formatting on times that include text such
as title bars
 Click the OK button to close the dialog. See figure 2.33 above.

2.6.4 Setting the language used by the keyboard

 Click on the Start menu and from the popup menu displayed, select Control
Panel.
 Within the Control Panel dialog box, click on Date, Time, Language and
Regions Options.
 Then click on Regional and Language Options.
 This will display the Regional and Language Options dialog box.
 Select the Languages tab.
 Click on the Details button. This will display another dialog box.
 Click on the Add button to add or modify the keyboard language used by the
computer.

2.6.5 Formatting Disk

Formatting a disk is like putting lines on a blank sheet of paper, so that you can
write on that paper. Formatting allows the operating system (i.e. Windows) to read
information stored on the disk and also to store information on the disk.
The manufacturer will have formatted your hard disk for you prior to delivering the
PC to you. You should be very careful about formatting a disk, as any data on the
disk will be lost after re-formatting. You would not normally format a hard disk; this
should only be done by a qualified person.

Formatting removable disks

 Place a blank diskette (floppy disk), or a diskette which contains information
which you no longer wish to keep, into your PCs diskette drive.
 Right click on the Start button and from the popup menu displayed, select
Explore. This will display the Windows Explorer window.
 If necessary scroll up the Windows Explorer window until you can see the 3 1/2

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 Floppy [A:] icon.
 Click on the 3 1/2 Floppy [A:] icon to select it.
 Right click on the 3 1/2 Floppy [A:] icon and from the popup menu, displayed
select the Format command.
 You will see a dialog box.
 Clicking on the Start button will display a dialog box.
 Clicking on the OK button will start formatting your diskette. You will see the
following when the process has finished. For more reliable results DO NOT use
the Quick Format option from the Format option section of the dialog box.

To format a removable drive

Some types of removable disks have their own software for formatting the drive,
whilst others use the format command within Windows, in which case you would use
a similar process used to format a diskette (floppy drive), i.e. select the drive within
the Windows Explorer, right click, and from the popup menu displayed, select the
Format command.

2.6.6 Installing and uninstalling software

Most application programs are now supplied on CD. To install (to prepare a computer
ready to run) the software contained on the CD, insert the disk and it should start
automatically. Most installation routines look similar and you need to follow the on-
screen instructions. Often you have to supply a password. Many programs are now
purchased online, and you can download the software directly to your computer.
Sometimes you need to pay for these programs in advance, but many allow you to
download a preview version which has either limited functionally or will only work for
a limited amount of time. If you like the preview version you can pay online and then
receive a password to fully enable the downloaded software.

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 Some applications place an uninstall routine within the Windows

Start menu. If the application does not do this, you can normally use the Add or
Remove Programs utility contained within the Windows Control Panel.

Exercise 2.6
1. Change the default mouse pointer for the left handed person.
2. Set the date and time to the local date and time.
3. Change the background of the desktop with the picture you have created
using paint.
4. Change the appearance of your desktop to any other appearance.
5. Set the date and time to the local date and time.
6. Change the background of the desktop with the picture you have created
using paint.
7. Change the appearance of your desktop to any other appearance.
8. What is the property of your Flash disk?
9. What can you do if you want to erase all contents of the flash disk?
10. What can you do if your computer doesn’t have the software (for instance a
Microsoft Office Program) that you need to work on?

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Page 124
 Unit III

3 Getting To Know the Internet

1. INTRODUCTION

The chapter gives an overview of the internet usage at the first section and extends
with the different ethical professional usage of the internet. Popular uses of the
Internet:
using e-mail, instant messaging, accessing the world-wide-web, and transferring files
are also briefly discussed.

2. UNIT OBJECTIVES

By the completion of this unit the student should be able to:

 Define basic terminologies like Internet, WWW, URL, HTML and Web
browser;
 Remember and identify basic check list for getting connected to the
internet;
 identify and utilize common browser window features;
 Identify components of the standard toolbar and the use of each;
 understand and implement favorite;
 implement searching, printing and sending web pages;
 realize concept of ethics and professional use of the Internet

3. CONTENTS

3. Getting to know the Internet

3.1. Basics of Internet
3.2. Getting Connected
3.3. Surfing the net
3.4. Professional and ethical usage of Internet

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Getting to know the Internet
Lesson 3.1 Basics of Internet
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:
 Define the term Internet
 Explain the History of Internet
 Describe the Use of Internet
 Describe the WWW and HTML

3.1.1 Introduction

The Internet also referred to as the Net, Information Superhighway, or Cyberspace,

is the largest electronic network, or a global network of networks which enables
computers connected to the network to share data and resources.

The internet is not owned by any one organization but rather made up of individual
networks which own their own servers (to hold the data) and routers and switches
(to allow users to access the data).

The Internet as we know it today begans around 1969 with ARPANet, a network
created by the Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Originally connecting four universities, the network allowed scientists across the
country to share information and resources through their computers, which were
about the size of a refrigerator. Through the 70’s and 80’s more universities connect
their computers to ARPANet either physically hooking into the backbone of the
network, or using “tel-net” a protocol that allows them to connect remotely.
In 1983, ARPANet decides to use TCP/IP as a standard protocol for all computers
connected to the network to talk to each other. Even today, all computers that wish
to connect to the Internet must use TCP/IP or a TCP/IP-compatible network protocol.

In the early 80’s, the first desktop computer users began connecting to ARPANet
using telnet, and by 1985, the National Science Foundation (NSF) establishes 6
super-computing sites in the U.S. which create the NSFNET backbone. ARPANet

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dissolves in 1990, but the NSFNET backbone continues to grow in size and speed,
becoming “a network of networks” known today as the Internet.

In 1993, the World Wide Web (www) is born. Developed by Tim-Berners-Lee of The
European Laboratory for Particle Physics in Switzerland (CERN) the World Wide Web
uses hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and hypertext links that change the way
information can be organized, presented and accessed on the Internet. Around the
Mid-90’s, the NSF decides to disallow direct access to its NSFNET back-bone, but
rather contracts with companies to sell connection service to users. Today most
Internet access is done through backbones of individual service providers or ISPs.

3.1.2 Uses of the Internet

For many of us, the Internet is a must-have and a must-know part of our work lives.
Not only this, but for some users, the Internet is also as common as brushing their
teeth. Our goal here is to help you understand all of the terms you may have heard
floating around in Internet conversations. Read carefully, for some things may not
really mean what you thought they did.

For many Internet users, electronic mail (e-mail) has practically replaced the Postal
Service for short written transactions. Electronic mail is the most widely used
application on the Net. You can also carry on live "conversations" with other
computer users, using Internet Relay Chat (IRC). More recently, Internet telephony
hardware and software allows real-time voice conversations. Thus popular uses of
the Internet are using e-mail, instant messaging, accessing the world-wide-web, and
transferring files.

3.1.3 The World Wide Web (www)

Introduced in 1993, the world-wide-web revolutionized the way people accessed

information on the Internet. Using hypertext markup language (HTML), people could
link documents together, even documents on different computers, so long as the
computers were connected to the Internet. Additionally, the documents were not
required to be text-based files, but could also be image, sound, or video files. When
information (text, image, sound, video, or a combination of these) is combined into a
single document, we call it a web page. Web pages require the use of web browser

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software that interprets the page’s HTML and displays the information on the screen.

Just like every house has a unique address, each web page has a unique address,
called a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). It is “the global address of documents
and other resources on the World Wide Web. The first part of the address indicates
what protocol to use, and the second part specifies the IP address or the domain
name where the resource is located.” The remaining information identifies specific
directories or files within the domain. You can display a web page by simply typing
its URL into the address line of your web browser.

Protocol Domain Directory Document

http://www.mysite.com/sports/golf.htm
In reference to the domain, you may notice the example above showing .com at the
end of the domain name. A domain may have any number of extensions, some that
identify specific types of websites. While each country has its own domain naming
conventions, you must register your domain name in the country (like a patent). The
most popular domain extension is .com for commercial websites. Other extensions
include .org for non-profit organizations, .edu for educational institutions, or .gov for
governmental sites, to name a few.

3.1.4 Hypertext Markup Language (HTML)

HTML, an acronym for Hypertext Markup Language, is the predominant markup

language for web pages. It provides a means to describe the structure of text-based
information in a document by denoting certain text as links, headings, paragraphs,
lists, etc. and to supplement that text with interactive forms, embedded images, and
other objects. HTML is written in the form of "tags" that are surrounded by angled
brackets. HTML can also describe, to some degree, the appearance and semantics of
a document, and can include embedded scripting language code (such as JavaScript)
which can affect the behavior of Web browsers and other HTML processors.

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Exercise 3.1
1. What is Internet?
2. Describe the history of the Internet?
3. What are the uses of Internet?
4. What is WWW and the HTML
5. Is Internet owned by a single Entity? Why?

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 Lesson 3.2 Getting Connected
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:
 Describe about Internet connections.
 Explain about the ISP, Hardware and Software requirements for Internet
connection.
 Explain about web browser.

3.2.1 Internet connections

The Internet is a huge network of networks that spans much of the globe, but it is
not possible to just put a computer on a desk and be connected to the Internet. First
a device that allows connection, such as a modem, office network connection, must
be prepared and Internet Service Provider (ISP) must be contacted to get the
service. Once connected, most web surfers use a web browser to: view information
on the World Wide Web, send and receive e-mails and chat with friends across the
globe.

3.2.2 Understanding the ISP

Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is the gateway that provides you with a
connection to the Internet. An ISP creates or leases a backbone of cable, fiber optic,
and telephone lines along which data can travel between computers. In order to
connect to these lines, you usually buy a contract with an ISP to use their lines to
communicate with other computers. Some popular ISPs are AOL, MSN and EarthLink.
In our country Ethiopian Telecommunication Corporation is the only ISP. It is not
necessary for all computers to connect using the same ISP, just as it is not necessary
for someone you call on the phone to use the same phone company as you do. And
just like phone companies, different ISP companies have varying levels of service,
with the most important usually being the speed at which their lines can send and
receive data. It’s tiresome to stare at your monitor while you wait for a web page to
display. Speed is also affected by the computer and the method you use to connect
to your ISP (phone lines are usually the slowest), but a great deal has to do with the
ISP.

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3.2.3 The hardware

Your computer cannot talk to other computers without first having at least two
pieces of hardware, one piece that allows your computer to contact your ISP, such as
a modem or network card. The second piece actually plugs you into the Internet,
such as a phone cord or cable connection,

3.2.4 The software

If you’re connecting to the Internet to “surf the web” you’ll need a web browser to
view web pages. Popular web browsers include AOL, Internet Explorer and Netscape.
Some ISPs may even have their own software.

3.2.5 Web Browser

A web browser is a software application which enables a user to display and

interact with text, images, videos, music, games and other information typically
located on a web page at a website on the World Wide Web or a local area network.
Here is a brief exploration of the browser, and some of its more useful features.

Opening the browser

Assuming Internet connection is obtained, to open a web browser
and see all the World Wide Web has to offer:
Double-click the Internet Explorer icon that is usually located on
your desktop. OR choose Start > Programs > Internet Explorer.
See figure 3.1
Figure 3.1: The internet explorer Icon

Browser Window Features dfdfIdfdfonIconIcon

TITLE BAR - As in all window-based programs, this displays the name of the
program (Internet Explorer), and the name of the web page. The web page name
displays only if the web designer designates a specific name, otherwise it may
display the URL. See figure 3.2.

MENU BAR - As in all windows-based programs, click a word on the menu bar to
display a menu of additional program commands.

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 STANDARD BUTTONS - Navigational buttons that aid in viewing, searching, saving
and printing web pages.

Page area
Menu Bar Standard buttons Address Bar
Title bar

Status
Bar

Figure 3.2: Browser window features

ADDRESS BAR - Displays the current web page’s URL. It is also possible to type a
URL into the Address bar and press Enter/Return to view the URL. Internet assumes
all addresses are of the http (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) kind and therefore you do
not need to enter this when typing in a URL. In fact, since Internet Explorer uses
keywords for websites you often only have to type in a word such as “Microsoft” to
go directly the website.

PAGE AREA - The portion of the window that displays web pages

STATUS BAR - The status bar has two uses: first it notifies the status of loading
web pages, for those with a not-so-fast Internet connection, and second, the status
bar displays the security level (when present) of “secured” web pages. Secured web
pages are most often found when a form that requires personal or credit information
is being filled in.

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Viewing toolbars
To display or hide toolbars, choose
View > Toolbars and make your selections.
See figure 3.3

Browser defaults
Figure 3.3: Viewing toolbars
It may not be realized, but the user has considerable control over the colors and
fonts used on web pages. Even though the web page was designed with an Arial
font, it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s what you have to see. The same is true for
colors. Anyone can decide which fonts, colors, and font sizes are preferred. This can
be especially useful for those of us with glasses or who need larger font sizes.
Choices may affect the overall appearance of the web page, but if there is the
willingness to accept a trade-off of preference for appearance, it may just be worth
it.
 To change the text size, choose View > Text Size and select an option from
the submenu.
 To change the default font or colors, choose Tools > Internet Options and
click the Font or Colors buttons on the General tab. Click OK to save the
changes.
 To change all fonts and colors, choose Tools > Internet Options and click the
Accessibility button. Your choices here will override the web pages’ code to
display your font and color choices. Click OK to save the changes.

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Exercise 3.2
1. Assume you want to connect to internet using a computer at home and
you want to prepare a checklist for doing so. List out the basic things
that should be included in your list.
2. What is ISP?
3. What is web browser?
4. Give some examples of Web browser?
5. Describe the screen elements of Internet Explorer.

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 Lesson 3.3 Surfing the Net
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:
 Use Standard Toolbar
 Explain Home Page and Favorites
 Use Search tools
 Print and Send webpage

3.3.1 Using the Standard toolbar

With the design of the World Wide Web, there is literally an endless supply of web
pages and documents to view on the Internet. HTML allows us to move more
conveniently from page to page and resource to resource because all we have
to do is click a hyperlink to move on to the next page.

Most people start at one point and go from there. You can start by typing in a URL or
web address that you already know, you can search for a particular web site, or just
begin from your browser’s home page. It’s up to you. The information superhighway
is waiting and you have a license to drive.

Sure you can surf all you want but what if you make a wrong turn? No problem, just
use the browser tools to get and keep you on track.

Figure 3.4: The standard Toolbar

Figure 3.4 shows standard toolbar. Click the Back button to move to the
previously viewed web page. Or, click the arrow next to the icon to choose any of the
previously viewed web pages you wish to display.

- If you’ve clicked the Back button to see the previously viewed web page, then click

the Forward button to move to the next viewed web page. Or, click the arrow
next to the button to choose any of the next web pages you wish to display.

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 - Have you ever tried to view a web page that takes forever to load? Click the
Stop button to cancel the action. Remember you can see the progress of the Web
page’s load by looking on the Status bar as illustrated in figure 3.5.

Figure 3.5 the status bar

- Click the Refresh button to reload the web page, because you want to update
the content of the page, or because the page did not display completely.

- Click the Home button to return to the browser’s home page.

- Want to search the Internet? Click the Search button and enter the appropriate
information.

- Click the Favorites button to display your list of favorites. You can
organize, edit, delete, or view your favorite web pages.

- Did you know that your browser records the web pages you previously visited? This
helps you find a web page you visited yesterday or even days before, in the event
you can’t remember the web address. Just click the History button to list the dates
and the pages viewed on those dates. Click a page and it should appear in the page
area.

- Want to send an e-mail without having to go to your e-mail program? Just click the
Mail button and choose New Message. Your browser will automatically display a new
e-mail message ready for you to write and send.

- Finally, you can print the web page by simply clicking the Print button .
You should be careful though, what prints out may not be what you expect. Due to
the layout and design of the web page, what you see is not often what you get. To
be sure of what you will print, you may consider using the File > Print method.

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3.3.2 The homepage

The homepage (often written as home page) is the URL or local file that
automatically loads when a web browser starts. You can turn this feature off and on,
as well as specify a URL for the page to be loaded.

The term is also used to refer to the front page, or main web page of a website of a
group, company, organization, or individual. In some countries, the term
"homepage" commonly refers to a complete website (of a company or other
organization) rather than to a single web page. By the late 1990s this usage had
stopped in the US, replaced by the more comprehensive term "web site".
In the same category of homepage are now websites that attempt to be a start page

Generally, you set the home page to your

favorite or most visited web site, so that it
conveniently displays when you open your
browser. It is also the web page you return to
when you click the Home button.

Setting the homepage

1. Choose Tools > Internet Options.
2. Type the appropriate web page address
In the Home Page Address field.
3. Click OK to set the home page.
4. Click the Home button to be sure that the Figure 3.6: Internet options window

newly changed home page appears. See figur3.6

3.3.3 Favorites

There will be web pages that you like to visit often, even if it’s just the Seattle
University website. Rather than typing in the web address each time you wish to
view the page, just add it to your list of favorites and then go to the site with the
click of your mouse. You can even organize your favorites.

Adding a favorite
1. Choose Favorites > Add to favorites, OR right-click and choose Add to favorites

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 to display the Add Favorite dialog box.
2. Type in an appropriate name.
3. Select the folder from the list into which you wish to organize the favorite page.
4. Click OK.

Viewing a favorite
1. Choose Tools > Favorites to display the Favorites menu, OR click the Favorites
icon on the standard toolbar to display the Favorites pane on the left side of the
window.
2. Click your favorite web page of choice to display it.
3. If necessary, click the Favorites icon again to hide the Favorites panel.

Organizing favorites
1. Choose Favorites > Organize Favorites, OR click the Favorites icon to display
the Favorites pane and click Organize to display the Organize Favorites dialog box.
2. Use the buttons to create new folders, rename folders or pages, move folders
and pages (you can also click and drag), or delete folders or pages.

3.3.4 Searching Techniques

There are endless ways to search the Internet, and no one way is any more than
30%-40% accurate. If it sounds a bit daunting, then the following are a few popular
methods to get you started. And always remember that the more specific you can be
the more targeted results you will get. There’s nothing worse than have a search
return 1.2 million possible results!

Portals
The Internet is huge! And it can be confusing and extremely disorganized. With this
in mind, certain websites have devoted themselves to being a one-stop shopping site
for Internet users. Have you visited MSN, Yahoo, Google or even AOL lately? Did you
notice that you can do just about anything on their websites? Including using e-mail,
reading news and stock quotes, shopping online, playing online games, reading your
horoscope, checking movie times, and even seeing the best rated restaurants in a
certain area? That’s a portal technically speaking, “A Web site or service that offers a
broad array of resources and services, such as e-mail, forums, search engines, and

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on-line shopping malls.

While the website itself might not create or maintain all of the detailed information,
the portal’s job is to conveniently organize and present the information so that all
you have to do is click. Popular web portals include Yahoo.com, MSN.COM,
GO2NET.COM, etc.

Search Engines
Search engines are websites that help you look for other sites on a particular topic or
containing particular words.
There are literally thousands of search engines, and these days many search engines are
devoted to specific categories such as images, math and news. There are even search
engines for kids.

Google http://www.google.com

Yahoo! http://www.yahoo.com

AltaVista http://www.altavista.com

Ask Jeeves http://www.ask.com

Common search engines

To visit a search engine, simply type its URL into the address bar and press Enter.
Using the search engine to search the web is different for each engine.

Search Box

Figure 3.7: Google

search engine Home
Page

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 To begin a search, visit the search engine of your choice and look for the search box
that appears on the page as illustrated in figure 3.7. Enter the keywords of your
choice and click the Search link/button or press Enter to display the results.

Keywords
Most recent browser versions allow typing keywords into the Address bar, pressing
Enter and the browser itself acts as a search engine. If the keyword happens to be
owned by a website, then the website will automatically display. Otherwise you will
see a list of possible matches for your keyword.
For example, open your browser and type “Ethiopia” into the search box and press
Enter. Notice that a list of possible matches displays including Ethiopian tourism and
news as illustrated in figure 3.8.

Figure 3.8 Search results for Ethiopia Figure 3.8 Search result from the word Ethiopia

As another example, type “Ethiopian herald” into the search box and press Enter.
Notice that the Ethiopian Herald main web page displays. That’s because the
Ethiopian Herald pays for these keywords.

Advanced search tips

 Most search engines will have an advanced search option. This is a great tool
to help pare down the thousands or millions of results you might get if you do
a basic search. If you don’t want to go all the way to the Advanced Search
option, just use a few common key “operators” in the traditional search box.

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 • Generally, if you type keywords in a search box, the engine looks for web
pages that contain any or all of the words. However, words in double quotes
are considered to be an exact phrase. For example, “Computers” (with
quotes) will only return web pages with that exact phrase.

• Use the minus sign (-) to ignore specific terms. For example the search for
bass may include fishing or music. If you’d rather not include the bass fishing
results, simply enter bass -fishing (including a space before the -).

• Use the Boolean expression OR to search for two different topics at the same
time.

For example, you want to take a vacation someplace warm but can’t decide
on Sodere or Hawassa. No problem, just enter Sodere OR Hawassa (making
sure that OR is upper case).

• Use the Boolean expression AND to search for results that include
more than one term or topic. For example, you decide to vacation in
Sodere and you want to learn about the swimming opportunities in the
region. Enter Sodere AND “Swimming” (making sure that AND is upper
case).

• You’ll want to click the Advanced Search link on the page. It is usually
close to the search box. See figur3.9

Advanced search features differ depending on the search engine, but most
accommodate the features displayed in the following image see figure 3.9.

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 Figure 3.9: Google advanced search
window
3.3.5 Printing and sending web
pages

Printing a web page is similar to printing

any other document, with an occasional
twist. Since web pages can be designed
using many different technologies, one
may find that what you see on the
screen is not always how it prints on
paper. In addition to printing a page,
you can also e-mail it. Why tell someone
about a great web page you found, or
type the URL into an e-mail, when you
can just use the browser to e-mail the
link?
Printing a web page
Figure 3.10: Printing options

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1. Choose File > Print.
2. Select all appropriate options on the
General tab. See figure 3.10
3. Click the Options tab to choose additional printing features.

Print All Linked Documents - Prints not only print the current web page, but the web
pages for any links on the page.

Print A Table Of Links - Prints a list of the URLS for all of the links on the page.
4. Click Print.

Sending a web page

Choose File > Send > Link by e-mail to generate a new e-mail with the web page’s
URL already embedded in the message.

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 Exercise 3.3
1. List the most useful standard toolbars of Internet Explorer/Web browser?
2. What is a Homepage?
3. What is Favorite? How do you use Favorite on your web browser?
4. What are the techniques to search Information over the Net?
5. Identify and explain components of the standard toolbar and the use of each.
6. Start Internet Explorer
 In the address box type in the following URL: http//www.google.com
 Add the page to your favorites folder
 Use the search facilities of this site to find information about “using the
Internet”.
 Open the first site suggested.
 Navigate back to the Google homepage.
7. Visit the four search engine [Google, Yahoo, AltaVista, Ask Jeeves] and do a
search for sites about “using the Internet” in each.
 How many results did you get back in each search?
 Were all the results the same?
 What things are the same on all of the sites?
 What things are different?
 Do you prefer some over others? Why?
8. Start Internet Explorer by double clicking on its icon
 Select the search engine Alta Vista
 Enter the name Barack Obama in the search box
o How many sites were found?
 Navigate back to the Alta Vista home page
 Enter the name “Barack Obama” in quotes
o How many sites were found?
 Enter Barak + Obama in the search box and click search
o How many sites were found?
 Navigate back to the AltaVista home page
What is the reason behind the change in the number of sites in each result?
9. How do you print or send webpage?

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 Lesson 3.4 Ethical and Professional Use of Internet
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:
 Define Ethics, Intellectual Property, Privacy
 Explain Spam Mail
 Clarify professional use of Internet

3.4.1 Ethical Use of the Internet

Ethics deals with the standards of human conduct that direct the behavior of
individuals and groups. These standards, in turn, are developed by the society within
which the individual or group exists.

Since the Internet allows access to individuals and groups from a wide and complex
range of societies and backgrounds, the ethical standards of the participants can
vary widely. However, in order for the citizens of the Internet community to be able
to interact productively through communications, economics transactions and shared
information, it is necessary for the community to develop a common set of ethics or
standards of human conduct that governs their behavior.

This is especially necessary since those who are interacting are doing so in a virtual
community where they cannot see or meet each other physically. Without a common
ethical framework, no trust can develop between those interacting, and the Internet
will then fail as a medium for interaction.

The Internet allows consumers, businesses, and industry to do many new things in
unique and efficient ways. The technology around which it is built is also changing
and advancing rapidly. The basic ethical issues regarding the Internet are discussed
below:

3.4.2 Understanding Intellectual Property

Intellectual property, deals with the ownership of ideas or the expression of ideas.
Since ideas cannot be touched or felt, but they do belong to the person who
developed (or authored) them, they are known as intangible property.

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There are several forms of legal protection available for intellectual property. These
are:

 trade secret protection

 copyright protection
 trademark protection
 Patents.

3.4.3 Understanding Privacy

Businesses and government have always collected information regarding individuals,

households, the economy, etc. through surveys, interviews, etc. In general, the
individual about whom information was being collected knew that this was being
done. However, with the Internet and telecommunications, technology currently
available makes it possible to record and/or trace every "click" or interaction by a
user browsing the web, without their knowledge. This has raised issues about the
individual’s right to keep his or her personal and businesses activities and
information confidential.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has outlined several factors that should govern
the collection or use of information. These are given below:

 Notice: Consumers should be made aware of an entity’s information practices

before personal information is gathered.
 Choice: Consumers should be given the opportunity to consent or deny any
secondary uses of information. Secondary uses include notices or transfer of
data to third parties.
 Access: Consumers should be able to access their personal data and review it
without significant delays. They should also be able to easily and quickly
correct inaccurate personal information.
 Integrity and Security: The data regarding consumers’ personal information
should be processed in such a way that the information is accurate. The data
should also be kept confidential as it is processed, transmitted and stored.
 Enforcement: Consumers should have some clear means to address the
situation if any of the above features is violated.

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3.4.4 Understanding Spamming or Spam Mail

Spamming involves sending e-mail messages indiscriminately and without the

permission of the receiver and disregarding the appropriateness of the message. It is
the equivalent of "junk mail" sent through regular postal services.

Spamming is widespread and affects the speed of the Internet, sometimes bringing it
down completely. This act requires senders of spam to identify it as advertising, to
indicate the name of the sender, and to include valid routing information.

3.4.5 Professional Use of the Internet

The introduction of the Internet has greatly affected our society and their profession
worldwide. Computers used to access the Internet have been integrated into the
school, home, and work place at a faster rate than television and the videocassette
recorder, and have also been incorporated into health care at a similarly rapid rate.
The Internet contains vast amounts of information, which may benefit professionals.

The impact of the Internet on professions of individuals is growing, therefore

emphasizing the need for professionals to become knowledgeable about using and
evaluating this technology as a source of information. As professions moves toward
online practices, skill in the use of the Internet will be essential. For example while
clinicians have always been encouraged to use the latest research in clinical practice,
the Internet makes access to that information immediate.

Like any other professions, the medical profession is rapidly advancing. One major
change is the integration of evidence in clinical decision making, and in particular,
the use of evidence-based practice. It means integrating individual clinical expertise
with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research.

Physicians' use of the Internet has expanded in recent years, helping to improve the
overall quality of health care. Physicians have been using the Internet to obtain
information from medical research, gather product information, ensure more efficient
communication with patients and other physicians, educate patients, manage
records, assist with scheduling, aid in research, etc.

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3.4.6 Important URLs

Here are some resources that may get you started in your personal and use of the
internet. The Internet can be overwhelming even to seasoned veterans so take it
slow and give yourself some time to learn your own tricks and tips for using the
Internet.

General Internet information

 HTTP://WWW.INTERNET101.ORG - A good introductory overview of the
creation and use of the Internet.
 HTTP://WWW.SECURENET.NET/MEMBERS/SHARTLEY/HISTORY/ARPA-
 NET.HTM - A brief walk through the creation of Internet technology.
Language resources
 WWW.WEBOPEDIA.COM - Still stumped by words or phrases associated with
the Internet? This website is a great resource for Internet terminologies.
 WWW.M-W.COM - Merriam-Webster’s dictionary on the web so you don’t have
page through the book version.
 WWW.THESAURUS.COM - Used as a dictionary or thesaurus, just type in a
word and click OK. Roget’s website hunts down definitions or synonyms and
antonyms.
Portals
 WWW.YAHOO.COM - Yahoo’s popular portal and search engine because it
categorizes results, making it easier to drill down through topics.
 WWW.MSN.COM - Microsoft’s portal incorporating all of the standard features
from shopping, to e-mail, to news, and of course searching the Internet. Not
to mention much, much more.
 WWW.GO2NET.COM - Currently owned by Disney, this portal has all of the
standard features.
Searching Tools
 HTTP://WWW.SEARCHENGINEWATCH.COM/LINKS - A good resource to learn
about the more popular search engines available.
 HTTP://WWW.GOOGLE.COM - Google provides its users instant access to the
world's largest and most comprehensive collection of information online-more
than 3 billion web pages, images and newsgroup messages posted since

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 1981.
 HTTP://WWW.ALTAVISTA.COM - A very popular search engine with great
results as the site works hard to keep updated content. The site also has a
Family Filter feature which can filter out “objectionable” content.
 WWW.ASK.COM - Enter a question on the website just as you would ask it of
a friend (“in plain English”) and the site answers your question with relevant
possibilities. Select the appropriate answer so that the site can best target
results to your exact need.

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Exercise 3.4

1. What do you think ethical use of the Internet? Give some examples.
2. What is the difference between Intellectual Property and Privacy?
3. What is Spamming?
4. What do you think professional use of the Internet? Give some
examples.

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 Unit IV

4 Outlook 2007
1. INTRODUCTION

This unit presents the basic features of outlook 2007. It shows the services that
users can gain from outlook: sending, receiving, reading and replaying. In addition
it also discusses how to organize messages and other outlook items (Contacts, task,
notes).

2. OBJECTIVES
By the completion of this unit the student should be able to:
 Start and Quit Microsoft Office Outlook 2007;
 Identify and use all elements of the Main screen;
 Locate and use the Microsoft Office Button;
 Open/Read e-mail Message;
 Preview Attachments to a message received
 Create/Send New Message;
 Attach a file to an e-mail message;
 Spell-check an e-mail message;
 Locate and use the Insert Tab;
 Create a new Contact in the Contact List;
 Create a Distribution List;

3. CONTENTS

4. Microsoft Outlook
3.5. Exploring Outlook
3.6. Sending and Receiving Messages

3.7. Using Outlook Messaging Features

3.8. Working With Components and Office

3.9. Organizing Messages

3.10. Scheduling With the Calendar

3.11. Organizing Outlook Items (Contact, Notes, Task)

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Outlook 2007

Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 provides you with a comprehensive time and
information manager. Using new features such as Instant Search and the To-Do Bar,
you can organize and instantly locate the information that you need. New calendar
sharing capabilities, enable you to safely share data that is stored in Office Outlook
2007 with coworkers, friends, and family.

Lesson 4.1 Exploring Outlook

Lesson Objective
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Open an outlook window
 Recognize and use the components in Outlook environment
 Recognize and use the outlook navigation pane
 Close an outlook winds

4.1.1 Starting Outlook

Click on the Start button and then click on All Programs. Then click on Microsoft
Office and then click on Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 as illustrated in figure 4.1

Figure 4.1: starting

outlook Page 152

Next you will then see the Outlook program window displayed as illustrated in figure
4.2.

Figure 4.2: Outlook screen

4.1.2 Outlook 2007 features

The Ribbon
The most obvious change in Outlook 2007 is the new “ribbon” interface used in many
windows. The ribbon replaces the toolbar(s) providing a new intuitive way for you to
access all the features that Outlook has to offer. See figure 4.3

Figure 4.3 the outlook 2007 ribbon

The icons on the ribbon will automatically change depending on the item you have
selected, displaying icons for manipulating the item.
Message flagging

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Outlook 2007 provides new options for flagging messages, allowing you to specify a
time frame for following up the message. See figure 4.4

Figure 4.4 message flagging

You can also assign color categories to items. See figure 4.3

Figure 4.5 message color category

Instant search
Outlook 2007 contains improved search
features allowing you to quickly search for
items across all of the Outlook folders. See figure 4.6 Figure 4.6 instant search

4.1.3 The Microsoft Outlook Screen

The Outlook has a number of buttons displayed
towards the bottom-left of the window.
Clicking on these will display screens relevant to
Mail, Calendar, Contacts or Tasks.

4.1.4 Microsoft Outlook Navigation Figure 4.7 Outlook basic buttons

Pane
The navigation pane is normally displayed down the far left of the Outlook window.

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The navigation pane is used to access the various folders and tabs that together
make up the Outlook program.
Microsoft Outlook Standard Toolbar
The Outlook standard toolbar is displayed in the main Outlook window, beneath the
menu bar as illustrated in figure 4.8

Figure 4.8: Outlook standard

toolbar
The icon displayed on the standard toolbar will vary depending on which of the
folders/tabs is currently selected.

Displaying or hiding toolbars

Click on the View drop-down menu and
select the Toolbars command. Select
Standard from the sub-menu. See
See figure 4.9
 The standard Outlook toolbar is
now hidden from view.
 Repeat the above sets to
Figure 4.9 Display/hide toolbars window
redisplay
the standard Outlook toolbar.

Quick way of displaying / hiding toolbars

 Right-click on an existing toolbar to quickly display
the Toolbars menu
 Here you can select which Outlook toolbars should
be displayed. See figure 4.10

Figure 4.10: Quick Display/hide toolbar

window

4.1.5 Closing Outlook

Close Outlook by clicking on the Close icon in the top-right of the window.

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 Lesson 4.2 Sending and Receiving Messages
Lesson Objective
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Create and send e-mail
 Select, forward, and reply a message
 Open and save an attached a message
 Print a message

4.2.1 Creating and sending your first e-mail

Start the Outlook application.

Click on the Mail button (towards the bottom-left).

Click on the New button on the toolbar.

You will see the Message window displayed. See figure 4.10

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Figure 4.11 Message window

First you need to enter the e-mail address of the person you are sending the e-mail
to, in the To section of the window.

Next you need to click within the Subject box and type in a title for your e-mail. We
are now ready to type out the body text for the e-mail.

Click within the white area of the window and you will see the Insertion point
indicating that you can type your message.

Hello my friend

Click on the Send button.

You have just sent your e-mail. Using Outlook is really simple, in fact easier than
writing a traditional letter and a lot faster to deliver.

4.2.2 Checking that your e-mail was sent

Click on the Sent Items icon and you will see that the e-mail has been sent as
expected.
If you do not see an item listed there, wait a short while and see if it appears. If you
do not see it, try clicking on the Outbox icon and see if the item is waiting to be sent.
It should disappear from the Outbox and then appear in the Sent E-mails box.

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4.2.3 Sending e-mails to more than one person at a time

 Click on the New button.

 Click on the To box and type in the first e-mail address. Then
type in a comma and type in the next e-mail on the list (with
no spaces). Carry on typing in the entire list of e-mail
addresses, remembering to place a comma before each e-mail address that
you type in.
 In the Subject field, type in a subject for your e-mail
 In the body text area type in a short message
 Click on the Send button and the same message will be sent to everyone on
your list.

