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Use Wildcards to Find and Replace in Word June 29, 2009

Posted by computertrainer in Word Tips.
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You can use Microsoft Word to find and replace text and you can extend your search by using wildcards to find words or phrases that contain specific letters or combinations of letters.

For example, use the asterisk (*) wildcard to search for a string of characters (“b*n” finds “ban” and “balloon“).

  1. On the Edit menu, click Find or Replace.
  2. If you don’t see the Use wildcards check box, click More.
  3. Select the Use wildcards check box.
  4. Enter a wildcard character in the Find What box.  Do one of the following:
    ♦  To choose a wildcard character from a list, click Special, click a wildcard character, and then type any additional text in the Find what box.
    ♦  Type a wildcard character directly in the Find what box.  (See wildcards in table below.)
  5. If you want to replace the item, enter what you want to use as a replacement in the Replace with box.
  6. Click Find Next, Replace, or Replace All. (Use CAUTION using Replace All!)

To cancel a search in progress, press ESC.

NOTES

  • When the Use wildcards check box is selected, Word finds only the exact text you specify.  (Notice that the Match case and Find whole words only check boxes are unavailable (dimmed) to indicate that these options are automatically on; you can’t turn off these options.)
  • To search for a character that’s defined as a wildcard, type a backslash (\) before the character.  For example, type \? to find a question mark.

Below are examples of different wildcards to use: 

To find: Type: For example:
Any single character ? b?n finds “ban” and “bin” and “bun“
Any string of characters * l*p finds “lap” and “lockup“
The beginning of a word < <(un) finds “understand” and “undetermined” but not “sunrise“
The end of a word > (in)> finds “in” and “within” but not “inside“
One of the specified characters [ ] t[io]n finds “tin” and “ton“
Any single character in this range [-] [r-t]ight finds “right” and “sight” and “tight” but not “light“.  Ranges must be in ascending order.
Any single character except the characters in the range inside the brackets [!x-z] t[!a-m]ck finds “tock” and “tuck” but not “tack” or “tick“
Exactly n occurrences of the previous character or expression {n} fe{2}d finds “feed” but not “fed“
At least n occurrences of the previous character or expression {n,} fe{1,}d finds “fed” and “feed“
From n to m occurrences of the previous character or expression {n,m} 10{1,3} finds “10“, “100“, and “1000“
One or more occurrences of the previous character or expression @ lo@t finds “lot” and “loot“

Notes

  • You can use parentheses to group the wildcard characters and text and to indicate the order of evaluation.  For example, type <(pre)*(ed)> to find “presorted” and “prevented”.
  • You can use the \n wildcard to search for an expression and then replace it with the rearranged expression.  For example, type (Uhas) (Gretchen) in the Find what box and \2 \1 in the Replace with box.  Word will find “Uhas Gretchen” and replace it with “Gretchen Uhas”.

Add a Field to an Outlook Table View June 23, 2009

Posted by computertrainer in Outlook Tips.
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If you should change a view to a table style view, such as the Contact “Phone List” or the Calendar “All Appointments”, you might not see all the fields you need.  You can add fields to these views by using the Field Chooser.

In the example below, I will use the “All Appointments” view in the Calendar and add the field to show me when the appointment was created.

  1. If you do not see the Current View icon (it might show Day/Week/Month) you do not have the Advanced Toolbar on.  Right-mouse click on any icon at the top of the Outlook window and select Advanced.
  2. Click on the drop-down triangle at the right edge of the Current view icon and select All Appointments.
  3. Right-mouse click on one of the field names that are on the top of the listed appointments.
  4. Click on  Field Chooser.
  5. Click on Created and drag it to the top row of field names and drop it where you would like it to appear.

Outlook Field Chooser

NOTE:  If you do not see the field you would like to use, change the Field Chooser from Frequently-used fields to the All Contact fields, All Mail fields, All Appointment fields, etc.  The field names are listed alphabetically.

The next time you come to this view, the field you added will appear.

To remove a field, simply click and drag it off the field names row.

Recover Deleted Items After Emptying Outlook’s Deleted Items Folder June 11, 2009

Posted by computertrainer in Outlook Tips.
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This feature requires you to use a Microsoft Exchange Server 2000, 2003, or 2007 account. Most home and personal accounts do not use Microsoft Exchange.

Microsoft Office Outlook provides a way to recover items after you delete them permanently, even after you empty the Deleted Items folder.

 Note   Your Exchange administrator specifies the retention time for items that are deleted permanently on the server running Exchange. After this time elapses, you cannot recover the deleted items.

You can view and recover deleted items (including the items that were deleted permanently when you selected items and pressed SHIFT+DELETE or SHIFT+ X Delete) after you have emptied the Deleted Items folder.

