Custom Coursework
In addition to the specific courses listed below on Windows OS and Microsoft Office, Jump-start offers customized classes for:
- Business Operating Systems including SharePoint
- Business Software including Adobe
- Workflow and Template Creation
- Proprietary Software
- Photography
Jump-start Courses
How much does one email cost?
One internal email sent to 500 employees can cost...Over $1000
Learn how to communicate quickly and efficiently. Make the most of your email in the least amount of time.Neal is so good at what he does. He gave a 45 min tutorial to the group at Portland Execs, I learned more from that short seminar than I had garnered from years of experience on the computer. Thank you Neal for sharing your expertise with me, it was so appreciated and valuable.
Lean MS Outlook – Cut the Fat and Get More Done
Overview
Students move from using Outlook as a workhorse to riding it like a racehorse. Students discover hidden efficiency tools, understand best practices and how to use Outlook in a strategic way.
Course Length: Half Day
Course Format
This course is a combination of lecture and hands-on guided instruction. Course manual and quick reference guide provided.
Prerequisites
To ensure success, students should have completed the following courses or possess the equivalent knowledge:
Takeaways
On completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Process information in bulk
- Better organize information for more efficient retrieval
- Automate routine tasks
Target Student
This course is designed for individuals and organizations who need to work more efficiently in Outlook. This course emphasizes the 5s of Lean Outlook; Standardize, Sort, Shine, Set in Order, and Sustain
Lean MS Outlook Topics
Click the “+” to learn more:
- Selection Keys – quickly process information in bulk
- Attachment Reduction – lessen the barrier of the information from the recipient
- Reduce – eliminate redundant messages and junk unnecessary data
- BCC – remove the ability to have others pollute your workspace
- Flags – remind you of due dates of items
- Big Buckets – quickly file and retrieve information
- Search – quickly find information rather than looking for information
- Views – quickly identify by glance necessary data
- Selection Keys – easily see necessary information
- Categories – arrange and identify information
- Process Data – enter data into Outlook to maintain an organized and clean workspace
- Handling Emails – process emails quickly and effectively
- Codes – consistently refer to projects and processes for easy retrieval and organization
- Subject Lines – match agreed upon guidelines within your organization
- Templates – ensure One-Step Information Transfer® for concise and consistent communication
- Automate the Routine – with keyboard shortcuts, rules, Quick Parts, and Quick Steps
- Meeting Requests – clearly and without confusion specify times for phone calls, in person meetings, or coffee breaks
- JSNTTY – just say no to thank yous
- Weekly Reviews – review, prioritize, and plan work directly relating to goals and objectives
- Daily Reviews – adjust priorities and to work on projects directly relating to goals and objectives
- Designate Time Blocks – control your influx of information and time wasters
MS Word Essentials
Overview
In this course, students learn how to work efficiently with Word by understanding how Word ‘thinks’. Topics include display options and navigation, editing tools such as Autocorrect, Autotext, find/replace, Live Preview, Mini-Toolbar, spelling and grammar checkers and thesaurus. Students also learn efficient text selection techniques, how to format based on character, paragraph and section levels, the basics of styles, how to wrap text around graphics and work with tables.
Course Format
This course is a combination of lecture and hands-on guided instruction. Course manual and quick reference guide provided.
Prerequisites
To ensure success, students should have experience using a keyboard and mouse and basic word processing. Specific tasks the students should be able to perform include: launching and closing applications, navigating basic file structures, and managing files and folders, basic word processing skills such as keyboarding. Before starting this course, students should have completed the following course or possess the equivalent knowledge.
Takeaways
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Change the display and navigate a document efficiently
- Use tools such as Autocorrect, Autotext, Live preview, Mini toolbar, spelling and grammar checkers and thesaurus
- Efficiently select content for deletion, formatting, moving
- Wrap text around graphics
- Save time and create consistent formatting by using styles
- Understand different levels of formatting and styles and how to use them effectively to manage document appearance
- Create and manage tables
Target Student
This course is appropriate for individuals with a basic knowledge of Word who may have gaps in their understanding of fundamental tools and techniques.
MS Word Essentials Topics
Click the “+” to learn more:
- Display non-printing symbols
- Full screen reading view
- Navigate within a document
- Autocorrect Autotext
- Live preview
- Mini toolbar
- Spelling and grammar checkers
- Thesaurus
- Categories – arrange and identify information
- Apply optional settings
- Use the Navigation Pane
- Select noncontiguous text
- Select text with mouse and/or keyboard
- Delete/undelete text
- Move or copy text
- Adjust the line space
- Apply or remove attributes
- Insert symbols & special characters
- Format Painter
- Manual page breaks
- Show/Hide formatting
- Character level properties
- Paragraph level properties
- Section level properties
- Additional formatting options
- Apply attributes
- Change font, color, size
- Remove attributes
- Turn highlight on/off
Word Styles and Long Documents
Overview
In this course, students will develop mastery of their documents by learning advanced find/replace techniques, the manipulation of styles, use of the Navigation Pane and outline view. They will also learn the creation of an automatic table of contents, mastery of headers and footers, how to use comments and view file properties.