4.2.4 Sending a copy of a message to another address

To send a copy of a message to another e-mail address, type the address into the Cc

(Carbon Copy) field.

Figure 4.12: the carbon copy (CC)

field
Blind carbon copy (BCC)
A blind carbon copy is a copy of the message which is sent to someone in secret,
other recipients of the message will not know that the person has received a copy of
the message. See figure 4.12

4.2.5 Sending a copy of a message to another address using (BCC)

Whilst composing your e-mail in the Message window, display the Bcc field by
clicking on the Options tab selecting the Show Bcc icon from the Fields section of the
ribbon.
Type the address of the person you wish to received the blind carbon copy into the
Bcc text box.

4.2.6 Setting the message subject

Enter a short overview of the message into the Subject field box. The message

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Figure 4.13 spelling icon

subject should be short but informative. The recipient of the e-mail should be able to
get a good idea of the content of the message from just looking at the subject line,
this makes managing large volumes of e-mails much less time consuming.

4.2.7 Spell checking your message

Display the Message ribbon and click on the

Spelling icon, Or Press the F7 key. See figure 4.13

Outlook will now check the spelling of your message. If an incorrectly spelt word is
encountered the Spelling and
Grammar dialog box will be displayed
as shown in figure 4.14

The incorrectly spelt word is displayed

in red, Outlook suggests correctly
spelt words from its dictionary.

Figure 4.14 spelling and grammar window

Select the correct spelling from the list

of suggested words and click on the
Change button to correct the word.
When Outlook reaches the end of your message a dialog box is displayed.

Click on the OK button to close the dialog box and finish the spell checking session.

4.2.8 Inserting a file into a message

 Display the Message ribbon and click the Attach File icon from the Include
section.
 Outlook will display the Insert File dialog box, locate and select the file you
wish to attach to your message.
 Click on the Insert button. The Insert File dialog box will close. The attached
file will be shown below the Subject field.
 When attaching files to e-mails be aware of the file size. In general, messages
traveling across the internet with files greater than 5 megabytes in size

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 attached are likely to be returned undelivered.
Certain files types such as Windows executable
(.EXE) files may also be rejected as they are
common carriers of viruses or malware.

4.2.9 Setting message importance

Display the Message ribbon. Use the icons in the Options

section to assign importance to your message.

Figure 4.15 message option launcher icon

Figure 4.16 message option launcher icon

4.2.10Setting message sensitivity

To set the sensitivity of your message, click on the

Message Options dialog box launcher. See figure 4.15

The Message Options dialog box will be displayed enabling you to set the Importance
& Sensitivity options

4.2.11The Inbox Folder

The Inbox Folder is where you view & reply to e-mail messages that
you have received. See figure 4.16

Opening the Inbox folder

To open the Inbox Folder, click on the word Inbox displayed in the navigation pane
to the left of the Outlook window.

The Inbox Screen

The navigation pane is on the far left with any message contained within the Inbox
listed beside it. To the right of the message list is the reading pane where the

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contents of the message is displayed

4.2.12 Selecting a message

To select a message, click on the message in the list.

Once a message is selected, the contents of that message will be displayed in the
reading pane.

Message Status icons

A closed envelope means that the message has not been read.
An open envelope is displayed next to a message that has been viewed.
You can attach flags to messages that you need to revisit at a later date.
Messages have icons associated with them to help you manage your e-mails.

4.2.13 Reading a message

Sometimes it is more convenient to view a message in a separate window; this

allows having multiple messages on view simultaneously. To do this double click on
the message, a new message window will open.
The message window displays the message text along with the headers which show
who the message was from and the subject.

4.2.14 Forwarding a message

 Select one of the messages in your inbox.

 Click the Forward icon on the Outlook toolbar. A new Message window will
open.
 You will see the text of the original message is inserted for you. The subject
of the original message has also been copied with the text FW: inserted at the
beginning, this is done so that the recipient of the message can easily see
that the message has been forwarded.
 If you wish you can add your own comments by typing them into the top of
the message text area.
 Enter the e-mail address, into the To address field, of the person that you
would like to forward the message.

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  Click on the Send icon to send the message.

4.2.15 Opening or saving an attached file

If a message has a file attached, an icon and the file name for each attached file will
be displayed just below the message subject.
Double-click on the file icon and a dialog box will be displayed. You should always be
cautious about opening files sent to you by e-mail.
To open the file click on the Open button you also have the option to click on the
Save button, this will open the Save As window allowing you to save the file to your
drive for later use.

4.2.16 Replying to the sender of a message

Select a message from your Inbox that you would like to reply to.
Click the Reply icon on the Outlook toolbar. A Message window will open containing
the text of the message you are replying to.
Outlook automatically inserts the e-mail address of the sender into the To field. The
subject is also copied with the text RE: inserted at the start.
Type your reply in the message text area, just above the original message.
Send your message by clicking on the Send icon.

Replying to the sender and all recipient of a message

Open your Inbox folder and select a message that was sent to many recipients.
Click the Reply to All icon on the Outlook toolbar. A Message window will open
containing the text of the message you are replying to. You will see that Outlook has
automatically inserted the e-mail address of the sender, plus any recipients of the
original message.
Type your reply in the message text area, Send your message by click on the Send
icon as shown in figure 4.17.

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 Figure 4.17: Setting
your message

Setting message reply options

Figure 4.17 messageSelect
options the Options command from the Tools drop down menu. The Options dialog
box will be displayed. If necessary select the Preferences tab. See figure 4.1 8
 Click on the E-mail Options button to display the E-
mail Options dialog box.
 To control whether/how the original message is
inserted when you reply to a message click on the
button below the When replying
to a message text. Select the reply style that you
require, try selecting Do not include original
message.
 Click on the OK button to close the E-mail Options
dialog box.
 Click on the OK button to close the Options dialog Figure 4.18 message reply option

box.
 Try replying to a message from your Inbox, you should now find that the original
message is not now inserted into the
message text area.

4.2.17 Printing a message

To print a message, first select the

message by clicking on its entry in the
message list.
Figure 4.19 Print preview
Click on the Print icon, displayed within the toolbar.
The message will be printed.

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Previewing a message before printing
 Select the message you wish to print preview.
 Click on the File drop down menu and select the Print Preview command. The
Print Preview window will be displayed allowing you to see how the message
would appear when printed. See figure 4.19
 Close the Print Preview window by clicking on the Close button, displayed on
the toolbar.

Printing Options
 More sophisticated printing settings can be accessed by clicking on the File
drop down menu and clicking on the Print command. This will display the Print
dialog box.
 The options in this dialog box allow you to choose how many copies of the
message are printed and the style of printing.
 Clicking on the OK button will close the Print dialog box and print the
message using your chosen options.

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 Lesson 4.3 Manipulating Text and Files
Lesson Objective
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Select a text from a given text
 Edit and move text
 Delete a text

4.3.1 Selecting Text

Selecting a word within the Message window

Open a new message window & enter 3 paragraphs of text. Select a word by double
clicking on the word of your choice. Once selected the word will be highlighted
Selecting a line within the Message window
Move your mouse pointer into the left margin next to the line you want to select. The
mouse pointer will flip over to point to the right.
Click the mouse button, the line will be selected and highlighted.

Selecting a paragraph within the Message window

Triple-click the left mouse button anywhere within the paragraph you want to select
The selected paragraph will be highlighted.

Selecting all text within the Message window

Press the Ctrl-A key combination. All of the text in the message text area will now be
selected and highlighted.
Click once on the message text to clear the selection.

Selecting text using the mouse

Locate the start of the text you want to select with your mouse pointer.
Press the left mouse button and whilst keeping the mouse button pressed down,
move the mouse pointer to the last piece of text you wish to select.
Release the mouse button, the text will remain selected and highlighted.

4.3.2 Copy, paste, cut and moving Text

Copying text to the Clipboard from a message

Select the text you wish to copy.

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Press the Ctrl-C key combination, or click the Copy icon in the Clipboard section of
the ribbon.

Pasting text from the Clipboard into a message

Click your mouse at the end of the message to move the text insertion point.
Press the Ctrl-V key combination, or click the Paste icon in the Clipboard section of
the ribbon.

Copying text from one message to another

Open a second new message window.
Re-display the first message containing your text.
Select some text of your choice and copy it to the clipboard.
Select the new message window and click within the message text area.
Paste text from the clipboard into the message text area.
Close the new message window and re-display the first message.

Cutting text to the Clipboard from a message

Select the text you wish to cut/move to the clipboard.
Press the Ctrl-X key combination, or click the Cut icon in the Clipboard section of the
ribbon.

Moving text from one message to another

Select the text you wish to cut/move to the clipboard and press the Ctrl-X key
combination.
Open a new message window and click within the empty message text area.
Paste text from the clipboard into the message text area (by pressing Ctrl+V).
Close the new message window and re-display the first message containing your
text.

Copying text from another application into a message

Open the Windows Notepad application.
Enter some text into the Notepad window.
Press Ctrl-A to select the text in the Notepad window.
Press Ctrl-C to copy the text to the clipboard.

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Re-display the Outlook message window containing your sample text.
Click your mouse at the end of the message to move the text insertion point. Press
the Ctrl-V key to paste the text into your message.
Close the Notepad window by clicking on the close icon in the top-right of the
window.

4.3.3 Deleting a text

Deleting text to the left of the insertion point

Click at the end of a word to move the insertion point to that location.
To delete the letter immediately to the left of the insertion point press the
Backspace key.
Deleting text to the right of the insertion point
Click at the start of a word to move the insertion point to that location.
To delete the letter immediately to the right of the insertion point press the Delete
key.
Close the message window without sending the message.
Deleting an attached file from a message
Locate a message that has a file attached. Messages with files attached have the
paperclip icon displayed next to them.
Double click on the message to open it in a message window. The attached files are
listed beneath the subject line.
Right-click on the attached file you wish to delete and select the Remove command
from the menu.
The file is deleted from the message.
Close the message window by clicking on the close icon in the top-right of the
window.
Click on the Yes button to save the modified message.

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 Lesson 4.4 Organizing messages
Lesson Objective
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Create, move, delete and search for a message
 Sorting the contents of the inbox
 Flagg a message
 Identify a read message

4.4.1 Searching for a message

Display the Inbox folder. Located above the list of messages is the Search box.
Type a word into the search box. Outlook will search the Inbox and list any
messages that contain that word.

Figure 4.20 message search

box
Searching for messages by sender, subject or content
More advanced search options can be accessed by clicking the double down pointing
arrows at the far right of the search area.

The search area will expand to show additional options.

Figure 4.21 advanced search

These options allow you to specify which areas of the messages are searched.

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Hide the additional search options b clicking on the double upward pointing arrows at
the top right of the search area.

4.4.2 Creating a new mail folder

 Open the Inbox folder.

 Click on the File drop down menu and
select the New command.
 From the submenu displayed select
the Folder command.

 The Create New Folder dialog box will

be displayed.
 Type the name of the folder into the Name box.
 Click on the OK button. A sub-folder called Personal will now appear under the
 Inbox folder in the navigation pane. Figure 4.22 new folder menu

4.4.3 Moving a message to a

different folder

Open your Inbox folder.

Locate a message and position the
mouse pointer over it.

Press the left mouse button and whilst

keeping the button pressed down move
the mouse button to the Personal folder
in the navigation pane.
Release the mouse button and the message will be moved in the desired folder.

Figure 4.23 sort inbox menu

4.4.4 Deleting a mail folder

Right-click on the folder in the navigation pane

Select the Delete “folder name” command from the menu. A dialog box will be
displayed.
Click on the Yes button and the mail folder will be moved to the Deleted Items

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folder.

4.4.5 Sorting the contents of the Inbox

By default Outlook lists the contents of the Inbox folder in date order. You can
change this behavior by using the Arrange. By command under the View dropdown
menu. Try selecting some of the other arrangement options and observe the effect
on the Inbox. And restore the Inbox back to date order.

4.4.6 Deleting a message

To delete a message, first select the message by clicking on its entry in the Inbox
message list.
Click on the Delete icon, displayed within
the toolbar. The message is moved to the
Deleted Items folder.

Opening the Deleted Items Folder

Locate the Deleted Items entry under the
Personal Folders listed in the Outlook
navigation pane.
Click on the Deleted Items text to open the Deleted Items folder.
Restoring a message from the Deleted Items Folder
The contents of the Deleted Items folder are displayed to the right of the navigation
pane. Figure 4.24 empty deleted items

Locate the message you deleted earlier and position the mouse pointer over it.
Press the left mouse button and whilst keeping the button pressed down move the
mouse button to the Inbox folder in the navigation pane.

Emptying the Deleted Items Folder

To empty the items from the Deleted Items Folder, select the Empty “Deleted Items”
Folder command from the Tools drop-down menu.

Automatically emptying the Deleted Items Folder when you exit Outlook
Click on the Tools drop-down menu and select the Options command.
Click on the other tab

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Tick the check box labeled Empty the Deleted Items folder upon exiting.
Click on the OK button to close the Options dialog box.

4.4.7 Flagging a message

Click on the Flag icon displayed next to the message in the Inbox folder.

Removing a flag mark from a mail message

To remove a flag from a message, right-click on the Flag icon and select the Clear
Flag command from the menu.

4.4.8 Marking a message as unread

To mark a message that you have read as unread, right-click on the message on the
Inbox folder and select Mark as Unread command from the menu.
Marking a message as read
To mark a message that you have not read as read, right-click on the message on
the Inbox folder and select Mark as Read command from the menu.

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 Lesson 4.5 Scheduling With the Calendar
Lesson Objective
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Recognize and use the calendar environment
 Share calendars and e-mails
 Creates appointment
 Respond to meeting request

4.5.1 The calendar environment

The Microsoft Outlook Calendar is the calendar and scheduling component of outlook,
and is fully integrated with your Outlook e-mail and contacts. With Calendar, you can
create appointments and events, organize meetings, and book meeting rooms and
other resources. See figure 4.25

Figure 4.25: the calendar environment

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  To access the Calendar, click on the icon just below the Mail icon in the
Navigation pane.
 When in the Calendar workspace, the Date Navigator appears at the top of
the Navigation pane.
 The center of the window displays a calendar by Day, Week or month.
 The Calendar display can be customized, in the Tools menu, under options.

4.5.2 Daily Tasks and To-Do Lists

A task is an item that you create in Outlook to track until its completion. A to-do
item is any Outlook item such as a task, an e-mail message, or a contact that has
been flagged for follow-up. By default, all tasks are flagged for follow-up when they
are created, even if they have no start date or due date. Therefore, whenever you
create a task, or flag an e-mail message or a contact, a to-do item is created
automatically as illustrated in figure 4.26.
The Daily Tasks and To-Do Lists are two other key views in the Calendar

environment to help manage workload.

When the Calendar is viewed by Day or Week, the Daily Tasks List appears at the
bottom of the screen, and Figure
any Tasks are shown
4.26: Daily there on the date they are due.
tasks window

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Tasks can also be managed in the Tasks section found on the Navigation Pane.
In all Calendar views, the To-Do List runs vertically down the right side of the screen.
The To-Do list is an overview of your entire schedule.
Upcoming Appointments and Tasks are displayed along with the Date Navigator

4.5.3 Sharing Calendars

You can share calendar information with other people in many ways.
To share your calendar, follow these steps:

In the Calendar window select “Share My Calendar”

on the Navigation pane as shown in figure 4.27

A Sharing Invitation window opens with the subject

already filled out and the “Allow recipient to view your
calendar” box checked.
You can also request to see the recipients’ calendars
by checking the “Request permission to view
Figure 4.27: Share my calendar
recipient’s calendar” box. See figure 4.28
option

Figure 4.28: Calendar sharing invitation

window

Once you assign your calendar with other users, you can then assign each account a
permission level.

To change sharing permissions right-click the shared calendar in the Navigation

pane, the click “Change sharing permissions

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4.5.4 Calendar Sharing via E-Mail

Another new feature of Outlook 2007 is sending Calendar information in an e-mail.

You can send any of the calendars you own to another person. This is a type of
Internet Calendar called a Calendar Snapshot. The calendar appears within the body
of an e-mail message. However, an Office Outlook 2007 user who receives the
Calendar Snapshot can choose to open the calendar as an Outlook calendar.
This allows you to share calendar information with anyone, anywhere who uses HTML
capable e-mail program.

To share calendars via e-mail follow these steps:

 Compose your e-mail message.

 Select the Insert tab.

 Click Calendar tool in the

Include group. See figure

4.29

 Specify the calendar

information you want to

share in the dialog window.

Figure 4.29 send calendar via e-mail options

 Click OK.
Calendar image will render and appear in the body of your e-mail.

4.5.5 Creating Appointments

Appointments are activities that you schedule in your calendar that do not involve
inviting other people or reserving resources (like in Meetings). See figure 4.30 (A-C)

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 Figure 4.30 Appointment windows

Follow these steps to create an appointment:

Figure 4.30 A
Click on the day you want to schedule the
The date navigator
appointment using the Date Navigator.

The Calendar changes to display the Day selected.

Highlight the start time.
Click box to add Appointment, and Name it

Figure 4.30 B. extended calendar

Extend the appointment box, to include duration time from start to end.

Press Enter > Enter

The Appointment Form window opens

allowing you to make changes, add a
description using the Ribbon groups
and commands.

Figure 4.30 C. extended appointment window

Click the Save & Close button. Your appointment now appears in your calendar.
An Event is an activity that lasts 24 hrs or longer (e.g. Trade Show, vacations, etc.).

4.5.6 Respond to Meeting Request

When you have been invited to attend a meeting, a tentative meeting will appear on
your Calendar and the request will appear in your Inbox. Your reply to the meeting
request will be sent only to the person who originated the request.

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Open a received invitation.

At the top of the message window, click the appropriate button (Accept, Tentative, or
Decline). See figure 4.31

Figure 4.31 Invitation accept/reject option

 A dialog box appears with options

for your response. See figure 4.32
 Select the appropriate option.
 Click OK.
 Click Send.
 The response is sent and the
window closes.

Figure 4.32 Invitation response options

Lesson 4.6 Organizing Outlook Items (contacts, tasks and

notes)
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:

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  Recognize and use outlook items
 Creates contacts
 Add messages to contacts
 Create and add addresses to a distribution list
 Create a task from a menu

4.6.1 Contacts

The Outlook Contacts folder is an area where you can store information about people
you have regular communication with. The Contacts folder is your address book.

Figure 4.33: Outlook Contact Folder

Opening the Contacts folder

Click on the Contacts button at the bottom of the navigation pane. The Contacts
folder will be displayed.
At this stage you may not see any contact cards displayed in the main screen area.
Creating a contact
Create a contact by clicking on the New button, located on the Outlook toolbar.
The Contact window will open

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Figure 4.33 contacts window

Fill in the fields using the details of your contacts.
Click the Save & Close icon on the ribbon to close the Contact window and create
your contact.
You should now see a contact card displayed for your new contact.
Repeat these steps to add more contacts.

Adding the sender of a message to contacts

Open the Inbox folder and select a message.
Right click on the senders e-mails address (normally displayed just below the subject
line) and select the Add to Outlook Contacts command. See figure 4.34

Figure 4.34: add contacts option

The
Contacts window will open. Outlook will pre-fill as many fields as possible using
information from the e-mail.
Fill in the remaining fields and click on the Save & Close icon on the ribbon.

Addressing an e-mail to a contact

 Click on the New icon displayed on the Outlook toolbar to open a new
Message window.
 Click on the To button.
 The Select Names: Contacts dialog box will be displayed
Notice that your contacts are listed in the dialog box.

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  Select one of your contacts from the list by clicking on their name. The
selected contact will be highlighted.
 Click on the To -> button. The name of the contact will be inserted into the
box beside the button. This has told Outlook that you wish to address the e-
mail to this person.
 You could also have clicked on the Cc or Bcc buttons to send them a carbon
copy of the e-mail.
 Click on the OK button to close the Select Names: Contacts dialog box.
Outlook will copy the contacts e-mail address into the Message window.
 Enter a subject and some text into the message text area.
 Send the message.

Deleting a contact
Open the Contacts folder.
Click on a contact you wish to delete. The contact will be selected and highlighted.
Press the Delete key. The contact will be moved to the Deleted Items folder.

Distribution list
A distribution list is a collection of contacts. A distribution list allows you to maintain
a list of contacts so that you can make contact with them as a group. For example
you may have a distribution list called “customers” allowing you to e-mail details of
new products and offers to prospective customers.

Creating a new distribution list

 Open the Contacts folder.
 Click on the File drop down menu and select the New command. From the
submenu displayed select the Distribution List command.
 Give your distribution list a name by typing it into the Name box.
 Click the Save & Close icon on the ribbon. A new contact card will be created
for your distribution list.

Adding an e-mail address to a distribution list

 Open a distribution list by double clicking on the contact card. The

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 Distribution List window will be displayed.
 Click on the Add New button, displayed on the ribbon. The Add New Member
dialog box will be displayed.
 Enter the name of one of a contact into the Display name box.
 Enter their e-mail address into the E-mail address box.
 Click on the OK button to add this e-mail address to the distribution list. You
will find that the person you added to the list is now displayed in the
Distribution List window
 Repeat these steps to add the other e-mail addresses Save and close the
distribution list.

Removing an e-mail address from a distribution list

 Open a distribution list and select an e-mail address you want to delete from
the list. To select an e-mail address click on the name or e-mail address, the
selected entry will be highlighted.
 Click the Remove icon, displayed on the ribbon.
 The e-mail address will be removed from the distribution list.
 Save and close the distribution list.

Sending an e-mail to a distribution list

 Open the Inbox folder.
 Click on the New icon, displayed on the Outlook toolbar, to display an empty
Message window.
 Type the name of your distribution list into the To box. After a few seconds
Outlook will recognize that you have entered the name of a distribution list, a
box containing a plus symbol will be displayed next to the list name.
 Enter a subject and some text into the message text area.
 Send the message as normal.

4.6.2 Task

A task is an item that you create in Outlook to track until its completion. By default,
all tasks are flagged for follow-up when they are created, even if they have no start
date or due date. Therefore, whenever you create a task, or flag an e-mail message
or a contact, a to-do item is created automatically.

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When you need to quickly indicate that an item requires your attention at a later
time, flagging is the best option. When you flag an item, it is displayed with a flag in
the Mail view, in Tasks, in the To-Do Bar, and in the Daily Task List in Calendar.
Flagging a message or contact does not create a new task. Because the to-do item is
still an e-mail message or contact after being flagged, you do not have the ability to
assign it as a task to someone else, or indicate its progress or percentage of
completeness.

There are several ways to create a new task in Outlook. You can use the Task
command (click New on the File menu), enter a task in the Type a new task text box
in the To-Do Bar from any view in Outlook, type in any blank space in the Daily Task
List in Calendar, or click and type in the Click here to add a new Task text box at the
top of Tasks view. Of these, the fastest way is to use the To-Do Bar.

Creating a task from the file menu

 On the File menu, point to New, and then click Task. See figure 4.35

Figure 4.35: new task window

 In the Subject box, type a name for the task.

 On the Task tab, in the Actions group, click Save & Close or continue with the
following steps to customize your task.

o If you want, set the Start date and the Due date for the task.
o If you specify a Start date, the Due date field is automatically set to
the same day. You can change the Due date field to any date that you
want.
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 o If you want to make the task recur, on the Task tab, in the Options
group, click Recurrence.
o In the Task Recurrence dialog box, click the frequency (Daily, Weekly,
Monthly or Yearly) with which the task should recur, and then do one
of the following:
o Click OK to close the Task Recurrence dialog box.
 If you want to add a reminder alert, select the Reminder check box, and then
enter the date and time for the reminder.
 You can specify a custom sound to be played with your reminder.

o Click ,
o Click Browse, select the sound file to play,
o Click Open, and then click OK.
This changes the reminder sound only for this task.
 If you want to track your progress on this task, in the Status, Priority, and %
complete boxes, enter the values that you want.
 If you want to assign a color category to your task, on the Task tab, in the
Options group, click Categorize, and then click one of the color categories on
the menu. For more color categories, click All Categories.
 If your task involves a person or organization in your Contacts, you can
create a quick link to the contact, by clicking Contacts at the bottom of the
window, and then selecting an entry. Click OK to close the Select Contacts
dialog box.
 If you do not want other people to see a shared task entry, on the Task tab,
in the Options group, click Private.
 If you want to enter mileage, work hours, and other billing information, on
the Task tab, in the Show group, click Details. Type the information in the
Total work, Actual work, Mileage, and Billing information text boxes.
 On the Task tab, in the Save group, click Save and Close.

4.6.3 Notes

A note is brief written document as an aid to memory.

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Creating a note
On the File menu, point to
New, and then click Note.
See figure 4.31

Type the text of the note.

To close the note, click the

note icon in the upper-left
corner of the Note window,
and then click Close. Closing the note also saves it. Figure 4.36: new task window

 You can leave the note open while you work. When you change the note, the
changes are saved automatically.
 You can make it easier to
organize, find, sort, or identify
notes by assigning color
categories

Change the default color, font, and

size of new notes you create

 On the Tools menu, click Options

(See figure 4.31).
 Click Note Options.
 Select the options that you want.

Figure 4.37: notes options window

To change the color of individual notes, you need to assign a color to each note.
The notes will acquire the color that is associated with the assigned color category,
which overrides the default color of the note.

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Change the size of notes
You can change the size of individual notes or change the default size to affect all
new notes.

Change size of an individual note

Do one of the following:
 Drag the lower-right corner of the note to the size that you want.
 Double-click the bar across the top of the note.
 In the upper-left corner of the note, right-click the note icon , and then click
Minimize or Maximize.
Change the default size of notes
 On the Tools menu, click Options.
 On the Preferences tab, click Note Options.
 In the Size list, click Small, Medium, or Large.
Show or hide the time and date on new and existing notes
 On the Tools menu, click Options.
 On the Other tab, click Advanced Options.
 Under Appearance options, select or clear the When viewing Notes, show time
and date check box.

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 Exercise 4

1. What are the steps for Starting and Quitting Microsoft Office Outlook 2007?

2. What are the main elements of the Outlook 2007 Main screen? Briefly explain
the use of each element.

3. Create a message for one of your friends with the subject ‘my first message’.
 Check that your message has no spelling and/or grammar error
 Send your message.
 Check that your message is sent.

4. Use the message that you received from your friend to exercise the following
 Prepare to a message for three of your friends (other than the one who
sent the message).
 Select a picture from ‘my pictures’ folder and attach it with the message
that you are about to send.
 Send your message

5. Open the message that is forwarded for you. Did you see an attachment
with
the message? If you do, save it on your desktop by the name forwarded
message.
 Send a thank you note for the sender of the message.

6. Open the previous message and delete the attachment.

 Send a reply to the sender without including the original message

7. Delete the last message you receive from your friend.

 Open the deleted items folder and restore the message that you have
deleted
 Select the restored message as ‘unread’.
 Select the restored message as ‘read’.

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  Delete the message once again. This time remove it from the deleted items
folder.

8. Open a message and add the details of the sender in your contacts
 Include all details that are not pre-filled.
 Create as many contacts as you can(use address of your classmates)

9. Create a Distribution List by the name classmates

 Add e-mail address of five members to your list
 Compose a message and send it to your distribution list

10. List out five tasks you wish to perform in a week. (One of the tasks should
recur every week.
 Use outlook to create your tasks.
 Add a reminder alert for each task.
 Use a color category to your tasks.

11. Create a note and close it.

 Re-open your note and hide the time and date on your note.
 Close your note again
 Re-open your note to show the time and date on it

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 Unit V

5 Word Processing

1. INTRODUCTION

This unit will present the commonly used word processing features. Creating and
editing documents, document formatting, working on tables drawing or inserting of
objectives and Working on long documents that include working with mail merge and
printing document.

2. OBJECTIVES

At the end of this unit, the student should be able to:

 Describe word processing software
 Create, Open and Save a document
 Apply document editing techniques.
 Apply document formatting techniques.
 Insert and modify tables within a document.
 Apply drawing and inserting objects on a document.
 Create and use long documents

3. CONTENT

5. Word Processing
5.1 Introduction to Word Processing
5.2 Microsoft Word - Creating and Editing Document
5.3 Microsoft Word - Formatting Document
5.4 Microsoft Word – Drawing and Inserting Objects
5.5 Microsoft Word - Tables
5.6 Microsoft Word – Working with Long Documents

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 Word Processing
Lesson 5.1 Introduction to Word Processing
Lesson Objectives
At the end of this Lesson the student should be able to:
 Clarify the concept of word processing and word processor software
 Run and use Word Processing Software (i.e. Ms-Word 2007)
 Recognize the screen elements of Word 2007

5.1.1 What is Word Processing?

Word processing is the creation of documents using a word processor. The term
document is often used for a file created with a word processor. In addition to text,
documents can contain graphics, tables, charts, and other objects. A word
processor (more formally known as document preparation system) is a
computer application used for the production (including composition, editing,
formatting, and possibly printing) of any sort of printable material. Word processing
was one of the earliest applications for the personal computer in office productivity.

There are many commercial word processing applications, such as Microsoft Word,
WordPerfect. Though, Microsoft Word is the most widely used word processing
system, almost many word processors enable users to employ word processing
functions.

5.1.2 What is Microsoft Office Word 2007?

Microsoft Word is Microsoft's word processing software. Beginning with the 2003
version, Microsoft began calling it Microsoft Office Word instead of merely
Microsoft Word including as a component within the Office suite. The latest
releases are Word 2007 for Windows and Word 2008 for Mac OS X.

Word 2007 uses a new file format called “docx”. Word 2000-2003 users on Windows
systems can install a free add-on called the "Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack" to

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be able to open, edit, and save the new Word 2007 files. Alternatively, Word 2007
can save to the old doc format of Word 97-2003.

5.1.3 Starting Microsoft Office Word 2007

 Switch on your computer and if required enter the necessary logon and
passwords. To start Microsoft Word 2007 click on the Start icon, at the
bottom left of your screen and you will see a popup menu. Click on All
programs. Another menu level is displayed and you can select Microsoft
Office. Finally select Microsoft Office Word 2007.
 You can also use Run command from Start program menu. To do this Click on
start, then click on Run. Type the path name (i.e. WINWORD) and finally,
press the Ok button.

5.1.4 The Microsoft Word 2007 Window

When the Microsoft Word 2007 program loads, your window looks like Figure 5.1:

Figure 5.1 : Microsoft Office Word 2007 Screenshot

The Word 2007 Screen Elements include the Office button, Quick access
toolbar, Title bar, the ribbon, view buttons, the status bar, etc. Here is a

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 description of some of the most common screen elements: Check Figure 5.1

 Office button : It is that large, round control in the upper-left corner of

some of Office 2007 applications. It offers basics such as New, Open, and
Save commands. It Opens the Office menu, from which you can open, save,
print, and start new document.
 Quick Access Toolbar: is a small toolbar next to the Office button contains
shortcuts for some of the most common commands. The Quick Access
Toolbar is located right beside the Office Button. It is comparable to the
Standard toolbar in earlier versions of Office programs. With the new Ribbon,
by default it contains 3 buttons but you can customize the toolbar to include
other buttons that are not found anywhere on the Ribbon, as well as any
macros you might want to have handy. To add or remove buttons, click the
down arrow. When the Customize Quick Access Toolbar menu appears,
select or deselect an option.
 Title bar: Identifies the Word program running and the name of the active
presentation. It holds the Minimize, Maximize /Restore and Close buttons at
the right corner.
 Ribbon: is the bar across the top of the window that contains tabbed pages
of commands and icons. It functions as a combination of menu bar and
toolbar, offering tabbed "pages" of buttons, lists, and commands. The ribbon
consists of:
o Tab such as Home, Insert, etc. Every tab contains several groups and
every group has its own command icons.
o Group: A section of a tab. For example, the Home tab has the
following groups: Clipboard, Font, Paragraph, Styles, and Editing.
o Dialog box launcher: A small icon in the bottom-right corner of a
group, from which you can open a dialog box related to that group.
 View buttons: Allow you to see the active Word window/page in different
views.
 Status bar: Reports information about the document and provides shortcuts
for changing the view and the zoom.

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 Exercise 5.1
1. What is Word processing?
2. Define word processor software and give some example of word processing
software.
3. What is the difference between Microsoft Word 2007 and other versions of
Microsoft word application software?
4. List the possible ways of running Microsoft Office word 2007.
5. What are the most common screen elements of Microsoft Word 2007?

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Lesson 5.2 Microsoft Word: Creating and Editing a Document
Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Create a new document.
 Open, Save and Close a document.
 Enter text into a document.
 Use Undo and Redo commands.
 Select Text, paragraph, line and entire document.
 Copy and Move text within a document.
 Find and Replace Text.
 Use Microsoft Word help features.

5.2.1 Creating a Document

When you first start Microsoft Word, it automatically creates a new Microsoft Word
document for you. This is like a piece of blank paper on to which you can start
typing. Press the Enter key a few times, this drops you down a line each time you
press the Enter key. You can also create a new document as:
 Click on the Office Button, Click on New then select blank document from
template and click on Ok button.
 You can also create a new document by pressing Ctrl + N.

Now do the following practical example:

 Click on Star Icon from the Task bar. Point to All Programs then to Microsoft
Office. Click on Microsoft Office Word 2007, now your default document will
be opened for you. Then Write the following text:
What is Health Informatics?
Health informatics or medical informatics is the intersection of
information science, computer science, and health care . It deals with
the resources, devices, and methods required for optimizing the
acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of information in health and
biomedicine.

5.2.2 Saving Microsoft Word documents

Saving is the process of storing or keeping files onto local hard disk or any other

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storage media. When you are working on a document, it is a good idea to save your
work every couple of minutes.
When you click on the Office button, you will typically find the options "Save" and
"Save As...". Choosing "Save" simply saves your work by updating the last saved
version of the file to match the current file version you are working. Choosing "Save
As..." brings up a prompt to save your work as a file with a different name. This way,
you can save you file at different stages and keep multiple versions on your hard
drive.

When you save a file, you can save it to a folder on your hard disk drive, a network
location, disk, CD, the desktop, or another storage location and you need to identify
the target location in the Save in list.

To save a file, click on the Save icon (next to the Microsoft Office button). If it is for
the first time it will display the Save As.. Dialog box. See Figure 5.2

Figure: 5. 2: Save As Dialog box

By default Microsoft Word will attempt to create a file name taken from the text at
the start of the document. Click on the Save button and the document will be saved
to disk as a file using the file name suggested by Microsoft Word. By default the
Microsoft Word document will be saved into a folder called My Documents (if using

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Windows XP) or Documents (if using Windows Vista).

If you wanted to change the folder in which the file is saved you would click on the
down arrow to the right of the Save in section of the dialog box and navigate to the
required folder.

Now you are going to save the document that you have written on the previous
example, on your local disk C:\ with a file name called Word Practice1. To do this:
 Click on the Microsoft Office button and from the menu displayed,
 Click on the Save As command. This will display the Save As dialog box.
 Select your Local disk C:\drive and enter file name as: Word Practice1
 Finally, click on the Save button.
 If you wanted to save a file with earlier Word versions, you can click on Save
As Type and Select Word 97-2003 document. When you save a document
with Word 97-2003 save as type, it assigns a file extension name of *.doc.
However, Word 2007 automatically assign a file extension name of *.docx.

