Tips and Tricks

Embedding Office Files and Email Messages in OneNote 2007

You can use Microsoft OneNote 2007 to embed files into a OneNote notebook by cutting and pasting among Microsoft Office applications. You can also drag any file from Windows Explorer onto a OneNote page, or you can insert the file into the page by using the Files command on the Insert menu.

Mini Toolbar in Office 2007

Microsoft Office 2007 applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) save screen space by presenting options only when you need them. When you select a piece of text that you need to format and pause the mouse cursor over it, the “Mini Toolbar” automatically appears nearby.  This toolbar helps you work with fonts, font styles, font sizing, alignment, text color, indent levels, and bullet features.

Email Tip: Saving Your Work

If you tend to write long emails and sometimes see your work “disappear” before you have finished typing it up, here’s a nice, easy tip for most e-mail clients (including Outlook and Mozilla Thunderbird) that will help to put you at ease!

To safeguard your work, save your email message as a draft once you have completed part of it. You can later retrieve it from your Drafts folder and keep working on it. This method has been found to be a real “heartache saver.”If you are typing a lengthy message, an alternative might be to compose it in Word or another word processor first (saving it from time to time, of course) and then pasting it into your email message – instead of composing the message inside the email application itself.

Windows Vista: Restore a Previous Version of a Recent File

On occasion, we might inadvertently overwrite an important file and want to revert to a previous version of it. Windows Vista can do this, but only if the System Protection feature is activated and sufficient disk space is available.  To turn on System Protection:

1. Go to Control Panel > System.
2. In the left pane, click “System Protection.”  If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
3. Under “Automatic restore points,” select the check box next to the disk where you want to turn on System Protection, and then click “OK.”

To restore the previous version of a file or folder:

1. Right-click the file or folder, and then click “Restore previous versions.”
2. Click an item in the list, and then click “Restore.”

Warning: The file or folder will replace the current version on your computer, and the replacement cannot be undone. Therefore, it is a good idea to make a copy of the newer file before restoring the older one so that any worthwhile changes that exist only in the new file are not lost.

Note that if the Restore button is unavailable, you cannot restore a previous version of the file or folder. However, you might be able to open it or save it to a different location.