Course Length
Half Day
Course Format
This course is a combination of lecture and hands-on guided instruction. Course manual and quick reference guide provided.
Prerequisites
To ensure success, students should have completed the following course of possess the equivalent knowledge:
Takeaways
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Use advanced find/replace techniques
- Create and use character, paragraph and heading styles
- Use the navigation pane for navigation and organization
- Create and use outline view
- Automatically create a table of contents
- Work efficiently in headers and footers
- Work with comments
- View file properties
Target Student
This course is for students with a good understanding of Word basics who want to be more efficient in creating more complicated documents.
Word Styles and Long Documents Topics
Click the “+” to learn more:
- View options
- Navigate a document
- Word format levels
- Section breaks
- Office Clipboard
- Clear formatting
- Working with clean text
- Apply formats
- Special characters
- Benefits of styles
- Apply styles
- Create character styles
- Modify character styles
- Create paragraph styles
- Modify paragraph styles
- Specify the location for styles
- Benefits of headings
- Create document structure
- Move outline levels
- Collapse/expand levels
- Apply number formats
- Modify number formats
- Use headings for entries
- Manual mark entries
- Insert the table of contents
- Define table of contents levels
- Modify the table of contents
- Building blocks
- Custom
- Alternate even/odd
- Page numbering
- Using file properties
- Changing file properties
Excel Essentials
Overview
In this course, students learn required skills to successfully use MS Excel. These topics include terminology, the uses of Excel, entering and manipulating data, managing the spreadsheet layout, cell formats, tabs and how to set up a sheet for printing.
Course Length
Half Day
Course Format
This course is a combination of lecture and hands-on guided instruction. Course manual and quick reference guide provided.
Prerequisites
To ensure success, students should have experience using a keyboard and mouse. Specific tasks the students should be able to perform include: launching and closing applications, navigating basic file structures, and managing files and folders.
Before starting this course, students should have completed the following course of possess the equivalent knowledge:
- Windows and Office Foundations
Takeaways
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand Excel basic uses and terminology
- Efficiently enter and manipulate data
- Manage spreadsheet layout, cell formats, tabs
- Set up a sheet for printing
Target Student
This course is appropriate for individuals who have a basic knowledge of Windows and the Microsoft Office Suite who want to learn the essentials of Microsoft Excel. Students are often self-taught on the fundamentals and unaware of the easiest way to do the most essential tasks and/or unaware of basic tools available.
Excel Essentials Topics
Click the “+” to learn more:
- Common uses of Excel
- Excel specifications
- Excel terms
- Column/row headings
- Status Bar
- Zoom
- Views
- Templates
- New Blank
- Data entry basics
- Edit data
- Data entry shortcuts
- Delete data
- Undo mistakes
- Find and replace
- Select data
- Move and copy data
- Use drag and drop
- Option tags
- Modify fonts and point size
- Align data
- Format numbers and dates
- Apply borders and fill
- Customize cell formats
- Clear cell formats
- Modify orientation, paper size, and margins
- Scale to print on specific number of pages
- Center on the printed page
- Headers and footers
- Define repeated columns and rows on print
- Insert and delete rows and columns
- Change row height rows and columns
- Shortcuts
- Name worksheets
- Inser, copy, and delete worksheets
- Group worksheets
- Color code worksheets
Excel Calculations and Charts Introduction
Overview
In this course, students are introduced to the fundamentals of using Excel to perform calculations and create charts. They will learn the advantages of using Excel to perform calculations, different methods to perform calculations, how to display and read existing formulas, and create dynamic charts for effective visual data presentation.
Course Length
Half Day
Course Format
This course is a combination of lecture and hands-on guided instruction. Course manual and quick reference guide provided.
Prerequisites
To ensure success, before starting this course, students should have completed the following course of possess the equivalent knowledge:
- Windows and Office Foundations
- Excel Essentials
Takeaways
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand advantages of using Excel to perform calculations
- Use different methods to perform calculations using numbers, dates, times
- Display and read existing formulas
- Create dynamic charts for effective visual data presentation
Target Student
This course is appropriate for individuals who have a basic knowledge of Excel who want to learn the essentials of performing calculations and creating charts.
Excel Calculations and Charts Introduction Topics
Click the “+” to learn more:
- Importance of cell references
- Basic formula format and operators
- Use the arrow keys
- Use the mouse
- Use the mouse
- Error checking
- Use Formula Mode
- Enter edit mode
- Trace precedents, dependents
- Use basic functions (sum, average, min, max, count)
- Understand function syntax
- If/then functions
- Perform simple math between worksheets
- Autofill basic data
- Options tag
- Autofill formulas
- Understand Autofill assumptions
- Define absolute references
- Define relative references
- Use an absolute references
- Best practices for charts
- Choose the right chart
- Determine the chart placement
- Format chart objects
- Apply chart styles
- Modify chart objects
Excel Power Calculations
Overview
In this course, students move beyond fundamental functions and charts. Topics include understanding how to utilize the function palette, defining advanced functions such as vlookup, payment, net workdays, taking advantage of cell and range names, how to use conditional formatting and Sparklines, how to protect data and save a chart as a template.