5.2.3 Opening and closing documents

To Close the File: Click on the Microsoft Office button

and select the Close command. (i.e. In this case, close
Word Practice1 document)

To open a document: click on the Office Button and

select the Open command (See Figure 5.3). This will
display the Open dialog box. Within this dialog box, Figure 5. 3 Open
Command
select the file that you saved (i.e. Word Practice1 from Local disk c:\) and click on
the Open button. Your file will be copied from your hard disk into your computer
memory. You will now see your document displayed on the screen again.

5.2.4 Document Selection

 In Microsoft Office Word 2007, you can select text or items in a table by using
the mouse or the keyboard. You can also select text or items that are in
different places. For example; as shown on Figure 5.4, the highlighted title
“What is Health Informatics “is selected.

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 Figure 5.4 : Selected Text

 Open the document C:\Word Practice1 and do the following:

 Click once in the middle of a word within your document. Press the Shift key
down (and hold it down). Press the Left arrow key or Right arrow key once.
Then let go of the Shift key. As you can see you have just selected a
character. You may select character “W” from title of the paragraph.
 Repeat the last operation using a different word, but this time press the arrow
key a few times. This allows you to select more than one character. And using
mouse techniques, selecting a word is easier.
 Double click on any word within the document. The word is now selected.
 Experiment with selecting to the beginning of a line. To do this click within
any line of text. While keeping the Shift key pressed, press the Home key.
Release the Shift key.
 Experiment with selecting to the end of a line. To do this click within any line
of text. While keeping the Shift key pressed, press the End key. Release the
Shift key.
 Experiment with selecting an entire line of text. To do this move the mouse
pointer to the left of the line which you wish to select, until the mouse pointer
changes from an I bar shape, to an arrow shape pointing upwards and to the
right. You are now in the “Selection Bar”, a special screen area. Click once
with the mouse button to select the line.
 Experiment with selecting a sentence. To do this, move the mouse pointer
within the sentence which you wish to select. Press down the CTRL key and
then click within the sentence.
 Experiment with selecting a paragraph. To do this triple click within a
paragraph. Experiment with selecting the entire document. To do this press
Ctrl+A.

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5.2.5 Inserting and Deleting Text

You can insert text at the beginning, middle or end of the text. Like wise, you can
also delete texts using ether Del or Backspace keys.

When you insert text, you should know the difference between insert and overtype
mode. By default when you are editing a document the new text is inserted within
the existing text. In overtype mode new text may overwrite existing text. If you are
not paying attention, you can lose data!

In older versions of Microsoft Word pressing the INS (or Insert) key would enable
overtype mode typing. This had the effect of typing in a new word between existing
words and overwriting the existing text. With Word 2007, pressing the Insert key has
no effect to insert as over type mode unless enabled from the Advanced Word
Options.

If you want to enable Overtyping mode, then you can enable it via the Word Options
available via the Office Button. To do this:
 Click on Office button, and Click on the Word Option,
 Click on Advance Tab and select Use Overtype mode. ( See Figure 5.5)
 Also you can select Use insert key to control over type mode typing if you
select Use the Insert key to control overtype mode from advanced
options.

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 Figure 5.5: Word Options
 While the document C:\Word Practice1 is opened, do the following:
 Click at the very end of the text within the document and then press the Enter
key twice. This will add some line spaces to the end of the document.
 Type the following
Health informatics tools include not only computers but also clinical
guidelines, formal medical terminologies, and information and
communication systems. (Source: wikipedia.org)
 As you can see inserting a word/paragraph is easy. Now you have two
paragraphs within your document.
 Select the (source: Wikipedia.org) and delete it, by pressing the Delete key.
What do you observe?

5.2.6 Using Undo and Redo features

 Click on the Undo icon that is found on the Quick Access Toolbar as shown on
Figure 5.6. Thus your text re-appears.
 Click once between two words within the document and you will see that if
you type in a new word, it is inserted between the existing words. If you
make it overtype mode, it will delete the next character while you are

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 inserting the current word.
 Click on the Undo icon to undo this.
 Click on the Repeat Typing ( or Redo Ctrl
+Y) icon and your text will reappear. Undo
or Repeat typing is found next to Undo
button on the Quick Access toolbar. Figure 5. 6 : Undo-Redo Buttons

 Finally, save your changes using save icon from Home tab.

5.2.7 Copying and Moving text within a document

To Copy:
 Open C:\Word Practce1 and Select the first paragraph. Press: Ctrl + C. (you
can also use either right click method or copy tool).
 Click at the end of the document and Press: the Enter key to insert a
paragraph.
 Press: Ctrl + V. This pastes the text from the Clipboard to the current position
of the 'Insertion point'. The 'Insertion Point' is indicated by the flashing,
vertical cursor.
 Click on the Repeat Typing icon (it is also referred as Redo) from Quick
Access toolbar or Press: Ctrl + Y keyboard short cut.
To Move:
 Select the second paragraph. Press: Ctrl + X. This cuts (i.e. moves) the
selected text onto the Clipboard.
 Click at the end of the document.
 Press the Enter key to insert a space.
 Press: Ctrl + V. This pastes the text from the Clipboard to the current position
of the Insertion point.
 Click on the Undo icon to reverse this action.
 Save your changes and close the document.

5.2.8 Using the Office Clipboard and Paste Special

The Microsoft Office Clipboard allows you to copy multiple text and graphical items
from Office documents or other programs and paste them into another Office
document. For example, you can copy text or graphics and then paste them all into a

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document. By using the Office Clipboard, you can arrange the copied items the way
that you want in the document.

The Office Clipboard is related to the system Clipboard in Microsoft Word and it
works with the standard Copy and Paste commands in the following ways:
 When you copy multiple items to the Office Clipboard, the last item that you
copy is always copied to the system Clipboard.
 When you clear the Office Clipboard, the system Clipboard is also cleared.
 When you use the Paste command, the Paste button, or the keyboard
shortcut CTRL+V, you paste the contents of the system Clipboard, not the
Office Clipboard.

For example, just copy an item to the Office Clipboard to add it to your collection,
and then paste it from the Office Clipboard into any Office document at any time.
The collected items stay on the Office Clipboard until you exit all Office programs or
you delete the items from the Clipboard task pane. After you exit all Office
programs, only the last item that you copied stays on the Office Clipboard. When you
exit all Office programs and restart your computer, the Office Clipboard is cleared of
all items.

Paste Special from Clipboard

When using Microsoft Word you will find the Cut, Copy and Paste icons under the
Home tab. If you choose Paste special option, it will display the dialog box as shown
on Figure 5.7:

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 Figure 5. 7: Paste Special
You will notice that there is a down arrow under the Paste command. Clicking on this
will display more options, such as the Paste Special option, which, when clicked on,
will allow you more control on how items in the Clipboard are pasted into a
document.

Removing items from the Office Clipboard

 While C:\Word Practice1 is opened, Copy the first Paragraph
 Also copy the second paragraph and check if two paragraphs are copied onto
the clipboard.
 Select an item (i.e. the first clipboard item
within the Office Clipboard, as displayed within
the Microsoft Office Clipboard pane.)
 Right click on the item and from the popup
menu displayed like Figure 5.8, select the
Delete command. Make sure that the clipboard Figure 5. 8: Removing
Clipboard Items
pane is empty.
 Save your changes and close the document.

5.2.9 Finding and Replacing Text

You can quickly search for every occurrence of a specific word or phrase and
replace it with a desired text.
 Open C:\Word Practice1.

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  Click on the Find button, located within the Editing section of the Home tab.
This will display the Find dialog box See Figure 5.9
 If you click the Replace Tab, both Find What and Replace With boxes will be
displayed). OR To display the Replace display box, press: Ctrl+H.

Figure 5. 9: Find and Replace Dialog box

 Within the Find what section type in the text you wish to search for, Example:
type on Find What “medical informatics”
 Click on the Find Next button. Keep clicking on the Find Next button to find
more occurrences of the word. When there are no more instances of the text
to be found you will see the
following dialog box.
 Within the Replace With section
type in the text you wish to
replace for (i.e. bioinformatics)
and Click on the Replace button. Figure 5.10: Message Box

In the same way replace all instanced of the text and finally you will get a
confirmation message that Word has finished searching the document. See
Figure 5.10
 Save all your changes with the document.

5.2.10Using Help within Microsoft Word

 If you look at your Microsoft Word screen there is a Help icon towards the top
right of the screen. This is in the shape of a question mark.
 Click on this Help icon and you will see Word Help (Figure 5.11)

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 Figure 5. 11: Word Help

 Try clicking on the 'What's New' item and you will see related topics.
 Click on the 'What's new in Microsoft Office Word 2007' topic and you will see
a screen itemizing the new features of this version of Microsoft Word.
 Scroll down within this window to see more information. Click on the 'Show
table of contents' icon to display a table of contents down the left side of the
window.
 You can use the Back button within the Help window to see previously viewed
pages. Clicking on the Home button within the Microsoft Word help window
will display the default starting page again.
 You can search for help on a particular topic. For instance, try searching for
help relating to printing by typing the word 'Printing' into the Search box.
You can click within the table of contents to jump to an item of interest. Try it
now. Before continuing, close the Help window.
Using the Alt key help
 Press the Alt key and you will see numbers and letters displayed over icons,
tabs or commands, towards the top of your screen. If you type in a number
or letter you will activate a command. For instance in the example shown, the
number 1 is displayed over the Save icon. Type in 1 and you will see the Save
As dialog box displayed. Close this dialog box.

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 Exercise 5.2:
1. Open Ms- Word and Write the following text.
An electronic health record (EHR) refers to an individual patient's
medical record in digital format. Electronic health record systems co-
ordinate the storage and retrieval of individual records with the aid of
computers. EHR systems are believed to reduce medical record errors,
minimize costs, increase task efficiency and promote standardization
of healthcare.
2. Save the document by a file name File1 under C:\Your Local disk.
3. Close File1.
4. Open File 1 and add this Title at the beginning “What is Electronic Health
Record?”
5. Enter the following paragraph at the end of the first paragraph
EHRs are usually accessed on a computer, often over a network. It
may be made up of electronic medical records (EMRs) from many
locations and/or sources. Among the many forms of data often
included in EMRs are patient demographics, medical history, medicine
and allergy lists (including immunization status), and laboratory test
results, radiology images, billing records and advanced directives.
6. See practically how you can select a character, word, line, sentence,
paragraph, a group of paragraph, entire document.
7. Select and copy the entire paragraph at the end of the document.
8. Delete the copied item from your document.
9. Find the term EHR and replace it with Electronic Health Record.
10. Copy all the document to a new blank document
11. Save this new document file with file name called EHR Note under c:\Your
Name.
12. Close all opened documents by saving changes. What do you think if you
close it without saving?
13. Exit Word.

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 Lesson 5.3 Microsoft Word: Formatting a Document
Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Use Font, font size, font style, font color and font effects
 Utilize case changing and format painter features of Word 2007
 Use paragraph marks, alignment, indentations, and line spacing
 Use bullets and numbering lists
 Apply borders and shading
 Use Tabs and Styles
 Apply Headers and Footers
 Apply page margins, orientations, page numbers and cover pages

5.3.1 Text Formatting

You can format a document at different levels within Microsoft Word. The most basic
level is called text formatting. This relates to formatting characters and words within
a document and covers the font type, font size, font color and font attributes such as
bold, italic or underlining.

5.3.2 Using Font

You can specify how you want text to appear by selecting options in the Font dialog
box. With Font, you can apply font type, font size, font style, font color, font effects,
highlighting and other features. To Open the Font dialog box, click on the Show Font
Dialog box button at the Font Group of the Home Tab or press the keyboard shortcut
(Ctrl + D) key. Here is Font Dialog Box (See Figure 5.12):

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 Figure 5. 12: Font Toolbar

Font Type:
After selecting a sentence or paragraph, you will be able to select a different font
from the drop down list supplied. Experiment with formatting your paragraphs using
different fonts. You can also experiment with applying different font types to
individual words or sentences. By default Microsoft Word 2007 uses a font called
Calibri.

Font Size
The font size refers to the height of the text. Below 8 pt font size text is almost
unreadable, so try and use a font size that is easy to read on the screen and also
easy to read when printed. You can also use the Grow and Shrink Font icons

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 As an example Select a text and click on the Grow Font . This automatically

increases font size. You can also click on shrink Font icons. to decrease font
size.

Font size keyboard shortcut

 Make sure that the paragraph or text is selected.
 Press down the Ctrl key and while keeping the Ctrl key pressed down, press
the ‘closing square brackets’ key;]. While keeping the Ctrl key pressed down,
repeatedly press the ‘closing square brackets’ key.
 As you can see, each time you press the] key, the text gets bigger. To make
the selected text smaller, use the Ctrl+ [keys. Alternatively,
 To make the text larger, click Grow Font. Or Press: CTRL+SHIFT+>.
 To make the text smaller, click Shrink Font. Or Press: CTRL+SHIFT+<.

Font Style: Bold, Italic or Underline

You can add emphasis to parts of your text by displaying them in Bold, Italic or
Underlined, or in a combination of these attributes. Select a word within the
paragraph that you need to make bold, italic or underline. Then click on the icons
displayed on the Home tab. You can also combine these attributes by clicking on the
bold icon and then the Italic icon. To remove this formatting from a word, Select the
word and re-click on the Bold, Italic or Underline icon.

As an example: Write the text “Health Management Information System”. Click on

Font type and select Times New Roman Select font size 16, Click on Bold, Italic and
Underline.
Before Formatting: Health Management Information System

After Formatting: Health Management Information System

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Font Color
You can apply different colors to your text which can add impact to your documents
if you are going to print them using a color printer. Do not use too many colors on a
single page as this can look messy. The rule with color is that
less is good.
 Select the text “Health Management Information
System.”
 To change the font color click on the down arrow to the
right of the Font Color icon (like Figure 5.13).
 You can click on one of these colors (Blue for instance)
Figure 5. 4: Font Color
to change the font color.

Highlighting
The highlighting feature is great if you are reviewing a document and is used in the
same fashion as you would use a pen highlighter on a printed copy. You can change
the highlighting color but if you intend to print the document in black and white, do
not use a very dark highlighting color, as you may find the highlighted words are
blacked out and unreadable.

 Select the text “Health Management Information

System” and then click on the Text Highlight Color icon
(located in the Font section of the Home tab). This will
apply highlighting to the selected text.
 To change the highlighting color click on the down arrow
Figure 5. 14: Highlighting
to the right of this icon (like Figure
5.14)
 You can click on one of these colors to change the highlighting color the next
time you apply highlighting.
 To remove highlighting from highlighted text, select the text and then click on
the down arrow to the right of the Highlight icon. Select No Color.

Font Effects: Subscript and Superscript

Font effects include applying strikethrough, shadow, superscript, subscript, and other

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effects on the selected document. Sometimes you need to display a character above
or below the normal text line using Superscript or subscript features of word.
 Superscript refers to characters displayed above the
normal line. An example would be the famous Einstein
equation below. On the Home tab, in the Font group,
click Superscript. Or Press: CTRL+SHIFT+=.
 Subscript refers to text displayed below the normal
line of text. An example would be the chemical formula
for water. On the Home tab, in the Font group, click
Subscript. Or Press: CTRL+=.
- For example, Open a blank document and Write the text (E=MC2) without
applying any formatting.
- Select the 2 within Einstein’s equation. Click on the Superscript icon in the
Font section of the Home tab.
- Write (H2O) and Select the 2 within the formula for water. Click on the
Subscript icon in the Font section of the Home tab.

5.3.3 Case Changing

Case Changing feature as shown on
Figure 5.15, allows you to select a
portion of text and then change the
capitalization within that text. For
instance you could select a heading
within your document and format it
to display as all upper case letters.

It is also very useful if you have

Figure 5.5: Case Changing
accidentally pressed the Caps Lock
key and have then typed in text with the capitalized appearing reversed. This feature
allows you to correct this mistake without having to delete the text and start again!
For example, Open Word Practice1 and select the first paragraph of your document.
Within the Font section of the Home tab click on the Change Case icon. This will
display a drop down list of options. Click on the UPPERCASE command. The selected
paragraph will be written with UPPERCASE.

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5.3.4 Using Format Painter

Select Format painter from Clipboard See Figure 5.16,

then Move the mouse pointer to the start of a different
paragraph within the document and while pressing the
mouse key down drag to the end of that paragraph and
then release the mouse button. The formatting
contained within the original paragraph is now copied to
the second paragraph. The mouse pointer
Figure 5.6: Format Painter
now displays its original shape.
This feature allows you to pick up the formatting that has been applied to one
portion of text and apply that formatting to another portion of text.
 For example open a blank document and write the text Health Informatics,
 Press Enter key and write Medical Science.
 Select the text “Health Informatics” and apply Bold, Italic, Underline with blue
color formatting.
 While the text Health Informatics is selected, click on Format Painter on the
Clipboard. Move your pointer and click on the second line text-Medical
Science.
Removing formatting
This feature can be very useful if you get yourself into a mess with your formatting,
or if you receive a document from someone else that has been 'over formatted'.
 Select the text
“Health
Informatics” to
remove its
formatting.
 Click on the
Figure 5. 17: Clear Formatting
Clear Formatting
icon from Font group as shown on Figure 5.17 and the formatting is removed.
Finally, save changes.

5.3.5 Paragraph Formatting

Paragraph formatting includes items

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such as alignment and indenting as well as numbering and bulleting of lists.
If you click on the Home tab, you will see a paragraph section (like Figure 5.18)
within the Ribbon. To select paragraph, you can triple click within the paragraph.

Figure 5. 18: Paragraph Toolbars

Paragraph marks
Click on the Show/Hide icon and you will be able to see the paragraph marks within
the document. Click at the end of a paragraph and press the Enter key. You will see
a new paragraph mark displayed (See Figure 5.19). Press the Backspace key to
delete this paragraph mark.
Figure 5. 19: Paragraph Mark

Soft Paragraph (line break) Marks

 When you press the Enter key you insert a paragraph mark. If you press the
Shift+ Enter keys you insert a soft paragraph mark, which is also known as a
line break. The visual effect is often the same, but when you insert a line
break, then the text after the line break (up to the next paragraph mark) will
be treated as a single paragraph.
 To remove a soft paragraph mark, click at the end of a line break and press
the Del (Delete) key.
 For example, open your document Word Practice1 and Click at the end of the
first sentence within a paragraph. To insert a soft paragraph break. Press:
Shit + Enter key. To delete the two soft paragraphs line breaks, you can
press Backspace key.
Inserting Page Break
Instead of line break you can also insert page break using Ctrl + Enter Key. This will
take your paragraph to the beginning of the next page on your document. For
instance open Word Practice1 and click over the end of the first paragraph. Then
Press: CTRL + Enter key. This will enforce you to go for the next page within your
document. You can also access Page break form Page Layout tab, on the Break

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Section of Page Setup group.

5.3.6 Text Alignment

Text can be aligned with alignment toolbars (See Figure

5.20) to the left or to the right. It can also be centered
or justified. If you justify text, Microsoft Word inserts
extra spaces into the lines of text so that the left and
right edges of the text line up vertically, and Figure 5. 20: Alignment

you do not see a ragged edge down the right side of the text.

5.3.7 Indentation and line spacing

It is easy to indent a paragraph. You would normally indent a paragraph from the left
by a specified amount, and you can also indent from the right or hanging indents.
For example open your Word Practice1 document:
 Select the first paragraph that is aligned to the left.
 Click on the Increase Indent from the paragraph group on the Home tab.
 Click on the decrease indent to move decrease indentation.

To apply indentation from both directions, click show paragraph dialog box. The
paragraph dialog box will be displayed (See Figure 5.21). Now set the Left
Indentation to 1” and the right indentation to 1”. Finally, click ok. Thus your
paragraph will be indented by 1 pt from both directions.

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 Figure 5. 21: Paragraph Dialog Box

Applying line spacing within paragraphs

 Select the first paragraph of your document Word
Practice1. Within a paragraph group, on the Home
tab, Click on the Line Spacing icon. This will display
a drop down list like Figure 5.22, from which you
can select line spacing options.
 Select 1.5 and look at what happens to the
formatting of your paragraph. You can also selector
set line spacing from the Figure 5. 22: Line Spacing

paragraph dialog box.

Applying spacing above or below paragraphs
You can adjust the spacing between your paragraphs. This can sometimes make long
documents clearer, or can be used
to bring attention to certain
paragraphs within a document.
Select the first paragraph within
your document of Word Practice1. Figure 5. 23: Paragraph Spacing
Within the paragraph section of the Home tab, click on the Paragraph Dialog Box

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Launcher. Within the Spacing section of the Paragraph dialog box (See Figure 5.23),
use the Before and After control to set the space that will be inserted before and
after the paragraph. Now set 12 pt before and 12 pt after on the spacing section.
Finally, click ok and look the difference.

5.3.8 Bulleted and Numbered Lists

To Apply Bulleted List:
 You can easily format a list to display
using bullet points.
 Open Word blank document
 Click on bullet icon from Paragraph
group on the home tab (See Figure
5.24)
 Enter your name and hit Enter key. The
bullet is automatically added for you.
Now add another 2 additional names.
Figure 5. 24: Bulleted List
 To change the bullet style, select the
list of names that you have entered.
 Click on the arrow on the Bullet icon (located within the Paragraph section of
the Home tab). Then select any bulleted style.
 You can also use a customized bulleted style.

Applying Numbers to a list

 Microsoft Word can automatically
number a list for you. For instance,
Select the list of texts or names that you
have entered with bulleted lists.
 Click on the Numbering icon (located
within the Paragraph section of the
Home tab See Figure 5.25). The Figure 5. 25: Numbered List
list will then be displayed as a numbered list.
 You can change number styles by clicking the arrow on the Numbering icon.

5.3.9 Adding borders and shading

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Adding a border
You can display a border around a paragraph to add more
impact to that paragraph. You can also add shading. To
emphasize a paragraph you could reverse the normal color
display, so that text within that paragraph is displayed as
white text on a black background. Do the following:
 Open your document.
 Click within the header section of the paragraph.
 Within the Paragraph section on the Home tab, click
on the Down arrow to the right of the Border icon.
(See Figure 5.26)
 This will display a drop down list from which you
Figure 5. 26: Border
can select the type of border you wish to apply. In this case select the
Outside Borders command. A border will be applied around this paragraph.

Modifying your borders

Click within a paragraph which does not have a border applied to it, then
- Within the Paragraph section on the Home tab, Click on the Down arrow to
the right of the Border icon.
- From the list displayed, select the Borders and Shading command. This will
display the Borders and Shading dialog box. (See Figure 5.27)

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 Figure 5. 27 : Borders and Shading Dialog Box

 From the Setting section of the dialog select the 3-D. Use the Style section of
the dialog to select a different border style.
 Click on the down arrow to the right of the Color section to display a list of
colors. Select a color.
 Experiment with applying some of the other border types (after each time
click on the Undo icon). You can use Borders dialog box to change the
shading setting, style, color and width. Click on the OK button to close the
dialog box and apply the border.

Adding and modifying shading

 Within the Paragraph section on the Home tab, click on the Down arrow to the
right of the Shading icon.
 From the list displayed, select the More Colors command. This it displays the
Colors dialog box (See Figure 5.28)
 Select a color and then click on the OK button.

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 Figure 5. 28 : Colors Dialog Box

5.3.10 Using Tabs:

In early versions of Microsoft Word, using 'Tab Stops' was a vital method for
formatting particular items within a Microsoft Word document. Tabs were commonly
used for displaying columns of data, with each column of data being separated from
the next column by a tab space.

As newer versions of Microsoft Word have been

released over the years the use of tab stops within a
document has lessened, as Microsoft Word will now
automatically insert tab spaces into document
elements such as a ‘table of contents’.

When you create a new, blank document, by default

the Ruler does not contain tab stops. Before manually
inserting tabs stops, you should display the Microsoft
Word Ruler. This Ruler allows you to easily insert tab
stops. (See Figure 5.29) If the Ruler is not displayed Figure 5. 29: Tab
Selector
click on the View Ruler button (displayed at the top of

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your vertical scroll bar).
If clicking on this button removes the display of the Ruler, click on it again and the
Ruler will be displayed again across the top of your document.

Set the tab stops

You might want to use the ruler to set manual tab stops at the left side, middle, and
right side of your document. If you don't see the horizontal ruler that runs along the
top of the document, click the View Ruler button at the top of the vertical scroll bar.

You can quickly set tabs by clicking the tab selector at the left end of the ruler until it
displays the type of tab that you want and then clicking the ruler at the location you
want. But which type of tab stop should you use? You should understand the
different types of tabs listed here.

A Left Tab stop sets the start position of text that will then run to the
right as you type.

A Center Tab stop sets the position of the middle of the text. The text
centers on this position as you type.

A Right Tab stop sets the right end of the text. As you type, the text moves
to the left.

A Decimal Tab stop aligns numbers around a decimal point. Independent of

the number of digits, the decimal point will be in the same position. (You can
align numbers around a decimal character only; you cannot use the decimal
tab to align numbers around a different character, such as a hyphen or an
ampersand symbol.)

A Bar Tab stop doesn't position text. It inserts a vertical bar at the tab
position.

If you want your tab stops at precise positions that you can't get by clicking the
ruler, or if you want to insert a specific character (leader) before the tab, you can

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use the Tabs dialog box. To display this dialog box, double-click any tab stop on the
ruler. See Figure 5.30
 You can then set Tab stop position,
 Select Alignment
 Select leader
 And click on Set button and
 Finally Click on Ok button

Figure 5.30: Tabs Dialog Box

5.3.11Using Styles

Styles are specially packaged sets of format that apply many formats at one
time. The styles are there for you to use again and again, which have more
options to help you design text and set alignment and spacing.

To Applying styles to a word, line or a paragraph,

 Open a document Word Practice 1 and Select the first line “What is Health
Informatics”.
 Click on the down arrow to the right of the Style box (See Figure 5.31). The
Style List box will display, then Apply Header 1 for your document title.

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 Figure 5. 31 : Style

You can also create a collection of formatting rules or styles and then save them
as a Microsoft Word style. This style can then be applied to selected text within a
document. To create your own quick style:
- Select the text that you want to create as a new style. Eg. What is Health
Informatics?
- Format the text as Bold, 14, Red color
- Right-click the selection, point to Styles, and then click Save Selection as
a New Quick Style.
- Give the style a name — for example, Health Style
- Then click OK.
- To apply this style (i.e. Health Style), select another text within your
document. For example select the last line.
- Click on Show More styles and select your health Style from the available
list of styles.

5.3.12 Page Formatting

Page formatting relates to formatting that normally affects the whole page, such as
page margins, orientations, size, columns that are found under the page Layout tab
of Word 2007.

Page margins
Your document has a top, bottom, left and right margin. This is the space between
the edge of your text and the edge of your page. Each margin may be increased or
decreased. Be careful not to decrease it too much or you may have problems printing
the documents.

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To modify your page margins:
 Click on the Page Layout tab. From the Page Setup section, Click on the
Margins button. A list of
preset options is displayed.
(See Figure 5.32).
Experiment with applying
these different preset margin
options.
 To create your own custom
margins, click on the Custom
Margins command displayed
at the bottom of the Margins
drop down list.

Figure 5. 32: Page Margins

Page orientation and paper size

You can choose either portrait (vertical) or
landscape (horizontal) orientation for all or part
of your document. When you change the
orientation, the galleries of predesigned page
and cover page options also change to offer
pages that have the orientation that you choose.
 Click on the Page Layout tab. Within the Page
Setup section, Click on the Orientation
Figure 5. 33: Page Margins
button as shown on Figure 5.33.
 A drop down list allows you to select either Portrait or Landscape page
orientation. Select Landscape.
Normally your Microsoft Word document will be displayed in Portrait page
orientation, which is like looking at a photograph, where the long edge is the vertical
line. You may change to Landscape orientation for certain types of documents such
as notices.

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5.3.13Creating Column Styles with Section Break

You can use section breaks to change the layout or formatting of a page or pages in
your document. For example, you can lay out part of a single-column page as two
columns.

Before applying paragraph column

An electronic health record (EHR) refers to an individual patient's medical
record in digital format. Electronic health record systems co-ordinate the
storage and retrieval of individual records with the aid of computers. EHR
systems are believed to reduce medical record errors, minimize costs ,
increase task efficiency and promote standardization of healthcare.

After Column Break, it will look like the following:

Figure 5. 34: Column Break

To do this:
- Open your document and select the first paragraph
- Click on Page layout tab
- Click on the Columns drop down arrow and select the number of columns you
need to set up for your paragraph. Example. Click Two.
- You can also choose More Columns to apply more preset and line between
columns: To do this:
o First select the paragraph and Click on Page Layout tab, then Click on
Columns and later Click on More Columns. This will display a column
dialog box as :

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 Figure 5.35: Columns Dialog box

o Select Preset column then Select line between check box if needed
o Set your custom width and spacing
o Finally Preview your document and Click on Ok button.

5.3.14 Headers and Footers

If you are planning to print a document, it is a good idea to add a footer or header to
the document, especially if it is a long document. Microsoft Word fields are easy to
insert and can be automatically updated. For instance you could insert the date
within the header of a document and arrange it so that each time you reprinted the
document, the current date was displayed. This would mean that if you printed the
document each month, then the correct month
would be displayed within the header.
Inserting Header
 Open Word Practice 1 document
 Click on the Insert tab and from the Header
and Footer section click on the Header icon. A
drop down list is displayed (See Figure 5.36) Figure 5. 7: Header and Footer
 Select the Edit Header command and type in your header text, HIT Program

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 Apply Header footer style by selecting from the list of Header Icon, for example
select Alphabet style for your document.
 Click on the Close Header and Footer icon. You can see your header displayed at
the top of your page. If you look closely you will see that a special header and
footer ribbon is displayed. This ribbon displays related commands to enhance
your header or footer.
 You can Click on Go to footer from the Navigation group of the Header Footer
Design tab to automatically jump to the footer and create the footer.
Inserting Footer
 Click on the Insert tab, and from the Header and Footer section click on the
Footer icon. A drop down list is displayed, select the Edit Footer command.
 You should see your footer text. Click at the end of the footer text.
 Click on the Page Number button and then select Current Position and select
the Accent Box.
 Once you insert the page number, Press the Tab key twice.
 Click on the Quick Parts button. From the drop down list displayed select the
Field command. This will display the Field dialog box and it allows you insert
a wide range of fields. (See Figure 5.37)

Figure 5. 37: Field Property for Quick Parts

 In this case select Date from category and select Long date format, then click
ok. Finally, Close the Header and Footer Ribbon and you will see your footer
displayed at the bottom of each page.

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5.3.15 Cover Pages

Cover Page feature was introduced in Microsoft Word 2007. It inserts a professional
looking front cover page into your document.
 Open a document and Click at the start of the document.
 Click on the Insert tab and then click on the Cover Page button (within the
Pages section). This will display a drop down from which you can select a

cover page type (See Figure 5.38). In this case select the Mod type.

Figure 5. 8: Cover Page

 Click on the [Type the document title] and then enter a title, such as 'About
Computers'. You can also insert a subtitle and abstract.
 Click on the [Pick the date] control to insert today's date.
 View the document in Print Preview view.
 When you have finished previewing your document, click on the Close Print
 Save your changes and close the file.

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 Exercise 5.3

1. Open the File called File1 that you created with Exercise 1
2. Format the First paragraph as:
Font= Arial, Size =12, Style= Bold, Italic, Color=Red, Dotted
Underline. And ALL CAPS
3. Format the Second paragraph as:
Character Spacing= Expanded by 2pt, position= lowered by 5pt
4. Format the First paragraph as:
Right alignment, Indented 0.5” from left and 1” from right, First line
with 1” Indented, and Line spacing 1.5 lines, Font=Verdana
5. Format the Second paragraph using toolbar as
Alignment=center, Line spacing= 2.0, Increase Indent twice, Highlight
color= Blue, style
6. Apply Header-1 Style for the Title of your document.
7. Insert page breaks between the first and the second paragraph.
8. Make Drop Cap for the first paragraph.
9. Shade the first paragraph of the first page with Pink Color.
10. Apply a 3-D border style for your paragraph found at the second page.
11. Enter another page break after the second page and create the following
Outline numbered list
Disease Classification
a. Communicable/Contagious Diseases
i. Malaria
ii. TB and Leprosy
iii. HIV/AIDS
b. Non communicable /Non-Contagious Diseases
i. Hypertension
ii. Stroke
iii. Diabetic

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12. Enter another page break after the third page and create the following tab
settings with Tab Settings.

Hospital Doctors Patients

Menilik II……………………………..100________________________3185
Alert……………………………………..25_________________________2245
Black Lion……………………………..500________________________5215

13. Create header and footer for the above document.

Page Header: Microsoft Office Word Practical Exercises
Page Footer:  0111-121314 9595, Page Number, Current date
14. Apply a header footer style.
15. Design your own cover page.
16. Save this file with a file name as Formatted File under c:\Local disk

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 Lesson 5.4 Microsoft Word: Working with Tables

Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Insert Tables, Rows, Columns and Navigate with in a table.
 Select cells, rows, or columns and editing text within a table.
 Modify cell, row, column width or height.
 Modify cell border width, color and style.

5.4.1 What is Table?

A table is a grid of cells with individual cells occurring at the intersection of

corresponding rows and columns. Tables are highly customizable and are useful for a
variety of tasks, from presenting numerical data to creating unique text layouts. As
just one example, you could create a table showing course assignments and their
respective due dates. In a table like this, course names could be placed in the far left
column, and due dates could go in the top row. Each cell would then represent a
specific assignment due for a particular class on a given date.

The following graphic is an example of a basic table with three columns and four
rows. The highlighted cell on Figure 5.39 is just one of the 12 cells in the table.

Figure 5. 39 Table with 4 Rows and 3 Columns

Tables are virtually unlimited in both their size and their ability to be modified. You
can create a table with just one cell, with two cells, even with 1000 cells or more.
Table cells, rows, and columns can be added, deleted, split, and merged at any time.
Once a table has been created, you can insert anything into a cell that you could in a

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normal document (e.g., text, images, or another table) and then format it with any
of Word's tools.

5.4.2 Inserting Table

You can insert a table into your document. Each cell within the table can display text
or a graphic. There are three ways to insert a table in Word 2007 document:

1. Clicking the Table button creates a table with the number of columns and
rows you select from the grid, with all the cells of equal size.

2. You can use the Insert Table dialog box, where you can specify the number of
rows and columns as well as their sizes.
3. You can also create a table by drawing cells the size you want.

When table was created, you can then enter text, numbers, and graphics into the
table's cells, which are the boxes at the intersections of a row and a column.

To Insert a Table with Table Button (method 1)

 Click the Insert tab of the Ribbon.

 In the Table group, click the Table icon. Word displays a drop-down list.
(See Figure 5.40)

Figure 5. 40: Table Button

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Drag the intended table columns and rows from the table grid. For example, 5 X 5
tables. The table will automatically insert into the document.

To Insert a Table Using Table Menu (method 2)

 Click the Insert tab of the Ribbon.

 In the Table group, click the Table icon.
 From the drop-down list displayed, click the
Insert Table command.
 From the Insert Table dialog box displayed,
(See Figure 5.41)in the Table size section,
specify the Number of columns and
Number of rows of the table. Example
insert table with 5 column by 2 row. Finally
Click OK.

To Draw a Table Figure 5. 41: Insert Table Dialog box

 Click the Insert tab of the Ribbon.

