A Brief Introduction to MS Office

Microsoft Office, first introduced in 1988, is a bundle of office-related applications that were primarily for companies and businesses. However, in today’s times, we can’t imagine not having MS Office on all our personal computers. We use the software to generate reports, presentations, documents, keep financial data, and so much more. So, let’s understand what encompasses MS Office and why it’s so handy.

Microsoft Office is basically a suite of applications, each one designed for a specific purpose. For instance, Microsoft Word is used for creating documents. PowerPoint is a great tool for making presentations. Microsoft Outlook is an excellent tool for managing calendars and email. And then, MS Office itself comes as a package that is custom made for organizations or students alike.

There is a suite of applications for large corporations, small business users and students. The latest version is referred to as Microsoft Office 2019. The company has developed various versions of suites since 1988. Microsoft Office 365 stands out from other applications as it integrates all the aspects of office applications with the cloud.

Why use MS Office?

MS Office is usually preferred by individuals who are looking for apps that are robust to meet their needs. For instance, it is impossible to write a book using WordPad alone. It would be easy to rely on Microsoft Word because it offers a myriad of features which makes the process of book writing pretty much easier.

Businesses are heavily reliant on Microsoft Office applications. The business suites can manage a large database of users, make exciting presentations and perform advanced spreadsheet calculations with much ease. The company claims that over a billion people use Microsoft Office Suite.

Devices that support MS Office

For accessing Microsoft Office, you need to have it installed on your laptop or personal computer. There is a different version of the software for Mac and Windows devices. There is also a dedicated app for the iPad and iPhone as well. Android users can download the application from Google Play, which is a lite version of the Desktop variant. Although you don’t get to access the complete functionality on your phone, you can still use the basic set of features.

Apps included in Microsoft Office

The apps included in the suite are dependent on the package chosen by you. The basic applications are

Notepad

Notepad is one of the most basic software that is found in all computers running Windows. It is the simplest text editor software that is very convenient to use. You can run Notepad to type short notes and save them as plain text. It lacks the advanced features found in Word and is only useful for saving texts. For example, you can’t insert images or tables like in MS Word. To get help notepad in windows 10 feel free to ask us.

Word

This application helps you create documents, publications, and flyers. It is a word processor that assists you in composing documents. You can take notes, build resumes, white papers, craft brochures and do a lot more using Word. The best thing about this application is that it comes with an in-built spelling and grammar correction features and you can password protect word document. The users can also include images and add tables in a Word document.

PowerPoint

This application helps you create powerful and exciting presentations. You would have used this tool in school/college or at your office for making presentations at team meetings. This program is complete with speaker notes, animations, embedded videos, graphs, texts, and images. It has everything that you need to put your point across.

Excel

This application is beneficial in storing, manipulating and organizing data. Being a spreadsheet application can perform automatic calculations which makes the job easier for every accountant. It also offers data analysis tools and graphs. It has now become an industry standard for spreadsheets.

OneNote

This application can be used to collect notes, audio clips, screen captures, handwritten notes and more and organize them as per your requirements. It is basically a collector and organizer. You can create graphs, links, insert pictures, and create tables and type using this application. The major difference is that you can use the media and text in any manner you want. You can dump stuff anywhere you want just by clicking on a spot. However, there are certain limitations pertaining to arrangement, structure and page size. Another interesting feature is that OneNote saves any changes made by you automatically.

OneDrive

This app assists in storing data online. This is a specific storage and file sharing service. It makes it quite convenient for you to collaborate with friends and colleagues. You can easily store your files in the cloud and access them from other devices. You can also share files and folders with specific individuals or publicly. 5GB of storage is offered to you on OneDrive. If you need more space, then you will have to pay for the subscription.

Outlook

This is a great application for managing contacts, to-do lists, emails, and calendars. This is an email and scheduling tool. It offers you all the features that you need from an email service. The experience is more unified as it is a part of the Office Suite. This application offers you a seamless view of files, calendar, and contacts.