NOTES UNIT-1 & UNIT-2:

Microsoft Office is a software which was developed by Microsoft in 1988. This Office suite comprises
various applications which form the core of computer usage in today’s world.

MS Office Applications & its Functions

Currently, MS Office 2016 version is being used across the world and all its applications are widely used
for personal and professional purposes.
Discussed below are the applications of Microsoft Office along with each of their functions.
1. MS Word

 First released on October 25, 1983

 Extension for Doc files is “.doc”
 It is useful in creating text documents
 Templates can be created for Professional use with the help of MS Word
 Work Art, colours, images, animations can be added along with the text in the same file which is
downloadable in the form of a document
 Authors can use for writing/ editing their work

2. MS Excel

 Majorly used for making spreadsheets

 A spreadsheet consists of grids in the form of rows and columns which is easy to manage and
can be used as a replacement for paper
 It is a data processing application
 Large data can easily be managed and saved in tabular format using MS Excel
 Calculations can be done based on the large amount of data entered into the cells of a
spreadsheet within seconds
 File extension, when saved in the computer, is “.xls”

3. MS PowerPoint

 It was released on April 20, 1987

 Used to create audiovisual presentations
 Each presentation is made up of various slides displaying data/ information
 Each slide may contain audio, video, graphics, text, bullet numbering, tables etc.
 The extension for PowerPoint presentations is “.ppt”
 Used majorly for professional usage
 Using PowerPoint, presentations can be made more interactive
In terms of Graphical user interface, using MS PowerPoint, interesting and appealing presentation and
documents can be created.
Introduction to Microsoft Word
Microsoft word is a word processor software developed by Microsoft in 1983. It is the most commonly
used word processor software. It is used to create professional quality documents, letters, reports,
resumes, etc and also allows you to edit or modify your new or existing document. The file saved in Ms
Word has .docx extension. It is a component of the Microsoft Office suite, but you can buy it separately
and is available for both Windows and macOS. The latest version of Ms Word is 2019. In this article we
will learn the features of Ms Word, but first we learn how to open Ms Word?

How to open MS Word?

The following step shows how to open MS words:

Step 1: Type Ms Word in the search bar.

Step 2: Select Ms Word application.

Step 3: Select a blank document and press create button.

Then you will get a window like in the image below where you can write your content and perform
different types of operations on that content, like font type, style, bold, italic, etc. You can also add
images, tables, charts to your document.
Features of MS Word

Now let us discuss the features or components of the Ms Word. Using these features, you can perform
different types of operations on your documents, like you can create, delete, style, modify, or view the
content of your document.

1. File

It contains options related to the file, like New(used to create a new document), Open(used to open an
existing document), Save(used to save document), Save As(used to save documents), History, Print,
Share, Export, Info, etc.
2. Home

It is the default tab of Ms Word and it is generally divided into five groups, i.e., Clipboard, Font,
Paragraph, Style and Editing. It allows you to select the color, font, emphasis, bullets, position of your
text. It also contains options like cut, copy, and paste. After selecting the home tab you will get below
options:

3. Insert

It is the second tab present on the menu bar or ribbon. It contains various items that you may want to
insert into a Microsoft word. It includes options like tables, word art, hyperlinks, symbols, charts, signature
line, date and time, shapes, header, footer, text boxes, links, boxes, equations, etc., as shown in the
below image:
4. Draw

It is the third tab present in the menu bar or ribbon. It is used for freehand drawing in Ms Word. It provides
different types of pens for drawing as shown below:

5. Design

It is the fourth tab present in the menu bar or ribbon. The design tab contains document designs that you
can select, such as documents with centered titles, offset headings, left-justified text, page borders,
watermarks, page color, etc., as shown in the below image:
6. Layout

It is the fifth tab present on the menu bar or ribbon. It holds all the options that allow you to arrange your
Microsoft Word document pages just the way you want them. It includes options like set margins, display
line numbers, set paragraph indentation, and lines apply themes, control page orientation and size, line
breaks, etc., as shown in the below image:

7. References

It is the sixth tab present in the menu bar or ribbon. The references tab lets you add references to a
document, then create a bibliography at the end of the text. The references are generally stored in a
master list, which is used to add references to further documents. It includes options like, Table of
Contents, Footnotes, Citations & Bibliography, Captions, Index, Table of Authorities, smart look, etc. After
selecting References tab, you will get the below options:
8. Mailings