  1. Click on the Deleted Items folder, then click the Tools menu and select Recover Deleted Items.  
  2. Click an item and then click Recover Selected Items.

 Tip   To select multiple items, press CTRL as you click each item.

Each recovered item is restored to the Deleted Items folder.

 Note   You cannot recover an item if it does not appear in the Recover Deleted Items dialog box.

This will save you heart ache if you delete an item and then realize that you didn’t mean to delete it.  But don’t wait … it will not be available for recovery forever.  I tell clients to plan on only 1 week, although your IT Department might hold them longer.

10 Suggested Changes to Outlook’s Default Settings June 7, 2009

Posted by computertrainer in Outlook Tips.
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When Outlook is installed there are 10 defaults that I suggest that you change:

  1. Turn on the Advanced Toolbar
    Right mouse click on any toolbar icon and select Advanced from the list.
  2. When starting Outlook, don’t start in the Inbox, start in Outlook Today. 
    -  First you’ll need to get to Outlook Today so you can customize its components. 
    -  The left most icon on the Advanced Toolbar is the Outlook Today icon (a clock, house, and calendar are on the icon).  Click that icon or click on Mailbox – “your name” if you are on Exchange Server.
    -  On the right side of the Outlook Today bar click Customize Outlook Today.
    -  The first items is a check box – put the check in the box:  When starting, go directly to Outlook Today
    -  Show this number of days in my calendar   I suggest changing the default from 5 to “7″ … on Wednesday you would get a quick view of the appointments you have at the first of the week.
    -  In my task list show me All Tasks (this is the default … not change it to Today’s Tasks)
    -  Sort by Importance (Descending) then by Due Date (Ascending).  The most important tasks will appear at the top of the list with the most current Due at the top and those Due in the future below.
    - Click Save Changes – the upper right on the Customize Outlook Today bar.
  3. Click on Tools from the menu, then Options.  On the Preferences tab, click the E-mail Options… box, then the Advanced E-mail Options box.  If you have rules that move mail to specific folders when the mail arrived, then you will want to check the box In folders other than the Inbox, save replies with original message.  Using this feature means that the mail in the folder will have the incoming mail and your replies to that e-mail.  Click OK twice. 
  4. You are now back at Options.  Click the Contacts box.  The default “File As” for contacts is Last name, first name.  If I have several contacts from the same company, I find it easier to find then if I have then sorted together by the Company name, so I would change:  Select the default setting for how to file new contacts:  Default “File As” Order:  Company (Last, First).  Then click OK.
  5. Are you frequently changing the font of a new message?  Instead of changing each message, let’s change the default font for new messages and for replies/forwards:
    -  Click on the Mail Format Tab, then the Fonts (Outlook 2003 and earlier) or Stationery and Fonts … (Outlook 2007).
    -  Do nothing at the Stationery Picker (pre 2007)/Theme (2007)… no ivy, no dark background color … just leave it a plain old white sheet.
    - Select the font you want for New Messages, then for Replying or Forwarding.  You can also change the font for composing and reading plain text messages … it does not have to be Courier New if your prefer Arial!
    -  When you are satisfied with your selections, click OK.
  6. Click on the Signatures … box and add the following signatures (at a minimum):
    -  signature for a new e-mail going outside your company (more formal with more information)
    -  signature for a new e-mail going inside your company
    -  signature for replies and forwards.
  7. Click on the Spelling Tab.  By default, your e-mail messages are NOT checked for spelling errors when you click Send.
    -  Click on Always check spelling before sending.
    -  Outlook 2007 – click on the Spelling and AutoCorrection box.
    - I suggest you remove the check in Ignore words in UPPERCASE and Ignore words that contain numbers.
    - Outlook 2007 – click OK.
  8. Click on the Other Tab.  Click to add a check mark in Empty the Deleted Items upon exiting.  The Deleted Items folder should not be a HOLD folder.  You can create a folder to HOLD things in and then when you delete an item, you mean for it to be deleted.
    -  If you are on Exchange Server, you can undelete something once you delete the Deleted Items.  Instructions will follow on a separate Post.
  9. Click on the box for the Reading Pane…
    -      Notice that the default is to Mark item as read with selection changes.  This means that when you leave one e-mail message and simply click on another – perhaps to view it in the reading pane – then the last message is marked as having been opened and read (the closed envelope icon changes to an opened envelope).
    -  Remove the check mark in this item.
  10. Last, click on the AutoArchive…box and remove the check mark in Run AutoArchive every xx days.
    -  I’ll give instructions on how to do a Manual Archive in a future Post.  Using the Manual Archive, you are in control of what you are archiving and which folder you are archiving to.

It doesn’t matter if you are new to Outlook or have been using it for awhile, these changes will make Outlook easier to work with!

Need help with anything listed above, contact me at Gretchen@UhasCT.com.