 In the Table group, click the Table icon. Word displays a drop-down list.
(See Figure 5.42)

Figure 5. 9: Draw Table

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  Click on Draw Table from the list of options. Word changes to Print Layout
view (if you are not already in that view) and changes the mouse pointer so it
looks like a pencil.
 Use the mouse pointer to define the outside borders of your table, much as
you would draw in a drawing program.
 Use the pencil to draw the columns and rows into the table.
 Press: Esc when you are done.

5.4.3 Selecting Table Cell, row or column

To select Do this
A cell
Click the left edge of the cell.
A row
Click to the left of the row.
A column

Click the column's top gridline or border. .

Contiguous cells, Drag the pointer across the cells, rows, or columns that
rows, or columns you want.
Noncontiguous cells, Click the first cell, row, or column that you want, hold
rows, or columns down CTRL, and then click the next cell, row, or column
that you want.
Text in the next cell Press the TAB key.
Text in the previous Press SHIFT+TAB.
cell
The entire table In Print Layout view, rest the pointer over the table until
the table move handle appears, and then click the table
move handle.

Table 5 1 Table Selection Techniques

5.4.4 Formatting a Table

After you create a table, Microsoft Office Word 2007 offers you many ways to format
that table. If you decide to use Table Styles, you can format your table all at once,
and even see a preview of what your table will look like formatted in a particular

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style before you actually apply the style. You can create a custom look for tables by
splitting or merging cells, adding or deleting columns or rows, or adding borders.
Use Table Styles to format an entire table
After you create a table, you can format the entire table by using Table Styles. By
resting your pointer over each of the preformatted table styles, you can preview
what the table will look like.
 Insert a table with 3 rows and 3 columns and Select the entire table
 Under Table Tools, click the Design tab.
 In the Table Styles group, rest the pointer over each table style until you
find a style that you want to use. To see more styles, click the More arrow

.
 Select Table Elegant from the list of available table styles. And your table
looks like the following:

Table 5.2: Table Inserted with 3 column and 3 rows

Add or remove borders

You can add or remove borders to format a table the way that you want. You need to
use Table design and table layout to format your table. (See Figure 5.43)

Figure 5. 43: Table Layout Tools

Remove table borders from specified cells or table

 On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Show/Hide.

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  Select the cells that you want, including their end-of-cell marks. For
instance the last row of your table.
 Under Table Tools, click the Design tab.
 In the Table Styles group, click Borders, and then click No Border.
 It removes the outer border of the last row of your table.
Add table borders to specified cells or table
 On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click Show/Hide.
 Select the cells that you want, including their end-of-cell marks. For
example select the last row of your table.
 Under Table Tools, click the Design tab.
 In the Table Styles group, click Borders, and then click All Border.
 It includes all border the outer border of the last row of your table.
 To apply shading select shading color from the shading color. For example
select gray color.

5.4.5 Merge or split cells

Merge cells
You can combine two or more cells in the same row or column into a single cell. For
example, you can merge several cells horizontally to create a table heading that
spans several columns.
 Select the cells that you want to merge by clicking the left edge of a cell
and then dragging across the other cells that you want. For instance select

the first row of your table. (See Figure 5.44)

Figure 5. 44: Merge cell

 Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, in the Merge group, click Merge
Cells. Write the following Text: HIT Program
Split cells

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  Click in a cell, or select multiple cells that you want to split. For instance
the last cell of your table.
 Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, in the Merge group, click Split
Cells. (See Figure 5.45)
 Enter the number of columns or rows that you want to split the selected
cells into. For instance 2 columns and 1 row.

Figure 5.45: Split Cell

5.4.6 Add a cell, row, or column

Add a cell
 Click in a cell that is located just to the right of or above where you want to
insert a cell. For instance select the second row first cell of your table
 Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, click the Rows & Columns Dialog Box
Launcher. Click Shift Cells down and click ok button. Now your table
inserts a cell or a row to the entire row. (See Figure 5.46)

Figure 5.46: Insert Cell Dialog Box

Add a row
 Click in a cell that is located just below or above where you want to add a row.
 Under Table Tools, click the Layout tab. Do one of the following:
 To add a row just above the cell that you clicked in, in the Rows and Columns
group, click Insert Above.

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 To add a row just below the cell that you clicked in, in the Rows and Columns
group, click Insert Below.

Add a column
 Click in a cell that is located just to the right or left of where you want to
add a column. For instance select the end of the third column.
 Under Table Tools, click the Layout tab.
 To add a column just to the left of the cell that you clicked in, in the Rows
and Columns group, click Insert Left or Right. In our case, click Insert right.

5.4.7 Delete a cell, row, column and table

 Select the table and Under Table Tools, click the Layout tab.
 In the Rows & Columns group, click Delete, and then click Delete Cells,
Delete Rows, or Delete Columns, as appropriate. In our case click on Delete
Table and your table will be deleted.

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 Exercise 5.4
1. Open Ms Word and create the following table with 3 columns by 5 rows and
enter the data as follows.

HMIS CODE HEADING ICD-10 CODES

0100 Certain infectious and parasitic diseases A00-B99
0200 Neoplasm C00-D48
0500 Mental and behavioral disorders F00-F99
0600 Diseases of the nervous system G00-G99

2. Insert two rows between HMIS Code (0200 and 0500) and enter these data.

Diseases of the blood and blood forming

0300 organs and certain disorders involving the D50-D89
immune mechanism
Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic
0400 E00-E90
diseases

3. Save the document with a file name Table inside the same folder.
4. Insert additional column before HMIS Code
5. Label the column heading as Order No and enter your data starting from 1
6. Shade each column with different colors (Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow
respectively).
7. Enter a new row above the field names (i.e. first row),
8. Merge and Center the first row and type the following text inside the cell:
Disease Classification
9. Format the text as:
 Font= Monotype Corsiva, size= 17, Style=Bold, Blue Color
 Change the text direction of all field names to the top.
 Apply border formatting as you like
10. Enter page break and also create the following table as it appears below

Employee Record

Personal Status
HIT - Program

Records
Addis Ababa

ID Name Position Salary

Ethiopia

S01 Solomon Director 2500.00

H02 Hirut Secretary 3500.00
D03 Daniel Accountant 2000.00
Total Salary 5500.00

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 11. Save your document as Table Exercise

Lesson 5.5 Microsoft Word: Drawing and Inserting Objects

Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson the learner should be able to:
 Use graphics within Microsoft Word .
 Insert Pictures, Clip Arts, Shapes and Smart Arts.
 Apply selecting, resizing and deleting techniques fro graphics.
 Format graphics, objects.

5.5.1 Using Graphics within Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word has a range of graphic formats that can be inserted into a document,
including Pictures, ClipArt, Shapes, SmartArt and Charts.

5.5.2 Inserting Pictures

 Click on the Insert tab and

then click on the Pictures icon.
This will display the Insert
Picture dialog box. (See Figure
5.47)
 You should see a folder called
'Sample Pictures'. Double click
on this folder to view the
contents and then insert one of
these pictures into your
document. Figure 5. 10: Insert Picture

 You can also draw a picture with your Ms-Paint program and import it into
your document file as follows:
o First Run Ms-paint and draw any picture or Ethiopian flag. Then Save
your picture with a file name “EtiopianFlag” on your desktop.
o Now go back to your document open a blank document and click on
the Insert Tab, then click on Picture icons. Select Desktop form Insert
Picture look in drop down arrow. Then select the picture named
“EthiopianFlag” and then click on insert button. Therefore, your picture

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 is inserted into the document. Save the document as Graphics.

5.5.3 Inserting Clip Art

 Click on the Insert tab and then click on the Clip Art icon. This will display the
Clip Art pane down the right hand side of the screen.
(See Figure 5.48)
 Within the 'Search for' section type in a keyword that
describes the type of clip art you are looking for.
 While Graphics document is opened, Click on Clip Art
icon form Insert tab. Then In type the word computer
on Search for box, click on the Go button.
 Select All collections from Search In drop down arrow.
You should click Everywhere.
 Select All media file types from Results should be drop
down arrow.
 Finally click on Go button and list of computer related
pictures will appear for you. Now you can click over the
desired picture and it will be inserted into Figure 5.48: Clip Art

your document.
 Finally save your picture.

5.5.4 Inserting Shapes

 Insert a new blank page and
 Click on the Insert tab and then click

on the Shapes icon. This will display

a drop down from which you can
select the shape you wish to insert
into your document. (See Figure
5.49)
 To insert a clip art item all you have
to do is to click on the thumbprint
image. You can insert as many clip
art images as you like.
 You may not notice any change, but

Figure 5.49: Page

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 if you move the mouse pointer down over the white space within your document,
you will notice that the mouse pointer has changed to the shape of a small cross.
Click (and hold the mouse button down). Move the mouse pointer down
diagonally across the page.
 You will see a preview outline of the arrow displayed. Release the mouse button
and you will see an arrow shape displayed on your page.

5.5.5 Inserting SmartArt

 Choose a SmartArt Graphic dialog box.

 Slowly scroll down the list to view the amazing variety of SmartArt graphic
shapes that are available. Scroll back up the list and select the Pyramid List
graphic. (See Figure 5.50)
 Cerate a new document and
save the document as a file
called My SmartArt.
 Click on the Insert tab and then
click on the SmartArt icon.
 Click on the OK button You will
see an area to the left called
'Type your text here'. Click on
the first text section and type
the word 'one'. In a similar
fashion type in the word 'two'
and 'three' into the other text
Figure 5. 50: Smart Art
input section.

5.5.6 Selecting, resizing and deleting graphics

Resizing a graphic:
Click on a graphic to select it. For instance, select the computer picture. To resize the
graphic and keep the height and width ratios the same, move the mouse pointer to
any corner, and while keeping the mouse button pressed drag diagonally across the
screen. When you release the mouse button the graphic will resize. If you wish you
can stretch the graphic either vertically or horizontally by dragging from the centre
of any edge.

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Deleting a graphic: Click on a graphic to select it. Press the Del key.

Exercise 5.5

1. Open Microsoft word document and do the following exercise.

2. Insert a computer Picture from Clip Art and set its text wrapping as Square,
then apply crop.

3. Insert a word Art Style 6 and write Congratulation Message

4. Apply loose spacing, Wave 1 Shape, Shadow Style 6, and enhance everything
as you like for your word art.
5. Create Child Developmental Stage using SmartArt with a Pyramid List Smart
Art. Start entering from the top to bottom as Pre-school Stage, Phallic
stage, Anal Stage, Oral Stage
6. Format the Pyramid List layout to Basic Target Layout from Relationship
Category.
7. Create an organizational chart that resembles the following:
Alert Hospital Organizational Structure

8. Create the following Stamp using Shapes

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 9. Save all your tasks with a file name: My Drawings.

Lesson 5.6 Microsoft Word: Working with Long Documents

Lesson Objectives
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 View multiple documents within Microsoft Word.
 Utilize Grammar and Spell Check.
 Apply Mail Merge features.
 Apply Printing Techniques.

5.6.1 View multiple documents within Microsoft Word

You can use the View Tab to apply document views, zoom features, and window
applications. (See Figure 5.51)

Figure 5. 51: View Tab

You can use the Switch Windows icon to switch from one document to another. To
use this feature, click on the View tab and click on the Switch Windows tool (located
within the Window group under the View tab). You will see a drop down list allowing
you to switch to another open document window.

You can also arrange multiple documents on the screen with Tiling or cascading
documents on your screen from the task bar. To do this right clicks over an empty
part of the Taskbar (at the bottom of your screen). Then Select Cascade Windows/
Any Tiling.

Comparing documents side by side

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This feature allows you to compare two versions of a document, side by side.
Example:
 Create/Open a document called Compare 1.
 Create/Open a second document called Compare 2.
 Switch to display the document called Compare 1.
 Click on the View tab and click on the View Side by Side command (located
within the Window section under the View tab).
 This will display the two documents side by side. As you scroll down one
document, the other document also scrolls down the screen. Try scrolling
through each document to practice using this feature.
 Close both documents before continuing.

5.6.2 Apply Document Map or Thumbnails

 Click on the View tab and select Thumbnails check box
 You can also select Document Map at the drop down list on the left pane of
your window

5.6.3 Spelling and Grammar Checker

Review
When you have finished writing a document always read it thoroughly before
printing. Change any errors you find. Run the spell checker to find any spelling or
grammatical errors. You can review your document as follows:
 Open a blank document and Write the text as it is written here “ We need
parasitamol to relief headacheo” on your document.
 Click on Review Tab (See Figure 5.52)

Figure 5. 52: Review Tab

 Click on Spelling & Grammar or Press: F7 short cut key.

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  The Spelling and grammar checker will be displayed (See Figure 5.53)

Figure 5. 53: Spelling and Grammar Checker

 Press F7 to start the spell checking program.

 Allow any changes from suggestion that you think are necessary. If you don’t
want you can Ignore Once, Ignore All or Add to the Dictionary.
 Finally, you can close the spell checking program.

Adding words to the built-in custom dictionary

The spell checker works by comparing words contained within your document with a
list of words contained within a dictionary. Sometimes Microsoft Word will highlight a
word it does not recognize but this word may be a specialist word or a trademark
word used within your particular business or organization. You can easily add words
to the dictionary. In our case,
 While the Spelling and Grammar dialog box displayed as on Figure 5. 53 and
the word parasitamol is written with red color:
 Click on the Add to Dictionary button. From now on when you use the spell
checker, it will recognize this word.
 Save and close the document.
 Now on a new page type the word parasitamol. Run the spell checker and you
should find that this word is no longer indicated as a potential problem by the

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 spell checking program.
Sometimes you may have accidentally added a word to the spelling dictionary, so it
is important that you know how to remove a word from the dictionary.

Manage Custom Dictionary

Click on the Office Button, and then click on the Word Options. The Word Options
dialog box is displayed. Select the Proofing button then Custom Dictionaries, Now
you can manage the words on custom dictionaries. (see Figure 5.54)

Figure 5. 54: Custom Dictionaries

Removing a word from the spell checking dictionary

 Click on the Custom Dictionaries button. This will display the Custom
Dictionaries dialog box.

 Click on the Edit Word List button, select the word you wish to delete (in this
case select the word parasitamol), and then click on the Delete button.

 Finally, click on the OK button to close the dialog box.

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5.6.4 Working with Mail Merge

What is Mail Merge?

The Mail Merge feature is used to insert variable data into a fixed format by
combining two files into one file. Two files need to be created before you can merge
them; these are the data file and the main document file. The variable information,
such as names and addresses, is stored in the data file ready to merge into the main
document file. The information, which remains constant and the field names are
stored in the main document file, where each field name relates to a field name in
the data file. The data in the two files is merged as a series of personalized letters or
envelopes.

Starting the Mail Merge Wizard

In order to mail merge a letter we need to insert codes to tell Microsoft Word where
to insert items such as the name and address of each person we are going to send
this letter to. We also need to tell Microsoft Word which list of names and addresses
we are going to use and where this list is stored. (See Figure 5.55)

Figure 5. 55: Mail Merge Wizard

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Mail Merge Wizard - Step 1 of 6 ‘Select document type’
 To start the process, run Ms-Word and prepare a letter like this
<<FirstName>>, <<LastName>>
<<City>>
You are cordially invited to attend a meeting that will be held
on September 2010 at Addis Ababa, Hilton Hotel.
Yours Faithfully,
The President.
 Save it as Main Letter.
 Now, click on the Mailings tab. Click on the Start Mail Merge button.
 From the drop down list displayed, select the Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard
command. At the bottom right of the screen you have the option of clicking
on ‘Next’ to take you to the next page of the mail merge wizard.
 You will see a panel displayed to the right of your document. In this case we
wish to produce a mail merged letter, so we will use the Letters selection. So
 Select the document type. Select Letters and Click on Next at the bottom
right of your screen.

Mail Merge Wizard - Step 2 of 6 ‘Select Starting document’

 You will see the options displayed to the right of your document. You are
required to select Starting document.
 In our case we will use the current document that is displayed on your
screen. So select “Use the Current document”
 Click on Next at the bottom right of your screen.

Mail Merge Wizard - Step 3 of 6 ‘Select recipients’

The next step of the wizard lets you determine which list of recipients will be used for
the mail merge process. You can choose either to use an existing list or Type a new
list.
If you have an existing data source, select the option “Use an existing list”. Then
Click on the Browse button. This will display the Select Data Source dialog box. Then,
Select your data source file. Click on the Open button. This will display the File
Conversion dialog box. Then Click on the OK button which will display the Mail Merge
Recipients dialog box. Click on the OK button to continue. Click on the Next option.

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But if you don’t have an existing data source, you can also create a new list. To do
this, Select the Options “Type a New List” and Click on Create Button. Edit Recipients
list, save the data source and continue to the next step.
In our case we need to create the following recipient list:
First name LastName POBOX
Bekele Hailu 1212
Helen Tesfaye 1515
Mikias Belay 1517
Table 5. 3: My Data Source List
To Create the above list:
 Select “Type a New List”
 Click on Create Button and the New Address List will be displayed (See Figure
5.56)

Figure 5. 56: Address List Dialog Box

 Click on Customize Columns, then the Customize Address List will be

displayed (See Figure 5.57)

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 Figure 5. 57: Customize Address List

 Remove Unwanted Fields using Delete Button

 Add new fields or edit the field that you need to change
 In our case, Delete all Field Names except First Name, Last Name and
Add POBOX Field.
 Then Click ok
 Save the data source by a name (E.g. My Data Source)
 Enter the records using the Table My Data Source List

Mail Merge Wizard - Step 4 of 6 ‘Write your letter’

 Click at the start of your document (where we insert the codes relating to the
person to whom the letter is addressed).
 Click on More items.
 This will display the Insert Merge Field dialog box.
 Select the field and click on Insert button
 Also Add Greeting Line if needed and make sure that you have a kind of such
message. (See Figure 5.58)

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 Figure 5.58: Main Letter

 You can now combine the data source with the letter.
Mail Merge Wizard - Step 5 of 6 ‘Preview your letters’
Click on the Next option at the bottom right of the screen. You would use the buttons
to preview your letter using navigation buttons.

Mail Merge Wizard - Step 6 of 6 ‘Complete the merge’

This is the final stage of the Mail Merge Wizard. You will see choices. If you were to
click on the Print option, you would see the Merge to Printer dialog box which lets
you select what to print.

5.6.5 Printing a Document

Preview Document before Printing

 In most cases, it is recommended that you should preview before printing your
document. To do this Click on Office Button and select the print preview. After
adjusting its Margins, Orientations, Size, you can print or go to word Options as
you like. Note: You can go back to Normal View by clicking the Close Print
Preview button. (See Figure 5.59)

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 Figure 5. 59: Print Preview

Printing a Document
 You can choose from a variety of printing option. Click on the Office Button and
select the Print button.
 Use the Print dialog box as shown on Figure 5.60 to select required options such
as: Printer Name:
 You may have more than one printer available that you can print to. Click on the
down arrow to the right of the Printer Name section to see what printers are
available. In the example shown you can print to a fax, which means that rather
than printing to a printer, you would be prompted for a fax number and the
document would be sent as a fax to this number.
 Page Range: You can print the entire document, the current page or a range of
pages with some Number of Copies.

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 Figure 5. 60: Print Dialog box

Printing only odd or even pages

Some printers are capable of printing on both sides of the paper. These are often
called ‘duplex printers’. If you need to print on both sides of the paper but your
printer only prints on one side of the paper, you can try printing all the odd pages of
your document, and after turning the printed document upside-down within your
printer then print just the even pages. To do this : Click on the down arrow next to
this Print Option, then choose to print only odd pages or only even pages.

NOTE: Laser printers are often very hot inside and may curl your paper so this may
not always work and can cause paper jams. To print just the odd or even pages of a
document:
 Click on the Office button.
 A menu is displayed. Click on the arrow next to the Print command. Within
the submenu displayed, click on the Print option.
Zoom:
The zoom option allows you to print multiple document pages on a single sheet of
printed paper. This facility may vary from one printer to another.

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Printing part of a document
You may have a very long document but only wish to print part of the document. To
do this, select the part of the document that you wish to print. Open the Print dialog
box. Within the Print Range section of the dialog box, Click on the Selection button.
Now only the selected portion of the document will be printed.

Printing more than one page of a document per printed sheet

To save paper you can print more than one document page per printed sheet. To do
this, open the Print dialog box. Within the Zoom section click to the right of the
‘Pages per sheet’ option and select the number of pages to be printed on each
printed page.

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 Exercise: 5.6
1. Open Ms Word and create the following form letter Using Mail Merge Features

<<Title>> <<First Name>> <<Last Name>>

<<Address>>

Dear <<First Name>>

This is to inform you that there will be a meting on our company’s general
achievements since its establishment. Therefore, you are expected to collect
the agendas and participate on the conference From February 25 to 27, 2009
at 8:30 AM at Ghion Hotel, Addis Ababa.

Sincerely Yours,
The President.

2. Correct the Spelling if you made a mistake.

3. Save the above document with a file name Letter1 inside your folder.

4. Use the following records to create the data source ( Recipients list)

Title First Name Last Name Address

Ato Solomon Belete Bahir Dar
Wro. Nani Abiot Addis Ababa
Eng. Belay Sisay Addis Ababa
Dr. Ali Mohammed Harar
W/t Helen Zenebe Adama
Ato Habtom G/Selassie Mekele

5. Save the data source by a file name Record1

6. Merge the Letter1 and Record1 in a blank document.
7. Save the merged document with a file name Merged Letter.
8. Print Preview the Merged letter and print it as follows:
 Select Printer Name
 Set Page Ranges from 3 to 6
 Set Number of copies to 3 with collate selected
 Select pages per sheet as 2 from zoom

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 Unit VI

6 Spreadsheet

1. INTRODUCTION

This unit discusses about the spreadsheet and the features available on Microsoft
Office Excel 2007. The chapter introduces the meaning of spreadsheet and how
electronic spreadsheet data analysis enhances manual spreadsheet applications. It
also presents commonly used formulas and functions. Chart is also added on the last
chapter.

2. OBJECTIVES

At the end of this unit the student should be able to:

 Understand the concept of Spreadsheet

 Understand Workbooks and Worksheets Features
 Understand Editing and Formatting techniques for Spreadsheet Data.
 Use Spreadsheet Excel-Formulas and Functions
 Use Excel-Charts

3. CONTENT

6. Spreadsheet

6.1 Introduction to Spreadsheet

6.2 Microsoft Excel – Workbook and Worksheet Features
6.3 Microsoft Excel – Editing and Formatting Workbook
6.4 Microsoft Excel - Formulas and Functions
6.5 Microsoft Excel – Charts

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 Spreadsheet
Lesson 6.1 Understanding Spreadsheet
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson the student should be able to:
 Clarify the concept of Spreadsheet.
 Use Workbooks and Worksheets Features.
 Identify Spreadsheet Software.
 Explain Microsoft Excel 2007.

6.1.1 What is Spreadsheet?

A spreadsheet is a computer application program that simulates a paper worksheet.

A worksheet contains rows and columns and is used to record and compare
numerical or financial data. Originally, spreadsheets only existed in paper format, but
now they are most likely created and maintained through a software program that
displays the numerical information in rows and columns. Spreadsheets can be used
in any area or field that works with numbers and are commonly found in the
accounting, budgeting, sales forecasting, financial analysis, and scientific fields.

In order to conceptualize spreadsheet more, you are going to use the following
sample manual spreadsheet numerical data for Ethio-Drug Store. You are going to
compute the profit of Ethio-Drug store based on the given numerical data and
instruction. You should write your answer on the corresponding cells keeping the
table row and column. You are given the list of drugs, the quantity in tin and each
drug’s unit price. Use the following Ethio-Drug store table.

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 Quantity Total
in Unit Total Turn Over Purchasing
Tablet Tin Price Price Tax Price Sold Net Profit
Paracitamol 150 152.45
Amoxicillin 252 1302.05
Bactrim 252 925.7
CAF 315 1565.5
Metrendazol 325 735.15
Advil 325 3211.95

Total

Table 6.1: Ethio-Drug Store Data

Therefore, you are expected to compute manually the paper spreadsheet as follows:
 Total Price =QIT(Quantity in Tin) * UP (Unit Price)
 Turn Over Tax = 5%* Total Price
 Total Purchasing Price= Total Price(TP) + Turn Over Tax (ToT)
 Sold at = Total Purchasing Price + (Total Purchasing Price) *7%
 Net Profit= (Sold - Total Purchasing Price)
With the spreadsheet example you worked above, you would take more than 10 minutes
to complete all. Check your speed solving the equation manually. Here is the correct
answer for the first row of the tablet paricitamol.
Quantity Total
in Unit Total Turn Over Purchasing
Tablet Tin Price Price Tax Price Sold Net Profit

Paracitamol 150 152.45 22867.5 1143.375 24010.875 46878.375 50159.86125

Table 6.2: Ethio-Drug Store Calculated Value for Paracitamol row

Electronic spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel makes solving such an equation
a very simple and automatic task.

Computerized spreadsheets mimic a paper spreadsheet. The advantage of using

computerized spreadsheets is their ability to update data and perform automatic
calculations extremely quickly. On a computerized spreadsheet, the intersection of a
row and a column is called a cell. Rows are generally identified by numbers - 1, 2, 3,
and so on - and columns are identified by letters, such as A, B, C, and so on. The cell
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is a combination of a letter and a number to identify a particular location within the
spreadsheet, for example A3.

The computerized spreadsheet can be formatted with titles, colors, bold text, and
italics for a professional look. You can also create graphs and charts based on the
data entered in your spreadsheet. Many packages have the ability to print mailing
lists or labels. To maneuver around the spreadsheet, you use the mouse or the tab
key. When the contents of one cell are changed, any other affected cell is
automatically recalculated according to the formulas in use. Formulas are the
calculations to be performed on the data. Formulas can be simple, such as sum or
average, or they can be very complex. Spreadsheets are also popular for testing
hypothetical scenarios.

Spreadsheet software gives a number of advantages over manual spreadsheet

allowing people solve simple to complex functions easily and automatically.
Individuals, in addition to businesses, use computerized spreadsheet software for a
variety of tasks that involve numerical data. Teachers can store and average grades
with a spreadsheet. Individuals can use a spreadsheet to track a personal budget or
store sports team statistics.

The original computerized spreadsheet software was VisiCalc, designed for use on
Apple computers. Now many commercial computerized software packages are
available for Microsoft Windows and other operating systems. Popular spreadsheet
packages include Microsoft Excel and Lotus 123.

6.1.2 What is Microsoft Excel program?

The Microsoft Office Excel 2007 is a member of the Microsoft Office 2007 suite of
programs. It is a powerful tool for analyzing, sharing, and managing information to
help you make more informed decisions. Microsoft Excel is an electronic spreadsheet.
As with a paper spreadsheet, you can use Excel to organize your data into rows and
columns and to perform mathematical, financial and other calculations.

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6.1.3 Starting the Excel program

 Click on the Start button (bottom-left of the screen).

 Click on All Programs then Click on Microsoft Office.
 Click on Microsoft Office Excel 2007. The Excel window will be displayed. (See
Figure 6.1)

Excel 2007 screen elements:

Figure 6. 1: Excel 2007 Screenshot

 Office button: Opens the Office menu, from which you can open, save, print,
and start new worksheets.
 Quick Access Toolbar: A small toolbar next to the Office button contains
shortcuts for some of the most common commands.
 Ribbon: A combination of menu bar and toolbar, offering tabbed "pages" of
buttons, lists, and commands.

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  Name box: Displays the address of the current active cell where you work in
the worksheet.
 Formula bar: Displays the address of the active cell on the left edge, and it
also shows you the current cell's contents.
 Sheet tabs: Excel 2007 contains 3 blank worksheet tabs by default. Click on
the intended tab will go to the particular worksheet.
 Status bar: Reports information about the worksheet and provides shortcuts
for changing the view and the zoom.

 Zoom control: Use to zoom the Excel screen in or out by dragging the slider.

6.1.4 Move Around the Worksheet

The Down Arrow Key :Press the down arrow key several times. Note that the
cursor moves downward one cell at a time.
The Up Arrow Key : Press the up arrow key several times. Note that the cursor
moves upward one cell at a time.
The Tab Key
 Move to cell A1.
 Press the Tab key several times. Note that the cursor moves to the right one
cell at a time.
The Shift+Tab Keys
 Hold down the Shift key and then press Tab. Note that the cursor moves to
the left one cell at a time.
The Right and Left Arrow Keys
 Press the right arrow key several times. Note that the cursor moves to the
right.
 Press the left arrow key several times. Note that the cursor moves to the left.
Page Up and Page Down
 Press the Page Down key. Note that the cursor moves down one page.
 Press the Page Up key. Note that the cursor moves up one page.
The Ctrl-Home Key
 Hold down the Ctrl key while you press the Home key. Excel moves to cell A1.
The Ctrl-End Key
 Hold down the Ctrl key while you press the End key. Excel moves to cell IV1.
(End of last column)
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Exercise:6.1
1. What is spreadsheet?
2. What is Worksheet?
3. What are the advantages of Computerized Spreadsheet over Manual
spreadsheet? Give 3 examples.
4. Write at least three spreadsheet application software?
5. List the possible ways of running Microsoft Office Excel 2007
6. Describe some of the most comment screen elements of Microsoft
Excel 2007
7. How do you move around the worksheet? Give 3 examples.

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 Lesson 6.2 Microsoft Excel: Workbooks and Worksheet
Features
Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson the student should be able to:
 Describe Workbook and worksheet features.
 Open, Save and Close a workbook.
 Rename, Insert and Delete worksheet.
 Copy or Move worksheet/workbook.
 Use Spreadsheet Help.

6.2.1 Manipulating Workbook

Creating a new workbook
 Run Microsoft Excel 2007 from Program Menu.

 Click Microsoft Office Button , and then click New. You can also Press:
CTRL+N.
 Under Templates, make sure that Blank and recent is selected, and then
under Blank and recent in the right pane, click Blank Workbook.
Saving a workbook

 Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Save As.
 In the Save in list, click the folder or drive to which you want to save.
 In the File name box, enter a new name for the file. For instance
MyWorkBook
 You can also select the save as type to support earlier versions of Excel 97-
2003. (See Figure 6.2)

Figure 6.2: Save As Type

 Finally, Click Save button.
Closing a workbook and Excel Program

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  To close the workbook, click on the Microsoft Office Button (top-left of your
screen and Click on the Close Button. The Excel program is open but no
workbook is displayed within the program.
 To close the Excel program, click on the Close icon. This icon is the small
cross displayed at the top right of the Excel screen. Now, Close your
workbook named My FirstWorkbook and then Exit Microsoft Excel Program

Opening a workbook
 Use Open toolbar Or click on the Microsoft Office Button (top-left) and then
click on the Open command. OR: You can Press: Ctrl+O the keyboard
shortcut to open an existing file.
 This will display the Open dialog box. Click on the down arrow within the Look
in section of the dialog box and navigate to the folder containing your
workbook files. Select the first file, and then click on the Open button to open
the workbook. In our case Open MyWorkBook

6.2.2 Manipulating Worksheets

Microsoft Excel Workbook consists of worksheets. Each worksheet contains columns

and rows. The columns are lettered A to Z and then continuing with AA, AB, AC and
so on; the rows are numbered 1 to 1,048,576. The number of columns and rows you
can have in a worksheet is limited by your computer memory and your system
resources. The combination of a column coordinate and a row coordinate make up a
cell address. For example, the cell located in the upper-left corner of the worksheet
is cell A1, meaning column A, and row 1. Cell E10 is located under column E on row
10. You enter your data into the cells on the worksheet.
Switching between worksheets
 Open a workbook called MyWorkBook and you are looking at the first
worksheet within the workbook. You can See Sheet1 being active by looking
at the worksheet tabs at the bottom-left of your screen.
 To switch to another worksheet click on either the Sheet2 or Sheet3 tab.

Renaming, Inserting and deleting a worksheet

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Example:
To Rename a worksheet: On an Opened work book Click on the Sheet1 tab to
display the first worksheet. Double click on the Sheet1 tab and you will be able to
type in a new name. Example: rename Sheet1 by Sheet-2005, Sheet2 by Sheet2006
and Sheet3 by Sheet-2007 and your worksheet looks like the following.

Figure 6.3 : Worksheet Tab Sample

To Insert a worksheet;
To quickly insert a new worksheet at the end of the existing worksheets, click the
Insert Worksheet tab at the bottom of the screen.

Figure 6.4: Insert Worksheet Tab Button

To insert a new worksheet before an existing worksheet, select that worksheet, and
then on the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Insert, and then click Insert Sheet.

Figure 6.5: Cells Group

You can also right-click the tab of an existing worksheet, and then click Insert. On
the General tab, click Worksheet, and then click OK.
Insert multiple worksheets at once
Hold down SHIFT, and then select the same number of existing sheet tabs of the
worksheets that you want to insert in the open workbook. For example, if you want
to add three new worksheets, select three sheet tabs of existing worksheets. In our
example select Sheet 2005, Sheet 2006 and Sheet 2007 together while pressing the
Ctrl key. On the Home tab, in the Cells group, click Insert, and then click Insert
Sheet. By default excel automatically inserts the number of selected sheets. In our
case it inserts 3 worksheets.
Deleting a worksheet

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Make sure that the new tab that you have just inserted is selected. Right click on the
tab and from the popup menu displayed select the Delete command. You can also
delete multiple sheets at once by selecting all sheets and using the Delete command
from the shortcut menu. Now select the sheets that you recently added and Right
click over the sheet, finally click on the delete command from the short cut menu.
Copying a worksheet within a workbook
You can have a duplicate of a worksheet within a workbook or to another work book.
To do this: Select the Sheet-2005 tab. Right click on the tab and from the popup

menu displayed select the Move or Copy command. The Move or Copy dialog box is
displayed. See (See Figure 6.4)

Figure 6.6: More Or Copy Dialog box

 As we want to copy rather than move, click on the Create a copy check box. In
the “Before sheet:” section of the dialog box, select which worksheet you wish to
insert the copy in front of. In this case select Sheet-2005.
 When you click on the OK button a copy of the first worksheet will be inserted.

Copying or moving worksheets between workbooks

 Right click on the sheet tab and from the popup menu displayed select the
Move or Copy command. The Move or Copy dialog box is displayed.
 Click on the down arrow in the To book section of the dialog box. From the
drop down list, select the workbook that you wanted to insert the worksheet.
(i.e. you may also select New Workbook)

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  Click on the OK button. The worksheet will be moved. Switch to the second
workbook and you should see a copy of the worksheet inserted into the
workbook.

Creating a copy of Workbook

 Right Click on the Sheet tab
 Create a copy check box.
 Use the “Before sheet:” section of the dialog box to determine where in the
second workbook the worksheet will be copied to.

6.2.3 Getting Spreadsheet help

Click on the Microsoft Office Excel Help icon (towards the top-right of the screen). Or
press the F1 help key. The Excel Help window is displayed. Click on the What's new
in Microsoft Office Excel 2007 link. (See Figure 6.5)

Figure 6.7: Spreadsheet Help

Searching for Help

You can search for help on a topic of particular interest. Within the text box near the
top of the Excel Help window, type in a word or words relating to the help you need.
For instance, to display help about printing, type in the word 'printing'. Click on the
Search button next to the text input box. You will see a range of topics related to
printing. Clicking on any of these topics will display more information about printing.