It is the seventh tab present in the menu bar or ribbon. It is a least used tab in the menu bar. This tab is
where you would create labels, print them on envelopes, do mail merge, etc. After selecting mailing, you
will get the below options:

9. Review

It is the eighth tab present in the menu bar or ribbon. The review tab contains, commenting, language,
translation, spell check, word count tools. It is good for quickly locating and editing comments. After
selecting a review tab, you will get the options below:
10. View

It is the ninth tab present in the menu bar or ribbon. View tab allows you to switch between single page or
double page and also allows you to control the layout tools It includes print layout, outline, web layout,
task pane, toolbars, ruler, header and footer, footnotes, full-screen view, zoom, etc. as shown in the
below image:

How to use Mail Merge in MS Word?

Many day-to-day applications require similar documents containing similar text to be
sent to a number of persons. These documents also have a typical common layout.
Invitation letters sent to guests have a more-or-less common content and layout. Only
the names of the recipients are different in these letters. One obvious way to generate
such letters is to type all of them individually, putting the same amount of effort again
and again. Another solution could be to copy the same block of text again and again
onto the new letters. The names and addresses etc., which are different from each
letter, can be entered separately in the documents. Though this method saves a lot of
effort, it still requires proper caution. There should be a way where these kinds of
documents can be prepared automatically. This task can be easily automated if we
 use the mail merge feature of a word processor. So, it is time we learnt the mail-merge
feature of the word.
Components of mail merge:
The three main components of the merging process are the main document, the data
source, and the merged document.
1. The main document contains the main body of your letter, field names, and merges
instructions. The basic information within the main document remains equivalent.
2. The data source (or Recipients’ list) stores the knowledge that changes for every
document. This information is inserted in the main document one by one. An
example of the data source is a name and address list from which the program gets
what you want to include in the main document.
3. The merged document contains the main text from the main document and data
from a data source.
Steps for mail merger:
Step 1:
 Open MS Word and click on the command sequence: Mailings tab → Start mail merge
group → Select recipients button → Type new List.

 A dialog namely “New Address List” will pop up(as shown in the below image). Type
here the desired data under the given headings. To add a new record, click on the “New
Entry” button at the bottom of the dialog and click OK when you are done.
Step 2: Prepare Master Letter
The second step is to prepare our master letter for use in the mail merge. Before we
enter all the letter text we’d like to link this Word file to our list of names.
 Create a blank word document.
 Click Mailings tab → Start Mail Merge group → Start Mail Merge → Letters command.
 Then click the Mailings tab → Start Mail Merge group → Select Recipients button → Use
Existing List command.

 Now we can start typing the letter.

 Now we would like to add the name and address and other details for the people on the
list.
 Mailings tab→ Write & Insert Field group → Insert Merge Field button.
 A pop-down will appear showing all the table headings, so choose Title and press the
spacebar to create a space.
Then do this again and choose FirstName, followed by a space (i.e., press only
spacebar key and no other key); then choose LastName but this time press the Enter
key to create a new line. Then repeat the steps to choose the Address field, and press
enter key.

Step 3:
Before we actually carry out the merge, we must first preview what the merged letters
will look like.
 Mailings tab→ Preview Results group → Preview Results button

 Once we are happy with the preview, you can carry out the actual mail merge.
 To do this you click the Mailings tab → Finish group → Finish & Merge button and choose
Edit Individual Documents.

 In the Merge to New Document panel, click All to create a separate letter for each person
on the Names list. Word then creates a fresh document with as many pages as there are
names on your list, and every page contains a wonderfully merged letter with all the
correct individuals’ details.

 We can save this with an appropriate name, such as ABC.docx

Sample Problems

Question 1: What is a mail merge?

