Getting more done in less time is music to everyone’s ears. But it seems like a puzzle that needs to be solved. If you’re figuring out how to put in less work while creating drastic impacts, you’re in luck! This blog post will unveil a treasure trove of 10 remarkable Office 365 hacks that will skyrocket your efficiency and help you accomplish more in less time.
As Microsoft Office 365 continues to evolve and improve, staying updated on the latest features and functionalities that can enhance your productivity is essential. From time-saving shortcuts to hidden gems, we will guide you through various tips and tricks that will transform your work with Office 365. Let’s walk through this journey as we unlock the secrets to maximizing your productivity and getting more done quickly with these game-changing hacks!
Introduction to Office 365
Microsoft Office 365 is an online, subscription-based version of the popular Microsoft Office software suite. It includes Office applications, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Lync Online, and Microsoft Office Web Apps. By utilizing Microsoft’s cloud service, Office 365 eliminates the need for companies to handle IT maintenance tasks and infrastructure support costs.
One of the significant advantages of Office 365 is the flexibility it offers to end users. With an internet connection, users can access Office 365 from any device, regardless of location. It allows for seamless productivity and collaboration across different devices and locations.
IT administrators can manage the Microsoft Office 365 suite through a web-based portal. From this portal, administrators can create new user accounts, control access to features, and monitor the status of all Office 365 services and tools. This centralized management simplifies the administration and ensures efficient control over the Office 365 environment.
10 Hacks to Try in Office 365 to Boost your Efficiency
Since its launch in 1990, Microsoft Office has remained essential for businesses. Over time, Microsoft has adapted to evolving organizational needs by consistently updating Office with new applications and features.
1. Make use of the Accessibility Reminder App.
Recently made available in 2022, the Accessibility Reminder app in Office 365 ensures equal collaboration for all users, including those with disabilities. This feature can be found in the web and desktop versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. By leaving a brief comment, you can inform your collaborators that accessibility is required for the document, allowing everyone to contribute equally.
· Utilize the Accessibility Reminder app to create custom comments notifying document authors, including messages, training links, and more.
· Access training content to enhance your knowledge on addressing accessibility issues and learn how you and others can effectively fix them.
How do you enable this feature?
· Click on the Insert
· Select Get Add-ins.
· In the search bar, search for Reminder.
· Click on Accessibility Reminder, a Microsoft Garage project, to add it.
· Accept the privacy policy and license terms.
· Click on Continue to complete the process.
2. Never miss a crucial message with the innovative Outlook Desktop Message Alert feature.
Take advantage of important messages in Office 365 Outlook while focusing on other tasks. With Outlook’s new item alerts, you’ll be notified when incoming messages meet your criteria, ensuring you never overlook crucial information. These alerts will appear over any other application you’re using, guaranteeing that you stay on top of your messages.
How do you enable this feature?
· Click Files>Options>Mail
· Under Message Arrival, deselect the Display a Desktop Alert checkbox to turn off alerts or select it to turn on alerts.
· Click OK to save your changes.
3. Experience enhanced scrolling in Office 365 Microsoft Excel for a smoother user experience.
Effortlessly navigate large or wide cells in Excel—no need to snap to the top-left cell anymore. Excel doesn’t advance when you stop scrolling, which is excellent for large cells. It works with touch screens, touchpads, mice, mouse wheels, and scroll bar dragging.
4. Quickly generate new meetings, appointments, tasks, and contacts, all within a single Microsoft Office 365 Outlook.
Effortlessly switch between contacts, calendar, and email. Create new tasks or appointments without leaving your inbox.
How do I enable this feature?
· Select the drop-down arrow beside the New Email button on the email Home Page.
· Choose from the Events, Storyline Post, etc.
5. Jazz up your Microsoft Office 365 Word document
One of the newest Microsoft Word tips you can try is Designer. Like PowerPoint’s Designer and Word’s Design tab, it offers automated design and layout options while detecting and resolving formatting problems. The Office 365 tool enhances the document by adding appealing graphic elements.
How do I enable this feature?
· Next to the Editor button, you will find the Designer
· Click the button and choose from the various graphics of your preference.
6. Experience the new layout option of Microsoft OneNote
Exciting news for enthusiasts of the left-sided layout in Office 365 OneNote for the web, OneNote for Mac, and OneNote for iPad! We’re delighted that this experience is now available in OneNote on the Windows client. With the new Vertical Tabs layout option, you can enjoy a navigation experience akin to other Microsoft 365 apps and services like Outlook and Teams.
How do I enable this feature?
· Select View > Tabs Layout > Vertical Tabs
Switch back to your original view by clicking View > Tabs Layout > Horizontal Tabs.
7. Easily transcribe meetings using Office 365’s Teams
Transferring recorded meetings to a separate program can be cumbersome in a world full of transcription tools, especially when subscriptions are involved. Fortunately, Teams offers a solution! Now, you can transcribe your meetings in real-time within Teams itself. The transcribed Office text is displayed alongside the meeting video, with speaker names and timestamps. This feature complements other captioning and translation capabilities recently introduced in Teams.
How do I enable this feature?
· In the meeting controls, choose More Actions
· Select Start Transcription
A notification is displayed to all participants indicating that the meeting is being transcribed. The transcript is conveniently located on the right side of your screen for everyone to view.
8. Say Goodbye to Meeting nightmares in Outlook
Microsoft Office 365’s Outlook features all-new integrated scheduling. Calendar sharing only takes a few seconds (assuming everyone’s Outlook calendar is current).
How do I enable this feature?
· Choose Calendar> Share Calendar
· Select the calendar you wish to share.
· Choose Add and select the people you want to share your calendar with.
· Click Add > OK.
· The added people with the default permission level will show up.
· Select the name and the access level you want to grant.
· Select OK
9. Make meetings more exciting in Microsoft Teams
Video filters in Office 365’s Microsoft Teams meetings enable participants to enhance their video streams with visual effects like frames and styles. These filters, offered by Microsoft and third-party partners as apps, are built on the Teams Platform infrastructure and available as a filter collection.
10. Take your PowerPoint presentation to the next level.
If you frequently struggle with design inspiration, leveraging PowerPoint’s Designer feature can provide valuable assistance. Office 365’s PowerPoint Designer, an AI-powered feature in PowerPoint, aids in transforming the visual appeal of your presentation. By analyzing the content of your slides, it offers design suggestions that align with your presentation’s overall theme and content, whether you’re adding a new slide or modifying an existing one.
How do I enable this feature?
· When adding content to your slides, click the Designer on the Home tab.
· A sidebar will appear with an array of themes or designs.
· Choose one and wait until all designs are applied to your slides.
Experience the Best with ECF: Your Trusted Partner for Office 365 Licensing and Training
In addition to these Office 365 tips, our managed IT services offer peace of mind by delivering the necessary IT support to maximize the potential of your Microsoft solutions.
Our dedication to outstanding customer service at ECF Data drives us to exceed your expectations. With a wealth of combined IT expertise spanning over 13 years, we provide comprehensive cloud and virtualization solutions, round-the-clock support, guidance on Office 365 licensing, and expert consulting.
Contact us today to discover how ECF Data can assist your business in migrating to Microsoft Office 365, options of Office 365 licensing, or effectively managing your Microsoft 365 environments.
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