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The Help 'Table of Contents'
Press:F1 to display the Excel Help window. Click on the Table of Contents icon (the
book icon displayed within the Excel Help window toolbar). You will now see a Table
of Contents displayed down the left side of the Excel Help window.

Printing a Help topic

Display an item of interest within the Excel Help window. Click on the Print icon
displayed within the Excel Help toolbar.

Using Alt key help

 Press: CTRL+N to open a new blank workbook then click on the Home tab.
 Press the Alt key and you will see numbers and letters displayed over icons,
tabs or commands, towards the top of your screen. (See Figure 6.6)

Figure 6.8: Help Shortcut

 If you type in a number or letter you will activate a command. For instance in
the example shown, the number 1 is displayed over the Save icon. Type in 1
and you will see the Save As dialog box displayed. Close this dialog box.
 Press the Alt key again and you will see an N displayed over the Insert tab.
Press: N and you will see the contents of the Insert tab displayed.

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 Exercise 6.2
1. What is the difference between worksheet and workbook?
2. Open Microsoft Excel 2007
3. Save the workbook by a file name ExcelExercise inside your local disk.
4. Rename sheet 1 by Employee
5. Rename sheet 2 by Student.
6. Delete the rest of sheets found on the workbook.
7. Insert a single sheet after Student sheet.
8. Insert multiple sheets or 3-sheets at the end of the sheet tabs.
9. Delete the rest of the sheets except Employee and Student sheet.
10. Copy the Employee Sheet and position it at the 3rd tab
11. Copy the workbook and save it as ExerciseWorkbook2.
12. Close ExerciseWorkbook1 and reopen it .
13. Use the excel help features to search for a topic “What is New with Microsoft
Office Excel 2007” and read the contents.
14. Save all your changes
15. Exit My-Workbook2 and Excel Program.

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 Lesson 6.3 Microsoft Excel: Editing and Formatting
Spreadsheet
Lesson Objectives
At the end of the lesson the student should be able to:
 Enter data into Excel worksheet.
 Use different selection techniques.
 Insert or Delete rows and columns on worksheet.
 Copy, Move, Find, or Replace worksheet data.
 Use Series types on worksheet.
 Sort data on cell range.
 Use Excel Formatting techniques.
 Create header and footer.
 Printing Excel data.

6.3.1 Entering data into worksheet

You can enter numbers (with or without fixed decimal points), text, dates, or times
in one cell, in several cells at once, or on more than one worksheet. To enter data,
click a cell, and then Type the numbers or text that you want, and then Press:
ENTER or TAB. For example open a workbook called MyWorkBook and insert the
following data starting from cell A1 on Worksheet Sheet-2005.
 Write “First Name” on Cell A1.
 Press: Tab key and Write “Last Name” on Cell B1 By default, pressing ENTER
moves the selection down one cell, and pressing TAB moves the selection one
cell to the right.
 To start data on a new line within a cell, enter a line break by pressing
ALT+ENTER. If you want to display First Name as First then Name, you should
select First Name, put the pointer between First and Name and finally Press:
ALT + ENTER keys. Thus First name appears like this…
First
Name
 Click on Cell C1 and write “Sex”, Press Tab key and write “Birth Date”. Press
Tab key and Write Phone and lastly Press Tab Key and write “Salary”.

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  Press Enter Key thus you will find that A2 is the active cell from the 2 nd row.
Now you can enter the following list of data based on the heading field names.

First Last Birth

Name Name Sex Date Phone Salary
Helen Abebe F 10/10/1975 011-424235 2500
Tefera Mamo M 12/12/1980 011-131215 2590
Seid Ali M 11/11/1970 011-232323 5200
Melat Tewdros F 10/10/1980 011-454545 7500

Table 6.3: List of sample Employee Data

When you are entering data into Excel worksheet, you may find some
features like:
 A cell may display ##### when it contains data that has a number
format that is wider than the column width. To see all text, you must
increase the width of the column.
 For numbers that do not need to be calculated in Excel, such as phone
numbers, you can format them as text by applying the Text format to
empty cells before typing the numbers. You can precede your data
entry by apostrophe ( ‘) sign. It will be automatically aligned to the left
of the cell.
 When a date or time is typed in a cell, it appears either in a default
date or time format or in a format that was applied to the cell before
the date or time was entered.
o For a date, use a slash mark or a hyphen to separate the parts
of a date; for example, type 9/5/2002 or 5-Sep-2002. To enter
the current date, press: CTRL+; (semicolon).
o For a time that is based on the 12-hour clock, type a space,
and then type (a) or (p) after the time; for example, 9:00 p.
Otherwise, Excel enters the time as AM. To enter the current
time, press: CTRL+SHIFT+; (semicolon).

6.3.2 Selection techniques

Often when you want to do something within Excel you need to select an item first.

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This could involve selecting a cell or multiple cells. It many need you to select a row,
a column or even the entire table.

To select Do this
A single cell Click the cell, or press the arrow keys to move to the cell.
A range of cells Click the first cell in the range, and then drag to the last
cell, or hold down SHIFT while you press the arrow keys to
extend the selection.
You can also select the first cell in the range, and then
press F8 to extend the selection by using the arrow keys.
To stop extending the selection, press F8 again.
A large range of cells Click the first cell in the range, and then hold down SHIFT
while you click the last cell in the range. You can scroll to
make the last cell visible.
All cells on a worksheet Click the Select All button.

To select the entire worksheet, you can also press

CTRL+A.
Note If the worksheet contains data, CTRL+A selects
the current region. Pressing CTRL+A a second time selects
the entire worksheet.
Nonadjacent cells or Select the first cell or range of cells, and then hold down
cell ranges CTRL while you select the other cells or ranges.
You can also select the first cell or range of cells, and then
press SHIFT+F8 to add another nonadjacent cell or range
to the selection. To stop adding cells or ranges to the
selection, press SHIFT+F8 again.
Note You cannot cancel the selection of a cell or range
of cells in a nonadjacent selection without canceling the
entire selection.
An entire row or Click the row or column heading.
column

Row heading
Column heading
You can also select cells in a row or column by selecting
the first cell and then pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW key
(RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW for rows, UP ARROW or
DOWN ARROW for columns).
Note If the row or column contains data,

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 CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW key selects the row or column to
the last used cell. Pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW key a
second time selects the entire row or column.
Adjacent rows or Drag across the row or column headings. Or select the first
columns row or column; then hold down SHIFT while you select the
last row or column.
Nonadjacent rows or Click the column or row heading of the first row or column
columns in your selection; then hold down CTRL while you click the
column or row headings of other rows or columns that you
want to add to the selection.
The first or last cell in a Select a cell in the row or column, and then press
row or column CTRL+ARROW key (RIGHT ARROW or LEFT ARROW for
rows, UP ARROW or DOWN ARROW for columns).
The first or last cell on Press CTRL+HOME to select the first cell on the worksheet
a worksheet or in a or in an Excel list.
Microsoft Office Excel Press CTRL+END to select the last cell on the worksheet or
table in an Excel list that contains data or formatting.
Cells to the last used Select the first cell, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+END to
cell on the worksheet extend the selection of cells to the last used cell on the
(lower-right corner) worksheet (lower-right corner).
Cells to the beginning Select the first cell, and then press CTRL+SHIFT+HOME to
of the worksheet extend the selection of cells to the beginning of the
worksheet.
More or fewer cells Hold down SHIFT while you click the last cell that you want
than the active to include in the new selection. The rectangular range
selection between the active cell and the cell that you click becomes
the new selection.

Table 6.4: Selection Techniques

6.3.3 Modifying row/column widths

You can modify row or column width either using the drag method or using Row or
Column width command. For example, in your MyWorkbook, Sheet-2005:
 Select columns A to F on the column heading.
 Right click over the selected column and from the popup menu displayed
select the Column Width command. The Column Width dialog box is displayed
which allows you to set the column width.

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 Figure 6. 9: Column Width

 Write 16 on Column width and finally click on the OK button.

Modifying Row/column widths using 'drag and drop'

You can also use drag and drop method to resize row/column width. To do this Press
the mouse button in between Row Heading Number 1 and Row Heading Number 2.
While pressing, move the mouse pointer left or right to make the row narrower or
wider. Release the mouse button and the row width will change as required.

To automatically resize each column width to fit the contents, select all the columns
containing data. Double click on the junction between one of the column header
headers within the selected columns.

6.3.4 Copying, Moving and Deleting

When you move or copy a cell, Excel moves or copies the entire cell, including
formulas and their resulting values, cell formats, and comments.
 Open your MyWorkbook Sheet-2005 data.
 Select the cells that you want to move or copy. In our case select from Cell
A1: F5. To cancel a selection of cells, click any cell on the worksheet.
 While the cells are selected, On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group click on
Copy tool. (See Figure 6.10)

Figure 6. 10: Clipboard Group

 Select the upper-left cell, for instance cell A7 of the paste area.

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  On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Paste . You can also use
Keyboard shortcut: press CTRL+V.
Note:

 To move cells, click Cut . Or Press: CTRL+X Keyboard shortcut:

 To copy cells, click Copy . Press: CTRL+C Keyboard shortcut:

 To move or copy a selection to a different worksheet or workbook, click
another worksheet tab or switch to another workbook, and then select the
upper-left cell of the paste area. Then Paste your data.

Paste Special Options:

To choose specific options when you paste cells, you can click the arrow below Paste
and then click the option that you want. For example select the data found in
MyWorkbook, Sheet-2005 (i.e. from Cell A1:F5) and copy it then click on Cell H1 and
paste it as Paste as Picture from Clipboard on the Home Tab.

By default, Excel displays the Paste Options button on the worksheet to provide you
with special options when you paste cells, such as Keep Source Formatting and
Match Destination Formatting. For instance you can transpose copied data on
another sheet using paste special. To do this:
 Select your data from Cell A1:F5 and copy the data.
 Select Sheet-2006, then click on Cell A1
 From Paste on Clipboard (See Figure 6.11), select paste special and paste
special will be displayed as follows.

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 Figure 6.11: Transpose with Paste Special
 Select the transpose check box and click on the OK button.
 Thus the data will be pasted transposed (i.e. Column Field Heading became
row Field headings.)

When you copy cells, cell references are automatically adjusted. When you move
cells, however, cell references are not adjusted, and the contents of those cells and
of any cells that point to them may be displayed as reference errors. In this case,
you will need to adjust the references manually.

6.3.5 Undo and Redo

 To Undo, Click Undo on the Quick Access toolbar. You can also Press:
CTRL+Z.

 To redo an action that you undid, click Redo on the Quick Access toolbar.
You can also Press: CTRL+Y.

6.3.6 Fill in a series of numbers, dates, or other built-in series items

You can use the Fill command to fill data into worksheet cells . Using the fill
handle (fill handle: The small black square in the lower-right corner of the selection.

When you point to the fill handle, the pointer changes to a black cross.) , you

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can quickly fill cells in a range with a series of numbers or dates or with a built-in
series for days, weekdays, months, or years. For instance:

 Open MyWorkbook and select Sheet-2007

 Select the first cell in the range that you want to fill.
 Type number (1) as the starting value for the series. Press: Enter key and
type number (2) at cell A2.
 Then Select the cell or cells that contain the starting values. i.e. Cell A1 and
A2.

 Drag the fill handle across the range that you want to fill. i.e. to cell
A10. This will automatically enter number from 1 up to 10.
Note:
If you want the series 1, 2, 3, 4, 5..., type 1 and 2 in the first two
cells. If you want the series 2, 4, 6, 8..., type 2 and 4. If you want
the series 2, 2, 2, 2..., you can leave the second cell blank.

How to fill cells with a series of numbers or data

Using Linear Series

 Click on Cell C1 and Type 1. Select this cell and

 On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Fill, and then click Series. Fill
Series dialog box appears. (See Figure 6.12)

Figure 6.12: Series Dialog box

 Select Columns from Series in

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  Under Type, Select Linear
 Enter 1 as step value and 10 as stop value. Finally click ok. Now your data
will be displayed from 1-10 on cell rage C1:C10.

Using Growth Series

 Click on Cell D1 and Type 2. Select this cell and

 On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Fill, and then click Series. Fill
Series dialog box appears.
 Select Columns from Series in
 Select Growth from Type
 Enter 2 as step value and 100 as stop value. Finally click ok. Now your data
will be displayed as 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 on cell rage D1:D6

Using Date/Time Series

 Click on Cell E1 and Type Jan-2004, then select cell range from Cell E1 up
to cell E10.
 On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Fill, and then click Series. Fill
Series dialog box appears.
 Select Columns from Series in
 Select Date from Type
 Select Month from Date Unit
 Enter 2 as step value. Finally click ok. Now your data will be displayed on
cell rage E1:E10
 Save all your changes.
Note:
You can use the AutoFill for a series that produces the same results
as dragging the fill handle.

6.3.7 Sorting a cell range: Ascending or Descending Order

You can sort data by text (A to Z or Z to A), numbers (smallest to largest or

largest to smallest), and dates and times (oldest to newest and newest to oldest)
in one or more columns. You can also sort by a custom list (such as Large,

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Medium, and Small) or by format, including cell color, font color, or icon set. Most
sort operations are column sorts, but you can also sort by rows.

Sorting Text
First Open My Workbook Sheet-2005 and Select a column of alphanumeric data in
a range of cells i.e. from Cell A1:A5, or make sure that the active cell is in a table
column containing alphanumeric data. On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click
Sort & Filter. And sort it in Ascending order.
 To sort in ascending alphanumeric order, click Sort A to Z.
 To sort in descending alphanumeric order, click Sort Z to A.

Sorting Date/Time
Select a column of dates or times in a range of cells, i.e. from Cell C2:C3 or make
sure that the active cell is in a table column containing dates or times. On the
Home tab, in the Editing group, click Sort & Filter, and then do one of the oldest to
Newest. You may be asked to expand the selection and you should select ok.
 To sort from an earlier to a later date or time, click Sort Oldest to Newest.
 To sort from a later to an earlier date or time, click Sort Newest to Oldest.

Sorting Number
Select a column of numeric data in a range of cells from Sheet-2007 from Cell
C1:C7 or make sure that the active cell is in a table column containing numeric
data. On the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Sort & Filter, and then Sort it as
Sort Smallest to Largest.
 To sort from low numbers to high numbers, click Sort Smallest to Largest.
 To sort from high numbers to low numbers, click Sort Largest to Smallest.

6.3.8 Searching and replacing data

 Use the Find and Replace dialog box to search for and optionally replace a string
of characters with another string of characters.
 While MyWorkbook Sheet-2005 is opened, Select the Find Command from
Editing Group of Home tab Or Press: Ctrl + F to start the Search utility. (See
Figure 6.13)

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 Figure 6. 33: Find and Replace

 Within the Find what section of the dialog box, enter the word. First Name Click
on the Find Next button and you will find the next occurrence of the word.
 Keep pressing on this button to find all occurrences within the worksheet.
 Click on the Replace tab within the Find and Replace dialog box.
 Within the Replace with section type in the word Given Name
 Click on the Replace All button and all occurrences of the word immediately be
replaced by the word. Thus, First Name is changed to Given Name.

6.3.9 Spreadsheet Data Formatting

Change the font or font size in a worksheet

 Select the cell, range of cells, text, or characters that you want to format.
For instance MyWorkbook Sheet-2005 and select the Heading from Cell
A1:F1.
 On the Home tab, in the Font group, do the following: (See Figure 6.14)

Figure 6. 14: Font Group

 To change the font, click the font that you want in the Font box

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 . Calibri is the default font of Excel 2007. In our case,
Select Verdana.
 To change the font size, click the font size that you want in the Font Size

box , or click Increase Font Size or Decrease Font Size until

the size you want is displayed in the Font Size box. In our case assign 13
for your font size.

Format text as bold, italic, or underlined

Select the cell, range of cells, text, or characters that you want to format. For
instance select cell A1: F1, click on Bold, Italic and Underline font style, on the
Home tab, in the Font group.
Note

 To make text bold, click Bold . Or Press: CTRL+B or CTRL+2.

 To make text italic, click Italic . Or Press: CTRL+I or CTRL+3.

 To underline text, click Underline . Or Press: CTRL+U or CTRL+4.

To apply a different type of underline, on the Home tab, in the Font group, click
the Format Cell Font dialog box launcher next to Font (or Press:
CTRL+SHIFT+F or CTRL+1), and then select the style that you want in the
Underline list.

Change the color of text, Cell background and pattern

You can change the color of the text in cells and the cell's background color. For
the background color, you can use a solid color, or you can apply special effects,
such as gradients, textures, and pictures. For instance:

 Select the cell, range of cells, text, or characters that you want to format (i.e.
from Cell A1:F1 of Sheet-2005 of MyWorkbook)
 On the Home tab, in the Font group, do one of the following:

o To change the text color, click the arrow next to Font Color , and then
under Theme Colors or Standard Colors, click the color that you want to

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 use. And select Blue font color for your selection.

o To apply the most recently selected text color, click Font Color .
o To apply a color other than the available theme colors and standard
colors, click More Colors, and then define the color that you want to use
on the Standard tab or Custom tab of the Colors dialog box.

o To change the background color, click the arrow next to Fill Color , and
then under Theme Colors or Standard Colors, click the background color
that you want to use. Select Yellow Background color for your selection.

o To apply the most recently selected background color, click Fill Color .
o To apply a color other than the available theme colors and standard
colors, click More Colors, and then define the color that you want to use
on the Standard tab or Custom tab of the Colors dialog box.
o To use a pattern with two colors, click another color in the Pattern Color
box, and then click a pattern style in the Pattern Style box.
o To use a pattern with special effects, click Fill Effects, and then click the
options that you want on the Gradient tab.
 If the colors in the palette don't meet your needs, you can click More Colors. In
the Colors box, click the color that you want. You can also select a model in the
Color model box, and then type the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) or HSL (Hue, Sat,
Lum) numbers to match the exact color shade that you want.

6.3.10 Using Format Cells

In addition to the formatting toolbars you used, it is possible to use format cell
dialog box. Format cell dialog box provides many formatting options including
number, alignment, font, borders, fill and protection.

In order to use the Format Cells dialog box, you should first select data cell to
apply formatting. To Open Format Cell dialog Box (See Figure 6.15):
- Click on the Format Cell from Cell Group and click on Format Cells or
- Click on the Font dialog box launcher or
- Right Click over the selected cell and click on Format Cells

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 Figure 6. 15: Format Cells Dialog Box

Number Formatting
Right Click over the selected cell and click on Format Cells, then Click on Number Tab
(See Figure 6.15), then select from list of commands on Number Tab. For instance,
 Select all salary data (i.e. Cell F2:F5),
 Right click over the selected data, and click on Format Cells.
 Then Click on Number Tab and Select currency from category, set 2 for
decimal places,
 Select ETB from Symbol and finally click OK button. See Figure 6.15

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 Figure 6.16: Number Formatting with Currency Symbol

Number formatting includes Category, Sample, decimal places, 1000 Separator,

Negative numbers, Symbol, type and location.
 Category: Click an option in the Category box, and then select the options that
you want to specify a number format. The Sample box shows how the selected
cells will look with the formatting that you choose. Click Custom if you want to
create your own custom formats for numbers, such as product codes.
 Sample: Displays the number in the active cell on the worksheet in the number
format that you select.
 Decimal places: Specify up to 30 decimal places. This box is available only for
the Number, Currency, Accounting, Percentage, and Scientific categories.
 Use 1000 Separator (,): Select this check box to insert a thousand separator.
This check box is available only for the Number category.
 Negative numbers: Specify the format in which you want negative numbers to
be displayed. This option is available only for the Number and Currency

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 categories.
 Symbol: Select the currency symbol that you want to use. This box is available
only for the Currency and Accounting categories.
 Type: Select the display type that you want to use for a number. This list box is
available only for the Date, Time, Fraction, Special, and Custom categories.
 Locale (location): Select a different language that you want to use for the
display type of a number. This option is available only for the Date, Time, and
Special categories.

Using Alignment
Right Click over the selected cell and click on Format Cells, then Click on Alignment
Tab, next apply your text alignment, text control, right-to left and orientation
formatting. For instance:
 Select cell ranges from A1:F1.
 Click on Format Cells, from Home tab in the cells group.
 Click on Alignment tab and select Center from Horizontal, Bottom from
vertical alignment and Set 45 degree from Orientation and finally click ok.
See Figure 6.17

Figure 6.17: Formatting using Alignment

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Text alignment includes Horizontal, Vertical, indent, orientation, and degrees.

 Horizontal Select an option in the Horizontal list box to change the horizontal
alignment of cell contents. By default, Microsoft Office Excel aligns text to the
left, numbers to the right and logical and error values are centered. The default
horizontal alignment is General. Changing the alignment of data does not change
the data type.
 Vertical Select an option in the Vertical box to change the vertical alignment of
cell contents. By default, Excel aligns text vertically on the bottom of a cell. The
default horizontal alignment is General.
 Indent Indents cell contents from any edge of the cell, depending on your
choice under Horizontal and Vertical. Each increment in the Indent box is
equivalent to the width of one character.
 Orientation Select an option under Orientation to change the orientation of
text in selected cells. Rotation options may not be available if other alignment
options are selected.
 Degrees Sets the amount of text rotation in the selected cell. Use a positive
number in the Degree box to rotate the selected text from lower left to upper
right in the cell. Use negative degrees to rotate text from upper left to lower right
in the selected cell.

Text control
 Open MyWorkbook Sheet-2005 and insert a row above the heading 1. Then
 select from A1:F1 and click on Format Cells, then click on the Alignment tab
 Select Merge cells from Text control and click OK
 Then Write the Text on the merged cell as HIT Program Employee Data.
 Save your changes. See Figure 6. 18

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 Figure 6.18: Merge Cell Text Control

Text control includes Wrap Text, Shrink to Fit, Merge cells, and Text direction..
 Wrap text: Wraps text into multiple lines in a cell. The number of wrapped lines
is dependent on the width of the column and the length of the cell contents.
 Shrink to fit: Reduces the apparent size of font characters so that all data in a
selected cell fits within the column. The character size is adjusted automatically if
you change the column width. The applied font size is not changed.
 Merge cells: Combines two or more selected cells into a single cell. The cell
reference for a merged cell is the upper-left cell in the original selected range.
Right-to-left
 Text direction: Select an option in the Text direction box to specify reading
order and alignment. The default setting is Context, but you can change it to
Left-to-Right or Right-to-Left.

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Font Formatting
Open MyWorkbook Sheet-2005
- Select the title HIT Program Employee Data.
- Click on Format Cells from Home on Cells group.
- Select Arial Black from font list
- Select Regular from Style and Select 14 font size
- Select Green font color and finally click Ok.
- Save your changes. See Figure 6.19

Figure 6.19: Font Formatting

Font formatting includes font, font style, size, underline, color, normal font, effects,
and strike-through, superscript, subscript and preview.
 Font: Select the font type for the text in selected cells. The default font is Calibri.
 Font style: Select the font style for the text in selected cells. The default font
style is regular.
 Size: Select the font size for the text in selected cells. You can type any number

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 between 1 and 1638. The default font size is 11. The sizes in the Size list depend
on the selected font and active printer.
 Underline: Select the type of underlining that you want to use for text in
selected cells. The default underline is none.
 Color: Select the color that you want to use for selected cells or text. The default
color is Automatic.
 Normal font: Select the Normal font check box to reset the font, font style, size,
and effects to the Normal (default) style.
 Effects: Allows you to select one of the following formatting effects.
 Strikethrough: Select this check box to display the text in selected cells as
strikethrough.
 Superscript: Select this check box to display the text selected cells or text as
superscript.
 Subscript: Select this check box to display the text in selected cells as subscript.
 Preview: See a sample of text that is displayed with the formatting options that
you select.

Border Formatting
Open MyWorkbook Sheet-2005
- Select all the data the ranges from A1: F6.
- Click on Format Cells from Home on Cells group. Click on Borders tab.
- Select on Bold line style and a red line color, and then Click on
Outline.
- Select dotted line style, and a blue line color then click on Inside
- Finally click Ok.
- Save your changes. See Figure 6.20

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 Figure 6.20: Apply Border Formatting

Border formatting includes Line, Presets, color, and border.

 Line: Select an option under Style to specify the line size and style for a border.
If you want to change a line style on a border that already exists, select the line
style option that you want, and then click the area of the border in the Border
model where you want the new line style to appear.
 Presets: Select a predefined border option to apply borders to or remove
borders from selected cells.
 Color: Select a color from the list to change the color of the selected cells.
 Border: Click a line style in the Style box, and then click the buttons under
Presets or Border to apply borders to the selected cells. To remove all borders,
click the None button. You can also click areas in the text box to add or remove
borders.

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Fill/ Shading Formatting
Open MyWorkbook Sheet-2005
- Select all the data the ranges from A1: F6.
- Click on Format Cells from Home on Cells group.
- Click on Fill Tab and select Gray from background color
- Select green from pattern color and select 6.25% pattern style
- Finally click Ok.
- Save your changes. See Figure 6.21

Figure 6.21: Apply Fill Color

Fill formatting includes background color, Fill effects, more colors, pattern color,
pattern style, and sample.
 Background Color: Select a background color for selected cells by using the
color palette.
 Fill Effects: Select this button to apply gradient, texture, and picture fills to
selected cells.
 More Colors: Select this button to add colors that are not available on the color
palette.

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 Pattern Color:Select a foreground color in the Pattern Color box to create a
pattern that uses two colors.
 Pattern Style: Select a pattern in the Pattern Style box to format selected cells
in a pattern that uses the colors that you select in the Background Color and
Pattern Color boxes.
 Sample: See a sample of the color, fill effects, and pattern options

Using Protection
Right Click over the selected cell and click on Format Cells, then Click on Protection
Tab, then you can select either Locked or Hidden Protection. See Figure 6.22

Figure 6.22: Apply Locked and Hidden Protection

 Locked: Prevents selected cells from being changed, moved, resized, or deleted.
Locking cells has no effect unless the sheet is protected. To apply protection for
your data cells follow the following procedure:
 First select your data from Sheet-2005 (A1:F6)

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  Click on format cells and click on Protection then select Locked.
 On the Review tab, in the Changes group, click Protect Sheet.

Figure 6.23: Changes from Review Tab

 On the protect sheet select Protect worksheet and contents of locked
cells. Protect sheet dialog box appears.

Figure 6. 24 Protect Sheet

 Enter Password and reconfirm password by entering identical password
key and click OK.
 Now you can check if you are able to change the data. Since such data
is locked, you can’t make any modification unless you access this
sheet with your protected password.

 Hidden: Hides a formula in a cell so that it doesn't appear in the formula bar
when the cell is selected. If you select this option, it has no effect unless the
sheet is protected.

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6.3.11Create Headers and Footers

You can use the Header & Footer button on the Insert tab to create headers and
footers. A header is text that appears at the top of every page of your printed
worksheet. Footer is text that appears at the bottom of every page of your printed
worksheet. When you click the Header & Footer button, the Design context tab
appears and Excel changes to Page Layout view. A context tab is a tab that only
appears when you need it. Page Layout view structures your worksheet so that you
can easily change the format of your document. You usually work in Normal view.

Header & Footer Elements

Button Purpose

Page Number Inserts the page number.

Inserts the number of pages in the

Number of Pages
document.

Current Time Inserts the current time.

File Path Inserts the path to the document.

File Name Inserts the file name.

Sheet Name Inserts the name of the worksheet.

Picture Enables you to insert a picture.

Table 6.4: Header Footer Elements

Both the header and footer areas are divided into three sections: left, right, and
center. When you choose a Header or Footer from the Header & Footer Elements
group, where you place your information determines whether it appears on the left,
right, or center of the printed page. You use the Go To Header and Go To Footer
buttons on the Design tab to move between the header and footer areas of your
worksheet.

Insert Headers and Footers

 Open MyWorkbook Sheet-2005.
 Choose the Insert tab. Click the Header & Footer button in the Text group. Your
worksheet changes to Page Layout view and the Design context tab appears. See

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 Figure 6.25
 Note that your cursor is located in the center section of the header area.

Figure 6. 25: Header and Footer Design

 Click the left side of the Header area. Type HIT-Program. When you print your
document, Excel will place the text in the upper-left corner.
 Click in the middle of the Header and click on the Header icon from the design
tab. Then select Produced by at the end of the list.
 Click the right side of the header area. Click Page Number in the Header & Footer
Elements group. When you print your document, Excel will place the page
number in the upper-right corner.
 Click the “Go To” Footer button. Excel moves to the footer area. Click the Footer
button. A menu appears. Click the path to your document. Excel will place the
path to your document at the bottom of every printed page.

Return to Normal View

 Choose the View tab. Click the Normal button in the Workbook Views group.

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6.3.12 Set Print Options and Printing Excel

There are many print options. You set print options on the Page Layout tab. Among
other things, you can set your margins, set your page orientation, and select your
paper size. Margins define the amount of white space that appears on the top,
bottom, left, and right edges of your document. The Margin option on the Page
Layout tab provides several standard margin sizes from which you can choose. There
are two page orientations: portrait and landscape. To Print Click on the office button
then Click on Print then select what to print and Click Print button. For example,
Open MyWorkbook Sheet-2005 and do the following:
- Select all the data the ranges from A1: F6.
- Click on the Page layout tab, then
- Click on Page Setup dialog box launcher

Figure 6.26: Page setup Dialog Box

- Select Landscape Orientation, adjust scaling to 90%
- Click on Margins tab and select Horizontally center on page
- Click on Sheet tab and select gridlines when printing the content
- Click on Print preview button to check your printing options.
- When you are done, click on the print button.

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 Exercise: 6.3
1. Open Microsoft Office Excel 2007
2. Open the workbook called ExcelExercise from your local disk.
3. Enter the following records inside Employee sheet starting at Cell A1

Employee Name Hired Date Salary

Helen 2/2/2000 5000

Linda 3/3/2002 900

4. Enter the following records between Helen and Linda

Solomon 4/4/2002 1200

Daniel 5/5/2002 3400

5. Enter Sex data between Name and Date Columns

6. Save all the changes and Exit Excel.
7. Find and Replace the following records found inside Employee Sheet:
Solomon to Endrias, and Daniel to Aregawi
8. Copy the above data to a cell range whose top left corner is E16 on the
current sheet.
9. Delete the content of the copied data.
10. Move the original data to cell E16 using mouse dragging method.
11. Use Undo method to place the data on its previous location.
12. Copy Employee Sheet to the end of the sheet tabs and rename it as
Employee Copy
13. Format the first row of the Employee sheet as:
Font= Arial Black, Size =16, Style= Bold, Italic, Color=Red
14. Insert a row above the first row of the Employee Sheet and enter the
following title by merging the cells i.e. from cell ( A1:D1)
Ethiopian HIT Program Employee Record
15. Format the title you entered as:

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 Font= Comic Sans Ms, Size =20, Style= Italic, Font Color=Red, underline
shade color= Blue
16. Insert currency symbol($) for Salary records
17. Align Salary records to Center
18. Apply Boarder for the records
19. Sort your list of data as follows: Hired Date with Date/Time Sorting and
Salary with Number Sorting and Name with Text Sorting mechanism.
20. Create a header and footer for your Employee sheet. You should insert your
name at the middle of the header and page number at the footer.
21. Insert a new sheet and line it as 3rd place and rename the sheet by
FillSeries
And Work out the following questions on FillSeries sheet
(Hint: use the fill handle to drag and fill the series) in a row
a. Monday, Tuesday,…..Sunday
b. January, February,…..December
c. 2:30, 3:30,….1:30
d. 1, 5, …50
e. 100, 90…..50
f. Qtr1, Qtr2…….Qtr1
22. Work out the following questions on Fill Series sheet using Series command
in column( Hint Use Linear and Growth Series type). Star on a blank
column.
a. 2, 4, 6,…..100
b. 1000, 900, 800,…100
c. 2, 6, 18……….500
d. 3, 6,12………..250
e. 1000, 500, 250….1
f. 6000, 1500, 375….1
23. Save all the changes.

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 Lesson 6.4 Microsoft Excel: Formulas and Functions

Lesson Objectives
At the end of the lesson the student should be able to:
 Describe formula, function and operators.
 Use relative, mixed and absolute cell referencing.
 Apply Mathematical, Statistical, Logical, database or other functions.

6.4.1 Using Excel Formulas

In Microsoft Excel, you can enter numbers and mathematical formulas into cells.
Whether you enter a number or a formula, you can reference the cell when you
perform mathematical calculations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, or
division. When entering a mathematical formula, precede the formula with an equal
sign. Excel formulas can be entered using operators or functions.

6.4.2 Using Operators

Operators specify the type of calculation that you want to perform on the elements
of a formula. Microsoft Excel includes four different types of calculation operators:
arithmetic, comparison, text, and reference.

Types of Operators
Arithmetic operators: To perform basic mathematical operations such as addition,
subtraction, or multiplication; combine numbers; and produce numeric results, use the
following arithmetic operators.
Arithmetic operator Meaning (Example)
+ (plus sign) Addition (3+3)
– (minus sign) Subtraction(3–1) Negation (–1)
* (asterisk) Multiplication (3*3)
/ (forward slash) Division (3/3)
% (percent sign) Percent (20%)
^ (caret) Exponentiation (3^2)
Table 6. 5: Arithmetic Operators

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Comparison operators: You can compare two values with the following operators.
When two values are compared by using these operators, the result is a logical value
either TRUE or FALSE.
Comparison operators
Meaning (Example)
And Reference operators
= (equal sign) Equal to (A1=B1)
> (greater than sign) Greater than (A1>B1)
< (less than sign) Less than (A1<B1)
>= (greater than or equal to
Greater than or equal to (A1>=B1)
sign)
<= (less than or equal to
Less than or equal to (A1<=B1)
sign)
<> (not equal to sign) Not equal to (A1<>B1)
Also called a Text Operator that Connects, or
& (ampersand) concatenates, two values to produce one continuous text
value ("North"&"wind")
Range Reference operator, which produces one reference
: (colon) to all the cells between two references, including the two
references (B5:B15)
Union Reference operator, which combines multiple
, (comma)
references into one reference (SUM(B5:B15,D5:D15))
Intersection Reference operator, which produces on
(space) reference to cells common to the two references (B7:D7
C6:C8)

Table 6. 6: Comparison and Reference Operators

Operator Precedence: the order in which excel performs calculations

Formulas calculate values in a specific order. A formula in Excel always begins with
an equal sign (=). Excel calculates the formula from left to right, according to a
specific order for each operator in the formula. If you combine several operators in a
single formula, Excel performs the operations in the order shown in the following
table. If a formula contains operators with the same precedence— for example, if a
formula contains both a multiplication and division operator— Excel evaluates the
operators from left to right. Note: You use operators as part of your formulas.

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6.4.3 Creating Formulas Using Operators
 Open Microsoft Office Excel 2007 and save the workbook as Formula.
 Rename Sheet1 as Ethio-Drug Store and enter the data found on Table 6.5
starting from Cell A1. The data is taken from your manual spreadsheet example
of Table 6.1.