Solution:
Mail Merge, a popular tool for personalizing printed letters, is nowadays also available
for emails. Google Mail, Google Sheets make it happen for all Google domain-based
emails.
Question 2: what are the uses of mail merge?
Solution:
 Writing a letter to a customer to tell them about upcoming offers or inform about some
changes in business context.
 Mailshot for sending out a survey to a large number of people.
 Invoices
 School names on to the certificate
 Personal
Question 3: Give the advantage of mail merge?
Solution:
 Once the merge has been found out , thousands of letters are often produced very quickly.
 Easier to check for spelling errors as we need to check and correct at one place only; all
letters will show the changes.
 Letters can be personalized.
 A standard letter can be saved and reused.
 In male merge, we can reuse the same data source, and it reduces the risk of errors.
Question 4: What are the main components of the Mail Merge process?
Solution:
 The main document.
 The data source.
 The merged document.
Question 5: How many files are created in Mail Merge?
Solution:
There are two files created in Mail Merge. The first file is called the source file that
contains the content of the main document and the second file is known as the data
source file that contains the name, address and other important details of the
beneficiary.
Question 6: Can we insert an attachment when performing a merge to an e-mail
message?
Solution:
No, we cannot insert an attachment when performing a merge to an email message.
Question 7: In Mail Merge, multiple copies of the merged document are often
printed.
Solution:
TRUE

How to create a macro in Word

document

Macro is a series of commands and instructions that you combine together as a single
command to complete a task automatically.

Follow the below methods to create a macro in Word document -

Method 1: Record a macro using the Button option

Microsoft Word has the ability to record and run macros to improve the efficiency of the
document.

Note: You can also add macros in Microsoft Excel.

There are the following steps to record a macro in Microsoft Word -

Step 1: Open the new or an existing Word document.

Step 2: Click on the View tab on the Ribbon and click on the drop-down icon
associated with the Macros in the Macros section.

Step 3: Click on the Record Macro from the drop-down menu.

Step 4: A Record Macro dialog box will appear on the screen in which do the following -

1. Enter the Name for the macro in the Macro name text field.
2. To use the same macro for the further document, click on the All Documents
(Normal.dotm) option from the Store macro in drop-down menu.
3. Click on the Button icon in the Assign macro to section to run your macro.
Step 5: A Word Options window will appear on the screen with highlighted Quick
Access Toolbar at the left pane.

1. Click on the new macro name (Normal.NewMacros.MyMacro) on the left side

of the screen.
2. Click on the Add button to add the macro on the Quick Access Toolbar at the
right side of the screen.
3. Click on the Modify button, as shown in the below screenshot.

Step 6: Select macro that you want to record from the Modify Button dialog box,
type the Display name, and click on the OK button.
Step 7: Click on the OK button at the Word options window.

Step 8: Now, click on the View tab and click on the Macros drop-down menu. Click on
the Stop Recording Macro from the drop-down menu.

Now, you can see that recorded macro will appear on the Quick Access Toolbar.

Method 2: Record a macro using keyboard option

Follow the below steps to record a macro using keyboard option -

Step 1: Open the new or an existing Word document.

Step 2: Go to the View tab -> Macros and select Record Macro from the drop-down
menu.
Step 3: A Record Macro dialog box will appear on the screen in which do the
following -

1. Enter the Name for the macro.

2. To use the same macro for the further document, click on the All Documents
(Normal.dotm) option from the Store macro drop-down menu.
3. Click on the Keyboard icon in the Assign macro to section to run your macro.

Step 4: A Customize Keyboard dialog box will appear on the screen. Press any
combination of shortcut keys in the Press new shortcut key dialog box. Click on
the Assign button.
Note: In our case, we are going to use the Ctrl+Shift+M key.

Step 5: Once you click on the Assign button, Pressed combination of keys will appear in
the current key text box. Click on the Close button, as shown in the below screenshot.

Step 6: Perform the action that you want to record.

Step 7: Click on the View tab on the Ribbon and select on the Stop Recording from
the Macros drop-down menu.

Run a macro

1. Go to View -> Macros and select View Macros from the drop-down menu.

2. A Macros dialog box will appear on the screen. Select a Macro list that you want to
run from the Macro name:.

3. Click on the Run button, as shown in the screenshot below.

Add a macro button to the Ribbon

Adding a macro button to the Ribbon helps you to easily access the macro in the Word
document.
Follow the below steps to add a macro button to the Ribbon -

Step 1: Click on the File tab at the top left corner of the screen. A list of File options will
appear on the screen. Click on the Options tab.

