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This blog is written with the HCS Staff as the primary audience.
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Monday, March 30, 2015

Simple Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts

Today we are going to go through some of the coolest Windows keyboard shortcuts that you may or may not have ever known about.  I know some of you are mouse clickers, but you can increase your productivity if you learn just a few quick keyboard shortcuts.  

The Easy Ones
To practice these, open a Google Doc or Word Doc and type something.  Then use the following keyboard shortcuts.  I use these all the time to save myself time.  (Consider not practicing the Print shortcut until you actually have something that you NEED to print.)

  • Copy an item you have selected:  Ctrl + C
  • Cut an item you have selected:  Ctrl + X
  • Paste an item you have copied or cut:  Ctrl + V
  • Undo an action:  Ctrl + Z
  • Redo the last thing that I just undid:  Ctrl + Y
  • Select everything:  Ctrl + A
  • Print:  Ctrl + P

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Converting Files for Google Drive

So, you have all your files created in Word, PowerPoint and Excel, right?  Are you aware that you can take your existing documents (or some of your existing documents) and upload them to Google Drive?  Better yet, did you know that you can take your existing Office documents and convert for use IN Google Drive?  That's a subtle distinction but you can actually do both.  You can upload your current MS Office documents (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) and just house them in your Drive...OR... you can CONVERT your existing MS Office documents to Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides then share them out or open them from anywhere.  

So, you will learn the following:

  • Turn on and off the new Drive.
  • Setting your uploads to convert documents automatically.  
  • Upload your existing non-Google documents to your Google Drive.
  • Convert your existing non-Google documents to Google Doc.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Multiple Users in Google Chrome

Many people have more than one Gmail account.  Perhaps you have struggled with trying to use multiple accounts in your Chrome Browser.  I myself have simplified the process by having two browsers open at any one given time...I use Chrome for my work email (ScottUsher@hartlandschools.us) and I use Firefox for my personal email (susher@gmail.com).  

The problem is that Firefox doesn't seem to work quite as well as does Chrome when it comes to Google accounts, which makes sense since the Chrome Browser is a Google product.  

The good news is there is a basic feature of Chrome that will make your Google life much easier.  

We will:

  1. Learn how to verify you are actually logged into the Chrome Browser.
  2. Learn how to verify your version of the Chrome Browser is up to date.
  3. Learn how to add a user to the Chrome Browser.
  4. Learn how to easily switch users.