Quantity Turn Total

in Unit Total Over Purchasing Net
Tablet Tin Price Price Tax Price Sold Profit
Paracitamol 150 152.45
Amoxicillin 252 1302.05
Bactrim 252 925.7
CAF 315 1565.5
Metrendazol 325 735.15
Advil 325 3211.95
Total

Table 6.7: Ethio Drug Store Net Profit Data (Similar to Table 6.1)

 Click on cell D2, and on cell D2 we need to create a formula that will calculate the
value of the total price of each tablet. To do this we need to multiply the contents
of cell B2 (Quantity in Tin) by the content of cell C2 (Unit Price).
 All formulas within Excel start with the 'equals' symbol.
 Click on Cell D2 and write this formula: =B2*C2
 Press: the Enter key and you will see the result of the calculation in cell D2.
OR
Easy way to create formulas
 Click on cell D2 and type in the equals sign.
 Click on cell B2 and you will see the formula displayed in the formula bar
above the worksheet.
 Type in the * symbol, you see this on the formula bar.
 Click on cell C2 and you see this on the formula bar. And make sure that
your formula is =B2*C2
 Finally click Enter key and you will see the result on cell D2.

Copying Formulas:
 Once you enter a formula, you don’t need to re-enter similar formula for other

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 cell. You can use the Fill command to fill the active cell or a selected range
with the contents of an adjacent cell or range, or you can quickly fill adjacent

cells by dragging the fill handle. (Fill Handle is the small black square
in the lower-right corner of the selection. When you point to the fill handle,
the pointer changes to a black cross.).
 To copy the above formula you entered on cell D2, first click on cell D2.
 Move the mouse pointer to the bottom-right border of this cell (D2) and you
will notice that the mouse pointer changes to the shape of a small, solid black
cross. When you see this shape change to cross sign, press the mouse button
and drag down to cell D7. Release the mouse button at cell D7 and You will
see the formula copied down this range.
 If you look at the formula in each cell of the range the cell references are
automatically adjusted to match each row.
Formula error messages
 When writing formulas it is easy to make a mistake listed
below are some common error messages.
 ##### indicates that the contents of the cell cannot be
displayed correctly as the column is too narrow.
 #REF! Indicates that a cell reference is invalid. This is often
displayed when you delete cells which are involved in a
formula.
 #NAME indicates that Excel does not recognize text
contained within a formula.
Note:
Enter formula for other columns of Ethio-Drug Store data and copy the
formula to the rest of adjacent cells then save all your changes.
 Turn Over Tax = 5%* Total Price at cell E2 as : =D2*5%
 Total Purchasing Price= Total Price(TP) + Turn Over Tax (ToT) at cell F2
as: =D2+E2
 Sold at = Total Purchasing Price + (Total Purchasing Price) *7% at Cell G2
as: =D2+F2
 Net Profit= (Sold - Total Purchasing Price) at cell H2 as: =(G2*7%)+G2)

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6.4.4 Relative, mixed and absolute cell referencing

In Excel, you can copy data from one area of a worksheet and place the data you
copied anywhere in the same or another worksheet. In other words, after you type
information into a worksheet, if you want to place the same information somewhere
else, you do not have to retype the information. You simple copy it and then paste it
in the new location.

You can use Excel's Cut feature to remove information from a worksheet. Then you
can use the Paste feature to place the information you cut anywhere in the same or
another worksheet. In other words, you can move information from one place in a
worksheet to another place in the same or different worksheet by using the Cut and
Paste features.

Microsoft Excel records cell addresses in formulas in three different ways, called
absolute, relative, and mixed. The way a formula is recorded is important when you
copy it. With relative cell addressing, when you copy a formula from one area of the
worksheet to another, Excel records the position of the cell relative to the cell that
originally contained the formula. With absolute cell addressing, when you copy a
formula from one area of the worksheet to another, Excel references the same cells,
no matter where you copy the formula. You can use mixed cell addressing to keep
the row constant while the column changes, or vice versa. These are demonstrated
in the following exercises.
Relative cell referencing within formulas
 Open a workbook name Formula from your local disk.
 Rename Sheet2 as Medical Instrument and enter the data found in table 6.6
starting from Cell A1 to Cell D5. (You can use the data in the table )

Unit Total
No Item Quantity Price Price Percentage
1 Microscope 2 20,000
2 Stethoscope 25 500
3 Thermometer 25 100
4 BP Apparatus 25 750
Grand Total Price

Table 6. 8: Health Instrument Data

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  At Cell E2, Enter the following Formula (i.e. = C2*D2 ) and Press: Enter Key
 Now, Using the fill Handle, copy the formula to the rest of cells (i.e. from
E2:E5). If you check each formula, it’s referenced relative to its position.

Absolute cell referencing within formulas

You make a cell address an absolute cell address by placing a dollar sign in front of
the row and column identifiers. You can do this automatically by using the F4 key.
Press: F4 to switch between the combinations of Absolute, relative or mixed
reference.
 Make sure that you have entered a formula at cell E6 (i.e. =E2 + E3+ E4 +
E5) which gives you the grand sum of Total Price.
 Now, you wanted to check the percentage price of each item as compared to
the Grand Total Price. To do this:
 At Cell F2, Enter the following formula : (= E2/$E$6)
(How: Click on Cell F2 and Press: (=) sign, then select cell E2. Then
Press: division ( / ) operator. Then select E6 and Press: F4 key to make

the cell referenced absolutely. Finally Hit the Enter Key)

Figure 6.18: Absolute Cell Reference

 Now, using the fill Handle, copy the formula to the rest of cells (i.e. from
F2:F6). You can change the number format to percentage to easily check
each item’s price percentage.
 If you check each formula, it’s referenced relative to its position.
You have seen relative and absolute referencing. You can also have mixed
references, which contain an absolute and a relative reference. Save your changes
and close the workbook.

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6.4.5 Functions

Understanding Functions
Functions are prewritten formulas. Functions differ from regular formulas in that you
supply the value but not the operators, such as +, -, *, or /. For example, you can
use the SUM function to add. When using a function, remember the following:
 Use an equal sign to begin a formula, Specify the function name.
 Enclose arguments within parentheses. Arguments are values on which you
want to perform the calculation. For example, arguments specify the numbers
or cells you want to add. Use a comma to separate arguments.

Here is an example of a function:

=SUM(2,13,A1,B2:C7)

In this function:
o The equal sign begins the function.
o SUM is the name of the function.
o 2, 13, A1, and B2:C7 are the arguments.
o Parentheses enclose the arguments and
o Commas separate the arguments.
 After you type the first letter of a function name, the AutoComplete list
appears. You can double-click on an item in the AutoComplete list to complete
your entry quickly.

6.4.6 Common functions

Some commonly used functions include:
 SUM : used to compute Addition and Subtraction function
 PRODUCT: Used to compute Multiplication and divisions with the contents of
selected cells.
 AVERAGE: Used to determine the average value of the selected cells
contents.
 COUNT: Used to count how many numbers are in the list.
 MAX: Used to return the maximum number from a list.
 MIN: Used to return the minimum number from a list.
 ROUND: Used to round off numbers to a specified number of decimal points.

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To display the available functions, click on the Formulas tab and within the Function
Library group, click on the Insert Function icon. This will display the Insert Function
dialog box and you can choose any function you need to work on. See Figure 6.27

Figure 6.27: Function Dialog Box

To conceptualize Excel function more use the following data and related function
practical examples.
 First Open your workbook named Formula from your local disk.
 Rename Sheet 3 as Student Grade and enter data found on Table 6.7
(Start entering data from Cell A1.)

Student
Name ICT IMS English Average Rank Remark
Helen 60 80 75
Abebe 75 90 80
Omud 80 65 90
Ali 95 85 96
Rahel 80 85 90
Total
Minimum
Maximum
Table 6.9: Student Grade Report

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Sum function

You can use the AutoSum button on the Home tab to automatically add a column

or row of numbers. When you press the AutoSum button , Excel selects the
numbers it thinks you want to add. If you then click the check mark on the Formula
bar or press the Enter key, Excel adds the numbers. If Excel's guess as to which
numbers you want to add is wrong, you can select the cells you want.

For Example on Student Grade Sheet, click on Cell B7 and Click on AutoSum from
Formula Tab. Excel automatically enters formula =SUM (B2:B6). Now you can check
your formula and press the Enter key to accept and display on the cell value. Copy
this formula from B7 to D7. See Figure 6.28

Figure 6.28: Formula Tab with the Auto sum features

Average function
Average calculates the average (arithmetic mean) of the values in the list of
arguments. In addition to numbers, text and logical values such as TRUE and FALSE
are included in the calculation.
Syntax: AVERAGE (value1, value2...)
Value1, value2 ... are 1 to 30 cells, ranges of cells, or values for which you want

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the average.
To enter average function for our Student grade sheet:
 Click on Cell E3 to enter average function
 Click on the Formulas tab and within the Function Library group click on the
arrow next to the AutoSum icon. You will see a drop down list displayed.
 Click on the Average command. This function tells Excel to do the average for
the rage of cell values that you have selected.
 Make sure that excel selects formula as =AVERAGE(B2:D2)
 Press: the Enter key and you will see the average value displayed in the cell
that you entered the formula.
 Copy this formula from E2 to E6.
 Save changes.

MIN Function
Syntax: MIN (number1, number2...)
Number1, number2 ...are 1 to 30 numbers for which you want to find the
maximum value. To enter Min function for our Student grade sheet:
 Click on Cell B8 to enter Min function.
 Click on the Formulas tab and within the Function Library group click on the
arrow next to the AutoSum icon. You will see a drop down list displayed.
 Click on the Min command. This function tells Excel to do the minimum for the
rage of cell values that you have selected.
 Make sure that excel selects formula as =MIN (B2:B6). If the cells are not
correctly referenced, select cells range from B2:B6.
 Press: the Enter key and you will see the Min value displayed in the cell that
you entered the formula.
 Copy this formula from B8 to E8.
 Save changes.

MAX Function
Syntax: MAX (number1, number2...)
Number1, number2 ...are 1 to 30 numbers for which you want to find the
maximum value. To enter Max function for our Student grade sheet:
 Click on Cell B9 to enter Max function.

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  Click on the Formulas tab and within the Function Library group click on the
arrow next to the AutoSum icon. You will see a drop down list displayed.
 Click on the Max command. This function tells Excel to do the maximum for
the rage of cell values that you have selected.
 Make sure that excel selects formula as =MAX (B2:B6). If the cells are not
correctly referenced, select cells range from B2:B6.
 Press: the Enter key and you will see the Min value displayed in the cell that
you entered the formula.
 Copy this formula from B9 to E9.
 Save changes.
Rank Function
Rank returns the rank of a number in a list of numbers. The rank of a number is its
size relative to other values in a list. (If you were to sort the list, the rank of the
number would be its position.)

Figure 6. 29: Rank Formula

Syntax
RANK(number, ref, order)
Number: is the number whose rank you want to find.
Ref: is an array of, or a reference to, a list of numbers. Nonnumeric values in ref are
ignored.
Order: is a number specifying how to rank number.
If order is 0 (zero) or omitted, Microsoft Excel ranks number as if ref were a list
sorted in descending order. If order is any nonzero value, Microsoft Excel ranks
number as if ref were a list sorted in ascending order.

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 To enter Rank function for our Student grade sheet:
 Click on Cell F2 to enter Rank function
 Click on the Formulas tab and within the Function Library group click on the
Insert Function and Insert Function dialog box will be displayed. Select Rank
from function category and click on Ok button. See Figure 6.30

Figure 6.30: Rank Function for Student Grade

 Click cell E2 to enter on Number box on the function argument.
 Click on Ref box on the function argument and select from Cell E2:E6, and
Press: F4 key to make the cells referenced absolutely.
 You can write 0 or omit it on the order box to sort it in descending order (i.e.
from highest to lowest number)
 Make sure that excel enters formula as =RANK(E2,$E$2:$E$6) on the formula
bar. If the cells are not correctly referenced, reference it accordingly.
 Press: the Enter key and you will see the Rank value displayed in the cell that
you entered the formula.
 Copy this formula from E2 to E6.

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  Save changes.

6.4.7 Using Logical (IF – Functions)

Excel has a number of functions which allow us to evaluate values and make
decisions based on the result of the evaluation. The IF( ) FUNCTION is one of these.
IF(SYNTAX/Format: IF(LOGICAL_TEST, ACTION_IF_TRUE, ACTION_IF_FALSE)

LOGICAL_TEST
The logical test evaluates an expression to see if it passes the test, i.e. is TRUE or
does not pass the test, i.e. is FALSE. See Figure 6.30

Figure 6.31 Logical Test

ACTION_IF_TRUE
Action_if_true can be a value or an operation. Whichever, the result is placed in the
cell which contains the IF( ) Function if the logical_test is true.
ACTION_IF_FALSE
Action_if_false can be a value or an operation. Whichever, the result is placed in the
cell which contains the IF( ) Function if the logical_test is false.

To enter logical if function for our Student grade sheet and display the word PASS or
FAIL on the Remark column, depending on whether the average is over 75..
 Click on the cell G2
 Click on the Logical icon within the Function Library group of the Formulas tab.
This will display the Insert Function dialog box. Select the IF command and click

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 on Ok. See Figure 6.32

Figure 6.32: Logical If Function Argument for Student Grade

 In the LOGICAL_TEST section of the dialog box, enter the logical test, i.e. E2>75
 In the VALUE_IF_TRUE section of the dialog box, enter the word PASS.
 In the VALUE_IF_FALSE section of the dialog box, enter the word FAIL.
 Click on the OK button to continue.
 Copy this formula from G2: G6 using Fill Handle

6.4.8 Database Function

Database functions are used to compute values based on some criteria and field
name. Excel database function include the use of DSUM, DMAX, DMIN, DCOUNT, etc.
For instance the DAVERAGE syntax is as follows:
DAVERAGE(database,field,criteria)

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Database: refers to the range of cells that makes up the list or database. A
database is a list of related data in which rows of related information are records,
and columns of data are fields.
Field: indicates which column is used in the function.
Criteria: is the range of cells that contains the conditions you specify. You can use
any range for the criteria argument.

Example: If we need to compute the Total average grade of students whose name
begins with letter A, we need to use database function;
 First create criteria on a blank Cell (Our criteria will be First Name =A*). Write it
on Cell A11 ( First Name) and A12 (A*)
 Identify the field name (i.e. Average will be the field to be computed)
 Click on B11 to enter the database function. Click on Formula tab then Function
and Select Database function from Insert function and then Select DSUM and
click on ok button.
 Select your database rage from Cell A1:G9
 Select the Field name (i.e. Click on E1 to select Average)
 Click on Criteria and Select your criteria range (from cell A11:A12) and Make sure

that your formula is =DSUM (A1:G9, E1, A11:A12). Finally click on Ok button.
 The result will be displayed on Cell B11. See Figure 6.33

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Figure 6.33: Database Function for Student Grade

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 Exercise 6.4

1. What is Excel Formula?

2. What is the difference between entering formula using operator and using
function?
3. Open a workbook called ExcelExercise from your local disk.
4. Insert a new worksheet and rename it as Payroll
5. Enter the following data on Payroll sheet starting from Cell A1 and format the
sheet similar to the following record.

HIT-College
Employee Payroll For the Month of September 2009

Income Tax
Allowance
Over Time

Deduction
Transport

Pension

Net pay
Salary

Salary
Name

Gross
Basic

Rank
Total
Sex

Abebe M 1405.00 100.00

Senait F 850.00 0.00
Hailu M 8750.00 45.00
Mikias M 345.00 80.00
Yohanne M 3500.00 0.00
s
Kirubel M 4000.00 150.00
Helen F 5231.00 0.00
Eyerus F 2140.00 0.00
Total
Max

6. Transport Allowance is computed as:

If Basic Salary is >=2000 and sex is Male, 10% of Basic Salary
If Basic Salary is >=2000 and sex is Female, 15% of Basic Salary
Otherwise, 8% of Basic Salary
7. Calculate Gross Salary = Basic Salary + Over Time+ Transport
Allowance
8. Calculate Pension as 4% of Basic Salary

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9. Calculate Income Tax using the following conditions:
Gross Salary Tax
If Gross Salary <=150 0
151-650 Gross Salary *10%-15
651-1400 Gross Salary *15%-47.5
1401-2350 Gross Salary *20%-117.5
2351-3350 Gross Salary *25%-235
3351-5000 Gross Salary *30%-412.5
Otherwise Gross Salary *35%-662.5
10. Calculate Total Deduction = Pension + Income Tax
11. Calculate Net Salary = Gross Salary - Total Deduction
12. Compute Rank of employees based on their Net Salary.
13. Calculate the Total Salary and copy the formula to other cells.
14. Compute the Maximum Net Pay.
15. Compute The Total Net Salary of Male Employees.
16. Compute the Average Basic Salary of Employees whose name begins with
Letter H.
17. Compute the Average grade of English whose name begins with letter H
18. Save all your tasks.

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 Lesson 6.5 Microsoft Excel: Using Charts

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson the student should be able to:
 Create different types of charts
 Apply Chart layout, Chart label, Switch data
 Modify and format chart style

6.5.1 Create a Chart

In Microsoft Excel, you can represent numbers in a chart. On the Insert tab, you can
choose from a variety of chart types, including column, line, pie, bar, area, and
scatter. The basic procedure for creating a chart is the same no matter what type of
chart you choose. As you change your data, your chart will automatically update.

You select a chart type by choosing an option from the Insert tab's Chart group.
After you choose a chart type, such as column, line, or bar, you choose a chart sub-
type. For example, after you choose Column Chart, you can choose to have your
chart represented as a two-dimensional chart, a three-dimensional chart, a cylinder
chart, a cone chart, or a pyramid chart. There are further sub-types within each of
these categories. As you roll your mouse pointer over each option, Excel supplies a
brief description of each chart sub-type. To create the column chart, start by creating
the worksheet below exactly as shown on Figure 6.34

Table 6. 34: Total Affected Population Data

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After you have created the worksheet, you are ready to create your chart.

Create a Column Chart.

 Select cells A3 to D6. You must select all the cells containing the data you
want in your chart. You should also include the data labels.
 Choose the Insert tab. See Figure 6. 35

Figure 6. 35: Column Chart

 Click the Column button in the Charts group. A list of column chart sub-types
types appears.
 Select 2 D Clustered Column Chart type. You may also select another type of
chart from the list of available charts. Now Your chart will be inserted on the
your worksheet. See Figure 6.36

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 Figure 6.36: Excel Clustered Column Chart

 As you can see, Excel creates a Clustered Column chart and the Chart Tools
context tabs appear. Now you can change the layout of your chart.

6.5.2 Apply a Chart Layout

Context tabs are tabs that only appear when you need them. Called Chart Tools,
there are three chart context tabs: Design, Layout, and Format. The tabs become
available when you create a new chart or when you click on a chart. You can use
these tabs to customize your chart.

You can determine what your chart displays by choosing a layout. For example, the
layout you choose determines whether your chart displays a title, where the title
displays, whether your chart has a legend, where the legend displays, whether the
chart has axis labels and so on. Excel provides several layouts from which you can
choose.

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 To Apply a Chart Layout:
 Click on the outer border of your chart to select it.
 The Chart Tools become available.
 Choose the Design tab.
 Click the Quick Layout button in the Chart Layout group.
 A list of chart layouts appears.
 Click Layout 5. Excel applies the layout to your chart. See Figure 6.37

Figure 6.37: Chart Layout-5 applied for your data

6.5.3 Add Chart Labels

When you apply a layout, Excel may create areas where you can insert labels. You
use labels to give your chart a title or to label your axes. When you applied layout 5,
Excel created label areas for a title and for the vertical axis.

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  Select Chart Title. Click on Chart Title and then place your cursor before the C
in Chart and hold down the Shift key while you use the right arrow key to
highlight the words Chart Title.
 Type Total Affected Population. Excel adds your title.
 Select Axis Title. Click on Axis Title. Place your cursor before the A in Axis.
Hold down the Shift key while you use the right arrow key to highlight the
words Axis Title.
 Type Number. Excel labels the axis. See Figure 6. 38

Figure 6.38: Labels Added for Chart

6.5.4 Change the Style of a Chart

A style is a set of formatting options. You can use a style to change the color and
format of your chart. Excel 2007 has several predefined styles that you can use.
They are numbered from left to right, starting with 1, which is located in the upper-
left corner.
Change the Style of a Chart
 Click your chart. The Chart Tools become available.
 Choose the Design tab.

 Click the More buttons in the Chart Styles group. The chart styles appear.
 Click Style - 48. Excel applies the style to your chart. See Figure 6. 39

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 Figure 6.39: Chart Style-48

6.5.5 Switch Data

If you want to change what displays in your chart, you can switch from row data to
column data and vice versa.
 Choose the Design tab.
 Click the Switch Row/Column button in the Data group. Excel changes the
data in your chart. See Figure 6.40

Before Switching After Switching

Figure 6.40: Chart Layout when switching data

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6.5.6 Change the Size and Position of a Chart

When you click a chart, handles appear on the right and left sides, the top and
bottom, and the corners of the chart.
 You can drag the handles on the top and bottom of the chart to increase or
decrease the height of the chart.
 You can drag the handles on the left and right sides to increase or decrease
the width of the chart.
 You can drag the handles on the corners to increase or decrease the size of
the chart proportionally.
 You can change the position of a chart by clicking on an unused area of the
chart and dragging.
 Use the handles to adjust the size of your chart.
 Click an unused portion of the chart and drag to position the chart beside the
data.

6.5.7 Move a Chart to a Chart Sheet

By default, when you create a chart, Excel embeds the chart in the active worksheet.
However, you can move a chart to another worksheet or to a chart sheet. A chart
sheet is a sheet dedicated to a particular chart. By default Excel names each chart
sheet sequentially, starting with Chart1. You can change the name.

Move a Chart to a Chart Sheet

 Click your chart. The Chart Tools become available. Choose the Design tab.
 Click the Move Chart button in the Location group.
 The Move Chart dialog box appears. See Figure 6. 41

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 Figure 6.41 Chart Placement
 Click the New Sheet radio button.
 Type Population Chart to name the chart sheet.
 Excel creates a chart sheet named Toy Sales and places your chart on it.

6.5.8 Change the Chart Type

Any change you can make to a chart that is embedded in a worksheet, you can also
make to a chart sheet. For example, you can change the chart type from a column
chart to a bar chart.
 Click your chart. The Chart Tools become available.
 Choose the Design tab. Click Change Chart Type in the Type group. The Chart
Type dialog box appears. Then Click Bar. See Figure 6.42

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 Figure 6.42: Chart Types

 Click #-D Cone and Click OK.

 Now Choose or apply style 42 and your chart type will be changed to another
chart type. See Figure 6. 43

Figure 6.43: 3-D Cone Chart Type

 Excel changes your chart type.

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 Exercise 6.5
1. Open Ms Excel and save the book by a file name My Chart inside C;\your
Name
2. Enter the following record on Data sheet starting from Cell A1.

Regions Tested HIV +ve % Frequency

Tigray 236,770 13854
Afar 40,231 1651
Amhara 376,088 34,952
Oromia 424,216 30,225
Somali 28,186 1,008
Ben-Gumuz 379,683 14175
SNNPR 18,855 1,241
Gambela 17,236 1,512
Hararie 4,139 752
DireDawa 58,182 3270
Addis Ababa 316,178 37,746
Exercise Table: Voluntary Counseling and Testing Clients (Source: Health and Health
Indicators, MOH, 1999 Page No. 47)
3. Calculate the Frequency as Total Positive Population over Total Number of
people Tested (i.e Hiv +ve/Tested) and change the data format to a
percentage.
4. Create a pie chart for all columns
5. Add label for the Pie chart. Change the Chart Layout to Layout 6
6. Change the title: Voluntary Counseling and Testing Clients in 1999 EC.
7. Format the Chart area as
Fill :Gradient Fill with Late Sunset Preset color
Boarder Style: Solid line
3-D Format : Set Any Top, Bottom and Material 3-D styles
8. Change the Chart type to a Clustered Column Chart Type, then apply Layout
9 and Name X-Axis Title as Regions and Y-Axis Title as Tested Population
9. Click on Switch Row/Column from Data Group. What do you observe?
10. Move Chart to a New Worksheet and Save all your tasks.

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 Unit VII

7 Introduction to Presentations
1. INTRODUCTION

In this unit you’ll get a big-picture introduction to PowerPoint 2007, and then we’ll
fire up the presentation features and discuses the basic presentation skill to help you
get familiar with the interface. Finally it will also discuss some of the advanced
features that are found in presentation.

2. OBJECTIVES
At the end of this unit the learner should be able to:
 Open (and close) a presentation application.
 Switch between open presentations
 Change between presentation views modes.
 Start a new presentation from scratch and template
 Add a new slide with a specific slide layout such as: title slide, chart and text,
bulleted list, table and modifying the slide layout
 Applying a theme to a presentation
 Select, copy, move, resize and deleting text on slides
 Add animation effects and slider Transitions

3. CONTENTS

7. Presentation
7.1 Microsoft PowerPoint - PowerPoint Features
7.2 Microsoft PowerPoint – Basic Presentation Skills
7.3 Microsoft PowerPoint – Advanced Features

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 Lesson 7.1 Microsoft PowerPoint: PowerPoint Features
Lesson Objective
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Recognize and describe presentation 2007 environment
 Identify and use the different views in presentation

7.1.1 Introduction

What is Presentation
A presentation is any kind of interaction between a speaker and audience, but it
usually involves one or more of the following visual aids: 35mm slides, overhead
transparencies, computer-based slides (either local or at a Web site or other network
location), hard-copy handouts, and speaker notes.

PowerPoint 2007 can create all of these types of visual aids, plus many other types
that you learn about as we go along. In this unit you’ll get a big-picture introduction
to PowerPoint 2007, and then we’ll fire up the program and poke around a bit to help
you get familiar with the interface.

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 Figure 7-1: You can add pictures to your presentation

7.1.2 The New PowerPoint Environment

The New PowerPoint environment is designed to more closely reflect the way people
work with the program, making common features more accessible. The look of the
program window has drastically changed. On the top portion of the window a wide
band with groups of commands, known as the Ribbon has replaced the earlier
design of menus and toolbars as illustrated in figure 7.2.

Your screen will look something like this.

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 Figure 7.2: Microsoft Office Presentation 2007 Window

7.1.3 Opening a presentation

To open a file, click on the Office Button (top-left of your screen) and then select
the Open command.

7.1.4 Changing the View

A view is a way of displaying your presentation on-screen. PowerPoint comes with
several views because at different times during the creation process, it is helpful to
look at the presentation in different ways. For example, when you add a graphic to a
slide, you need to work closely with that slide, but when you rearrange the slide
order, you need to see the presentation as a whole. PowerPoint offers the following
views:
 Normal: A combination of several resizable panes, so you can see the
presentation in multiple ways at once. Normal is the default view.

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  Slide Sorter: A light-table-type overhead view of all the slides in your
presentation, laid out in rows, suitable for big-picture rearranging.
 Notes Page: A view with the slide at the top of the page and a text box
below it for typed notes. (You can print these notes pages to use during your
speech.)
 Slide Show: The view you use to show the presentation on-screen. Each
slide fills the entire screen in its turn.
There are two ways to change a view: Click a button on the View tab, or click one of
the view buttons in the bottom-right corner of the screen. All of the views are
available in both places except Notes Page, which you can access only from the View
tab.

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 Exercise 7.1
1. Define the following terms:
a. Presentation
b. Slide
2. Identify the different screen elements of power point. Did you get anything
new?
3. Identify the different views of your presentation and their use.
4. What is the difference between creating presentation using design template
and auto content wizard?
5. Identify the view the presentation slide has in each of the following pictures.
Figure 7.3 a and b.
a)

b)

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 Lesson 7.2 Microsoft PowerPoint: Basic Presentation Skills
Lesson objective:
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Open and create a new presentation file
 Able to insert a slide on a given presentation
 Apply themes to a presentation
 Create a text boxes
 Apply formatting on a textboxes
 Insert different objects to a presentation
 Insert day and time to a presentation slide
 Run a presentation slides

7.2.1 Starting a New Presentation

You can start a blank presentation from scratch, or you can base the new
presentation on a template or on another presentation. Using a template or existing
presentation can save you some time. However, if you have a specific vision you’re
going for, starting a presentation from scratch gives you a clean canvas to work
from.

7.2.2 Starting a presentation from scratch

When you start PowerPoint, a new blank presentation begins automatically with one
slide. Just add your content to it, add more slides if needed, change the formatting
(as you’ll learn in upcoming lessons), and go for it. If you need to start another blank
presentation, follow these steps:

1. Choose Office Button->New. The New Presentation dialog box opens.

2. Blank Presentation is already selected. Click Create. See Figure 7.4
3. Save the slide by giving a file name Sample in one of your driver.

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 Figure 7.4 A new presentation slide to be created

7.2.3 Starting a presentation from a template

A template is a file that contains starter settings—and sometimes starter content—
on which you can base new presentations. Templates vary in their exact offerings,
but can include sample slides, a background graphic, custom color and font themes,
and custom positioning for object placeholders. When selecting a template, you can
choose from these categories:
 Installed Templates: Microsoft-provided templates that come preinstalled
with PowerPoint
 My Templates: Templates that you have created and saved yourself and
templates that you previously downloaded from Microsoft Office Online
 Microsoft Office Online templates: Microsoft-provided templates that you
download from Microsoft on an as-needed basis

You can now type in a title for your presentation. In this case type in the word
‘Introduction to Computer, as illustrated in figure 7.5.

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 Figure 7.5: A text typed inside the text box

Next click within the area of the slide displaying the message 'Click to add a
subtitle'. You will see a subtitle placeholder outlined at the bottom. Type in your
name (Your instructor name) as a subtitle, in the example illustrated the name
Alemu Tefera was entered.

Figure 7.6: Type your name in the next box

7.2.4 Inserting a new slide

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We have finished creating our title slide, next we need to insert a new slide so that
we can start creating the rest of the presentation. To do this, if necessary, click on
the Home tab, and you will see the New Slide button displayed in the Ribbon.

7.2.5 Inserting slides with a particular slide layout

Start PowerPoint and open the presentation called sample (which you have created
earlier). In the Slides tab click on the bottom part of the New Slide button (the part
displaying the text New Slide).

This will display a drop down allowing you to select the type of slide layout that you
wish to insert. Select the Two Content option as illustrated in figure 7.7.

Figure 7.7: Different kinds of slid layouts

• Your screen will now look like the one shown in the figure 7.8

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 Figure 7.8: Two content slide layout

• Click within the title area of the slide and type the following title.
Laptop Computers
• Click within the left 'Add text' area and add the following text.
All the computer components are contained within a single unit.
• Click within the right 'Add text' area and add the following three lines of text.
Portable
Flexible
Normally more expensive than desktop computers
It will have the following output

Figure 7.9 Two content slide layout out filled with data

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7.2.6 Modifying the slide layout
• Display the slide displaying information about the Laptop.
• Within the Home tab, click on the Layout button.
• From the drop down options select Title only. The layout will change as illustrated.

Figure 7.10 Title layout

7.2.7 Applying a theme to a presentation

A theme is a group of design settings. It includes color settings, font choices, object
effect settings, and in some cases also a background graphic. A theme is applied to a
slide master, which is a sample slide and not part of the regular presentation,
existing only behind the scenes to provide its settings to the real slides. It holds the
formatting that you want to be consistent among all the slides in the presentation (or
at least a group of them, because a presentation can have multiple slide masters).
Technically, you do not apply a theme to a slide; you apply a theme to a slide
master, and then you apply a slide master to a slide. That’s because a slide master
can actually contain some additional elements besides the formatting of the theme
such as extra graphics, dates, footer text, and so on.

7.2.8 Applying a Theme

As you discussed earlier, themes are the PowerPoint 2007 way of applying different
designs to the presentation. A theme includes a background graphic (usually), color
and font choices, and graphic effect settings. A theme can also include custom
layouts, although these are not available when you apply the theme to an existing
presentation.

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The method for applying a theme depends on whether that theme is already
available in the current presentation or not. Some themes are built into PowerPoint
so that they are always available; other themes are available only when you use
certain templates, or when you specifically apply them from an external file.

NOTE: When this book uses the term “theme” alone, it’s referring to a design theme.
Where there is potential for confusion, the book calls it a design theme to help
differentiate it from the lesser types of themes.

Now click on the Design tab and apply a flow theme in your sample presentation
file and you will get the output shown in the figure 7.11.

Figure 7.11: The flow theme applied to figure 7.9

7.2.9 Understanding font placeholders (Text Boxes)

By default in most themes and templates, text box fonts are not set to a specific
font, but to one of two designations: Heading or Body. Then a font theme defines
what specific fonts to use. To change the fonts across the entire presentation, all you
have to do is apply a different font theme.

A font theme is an XML-based specification that defines a pair of fonts: one for
headings and one for body text. Then that font is applied to the text boxes in the

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presentation based on their statuses of Heading or Body. For example, all of the slide
titles are usually set to Heading, and all of the content placeholders and manual text
boxes are usually set to Body.

7.2.10Text Editing and formatting

a) Selecting text
To select a word on the slide double click on that word. Try double clicking on the
word 'box'. You will then see this word highlighted indicating that it has been
selected. Write the following text in a new slide and apply the formatting.

Figure 7.12: A text selected in the presentation slide

To select a number of words within a paragraph, click before the first word that you
wish to select and hold the Shift key down. While keeping the Shift key pressed
click just after the last word that you wish to select. Release the Shift key and the
text will remain selected, as illustrated. Try this now.
b) Moving text within a slide
 After selecting the above text. Press Ctrl+X to Cut the selected text to
the Clipboard.

 Click at the end of the last bulleted point and press the Enter key to
insert a new bullet point.
 Write a text save and next press Ctrl+V to paste the contents of the
Clipboard to the insertion point. It will have the look shown in the figure
7.13

Figure 7.13: Text pasted

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 c) Copying text within a slide
 Select the first bulleted paragraph. Press Ctrl+C to Copy the selected text
to the Clipboard.
 Click at the end of the last bulleted point and press the Enter key to insert
a new bullet point.
 Press Ctrl+V to paste the contents of the Clipboard to the insertion point.
 It is the same action as moving the text (repeat moving text with copying)
d) Deleting text
 In the above text select the text that you have pasted and delete to get
figure 7.12 back

7.2.11Moving, Copying and Deleting Slides

Moving slides within a presentation or between presentations
 Open a presentation called Slide Sorter 1.

 Click on the Slide Sorter icon, located in the status bar at the bottom-right
of your screen as shown in the

Your screen will now look like as figure 7.14

Figure 7.14: A theme applied to slides

To reorder (i.e. move) a slide, first click on a slide to select it. Then press down the
mouse button (and keep it held down). Move the mouse pointer to
a position between the two slides that you wish to move the selected slide to.
Release the mouse button and the selected slide will have moved to the new location
within the presentation. Experiment with moving slides.

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7.2.12Copying slides within a presentation
Make sure that you have clicked on the Slide Sorter icon. To copy a slide, first click
on a slide to select it. Press down the Ctrl key (and keep it pressed down). Press
down the mouse button (and keep it held down). Move the mouse pointer to a
position between the two slides that you wish to copy the selected slide to. Release
the mouse button and the selected slide will have been copied to the new location
within the presentation. Experiment with copying slides.

7.2.13 Deleting a slide or slides

Make sure that you have clicked on the Slide Sorter icon. Select a slide and press
the Del key. The selected slide will be deleted.
You can select more than one slide at a time by keeping the Ctrl key pressed as you
click on slides to select them. This allows you to delete more than one slide at a
time.