Step 2: A Word Options dialog box will appear on the screen. Click on the Custom
Ribbon at the left pane of the screen.

Step 3: Click on the Macros under the Choose Command from the section. Click on
the New Tab and then Click on the Add. A macros icon will appear on the screen.
Step 4: Right-Click on the Macros and select Rename form the drop-down menu.

Step 5: A Rename dialog box will appear on the screen. Select the symbol according to
your requirement. Enter the symbol name in the Display name text box and click on the
OK button.
Now, you can see that macro is added to the Ribbon.

An Introduction to MS Excel
MS Excel is a commonly used Microsoft Office application. It is a spreadsheet program which is
used to save and analyse numerical data.
In this article, we bring to you the important features of MS Excel, along with an overview of
how to use the program, its benefits and other important elements. A few sample MS Excel
question and answers are also given further below in this article for the reference of Government
exam aspirants.
Basics of MS Excel
What is MS Excel?
MS Excel is a spreadsheet program where one can record data in the form of tables. It
is easy to analyse data in an Excel spreadsheet. The image given below represents
how an Excel spreadsheet looks like:
How to open MS Excel?
To open MS Excel on your computer, follow the steps given below:

 Click on Start
 Then All Programs
 Next step is to click on MS Office
 Then finally, choose the MS-Excel option
Alternatively, you can also click on the Start button and type MS Excel in the search
option available.
What is a cell?
A spreadsheet is in the form of a table comprising rows and columns. The rectangular
box at the intersection point between rows and columns forms a cell. Given below is an
image of a cell:
What is Cell Address?
The cell address is the name by which is cell can be addressed. For example, if row 7 is
interested in column G, then the cell address is G7.
Features of MS Excel
Various editing and formatting can be done on an Excel spreadsheet. Discussed below
are the various features of MS Excel.
The image below shows the composition of features in MS Excel:

 Home

 Comprises options like font size, font styles, font colour, background
colour, alignment, formatting options and styles, insertion and deletion of
cells and editing options

Insert
 Comprises options like table format and style, inserting images and
figures, adding graphs, charts and sparklines, header and footer option,
equation and symbols

Page Layout
 Themes, orientation and page setup options are available under the page
layout option
 Formulas
 Since tables with a large amount of data can be created in MS excel,
under this feature, you can add formulas to your table and get quicker
solutions

Data
 Adding external data (from the web), filtering options and data tools are
available under this category

Review
 Proofreading can be done for an excel sheet (like spell check) in the
review category and a reader can add comments in this part

View
 Different views in which we want the spreadsheet to be displayed can be
edited here. Options to zoom in and out and pane arrangement are
available under this category
Benefits of Using MS Excel
MS Excel is widely used for various purposes because the data is easy to save, and
information can be added and removed without any discomfort and less hard work.
Given below are a few important benefits of using MS Excel:

 Easy To Store Data: Since there is no limit to the amount of information that can
be saved in a spreadsheet, MS Excel is widely used to save data or to analyse
data. Filtering information in Excel is easy and convenient.
 Easy To Recover Data: If the information is written on a piece of paper, finding it
may take longer, however, this is not the case with excel spreadsheets. Finding
and recovering data is easy.
 Application of Mathematical Formulas: Doing calculations has become easier
and less time-taking with the formulas option in MS excel
 More Secure: These spreadsheets can be password secured in a laptop or
personal computer and the probability of losing them is way lesser in comparison
to data written in registers or piece of paper.
 Data at One Place: Earlier, data was to be kept in different files and registers
when the paperwork was done. Now, this has become convenient as more than
one worksheet can be added in a single MS Excel file.
 Neater and Clearer Visibility of Information: When the data is saved in the
form of a table, analysing it becomes easier. Thus, information is a spreadsheet
that is more readable and understandable.
MS Excel – Points To Remember
There are certain things which one must know with respect to MS Excel, its applications
and usage:
  An MS Excel file is saved with an extension of .xls
 Companies with large staff and workers use MS Excel as saving employee
information becomes easier
 Excel spreadsheets are also used in hospitals where the information of patients
can be saved more easily and can be removed conveniently once their medical
history is cleared
 The sheet on which you work is called a Worksheet
 Multiple worksheets can be added in a single Excel file
 This is a data processing application
MS Excel Questions and Answers
Q 1. The address that is obtained by the combination of the Row number and the
Column alphabet is called ________.