7.2.14Displaying the date, number, and footer on slides

Even though the placeholders for Date, Number, and Footer might appear on the
slide master, they do not appear on the actual slides in the presentation unless you
enable them. This might seem counterintuitive at first, but it’s actually a benefit.
PowerPoint enables you to turn the date, number, and footer on and off without
having to delete, recreate, or reformat their placeholders. You can decide at the last
minute whether you want them to display or not, and you can choose differently for
different audiences and situations.

Figure 7.15: Choose which of the footer elements should appear on slides.

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All three areas are controlled from the Header and Footer dialog box. To open it,
from the Insert tab click Header and Footer. (Clicking Date and Time or clicking
Number opens the same dialog box.) Then on the Slide tab, mark the checkboxes for
each of the three elements you want to use. See Figure 7.15

Date and Time

You can set Date and Time either to Update Automatically or to Fixed:

 Update automatically pulls the current date from the computer’s clock

and formats it in whatever format you choose from the drop-down list.
You can also select a language and a Calendar Type (although unless
you are presenting in some other country than the one for which your
version of PowerPoint was developed, this is probably not an issue).

 Fixed prints whatever you enter in the Fixed text box. When Fixed is

enabled, it defaults to today’s date in the m/dd/yyyy format.

In addition to (or instead of) placing the date on each slide, you can insert an
individual instance of the current date or time on a slide, perhaps as part of a
sentence. To do so, position the insertion point inside a text box or placeholder and
then on the Insert tab, click Date and Time. Select the format you want from the
dialog box that appears and click OK.

Slide Number
This option shows the slide number on each slide, wherever the Number placeholder
is positioned. You can format the Number placeholder on the master slide with the
desired font, size, and other text attributes. By default, slide numbering starts with.
You can start with some other number if you like by following these steps:
1. Close Slide Master view if it is open. To do so, click the Close button on the
Slide Master tab.
2. On the Design tab, click the dialog box launcher in the Page Setup group.
The Page Setup dialog box opens.
3. In the Number Slides From box, increment the number to the desired
starting number.
4. Click OK.

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You can insert the slide number on an individual slide, either instead of or in addition
to the numbering on the Slide Master. Position the insertion point, and then on the
Insert tab, click Slide Number. If you are in Slide master view, this places a code on
the Slide Master for the slide number that looks like this: <#>. If you are on an
individual slide, it inserts the same code but the code itself is hidden and the actual
number appears.
Footer
The footer is blank by default. Mark the Footer check box, and then enter the desired
text in the Footer box. You can then format the footer text from the slide master as
you would any other text. You can also enter the footer text in the Header and
Footer dialog box’s Footer text box.

Don’t Show on Title Slide

This checkbox in the Header and Footer dialog box suppresses the date/time, page
number, and footer on slides that use the Title Slide layout. Many people like to hide
those elements on title slides for a cleaner look and to avoid repeated information
(for example, if the current date appears in the subtitle box on the title slide).

7.2.15 Running a slide show

When it’s time to rehearse the presentation, nothing shows you the finished product
quite as clearly as Slide Show view does. In Slide Show view (Figure 7.16), the slide

Figure 7.16: A running slide

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fills the entire screen. You can move from slide to slide by pressing the Page Up or
Page Down keys, or by using one of the other movement methods available. To run
slide show the bottom right of your screen you will see the Slide Show icon. Each
time you click the mouse button the show advances forward one slide.

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 Exercise 7.2
1. Create a presentation with a file name Presentation sample and save it in
the folder c:\HIT
2. Make the first page of your presentation to have the following look by
inserting the following picture (You can get the picture from the sample
picture folder) and write the following as a title
“A sunset”

3. Add another presentation slide and add the following text

 General Concepts (Title)
 Time Efficiency – Reduce waiting time
 Avoid duplication of efforts
 Monitoring Capability – increase quality of care
 Safety, Security & Space - efficiency of storage
 Data Access - Simultaneous & remote access
 Up-to-date anytime, anywhere
 Encourage data use – Graph/ GIS
 On time Reporting
 Easy to use
 Follows service design - Payment control - install and track pay
 Expandability
4. In the third slide add the following information

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5. Add the “flow” theme in all the slides
6. In the next slide use presentation objects and draw the following diagram and
give it a title “SamrtCare Overview”

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 Lesson 7.3 Microsoft PowerPoint: Advanced Features
Lesson objective:
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Recognize and use the terms animation and transitions
 Apply transition effects to slides
 Start and end slide show

I. Understanding Animation and Transitions

In PowerPoint, animation is the way that individual objects enter or exit a slide. On
a slide with no animation, all of the objects on the slide simply appear at the same
time when you display it. (Boring, eh?) However, you can apply animation to the
slide so that the bullet points fly in from the left, one at a time, and the graphic
drops down from the top afterward.
A transition is another kind of animation. A transition refers to the entry or exit of
the entire slide, rather than of an individual object on the slide. Here are some ideas
for using animation effectively in your presentations:
Animate parts of a chart so that the data appears one series at a time. This
technique works well if you want to talk about each series separately.
Set up questions and answers on a slide so that the question appears first,
and then, when you click the question, the answer appears.
Dim each bullet point when the next one comes into view, so that you are, in
effect, highlighting the current one.

II. Assigning Transitions to Slides

Transitions determine how you get from slide A to slide B. Back in the old slide
projector days, there was only one transition: the old slide was pushed out, and the
new slide dropped into place. However, with a computerized presentation, you can
choose from all kinds of fun transitions, including wipes, blinds, fly-ins, and much
more. These transitions are almost exactly like the animations, except that they
apply to the whole slide (or at least the background—the base part of the slide—if
the slide’s objects are separately animated).

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The transition effect for a slide refers to how the slide enters, and not how it exits.
As a result, if you want to assign a particular transition while moving from slide 1 to
slide 2, you would assign the transition effect to slide 2.

The individual transitions are hard to describe in words; it is best if you just view
them onscreen to understand what each one does. You should try out several
transitions before making your final selection.

III. Automatic versus manual transitions

Generally speaking, if there is a live person controlling and presenting the show,
transitions should be manual.

With manual transitions, the presenter must click the mouse to move to the next
slide, just like clicking the advance button on a 35mm slide projector. This might
sound distracting, but it helps the speaker to maintain control of the show. If
someone in the audience asks a question or wants to make a comment, the show
does not continue on blindly, but pauses to accommodate the delay. However, if you
are preparing a self-running presentation, such as for a kiosk, automatic transitions
are a virtual necessity. You can also set automatic timings for slides without
recording any narration.

IV. Setting up automatic transition timings

By default, PowerPoint uses manual transitions, and so you must specifically set up
automatic timings if you want them. For automatic timings, you can either assign the
same transition time to all slides, or individual times for each slide. The most
effective method of assigning individual times for each slide is to rehearse the
timings. This is covered in the next section.
CAUTION You will probably want to assign automatic transitions to either all or none
of the slides in the presentation, but not a mixture of the two. This is because mixed
transition times can cause confusion, when some of the slides automatically advance
and others do not. However, there may be situations where you need to assign
different timings and effects to the various slides’ transitions.

To assign an automatic transition to an individual slide, follow these steps:

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 1. View or select the slide in Normal or Slide Sorter view. If you use Slide Sorter
view, you can more easily select multiple slides to which you can apply the
transition.
2. On the Animations tab, in the Transition to This Slide group, select the
Automatically After checkbox.
3. In the Automatically After text box, type a transition time, in seconds, to
replace the default Time as shown in the figure 7.17
4. (Optional) To apply this setting to all slides in the presentation, click Apply to
All.

Figure 7.17: Sample transitions

It is perfectly okay to leave the On Mouse Click checkbox selected, even if you
choose automatic transitions—in fact, this is a good idea. There may be times when
you want to manually advance to the next slide before the automatic transition time
has elapsed, and leaving this option selected allows you to do so.

V. Choosing Transition Effects

Transitions occur from slide to slide, even if you select No Transition as the effect.
With the No Transition effect, the previous slide disappears and the next one
appears. If you want a different transition, you must specify it from the Transition to
This Slide group in the Animations tab. A gallery of transition effects appears where
you can select an effect, as shown in Figure 7.18. You can also select a sound and
change the transition speed.
To apply a transition effect to a slide, follow these steps:
1. Select and display the slide or slides that you want to affect.
2. On the Animations tab, open the gallery of effects in the Transition to
This Slide group and click the one that you want, or click No Transition

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 to turn off any existing transition effect. The gallery of effects is shown
in Figure 7.18

Figure 7.18 Sample transition effects

3. Optional) Open the Transition Speed drop-down list and select a

transition speed.
4. (Optional) Open the Transition Sound drop-down list and select a
transition sound.
5. (Optional) Click Apply to All to make the same transition apply to all
slides in the presentation, and not just the selected slides.

In the Transition Sound menu, shown in Figure 7.18, you can choose from among
PowerPoint’s default sound collection for the slide transition, or you can choose any
of the following:
 No Sound: Does not assign a sound to the transition.

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  Stop Previous Sound: Stops any sound that is already playing. This usually
applies where the previous sound was very long and was not finished when
you moved on to the next slide, or in cases where you used the Loop Until
Next Sound transition (see below).
 Other Sound: Opens a dialog box from which you can select another sound
file stored on your system.
 Loop Until Next Sound: An on/off toggle that sets whatever sound you
select to loop continuously either until another sound is triggered or until a
slide appears that has Stop Previous Sound set for its transition.
VI. Delivering a Live Presentation
It’s show time! Well, actually I hope for your sake that it is not time for the show this
very instant, because things will go much more smoothly if you can practice using
PowerPoint’s slide show controls before you have to go live. Presenting the show can
be as simple or as complex as you make it. At the most basic level, you can start the
show, move through it slide-by-slide with simple mouse-clicks or key presses, and
then end the show. However, to take advantage of PowerPoint’s extra slide show
features, you should spend a little time studying the following sections. To exercise
this do on the slides that you have done so far (sample file) .
VII. Starting and Ending a Show
To start a show, do any of the following:
 Click the Slide Show View button in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
 On the View tab, click Slide Show.
 Press F5.
 Press Shift+F5.
These methods are not all exactly alike. For example, if you click the Slide Show
View button in the bottom-right corner, or press Shift+F5, the first slide to appear is
the currently selected one in PowerPoint. If you click the Slide Show button on the
View tab or press F5, it starts with the first slide in the presentation, regardless of
which slide was selected. Once the show is underway, you can control the movement
from slide to slide as described in the section, “Moving from slide to slide.”
To end the show, do any of the following:
 Right-click and choose End Show.
 Press Esc, - (minus), or Ctrl+Break.

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If you want to temporarily pause the show while you have a discussion, you can
blank the screen by pressing W or, (comma) for a white screen, or B or. (period) for
a black screen. To resume the show, press any key.

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 Exercise 7.3

1. Define the following terms:

a. Template b. Transition c. Animation

2. What is the role of animation in presentation slides?

3. What is the basic difference between setting automatic and manual
transition?
4. Create a power point presentation based on the given condition below using
Blank presentation. Use the slides below with the content given

Slide 1: WELCOME TO MY PRESENTATION

www.mypresentation.hit.edu
Prepared by Tigist Alemu

Slide 2: POWER POINT 2007

Ms ppt is a computer application that helps you to create impressive and
professional presentations. In this presentation we will discuss the following
lessons Insert a page number and footer for the above two slides.

Lesson1 Lesson 2
 Introduction to ppt  Developing presentations
 Starting ppt  Editing presentation
 Managing file  Formatting presentation
 Designing presentation  Strengthening presentation
 Using tools of ppt  Displaying presentation

Slide 3: The time for each of the lessons indicated in the following table:

Topic Minutes to
take
Intro to ppt 5 Time table of our lesson
Starting ppt 5
Managing file 10
Designing ppt file 30

Slide4: using the data on your slide above (slide 3) create and insert a chart

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 a. Save your file by the name Skill 1 and close.
b. Apply the design Notebook to the presentation.(if any)
c. Apply effect Random Bars Vertical transition to all the slides.(if any)
d. Insert Current date and Slide number to your presentation on the footer part.
e. Save the modified presentation by Skill 2 and close.

Slide 5: In the next slide put the following information

 12574
 952351
Browse my site www.mypresentation.hit.edu
For any comment u have info@ mypresentation.hit.edu

Thank you

Questions?

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 Unit VIII

8 Introduction to Database

1. INTROUDTION
This unit presents the concepts and terminology of databases and how to design the
tables that your forms and reports will use. In the discussion it will let you build the
actual tables used throughout the book starting from entering data till generating a
report based on your query.

2. OBJECTIVES
At the end of this unit the student should be able to:

 Describe basic database terms and definitions

 Identify and describe the main types of Access database objects
 Create a table and enter data into it
 Format records in the datasheet View
 Create a query to obtain information from a database
 Create a form to enter and edit data into a table
 Create a report based on information stored in a database

3. CONTENTS

8. Introduction to Database
8.1 Introduction to Database
8.2 Concepts to Planning a Database
8.3 Microsoft Access - Creating and modifying databases
8.4 Microsoft Access - Creating and modifying tables
8.5 Microsoft Access - Creating and using simple queries and search strategies
8.6 Microsoft Access - Using sub-forms/sub-reports

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 Lesson 8.1 Understanding Database
Lesson Objective
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Describe the basic database terms and definitions
 Justify the reason for creating a database
 Create a new database file from scratch
 Open an existing database file
 Close a database file

8.1.1 Introduction
In this unit, you learn the concepts and terminology of databases and how to design
the tables that your forms and reports will use. Finally, you build the actual tables
used by this module example database.

As you work with Access, you’ll spend considerable time designing and refining the
tables in your Access applications. Table design and implementation are two
characteristics that distinguish database development from most other activities you
may pursue.

After you understand the basic concepts and terminology, the next important lesson
to learn is good database design. Without a good design, you constantly rework your
tables, and you may not be able to extract the information you want from your
database. Throughout this section, you learn how to use the basic components of
Access applications, including queries, forms, and reports. You also learn how to
design and implement each of these objects. The Access Auto Auctions case study
provides invented examples, but the concepts are not fictitious.

8.1.2 Database
Generally, the word database is a computer term for a collection of information
concerning a certain topic or business application. Databases help you organize this
related information in a logical fashion for easy access and retrieval.

Databases aren’t only for computers. There are also manual databases; we simply
refer to these as manual filing systems or manual database systems. These filing

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systems usually consist of people’s names, papers, folders, and filing cabinets paper
is the key to a manual database system. In a real manual database system, you
probably have in/out baskets and some type of formal filing method. You access
information manually by opening a file cabinet, taking out a file folder, and finding
the correct piece of paper. You use paper forms for input, perhaps by using a
typewriter. You find information by manually sorting the papers or by copying
information from many papers to another piece of paper (or even into an Excel
spreadsheet). You may use a spreadsheet or calculator to analyze the data or display
it in new and interesting ways.

An Access database is nothing more than an automated version of the filing and
retrieval functions of a paper filing system. Access databases store information in a
carefully defined structure. Access tables store data in a variety of forms, from
simple lines of text (such as name and address) to complex data such as pictures,
sounds, or video images. Storing data in a precise, known format enables a database
management system (DBMS) like Access to turn data into useful information.

Sometimes there is a need to store data more than one table and create a
relationship among the tables this kind of table is called a relational database.

By utilizing multiple tables, a relational database reduces unnecessary duplication of

data. For example, when using a large database to store HIV/AIDS patients’
information, including addresses, it is likely many individuals will live in the same
Sub City and share other common parts of the address. Rather than storing the
same Sub City, county, state, etc, over and over, this information can be stored in
a separate table. As each new customer is added to the database, only the unique
house number needs to be recorded.

8.1.3 What is a table?

Tables are used to store the data in a structured and organized format. As previously
mentioned, tables are similar to those of Word and Excel, in that they contain rows
(records) and columns (fields).

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After you create a table, you view the table in a spreadsheet-like form, called a
datasheet, comprising rows and columns (known as records and fields, respectively).
Figure 8.1 shows the list of items in Selam Clinic Warehouse.

Figure 8.1: Sample lists of Medical Equipments in Selam Clinic Warehouse

The Medical Equipments table represents the medical equipments stored in the
clinic’s warehouse. Notice how the table is divided into horizontal (left-to-right) rows,
and vertical (top-to-bottom) columns of data. Each row (or record) defines a single
contact, while each column (or field) represents one type of information known about
a Medical Equipment.

8.1.4 Records and fields

As the above figure shows, the datasheet is divided into rows (called records) and
columns (called fields), with the first row (the heading on top of each column)
containing the names of the fields in the database. Each row is a single record
containing fields that are related to that record. In a manual system, the rows are
individual forms (sheets of paper), and the fields are equivalent to the blank areas
on a printed form that you fill in.

Values
At the intersection of a row (record) and a column (field) is a value—the actual data
element. For example, Iodine, the name in the sixth record, represents one data
value. You may have a couple questions, such as: What makes this row different
from other rows in the table? Is it possible to have another Iodine in the same table?
If there is more than one Iodine, how does the database tell them apart?

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 Lesson 8.2 Concepts to Planning a Database
Lesson objective:
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Illustrate the need to have a database
 Recognize the major steps to be taken before designing a database

8.2.1 Introduction to Database planning

Before we begin the design process, we need to know what kind of database we are
going to be creating and we need to have a clear idea of what we are going to use
the serials database for.

We are going to be designing an Access database to track the number of equipments

Selam Clinic has in its warehouse. The database we are going to be creating is a
relatively simple one but it does have exciting features to make the design process
interesting.

Planning is something which must be done carefully and with much consideration. Do
not assume you can start creating tables and their relationships without having done
some serious thinking ahead of time. It is much better to thoroughly plan the
database and make your mistakes ahead of time than to have to redo the database
later on because the design is poor. It is not very difficult to change the structure of
a table once you have entered data into it, but it is better to avoid making any
changes once you have entered data into a table.

The first step in creating your Selam Clinic Warehouse database is to determine
whether you want to work with a template or design your own database starting
from scratch. The advantage of using a template is that much of the work in setting
up a database is done for you. If one of the templates closely matches your needs,
start with that and customize it. If, however, the database you want is very different
from any of the templates, it's best to design your own.

The next step is to create the table and the appropriate fields for the table. In each
of the fields you can enter the values to be recorded in the table. Based on the
records you can generate any kind of access object (form, query, report). So once

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the database is created it can be used for multiple purposes. In that way there
should be great care in the designing process.

8.2.2 Guidelines of designing a database

Here are some guidelines for creating a well-designed database (see also Figure
8.1):

 Determine the Purpose of the Database: The best way to do this is to write
down a list of the reports and lists that you want to come out of the database.
This may seem a little backward at first, but if you think about it, these reports
are really the reason you're creating the database. Make a list of the reports and
lists you want to see and then sketch some samples of these reports and lists be
as detailed as possible. This will help determine the tables and fields to include in
your database.
 Determine the Fields You Need: This should be an easy step once you have
determined the purpose of your database and have sketched some sample
reports and lists. Think about the data type for each type of your fields will the
field store text information? Numbers? Dates? Write down the data type next to
each field.

 Determine the Tables You Need: Each table in the Database should be based
on only one subject. By breaking each subject into its own table you avoid
redundant information and make the database more organized. When you
brainstorm, try to break down your information as much as possible. If your
tables contain fields like Item 1, Item 2, Item 3, Item 4, and so on, you should
probably break the information up into its own table.

 Determine the Primary Key: Each record in a table should have a primary key
that uniquely identifies it. When you think about a primary key field, think unique
each primary key value must be the only one of its kind in a table. An Item ID or
patient number would be two good examples of fields that could be used as a
table's primary key.

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 Determine the Relationship between Tables: Relationship is usually
important in order to link two or more tables together. One of the linked fields
should be the table's primary key.

 Sketch a Diagram of Your Database: Create a diagram of your database.

Draw a box for each of your tables and write the table's field names inside that
box. Draw a line between the related fields in the tables.

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 Lesson 8.3 Microsoft Access: Databases
Lesson objective:
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Open (start) Microsoft Office Access 2007
 Create a blank (new) database from scratch
 Open an existing database

8.3.1 Getting Started With Microsoft Access 2007

This lesson teaches the fundamentals of Microsoft Access 2007. Access 2007 is a
relational database management program; it allows you to create and manage
desktop and client/server database applications.

To open Microsoft Access 2007, first you have to click on the start menu and next all
programs. From the short cut list, when you point in Microsoft Office, you will get all
the office applications. Then Click on Microsoft Access 2007. As you open Access
2007, the default environment (see Figure 8.2) is revealed.

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 Figure 8.2 the Access 2007 welcome screen provides a wealth of information.

We’ll examine the Access environment in more detail later in this unit, but you
should understand the major components of the user interface as you get started
using Access 2007. Even experienced Access developers are surprised at how
different Access 2007 looks from previous versions.

Each time you open Access, the welcome screen may or may not look different,
depending on whether you have elected to have Office Online periodically updated.
In an effort to provide a high level of support for Microsoft Office users, Microsoft has
equipped each of the Office applications with the ability to communicate directly with
Microsoft’s Web servers and download new content to the user’s desktop. Notice the
Automatically Update This Content from Office Online button in the Office Online box
near the bottom-center of this main screen. This button configures Microsoft Access
to look for new Office Online content each time you open Access. In fact, your Access
Welcome Screen will likely look quite different from Figure 8.2 because of the
content continuously released by Microsoft Office Online.

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8.3.2 Creating a blank database
There are many ways to create a new database file. You may have noticed the Blank
Database button in the upper-left corner of the Office Online area in the main Access
screen (See figure 8.2). Or clicking the Office Button then New from the drop down
list also creates the database. Either of these buttons transforms the main screen, to
the blank database window. The Blank Database area replaces the list of recently
opened databases on the main screen.

Enter the name of the new database in the File Name box in the Blank Database area
as shown in figure 8.3. By default, Access creates the new database file in whichever
Windows folder you most recently opened from within Access. If you want to use a
different folder, use the folder icon to the right of the File Name box to browse to the
location you want to use.

Figure 8.3 Enter the name of the new database in the File Name box

Replace the default database file name (Database1) with the name Selam Clinic
Warehouse (this is the database to be used throughout in this book), and then click
on the Create button.

Access 2007 saves database files with an .accdb file name extension, unlike earlier
versions of Access (like Access 2000/2003) which used an .mdb file name extension.

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The Access window opens and displays a new table, as this is the next step to
creating the new database. Until one or more tables have been created, given fields
and properties set, Access can do little at this stage. See figure 8.4

Figure 8.4: The new Sleam Clinic Warehouse database is created

The view figure 8.4 displayed, is referred to as the Datasheet View, which means
the Object, in this case the Table is displayed in its normal (default) view.
The Design View is used to configure the properties of an object. Think of the
Design View as looking behind the Object at its inner workings.

8.3.3 Opening an existing database

To open an existing database first you have to open Microsoft Access 2007. As you
see in figure 8.1 at the right side you will see list of databases. From the available
databases simply click to the one that you need to work with.

Exercise 8.3
1. What is a database?
2. List two differences between a table and database
3. What is the advantage of automating a database than using a manual
system?
4. Refer to figure 8.1 answer identify each of the following values as records and
fields:
a. Syringe
b. 6/4/2001
c. Price
d. Date Received
5. What is planning a database?

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 6. List and briefly discuss the guidelines for planning a database.
7. Create a new database with a name Equipments in C drive (C:\).
8. What are two kinds of views that you have in Microsoft Access? What is the
role of each of the view?
9. After closing the database open it again and see it with the different views.
10. What are some of the new features you have observed in Microsoft Access
window, which you didn’t observe in the previous applications?

Lesson 8.4 Microsoft Access: Tables

Lesson objective:
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Create and save a table and specify fields with their data types.
 Add and rename fields
 Understand and use data types
 Add a field to an existing table.
 Add, modify data in a record.
 Navigate within a table to next record, previous record, first record, last
record, specific record.
 Delete a table.
 Save and close a table.

8.4.1 Introduction to Creating a Table

Creating database tables is the next step to be followed after creating a database. A
good working knowledge of the user’s requirements is a primary requirement for any

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new database project. In the following sections, you will study the process of adding
tables to an Access database, including the relatively complex subject of choosing
the proper data type to assign to each field in a table.

It is always a good idea to plan tables on paper first, before sitting down at Access
and using the Access tools to add tables to the database. This saves your time while
making any kind of modification on the table to be created. Many tables, especially
small ones, really don’t require a lot of forethought before adding them to the
database. After all, not much planning is required to design a table holding lookup
information such as the names of cities and states. However, more complex entities
such as customers and products usually require considerable thought and effort to
properly implement.

8.4.2 Saving a table

Before a table can be used to store information, fields must be added to a table,
named, given the correct Data Type and formatted appropriately.
Fields are used to separate and organize data into specific fields (columns), for
example a First Name field would store the first name for every individual record
entered, as would last name, Birth Date fields, etc.
A software issue has affected the start number in the ID field. For example, if 5 fields
are added to a new table, rather than the ID number starting with ‘ 1’, the first
record will actually be record ‘5’. This issue can be avoided easily by saving the table
before any fields are added.
Click on the Save button on the Quick Access Toolbar or press the Ctrl+S keys to
save the table. The Save As dialog box is displayed with a default name (Table 1).
Replace the default table name by Medical Equipments. See figure 8.5. Finally click
on the OK button and your screen will now look like this.

Figure 8.5: Rename the default database name with Medical Equipments

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8.4.3 Adding and renaming fields
To add (rename) fields double click into the Add New Field cell (to the right of the
ID field). Type in Item Name in the next column and press the Enter key. The
pointer moves to the right, to the next cell ready to accept another field name input.
Use the same technique to type in Item Description in the next cell along, as
illustrated in figure8.6. Press the Enter key.

Figure 8.6: Fill the rest of the fields of the table

Adding fields using the Datasheet View is straight forwarded enough, however only
part of the setup is done in this view. Fields need to be formatted according to the
data type, input masks need to be set and other properties need to be configured 1.

Basically there are two kinds of views: the Datasheet view and the design view. It is
possible to change from one view to another with a single step.

8.4.4 Working with fields

Fields are created by entering a field name and a field data type in each row of the
field entry area of the Table Design window. The field description is an option to
identify the field’s purpose. The description appears in the status bar at the bottom
of the screen during data entry. After entering each field’s name and data type, you
can further specify how each field is used by entering properties in the property area.

Naming a field
A field name should be descriptive enough to identify the field to you as the
developer, to the user of the system, and to Access. Field names should be long
enough to quickly identify the purpose of the field, but not overly long. (Later, as you
1
Date type and input mask are discussed in the next section of this unit
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enter validation rules or use the field name in a calculation, you will want to save
yourself from typing long field names.) To enter a field name, position the pointer in
the first row of the Table Design window under the Field Name column. Then type a
valid field name, observing these rules:
 Field names can be from 1 to 64 characters.
 Field names can include letters, numbers, and many special characters.
 Field names cannot include a period (.), exclamation point (!), brackets ([ ]),
or accent grave (`).
 You can’t use low-order ASCII characters, for example Ctrl+J or Ctrl+L (ASCII
values 0 to 31).
 You can not start with a blank space.
 You can not use a double quotation mark (“) in the name of a Microsoft
Access project file.

Adding Fields - Design View

Adding fields to a table in Design View offers the ability to add additional field
names, select the appropriate data types and configure properties for each field.
In the Field Name column, Type Item Name in the first row and move to the next
available row and write Item Description.
In this manner fill all the fields in the manner shown in figure 8.7. Use a down
arrow while you move from one row to another.

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 Figure 8.7: The available lists of the table

Once all these field names have been entered click on the View button. You may be
prompted to save the changes to the table, in which case click on the Yes button.
The new fields are now displayed across the top of the table as shown in the field.

REMEMBER: When necessary, Access will prompt for objects to be saved when
switching views.

8.4.5 Data Type – Overview

A Data Type determines the values that can be accepted and stored within a
particular field, the operations that can be performed, i.e. searching, querying (A
request for information from a database) and sorting of data, etc, as well as setting
storage limits on the space to set aside for each value.

Although Access has the ability to automatically select data types based on the
information entered into fields, there are occasions when the information entered
may mislead Access, resulting in the wrong Data Type being selected- For example if
some one set in the date received filed 12 2 01. For Access it may simply seems a
numeric (integer) data type, the one that should be a date data type- But it is not
also advisable to write in 01 (instead of 2001).

8.4.6 Specifying a data type

The next step is to actually create your tables and define your fields for those tables.
You must also decide what type of data each of your fields will hold. In Access, you
can choose any of several data types (these data types are detailed later in this
unit):
 Text: Alphanumeric characters, up to 255 characters
 Memo: Alphanumeric characters, very long strings up to 65,538 (64K)
characters
 Number: Numeric values of many types and formats
 Date/Time: Date and time data
 Currency: Monetary data
 AutoNumber: Automatically incremented numeric counter
 Yes/No: Logical values, Yes/No, True/False

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  OLE Object: Pictures, graphs, sound, video, word processing, and
spreadsheet files
 Hyperlink: A field that links to a picture, graph, sound, video, and word
processing and spreadsheet Files

One of these data types must be assigned to each of your fields. You must also
specify the length of the Text fields, or accept the default of 50 characters for Text
fields. Work through the field names, selecting the appropriate data type as
illustrated in figure 8.8.

Figure 8.8: Field names along with the Field properties

ID is assigned with AutoNumber data type, this is simply a data type that increments
in a sequential fashion. But you can set it also to any other data type depending on
the nature of your records.

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8.4.7 Field Properties, Validation and Input Masks

I. Field Properties

Field Properties amongst other things, control how information is displayed, specify
default values, prevent incorrect data entry and sorting information. Options
available will depend upon the data type of each field.

Look at the figure 8.8 the Field Properties section occupies the lower half of the
screen. Click within each of the Field Names, paying attention to how the Field
Properties section (at the bottom of the screen) changes according to the Data
Type.
II. Validation Rules
Validation rules help to control and therefore limit the type and amount of data users
can enter. By providing conditions (criteria), in the form of expressions in the
Validation property of a field, data entered must match the given conditions to be
accepted.
If the data fails to meet the conditions specified, Validation Text, also specified
within Field Properties below the validation rule, will be displayed prompting the
user of the conditions required to meet data entry requirements.

From the available fields select the Price field. In the Field Properties section
(bottom part of the screen) change the format to Fixed. Move to the Validation
Rule and type in >1, then press the Enter key.
Within the Validation Text section type in the following line of text and then press
the Enter key.
A price greater than 1.00 must be entered
In this way you restrict the user from entering a price less than one.

III. Input Mask

Input Masks are used to restrict how data is entered. By forcing users of the
database to only enter data in a fixed format this greatly reduces the chances of data
input errors.
Note: Input Masks only work with Text and Date data types.

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 Figure 8.9: Set the input mask for the Date received field

Click on the Date Received, Data Type cell, as shown in the figure 8. 9 above
Look at the bottom of the screen and you will see a table that includes Input
Mask, as illustrated in figure 8.10.
• Click within the Input Mask line.
• Click on the small button containing three dots displayed at the right end of
this line.
• If prompted to save the table, click on the Yes button.
The Input Mask Wizard dialog box is displayed.

Figure 8.10 Screenshot of the Input Mask Wizard

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From the available list you can select the one that suits to the appropriate input
Mask type to be used in the Date Received field (E.g. Short Date for this field). To
see the format you can click Next button.

Using the Attachment data type

In addition to the fields listed in figure 8.7, create a new field name Documentation
(at the bottom of the existing column of field names), called Documentation,
having attachment data type. The attachment data type is useful for attaching
images or for example, creating a library of regulatory information.

8.4.8 Adding records to a table

On the left side of the table there is a small * symbol. This symbol represents the
record (row) currently selected. As more records are entered into the table or as you
navigate through the table, this symbol will provide a confirmation of the exact row
you are in.

To the right of the * symbol, New is displayed just below the ID field name,
signifying this row represents a new record. Data cannot be typed into this column,
as this is an ID column with an AutoNumber Data Type. The AutoNumber Data
Type automatically generates a unique, sequential number for each new record
entered so data entry into this field is restricted.

Move the pointer to the first cell in the record to the right of New and in the Item
Name column, as illustrated in figure 8.11.

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 Figure 8.11 The fields ready to be filled with a data

• Type Sphygmomanometer in the Item Name column and then press the Enter
key to move to the next column (Item Description).
• Type in Pediatric size(standard) in the Item Description column and press the
Enter key.
• Type 200 into the Price column and press the Enter key.
• Type 50 into the Number in Stock column and press the Enter key to move to
the next column.
• Type in 12/3/2000 into the Date Received column and press the Enter key.
The pointer is now in the Discontinued field, where there is a check box. Click on
the check box (or press the Spacebar).
• Press the Enter key.
• You should now be within the Documentation (attachment) column.

By now you will have noticed that the Documentation column displays a paper clip
symbol instead of a field name. By default Access 2007 assumes that the symbol will
in itself be enough for users to recognize the purpose of this field.

The paperclip features in each new record, this time with a (0) beside it.
These symbols inform you of two things:
1) That data files (images, documents, etc) can be attached to the field.
2) The number of attachments currently attached to this record.

To attach documents and images, either double click on the cell containing the paper
clip image, or with the cell active, press the Spacebar once to open the
Attachments dialog box.

In this exercise you will need to locate a previously created document, image, text
file, or small file on your drive. See figure 8.12. For this lesson create a file called
Test Document (A text file in which you may write some of the uses of a database)
and save it in your drive (e.g. C:\\Test Document).

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 Figure 8.12: Screenshot of the attachment dialog box

• Click on the Add button. You will see the Choose File dialog box displayed.
 Double click on a file called Test Document which is stored in your driver.
The Attachments dialog box displays the added file(s).

Figure 8.13 File attached

 Click on the OK button to complete the task, close the dialog box and return to
the table. The attached Docs field will have the look as shown in the figure
8.14

Figure 8.14: Each attachment will be number starting from one

The value beside the paperclip now reflects the number of attachments stored in the
record. Just for reference, if you wanted to remove attachments, you would open the
Attachment box again, select the file from the list and then click on the Remove
button.
Use the information illustrated in figure 8.15 to enter the remaining records into the
table. Your table will now look like the one shown in figure 8.15:

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 Figure 8.15 Medical Equipment table filled with data

8.4.9 Manipulating Tables in a Database Window

As you create many tables in your database, you may want to use them in other
databases or copy them for use as a history file. You may want to copy only the
table structure. You can perform many operations on tables in the Navigation pane,
including:
 Renaming tables
 Deleting tables
 Copying tables in a database
 Copying a table from another database
You perform these tasks by direct manipulation or by using menu items.

Renaming tables
Rename a table with these steps:
1. Select the table name in the Database window.
2. Click once on the table name, and press F2 (As shown in the figure8.16).
3. Type the new name of the table and press Enter.

You can also rename the table by right-clicking on its name in the Navigation pane,
and selecting Rename from the shortcut menu. After you change the table name, it
appears in the Tables list, which re-sorts the tables in alphabetical order.

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 Figure 8.16: Table name ready to be renamed

CAUTION If you rename a table, you must change the table name in any objects
where it was previously referenced, including queries, forms, and reports.

Deleting tables
Delete a table by selecting the table in the Navigation pane and pressing the Delete
key. Another method is by right-clicking a table and selecting Delete from the
shortcut menu (see figure 8.17). Like most delete operations, you have to confirm
the delete by selecting yes in a confirmation dialog box.