1. Worksheet
2. Cell
3. Workbox
4. Cell Address
5. Column Address

Answer: (4) Cell Address

Q 2. Where is the option for page border given in the MS Excel spreadsheet?

1. Home
2. Insert
3. Format
4. View
5. Page Border cannot be added in excel worksheet

Answer: (5) Page Border cannot be added in excel worksheet

Q 3. Excel workbook is a collection of _______ and _______.

1. Worksheet and charts

2. Graphs and images
3. Sheets and images
4. Video and audio
5. None of the above

Answer: (1) Worksheet and charts

Q 4. What type of chart is useful for comparing values over categories?

1. Bar Graph
2. Column Chart
3. Pie Chart
4. Line Graph
5. Such charts cannot be created in Excel
Answer: (2) Column Chart
Q 5. There is an option to add comments in an Excel worksheet, what are the cells
called in which comments can be added?

1. Cell Tip
2. Comment Tip
3. Smart Tip
4. Point Tip
5. Query Tip

Answer: (1) Cell Tip

Q 6. Which of the following symbols needs to be added in the formula bar, before
adding a formula?

1. *
2. $
3. %
4. +
5. =

Answer: (5) =
Q 7. Which keyboard key is used for Help in MS Excel?

1. ctrl+H
2. F2
3. F1
4. shift+H
5. Alt+ctrl+home

Answer: (3) F1
Q 8. How can you activate a cell in MS Excel?

1. By clicking on it
2. By pressing the arrow keys
3. By pressing Tab key
4. All of the above
5. None of the above

Answer: (4) All of the above

here are two basic ways to perform calculations in Excel: Formulas and Functions.
1. Formulas

In Excel, a formula is an expression that operates on values in a range of cells or a

cell. For example, =A1+A2+A3, which finds the sum of the range of values from cell
A1 to cell A3.

2. Functions

Functions are predefined formulas in Excel. They eliminate laborious manual entry of
formulas while giving them human-friendly names. For example: =SUM(A1:A3). The
function sums all the values from A1 to A3.

let’s check some fundamental Excel functions to get you started.

1. SUM

The SUM function is the first must-know formula in Excel. It usually aggregates values from a
selection of columns or rows from your selected range.

=SUM(number1, [number2], …)

Example:

=SUM(B2:G2) – A simple selection that sums the values of a row.

=SUM(A2:A8) – A simple selection that sums the values of a column.

=SUM(A2:A7, A9, A12:A15) – A sophisticated collection that sums values from range A2 to
A7, skips A8, adds A9, jumps A10 and A11, then finally adds from A12 to A15.

=SUM(A2:A8)/20 – Shows you can also turn your function into a formula.
2. AVERAGE

The AVERAGE function should remind you of simple averages of data, such as the average
number of shareholders in a given shareholding pool.

=AVERAGE(number1, [number2], …)

Example:

=AVERAGE(B2:B11) – Shows a simple average, also similar to (SUM(B2:B11)/10)

3. COUNT

The COUNT function counts all cells in a given range that contain only numeric values.

=COUNT(value1, [value2], …)

Example:

COUNT(A:A) – Counts all values that are numerical in A column. However, you must adjust
the range inside the formula to count rows.

COUNT(A1:C1) – Now it can count rows.

4. COUNTA

Like the COUNT function, COUNTA counts all cells in a given rage. However, it counts all
cells regardless of type. That is, unlike COUNT that only counts numerics, it also counts dates,
times, strings, logical values, errors, empty string, or text.

=COUNTA(value1, [value2], …)

Example:

COUNTA(C2:C13) – Counts rows 2 to 13 in column C regardless of type. However, like

COUNT, you can’t use the same formula to count rows. You must make an adjustment to the
selection inside the brackets – for example, COUNTA(C2:H2) will count columns C to H
5. IF

The IF function is often used when you want to sort your data according to a given logic. The
best part of the IF formula is that you can embed formulas and functions in it.

=IF(logical_test, [value_if_true], [value_if_false])

Example:

=IF(C2<D3,“TRUE”,”FALSE”) – Checks if the value at C3 is less than the value at D3. If the
logic is true, let the cell value be TRUE, otherwise, FALSE

=IF(SUM(C1:C10) > SUM(D1:D10), SUM(C1:C10), SUM(D1:D10)) – An example of a

complex IF statement. First, it sums C1 to C10 and D1 to D10, then it compares the sum. If the
sum of C1 to C10 is greater than the sum of D1 to D10, then it makes the value of a cell equal to
the sum of C1 to C10.
6. TRIM

The TRIM function makes sure your functions do not return errors due to extra spaces in your
data. It ensures that all empty spaces are eliminated. Unlike other functions that can operate on a
range of cells, TRIM only operates on a single cell. Therefore, it comes with the downside of
adding duplicated data to your spreadsheet.

=TRIM(text)

Example:

TRIM(A2) – Removes empty spaces in the value in cell A2.

7. MAX & MIN

The MAX and MIN functions help in finding the maximum number and the minimum number in
a range of values.

=MIN(number1, [number2], …)

Example:

=MIN(B2:C11) – Finds the minimum number between column B from B2 and column C from
C2 to row 11 in both columns B and C.

=MAX(number1, [number2], …)

Example:

=MAX(B2:C11) – Similarly, it finds the maximum number between column B from B2 and
column C from C2 to row 11 in both columns B and C.
What Are Graphs and Charts in Excel?

Charts and graphs in Microsoft Excel provide a method to visualize

numeric data. While both graphs and charts display sets of data points in
relation to one another, charts tend to be more complex, varied, and
dynamic.

People often use charts and graphs in presentations to give management,

client, or team members a quick snapshot into progress or results. You
can create a chart or graph to represent nearly any kind of quantitative
data — doing so will save you the time and frustration of poring through
spreadsheets to find relationships and trends.

It’s easy to create charts and graphs in Excel, especially since you can
also store your data directly in an Excel Workbook, rather than importing
data from another program. Excel also has a variety of preset chart and
graph types so you can select one that best represents the data
relationship(s) you want to highlight.

What is the difference between Charts and Graphs?

“The difference between graphs and charts is mainly in the way the data is compiled and the
way it is represented. Graphs are usually focused on raw data and showing the trends and
changes in that data over time. Charts are best used when data can be categorized or
averaged to create more simplistic and easily consumed figures.“
So technically, charts and graphs mean separate things, but in the real world, you’ll hear the
terms used interchangeably.
Charts in Excel
Charts are usually considered more aesthetically pleasing than graphs. Something like a pie
chart is used to convey to readers the relative share of a particular segment of the data set
with respect to other segments that are available. If instead of the changes in hours worked
and annual leaves over 5 years, you want to present the percentage contributions of the
different types of tasks that make up a 40 hour work week for employees in your
organization then you can definitely insert a pie chart into your spreadsheet for the desired
impact.

An example of an Excel chart.

Graphs in Excel
Graphs represent variations in values of data points over a given duration of time. They are
simpler than charts because you are dealing with different data parameters. Comparing and
contrasting segments of the same set against one another is more difficult.
So if you are trying to see how the number of hours worked per week and the frequency
of annual leaves for employees in your company has fluctuated over the past 5 years, you
can create a simple line graph and track the spikes and dips to get a fair idea.

An example of a graph in Excel.

 Types of Graphs Available in Excel
Excel offers three varieties of graphs:

 Line Graphs: Both 2 dimensional and three dimensional line graphs are available in all the
versions of Microsoft Excel. Line graphs are great for showing trends over time.
Simultaneously plot more than one data parameter – like employee compensation,
average number of hours worked in a week and average number of annual
leaves against the same X axis or time.
 Column Graphs: Column graphs also help viewers see how parameters change over time.
But they can be called “graphs” when only a single data parameter is used. If multiple
parameters are called into action, viewers can’t really get any insights about how each
individual parameter has changed. As you can see in the Column graph below, average
numbers of hours worked in a week and average number of annual leaves when
plotted side by side do not provide the same clarity as the Line graph.

 Bar Graphs: Bar graphs are very similar to column graphs but here the constant parameter
(say time) is assigned to the Y axis and the variables are plotted against the X axis.