Figure 8.17: click on the delete key in the short cut

Copying tables in a database

The copy and paste options in the Clipboard group on the Home tab allow you to
copy any table in the database. When you paste the table back into the database,
you choose from three option buttons:
 Structure Only
 Structure and Data
 Append Data to Existing Table

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Selecting the Structure Only button creates a new table, empty table with the same
design as the copied table. This option is typically used to create a temporary table
or an archive table to which you can copy old records.
When you select Structure and Data, a complete copy of the table design and all of
its data is created.
Selecting the Append Data to Existing Table button adds the data of the selected
table to the bottom of another. This option is useful for combining tables, such as
when you want to add data from a monthly transaction table to a yearly history
table.
Follow these steps to copy a table:
1. Right-click the table name in the Navigation pane.
2. Choose Copy from the shortcut menu, or choose the Copy button in the
Clipboard group on the Home tab.
3. Choose Paste from the shortcut menu, or choose the Paste button in the
Clipboard group on the Home tab.
4. Provide the name of the new table.
5. Choose one of the Paste options (Structure Only, Structure and Data, or
Append Data to Existing Table).
6. Click OK to complete the operation.

Deleting data within a record

Deleting data in a record is similar to editing data in a record; however- there are a
number of considerations to take into account. Data cannot be deleted from fields
where the Required field property is set to Yes, as this prevents the field from
being left blank.
Deleting data from an Attachment (Data Type) field is actually not a deletion but
the removal of an attachment as mentioned in an early section.

To remove data from a record, select the Item Description for the Oral pediatric
size record. Then press the F2 key to activate editing mode, then use either the
Delete or the Backspace key to delete the entry. Press the Enter key to commit
the changes. See figure 8.18

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 Figure 8.18: Oral pediatric ready for deletion

a) Deleting a single record

• Occasionally you may need to remove a record from a table.
• Move the pointer to the column, left of the ID field. When the pointer changes to a
right pointing arrow, click to highlight the whole row (record).

With the pointer anywhere within the highlighted area, click using the right mouse
button to activate the shortcut menu. See figure 8.19
• Click on the Delete Record option.
• A warning is displayed.
• Click on the Yes button to confirm the deletion.

Figure 8.19: The action will delete a single item from the list

• Record 4 has been deleted from the table.

When deleting records from a table, the unique number in an ID (AutoNumber) field
is also deleted and will not be reused.
b) Deleting multiple records

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If a group of records needs to be deleted, the process is similar to deleting a single
record. The only difference is in selecting the records. Move the pointer left to the
row selection column. Locate the first record in the group and with the right pointing
arrow displayed, click and drag down to create a highlighted block of records.

Figure 8.20: Selected row are ready to be deleted

Delete all records in the same way as shown in the previous section describing how
to delete a single record. See figure 8.20

Saving the record

Moving to a different record saves the record you’re editing. Tabbing through all the
fields, clicking on the Navigation buttons, clicking Save in the ribbon’s Record group,
and closing the table all write the edited record to the database. You’ll know the
record is saved when the pencil disappears from the record selector.
To save a record, you must enter valid values into each field. The fields are validated
for data type, uniqueness (if indexed for unique values), and any validation rules
that you have entered into the Validation

Rule property. If your table has a primary key that’s not an AutoNumber field, you
will have to make sure you enter a unique value in the primary key field to avoid an
error message. Using an AutoNumber field as a table’s primary key ensures you
won’t get this error message when entering data.

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8.4.10 Primary Key

At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:

 Define a primary key.
 Apply indexes for fields, with and without duplicates allowed
 Create relationships between tables
 Delete relationships between tables.
 Apply rule(s) to relationships such that fields that join tables are not deleted
as long as links to another table exist.

8.4.11Defining a Primary Key

A primary key is used as a unique identifier for each record in a database table and
is essential when working with relational tables. To be effective, a primary key
cannot have duplicate entries and must be set on a field generating a unique
identifier. When creating a new table Access automatically adds the ID field with an
AutoNumber data type. By default the ID field is also the primary key.

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Other fields suitable to be set as a primary key are for example passport, social
security and driving license numbers, military identification, tax, workplace or
personal identification numbers, unique to each individual.

Note: A primary key field can never be empty.

A. Choosing a primary key
Although all of the tables in the Access Auto Auctions application use AutoNumber
fields as their primary keys, you should be aware of the reasons why AutoNumbers
make such excellent primary keys. The characteristics of primary keys include the
following:

 The primary key must uniquely identify each record.

 The primary key cannot be null.

 The primary key must exist when the record is created.

 The primary key definition must remain stable—you should never change a
primary key value once it is established.

 The primary key must be compact and contain as few attributes as possible.

The ideal primary key is, then, a single field that is immutable and guaranteed to be
unique within the table. For these reasons, the Access Auto Auctions database uses
the AutoNumber field exclusively as the primary key for all tables.

B. Creating the primary key

The primary key can be created in any of three ways. With a table open in Design
View:

 Select the field to be used as the primary key and select the Primary Key
button (the key icon) in the Tools group in the ribbon’s Design tab.

 Right-click on the field to display the shortcut menu and select Primary Key.

 Save the table without creating a primary key, and allow Access to
automatically create an AutoNumber field.

After you designate the primary key, a key icon appears in the gray selector area to
the left of the field’s name to indicate that the primary key has been created.

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Access also uses primary keys to index tables (discussed in a later section). Open a
database called Selam Clinic Warehouse and table Medical Equipments. Switch
to the Design View, by clicking on the View button. See figure 8.21

Figure 8.21 ID selected as a primary key

The Primary Key symbol (the key symbol next to ID) identifies the ID field as being
the primary key.
To use another field as the primary key, select the Item Name field, and then click
on the Primary Key button on the Ribbon. The Primary Key symbol is now
displayed beside the Item Name field.

The Item Name field however is not a suitable data type to become a primary key,
as data within this field is unlikely to be unique.

When working with related tables, the Primary Key field in one table is generally the
(foreign key) field used to create the relationship with another table.

Depending upon the data type a field is set to, more than one field can be
highlighted and set as a primary key, although only one displays the Primary Key
symbol.

MAKE SURE YOU DO THIS:

Reset the Primary Key back to the ID, before continuing.

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8.4.12Indexing
Access uses indexes much like the Table of Contents at the beginning of this course,
to help locate and sort information quickly. An index stores the location of records
based on the field or fields that you choose to index. After Access obtains the
location from the index, it can then retrieve the data by moving directly to the
correct location. As mentioned earlier, by default, Access set the Primary key as the
Index within a table, however indexing can be set on other fields, especially fields
used frequently in searches.

Before creating an index, decide whether you want to create a single-field index or a
multiple-field index. You create an index on a single field by setting the Indexed
property.
The following table lists the possible settings for the Indexed property.
Table 8.1 Index property with there meaning

By setting the Index property to No Duplicates, Access prevents any new value
which matches an existing value from being entered into the field. For example,
indexing the ID field in a table and setting it to Yes (No Duplicates) prevents
duplicate numbers being entered and therefore the values in the field remain unique.

8.4.13Relationships
I. Table relationships
Good database design suggests data is organized across multiple tables, as to store
data in one single table would;
1) Result in vast amounts of duplicated data and
2) Quickly become unmanageable.

Relationships are used to create a link between two or more tables within a
database. When a link is established and with the use of other objects within the

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database, data can be entered into or viewed from one or more tables at the same
time, without the need to close one table and open another.
The most common relationships between tables are:

1. One-Many
2. Many-Many
3. One-One

1. One-to-many relationship
Consider Selam Clinic Warehouse database that includes a Physicians,
Prescriptions and Drugs tables and create each of them with the following fields.
Set the appropriate data types for each of the fields

Drugs: Drug ID, Drug Name, Drug Description, Amount, Date of Manufacture, Expire
Date
physicians: Physician ID, Physician Name, Specialization, Contact Number, and E-mail
address
Prescriptions: Prescription No, Drug Name, Drug Dose, Date of Order, Payment
Method, Physician ID

A Physician can make any number of Prescriptions. It follows that for any Physician
represented in the physicians table, there can be many Prescription represented in
the Prescriptions table. The relationship between the physicians table and the
Prescriptions table is therefore a one-to-many relationship.

To establish a one-to-many relationship between tables, it is necessary to take the

Primary Key (normally the ID field) of the ‘one’ side of the relationship, (in this case
the Physician table) and add it as an additional field within the ‘many’ side
(Prescriptions) table.

This requires you to add a new (Physician ID) field to the Prescriptions table and
set the data type. As the AutoNumber field can only be used once in a table, the
Number data type is used. Notice the Physician ID field is included in the
Prescriptions table, shown in the figure 8.22.

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 Figure 8.22: One-to-many relationship between Physician table and Prescription table

2. Many-to-many relationship
Consider the relationship between a Drugs table and Prescriptions table. A single
Prescription might include more than one drug. On the other hand, a single drug can
appear on many Prescription s. For each record in the Prescriptions table therefore,
there can be many records in the Drugs table.

In addition, for each record in the Drugs table, there can be many records in the
Prescriptions table. This type of relationship is called a many-to-many relationship
because, for any drug, there can be many Prescriptions and, for any Prescription,
there can be many drugs.

3. One-to-one relationships
In a one-to-one relationship, each record in the first table can have only one
matching record in the second table, and each record in the second table can have
only one matching record in the first table. This type of relationship is not common
because, most often, the information related in this way is stored in the same table.

One example of a one-to-one relationship might be to transfer sensitive data to

another table and isolate it for security reasons. Both tables must share a common
field but not necessarily a Primary key field.

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II. Creating relationships between tables

Before a relationship can be created, a database must contain two or more tables
upon which a relationship can be formed. Start Access and open a database called
Selam Clinic Warehouse from your driver. Keep in mind that you have the tables
Prescriptions and Drugs.

Double click on the Prescriptions table to open it. Take a moment to look at the
fields in the table. As you might expect, you will find the Prescriptions ID field
(primary key) and several others, including Physician ID field from the Physicians
table (foreign primary key).

To create a relationship between tables, the tables must be closed. Click on the
Close button to close the opened tables. You should now see this. See figure 8.23

Figure 8.23: The available tables in the database

Click on the Database Tools tab and from within the Show/Hide group, click on
the Relationships button.

The first time you use the Relationships screen, the Show Table dialog box opens.
IF YOU DO NOT SEE THE ‘SHOW TABLE’ DIALOG BOX, SKIP THIS SECTION
and you will see the figure like the one shown in the figure8.24

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 Figure 8.24: Show table dialog box

If you see the Show Table dialog box then both the Prescriptions and Drugs
tables are listed under the Table tab. Double click both the Prescriptions and
Drugs table names to quickly add them to the relationships window area.

Figure 8.25: Select the tables needed for the relation

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Click on the Close button to close the Show Table dialog, leaving the two tables
open. See figure 8.25
Using the mouse pointer, select the Drug ID field from the Drugs table. Drag across
to the corresponding Prescription Drug ID field in the Prescriptions table. The Edit
Relationships options box is displayed.

Figure 8.26: The Edit Relationships options box

If you released the mouse over the wrong field name in the Prescriptions table,
you will see mismatched fields in the field selection box. Click on the Create button
to establish the relationship and click on the Close button to close the Edit
Relationships options box. There is now a link shown graphically as a line between
the two tables.

Figure 8.27: Many-to-many relationship between Prescription and Drugs tables

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III. Deleting relationships
Once relationships have been established, Access behaves very differently as you
may find yourself unable to edit tables as you have done in the past, even when
referential integrity is disabled. This is because having established a relationship,
attempting to delete fields in a related table or editing / changing certain field
properties, etc, can have a knock on effect to other related tables, therefore Access
prevents the action.

It is advisable to design your database well. Make sure your table design and layout
works, create and test your tables before you consider establishing relationships.

Changes to the design, improvements and modification over time may also require
removal or changes to relationships between tables. To delete a relationship, first
click once on the line between the two tables. The line appears thicker.

Figure 8.28: Click on the Delete key to delete the relationship

Right click to activate the shortcut menu and select Delete. You will be prompted to
confirm the deletion. Click on the Yes button to confirm. The relationship line
between the two tables is removed and the tables are no longer related. Close
Access and save any changes that you have made.

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 Exercise 8.4
1. Define the following terms:
a. Table
b. Fields
c. Records
2. Create a new database file called Patient Data
3. Create a directory called HIT in C drive (c:\HIT) and the save the database in
this folder
4. In the database create a table called Registration and save it.
5. Open the table and Create the following fields:
a. Patient ID
b. First Name
c. Second Name
d. Sex
e. Age
f. Woreda
g. Kebele

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 h. House No
i. Registration Date
j. Registration Fee
k. Referral Department
6. For each of the above fields set the data type, field size and so on …
7. Record 10 patients and fill the above information
8. In the above list rename the field Woreda to Sub City
9. Create another table called Examination and fill it with the following fields:
a. Examination No – 00025
b. Examination Date – 2/3/2001
c. Diagnosis- TB
d. Medication-STM
e. Clinical Symptoms- Night Sweating
f. Physician Name – Dr. Hassen
g. Appointment- 2/4/2001
h. Patient ID- 09
10. Repeat Q 6 and 7 for the above table
11. Assign appropriate primary key for each of the above tables
12. Create relationship between the Registration table and Examination table
13. Create another database by the name ABC VIDEO and save it in one of your
driver. Assign the correct data type and assign the appropriate properties.
14. Put appropriate primary (Unique field) when necessary.
a. Create the TABLE below and save it by Videos.

Video Category Title Price Number Of

Number Copies
VN-1 COMEDY CHARLI AND THE KID 29.95 6
VN-2 CARTOON TOM AND SMITH 126.00 9
VN-3 SUSPENSE BREAK DOWN 35.65 7
VN-4 COMEDY EDDI 29.65 18
VN-5 COMEDY FOOL RUSH IN 100.95 9
VN-6 ROMANCE WAR OF ROSES 120.95 4
VN-7 ACTION CON AIR 200.00 11
VN-8 SUSPENSE AIR FORCE ONE 350.00 9
VN-9 DRAMA TITANIC 600.00 7
VN-10 ACTION MOBSTERS 14.95 5
VN-11 SPORT MARADONA 126.00 4
VN-12 HORROR THE DANCE CLUB 26.75 19
VN-13 CARTOON ARISTO CATS 250.00 7

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 VN-14 SPORT ENDURANCE 150.00 8

b. Create the TABLE below and save it by Customers.

Customer Name Sex Registered City

ID Date
VRS-001 SOLOMON M 2/5/2000 ADDIS
VRS-002 RAHEL F 5/7/2001 ADDIS
VRS-003 HIWOT F 8/7/2000 NAZARETH
VRS-004 ROMAN F 7/6/2000 JIMMA
VRS-005 RUTHA F 5/12/2000 AWASA
VRS-006 HAILU M 11/7/2001 NAZARETH
VRS-007 TILAHUN M 1/5/2000 JIMMA

c. Create the TABLE below and save it by Service.

Customer Video Return
ID Number Date
VRS-001 VN-5 3/11/2001
VRS-004 VN-7 2/1/2001
VRS-007 VN-1 4/12/2001
VRS-004 VN-2 10/4/2000
VRS-002 VN-1 3/7/2001
15. Create RELATIONSHIP between the three tables

Lesson 8.5 Microsoft Access: Queries

Lesson objective:
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Create and save a single table query, two-table query using specific search
criteria.
 Add criteria to a query using any of the following operators: < (Less than),
<= (Less than or equals), > (Greater than), >= (Greater than or equals), =
(Equals), <> (Not equal to), And, Or.
 Edit a query by adding, removing criteria.
 Edit a query: add, remove, move, hide, and unhide fields.
 Run a query.
 Delete a query.

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8.5.1 Introduction
A database’s primary purpose is to store and extract information. Information can be
obtained from a database immediately after you enter the data or days, weeks, or
even years later. Of course, retrieving information from database tables requires
knowledge of how the database is set up.

For example, printed reports are often filed in a cabinet, arranged by date and by a
sequence number that indicates when the report was produced. To obtain a specific
report, you must know its year and sequence number. In a good filing system, you
may have a cross-reference book to help you find a specific report.

Unlike manual databases, computer databases like Microsoft Access easily obtain
information to meet virtually any criteria you specify.

8.5.2 What is a query?

The word query comes from the Latin word quærere, which means “to ask or
inquire.” Over the years, the word query has become synonymous with quiz,
challenge, inquire, or question. So, think of a query as a question or inquiry posed to
the database about information contained in its tables.
A Microsoft Access query is a question that you ask about the information stored in
your Access tables. You build queries with the Access query tools, and then save it as
a new object in your Access database. Your query can be a simple question about
data within a single table, or it can be a more complex question about information
stored in several tables. After you submit the question, Microsoft Access returns only
the information you requested.

Different queries are designed to perform different functions, for example an update
query searches for and updates field information in one or more tables, whilst a
delete query searches for and deletes records from one or more tables.

An update query is similar to the Find & Replace function found in most Microsoft
applications, only more advanced. For example, if telephone area codes change to
accommodate an increasing population, an update query might be created to find all

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existing area codes affected by the change and at the same time, replace the old
area code with a new area code.

Note that update queries cannot create new records, only update existing records.

A select query:- is used to search for and display data according to the specified
criteria. This data can then be viewed as a table, in a form created specifically on the
query or as a report.

A delete query:- is used when you need to remove entire records (rows) from a
table. Delete queries, by default, remove all of the data in each field, along with the
unique key field, (normally the primary key field) When the query is run, it removes
the entire record (row) from the table.

An append query:- is used when you want to extract information (records) from
one or more tables and append (add) it to one or more tables. Normally the tables
would reside in the same database however other database can also be used.
A make table query:- retrieves data from one or more tables, and then loads the
result set into a new table. That new table can reside in the database that you have
open, or you can create it in another database.

As with all objects, Access provides a Wizard tool to help create different types of
queries or blank queries that can be configured from scratch.
Note: Tables do not have to be open or selected to create a query.

8.5.3 Creating a simple query

Start Access and open a file called Selam Clinic Warehouse contained in your
folder. Open two tables Prescription and Physicians displayed in the Navigation
Pane. See figure 8.29.

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 Figure 8.29: having the Orders and Sales employees tables 30 The database

Click on the Create tab and from within the Other group click on the Query
Wizard button. The New Query dialog box is displayed. See figure 8.30

Figure 8.30: Simple Query wizard is selected by default

With the Simple Query Wizard selected, click on the OK button. The Simple
Query Wizard dialog opens. See figure 8.31

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 Figure 8.31 Select the required fields from the list

Use the down arrow in the upper part of the dialog box to select the table or query
you intend working with, in this case select Table: Orders.

In the lower part of the dialog box are two field selection boxes, Available Fields
and Selected Fields. See figure 8.32

Available Fields can be added to the Selected Fields box by first highlighting the
field and then clicking on the right pointing arrow button.

Or you could double click on a field within the Available Fields list.
Alternatively, clicking on the button below adds all fields to the Selected Fields box.

When fields are displayed in the Selected Fields box, this button will remove all
fields.

This button removes a single highlighted field.

• Add the following fields:

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 Drug Name
Drug Dose
Date of Order
Payment Method

Figure 8.32: All the required fields are added in the Selected Fields list

• Click on the Next button.

Figure 8.33: chose the default value and click next

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Click on the Next button. See figure 8.33 and See figure 8.34

Figure 8.34: Change the name to Prescription Query

Note that the original table of the prescription table contains the data shown in the
figure 8.35

Figure 8.35: The content of the prescription table with the full data

At this point you can accept the default name provided by Access or type your own.
Click on the Finish button. The Prescription query displays the result in table form
and the new query can be seen as a new object in the Navigation Pane. See figure
8.36
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 Figure 8.36: Query result from the prescription table

Currently all this query has done is to display information from the Prescription
table using only the fields chosen as you worked through the wizard.

8.5.4 Adding criteria to a query

To utilize the power of a query and locate specific records, criteria must be entered
to give the query something to work with. For example, if there is a need to locate
orders placed between certain dates, the following type of criteria would be entered
into the date field of the query.
>=01/01/2000 AND <=06/01/2001

Operators used to create criteria in queries are the same operators used to create
validation rules as illustrated in figure 8.37.
>=01/01/2000 AND <=06/01/2001

Figure 8.37: Comparison Operators

To add criteria to a query, the query must first be in Design View. Click on the Home
tab. Click on the Design View button to switch to Design View. Your screen will
now look like this.

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 Figure 8.38: criteria setting window

Similar to other objects when in Design View, queries have their own specific ribbon,
functions and tools. See figure 8.38
When working with existing queries, the table field list, located in the Query Design
window, is similar to that used when creating relationships between tables. The
underlying table can be identified by the name at the top of the list, in this case
Prescription as illustrated as shown in figure 8.39.

Figure 8.39: Table field list with *

One difference with this table field list is the * symbol above the Primary Key. When
used, the * represents All fields in the table and is used to save time.
The Query Design Grid is where the selected fields from one or more tables are
added, criteria entered, the sort order set and fields set to display or not when the
query is run.

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 Figure 8.40: The Query Design Grid

Fields can be included in the query design grid for criteria (record search) purposes
only and they do not have to be displayed when the query is run. See figure 8.40
Place the mouse pointer in the Criteria row under the Order Date field in the query
design grid and type the following as shown in figure 8.41.

>=01/01/2000 AND <=06/01/2001

Figure 8.41: Set the criteria on the Order Date field

Press the Enter key or use the keyboard cursor key to move to another cell in the
grid. Notice how the criteria entered changes. Access places hash symbols (#) either
side of the dates to signify this value as a date. You may have to widen the column
to see this clearly.

8.5.5 Running a query

When all the necessary fields, criteria, sort parameters, etc, have been entered into
a query and it is ready to be tested or used, you will need to ‘run’ the query.
As an example, when you run a select query, you are giving the query a command to
look at its parameters, go and search the table or tables for records matching the
criteria and produce a list of those records.
Click on the Design tab and from within the Results group. Click on the Run
button.

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The results of the query are displayed in table form, as illustrated in figure 8.42.
Look at the data within the Order Date column and you should see that all the dates
displayed are within the range specified by the query criteria.

Figure 8.42: Query result

8.5.6 Deleting a query

In the Navigation Pane, click once to highlight the Staff Sales Figures query. See
figure 8.43.

Figure 8.43: Items Query ready for deletion

Press the Delete key on the keyboard. Access displays a warning dialog box and
Click on the Yes button to continue and delete the query. Then the Prescription
Query will disappear from the pane. Close Access when you are done.

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 Exercise 8.5
1. What is a query?
2. List and discuss the common kinds of queries.
3. For the Registration table (created in exercise 8.4) select patients whose
name starts with letter t
4. Find patients with Registration date between 6/5/1999 and 4/5/2001
5. Modify the date range and make it 4/3/2001 and 4/5/2001
6. Delete the last record from the Registration table
7. Using figure 8.35 apply a query that shows the records of the Drug ID, Drug
Name and Drug Dosage fields only .
8. Arrange the records based on ascending order of the drug name
9. Navigate through all the records by using the navigation bar
10. Identify patients whose age is greater than or equal to 20
11. Based on the tables found in ABC VIDEO (exercise 8.4)answer the following
questions:
12. Create the following SELECT QUERIES and save them by the question numbers.
Select
a. Videos whose price greater than 100. Use all field names
b. Videos whose title begins with T. Use all field names
c. Videos whose Number of copies Less than 6. Use all field names
d. Customers whose city is Nazareth. Use all field names.
e. Customer whose ID is VRS-005. Use all field names
f. Customers who should return the video before 3/1/2002.Use all field
names
g. Which Video has the maximum number of copies? Use all field names
h. Which video has the least price? Use all field names
13. Create the following calculated fields and save it by RENT
Rent price:
If NC > 10, 5% * Price where NC-NUMBER OF
COPIES
If NC > 7, 6% * Price
If NC > 4, 7% * Price
If NC > 3, 9% * Price
Other wise 11% * Price

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 Service Charge: 2% Price
Total charge: Rent price + Service Charge

Lesson 8.6 Microsoft Access: Forms and Reports

Lesson objective:
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Open a form.
 Create and save a form.
 Use a form to enter, modify, and delete records.
 Use the Navigation bar to navigate through the records
 Add and rename form names
 Delete a form.
 Close a form.

8.6.1 Forms overview

Forms provide the most flexible way of viewing, adding, editing, and deleting your
data. They are also used for switchboards (forms with buttons that provide
navigation), dialog boxes that control the flow of the system, and displaying
messages. Controls are the objects on forms such as labels, text boxes, buttons, and
many others. In this unit, you learn how to create different types of forms and get
an understanding about the types of controls that are used on a form. You also learn
how to enter data with a form and print a form.

Up to this point, you have entered data directly into a table. Rather than having
information overload from viewing a screen full of records in a table, forms provide
an aesthetically pleasing window to enter and display record information.

Forms can be designed to display fields from multiple tables and can also be used to
restrict what information users have access to. In addition, buttons can also be
added to provide automated functionality. Microsoft Office Access 2007 gives you
new tools to help you create forms quickly, and provides new form types and
features that improve the usability of your database.

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8.6.2 Creating forms
Forms can be created using the Form tool and with a single click of a mouse button.
When creating forms this way, Access takes the required information from the
underlying table or query and produces a simple form.

Forms can also be designed from scratch using Form Design. Access provides a blank
form and you add the required fields, labels, graphic and functions.

Open Access and then open a database called Selam Clinic Warehouse from your
folder. In the Navigation Pane of the database, click on the Medical Equipments
table to highlight.
It is VERY important that you have selected the Medical Equipments table, NOT
one of the other tables, as we are going to produce a report based on the Medical
Equipments table.

Click on the Create tab and from within the Forms group, click on the Form button.
You will see the following (See figure 8.44), which displays all the fields within the
Medical Equipments table.

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 Figure 8.44: Form generated for Medical Equipments table

Modifying records
• Using the record navigation bar locate record 7. See figure 8.45

Figure 8.45: Record navigation bar

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 Figure 8.46: The seventh record in the list

Let us assume after checking your stock it emerges that in fact there are only 90 of
these Gloves in stock, not 100, therefore the record needs to be edited and updated
with this new information. See figure 8.46
• Double click on the In Stock field to highlight the value. See figure 8.47

Figure 8.47: Number in Stock is selected for modification

Type 100 and press the Enter key.

Figure 8.48: The previous value replaced with 100

Note: The value has been updated and committed to the Medical Equipments
table. See figure 8.48

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Deleting records
Using the record navigation bar locate record 6, which is to be removed from the
table as illustrated in figure 8.49.

Figure 8.49: the sixth record in the list

• At the top-left of each record in a form there is a bar with a single right pointing
arrow at the top of the bar.
When clicked the bar changes to show the whole record is selected. By doing this,
you can delete an entire record in one go.

• Click anywhere on the bar to select the record.

The bar changes to look like as the one shown in figure 8.50

Figure 8.50: The sixth record displayed in the form

• Press the Delete key on the keyboard.

• Access displays a warning requesting confirmation of deletion.
The record which is about to be deleted has disappeared from view (see above
image) and the Record Navigation bar displays one less record.
• Click on the Yes button to confirm deletion.

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Adding records
Click on the New Record button on the record navigation bar (displayed at the
bottom of your screen).
Enter the following information to complete the new record, pressing the Tab or the
Enter key to move from one field to the next.

NOTE: Leave the last two items blank.

Item Name Alcohol
Item Description 70% concentration
Category Electrical - Disinfectant
Price 30
In Stock 30lt
Received 06/28/2001
Discontinued
Documentation

Press Enter once more to move to the next new record and save the record you just
completed.

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 Exercise 8.6
1. Generate a form for the Registration table created in exercise 8.4 by using a
wizard name it
2. Generate a form for the Examination table (created in exercise 8.4) using a
design view. Name it Examination Form.
3. Enter the following information using the form in the registration table:
1. Patient ID- 012
2. First Name- Tesema
3. Second Name -Bekele
4. Sex- Male
5. Age-35
6. Woreda - 3
7. Kebele -53
8. House No- 245
9. Registration Date -2/5/2001
10. Registration Fee -50 Birr
11. Referral Department –Dentistry
4. In the examination table update the data for physician name:-
Dr. Hassen to Hassen Ali
5. Delete the last data from the table by using a form.
6. For the Registration Form change the default form name to frmRegistation.
7. Navigate through all the records by the navigation bar.
8. Update the date entered in Q3 to 12/5/2001.
9. Create the following FORMS using wizard and save them.

i. For a form of the VIDEOS table add the records below using the form
VN-15 COMEDY MID NIGHT 25.37 10
VN-16 ACTION MASK OF ZORRO 39.45 20
ii. For a form of the CUSTOMERS table and write form header VRS
CUSTOMERS ENTRY FORM with font size 20 center alignment and red color
iii. For a form of the SERVICE table add the records below using the form
VRS-001 VN-5 3/11/2000
VRS-001 VN-8 11/11/2001
VRS-002 VN-5 3/12/2000

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10. Create the following FORMS and save them by the question numbers
10.1 Auto form columnar for the VIDEOS table
10.2 Auto form columnar for the CUSTOMERS table
10.3 Auto form tabular for the Service table
11. Design a FORM for the CUSTOMERS table and save it by the question number.

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 Lesson 8.7 Microsoft Access: Reports
Lesson objective:
At the end of this lesson the student should be able to:
 Create and save a report based on a table, query.
 Change arrangement of data fields and headings within a report layout.
 Group data under a specific heading (field) in a report in ascending,
descending order.
 Add, modify text in Headers, Footers in a report.
 Delete a report.
 Close a report.

8.7.1 Introduction
In Access, a report is a summary generated from information in a table or query.
Access provides you with a number of tools that help you to quickly build reports
that present the data in an organized, meaningful and easy-to-read layout.

You can use the commands on the Create tab to create a simple report with a
single click, use the Report Wizard to create a more complicated report or create a
report from scratch by adding all the data and formatting elements.

Whichever method you choose, you will probably need to make a few changes to the
design, for example, adjusting column positions and widths to fine tune the final
output of the report (how it displays on the screen or prints).

8.7.2 Understanding the process of creating a report

Planning a report begins long before you actually create the report design. The
report process begins with your desire to view your data in a table, but in a way that
differs from datasheet display. You begin with a design for this view; Access begins
with raw data. The purpose of the report is to transform the raw data into a
meaningful set of information. The process of creating a report involves several
steps:
 Defining the report layout
 Assembling the data
 Creating the report design using the Access Report Design window

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  Printing or viewing the report

8.7.3 Creating a simple report

Reports are based on information in tables or queries. If the report is to be based on
information contained in more than one table, a relationship must exist, however it is
far more likely that a query has already been created to produce the information
required for the report.

Click on the Office Button and open a file called Selam Clinic Warehouse
contained within your folder.

The database opens with a table Medical Equipments and a query Prescription
(items) Query displayed in the navigation bar as illustrated in figure 8.51.

Figure 8.51: Access objects a table and a query

In the Navigation Pane, click once on the Items query to highlight the query, but do
not open it. Click on the Create tab and from within the Reports group, click on the
Report button as illustrated in figure 8.52.

Figure 8.52: The report button on the ribbon

A report based on the Items query is displayed on your screen.

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The simple report is displayed in Layout View ready for any modifications that may
be required. Editing and modifying a report is similar to editing a form. The title, field
text labels and logo images can all be resized, moved or deleted as necessary. Even
the style can be altered at the click of a button using the preset styles in the
AutoFormat group. Simple reports are not saved until you either click on the Save
button in the Quick Access toolbar or attempt to close the report, at which point
Access will prompt you to save the report.

Then Click on the Save button in the Quick Access toolbar. The Save As dialog box
is displayed. Next, click on the OK button. The new report is displayed in the
Navigation Pane. Click the Close button towards the top right of the report window,
to close the report.

8.7.4 Using the Report Wizard

Click on the Create tab and from within the Reports group, click on the Report
Wizard button. First fields from one or more table must be selected. Click on the
Tables/Queries dropdown list and select the Table: Orders. The dialog box will
now look like this. See figure 8.53

Figure 8.53: Report wizard with the available fields

From the Available Fields, double click each of the following fields: See figure 8.54

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 Product Name
Category
Quantity
Date Received

Figure 8.54: Except ID all the fields are selected

Next you will be asked about the grouping level. When the report is complete,
because by Product Name is selected, information will be grouped according to a
field or fields in the Product Name table. This field or fields will be selected in the
next section of the wizard. If Category was selected instead, the Descriptions would
take priority in the report and products would be grouped under each Description.
Click on the Next button.

Select Product Name, and then click on the right arrowed button to add the
grouping level. The dialog box will now look like the one shown in figure 8.55

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 Figure 8.55: Product name is added as a grouping level

• Click on the Next button. See figure 8.56

Figure 8.56: Records will be order in ascending order of the Date Received

In the Sort Order dialog box, click on the drop down arrow and select Date
Received. Next: By selecting a field, in this case the Date Received field, when
the report is complete, information will be organized in Ascending order of Date
Received, within each category. Click on the Next button. Leave the Layout as the
default setting as shown in figure 8.57.

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 Figure 8.57: By default Stepped layout and portrait orientation is selected

The three Layout options control how the report will be laid out when finished.
Depending upon the number of fields included in a report, consideration should be
given to the report Orientation. If there are too many fields for a single page width,
select Landscape, otherwise (in this case) Portrait will be sufficient.

Figure 8.58: The style is Access 2007

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These styles are similar to those used in Layout View and are preset styles used to
enhance forms and reports. Finally Click on the Next button. See figure 8.58

Figure 8.59: Give Medical Equipments as a report name

Access has given the report the name Medical Equipments. Click on the Finish
button to accept the name and complete the wizard. The report is now displayed in
Print Preview view as shown See figure 8.60. Take a while to see what has been
produced.

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 Figure 8.60 Report generated

Click on the Close Print Preview button. The report will be displayed in Design
View as shown in figure 8.61

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 Figure 8.61: The report displayed in the design view

8.7.5 Printing a Report

There are several ways to print your report:
 Click the Print button in the Print Preview tab of the Ribbon.
 Click Office Button ➪ Print in the main Access window (with a report
highlighted and the Navigation Pane).
Selecting the Office Button ➪Print opens the standard Windows Print dialog box. You
use this dialog to select the print range, number of copies, and print properties.

Clicking the Print button in the Access ribbon immediately sends the report to the
default printer without displaying a Print dialog box.

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 Exercise 8.7
1. Generate a REPORT for the table Registration (created in exercises 8.4) by
using a wizard and a design view.
2. Change the default setting for the layout and orientation with Stepped and
landscape respectively.
3. Generate the REPORT only the following fields for the registration table
a. Patient ID
b. First Name
c. Second Name
d. Sex
e. Age
f. Woreda
4. Add the current date and a title to the report.
5. Rename the report generated in Q 1 with Report for Registration.
6. Where do reports and forms get their information from? (Select all that apply.)?
7. What is the first step in creating a form or report with the Form Wizard or Report
Wizard?
8. Create the following REPORTS using wizard and save them by the question
numbers (created in exercise 8.4)
a. A report that displays all the record of the videos table grouped by
category
b. A report that displays the record of the customers grouped by sex and
sorted by Name
9. Apply a print preview to the reports.
10. What is the basic difference in using a report wizard and the design method?
11. Save and print the reports you have generated in the above questions.

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