Course Length
Half Day
Course Format
This course is a combination of lecture and hands-on guided instruction. Course manual and quick reference guide provided.
Prerequisites
To ensure success, before starting this course, students should have completed the following course of possess the equivalent knowledge:
- Windows and Office Foundations
- Excel Essentials
- Excel Calculations and Charts
Takeaways
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand how to find and use advanced functions
- Streamline formulas using cell and range names
- Use conditional formatting and Sparklines in addition to charts to create dynamic visual displays of data
- Protect formulas and general cell data from editing
- Use special tools such as cell comments, custom views, scenartios, goal seek and track changes
Target Student
This course is appropriate for individuals who need to utilize more sophisticated Excel calculation capabilities.
Excel Power Calculations Topics
Click the “+” to learn more:
- Perform math between worksheets
- Use summary functions between workbooks
- Perform simple workbook links
- Redirect a workbook link
- Understand best practices
- Work with the function palette
- Left, right, mid
- Pmt, if/then, vlookup, net workdays
- Benefits of cell and range names
- Define a cell name
- Use a cell name in a formula
- Use range names in a formula
- Remove cell names
- Define custom conditional format
- Use the conditional format gallery
- Define cell protection options
- Protect the worksheet
- Understand cell, worksheet, and workbook protection
- Unprotect the worksheet
- Add special characters
- Add text
- Add cell comments
- Apply custom views
- Create scenarios
- Use goal seek
Excel Database Management
Overview
In this course, students learn the power of Excel as a database. Topics include understanding what Excel requires in the setup of a database, database terminology, how to sort and filter records, setting the data up in an easily managed, good looking table, outlining and doing data subtotals, the power of Pivot Tables and Pivot Charts and more.
Course Length
Half Day
Course Format
This course is a combination of lecture and hands-on guided instruction. Course manual and quick reference guide provided.
Prerequisites
This course is appropriate for individuals who work with Excel as a database, such as contact lists who would like to be able to enter and organize data efficiently.
To ensure success, students should have completed the following course of possess the equivalent knowledge:
- Windows and Office Foundations
Takeaways
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand the requirements of a good Excel database setup
- Sort, filter and organize data efficiently in several visually comprehensive ways
- Work with PivotTables and PivotCharts
Target Student
This course is appropriate for individuals who work with Excel as a database, such as contact lists who would like to be able to enter and organize data efficiently.
Excel Database Management Topics
Click the “+” to learn more:
- Understand Excel requirements
- Understand Excel requirements
- Perform single key sorts
- Perform multiple key sorts
- Perform special sorts
- Apply table styles
- Define a data table
- Filter data based on a criteria
- Use wildcards in criteria
- Sort data
- Use summary calculations
- Apply simple subtotals
- Nest subtotals
- Remove subtotals
- Apply manual outlines
- Collapse and expand outlines
- Clear outlines
- Apply automatic outlines
- Create the PivotTable
- Create PivotCharts
- Apply sumif
- Apply averageif
- Use a concatenate formula
- Text to columns
- Overview
- Validate data
- Specify requirements for data entry
- Add data entry notes
- Set error messages
- Specify fields on two or more lines
- Best practices for databases
- Split rows/columns
- Freeze panes
- Hide/unhide columns
- Cell comments
- Conditional formatting
PowerPoint Essentials
Overview
In this course, students learn how to create dynamic, engaging PowerPoint presentations by considering their audience and defining the purpose of their presentation. They learn the basics of choosing themes, working with slides, bullet lists, outline view, spell check, and adding and working with graphics. They will also learn how to set up printouts and tricks of running slide shows.
Course Length
Half Day
Course Format
This course is a combination of lecture and hands-on guided instruction. Course manual and quick reference guide provided.
Prerequisites
To ensure success, students should have completed the following courses or possess the equivalent knowledge:
- Windows and Office Foundations
Takeaways
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand the concepts and best practices for developing an engaging slide show
- Create a new slide show customized with themes and slide layouts
- Work with different views of the slides
- Manage Graphics
- Print useful handouts
- Successfully run a slide show
- Save and send slide shows
Target Student
This course is appropriate for individuals who need to know the basics of slide show content organization, how create, present and share a basic slideshow
PowerPoint Essentials Topics
Click the “+” to learn more:
- Know your audience
- State your purpose
- Organize your presentation
- Use stories
- String the pearls
- Graphics
- Templates
- New Blank
- Work with themes
- Access the master
- Add headers & footers
- Navigate views
- Identify PowerPoint capabilities
- Add/delete slides
- Change the slide layout
- Reset a slide
- Slide transitions
- Rehearse timings – set up show to run
- Presenter view
- Sections
- Promote/demote bullet points
- Move a bullet point up/down
- Display slide details
- Add/remove/rearrange slides/bullets
- Promote/demote topics
- Rearrange topics
- Clipart, photos, and SmartArt
- Select, copy, resize, move objects
- Animations
- Work with projectors
- Windows 7 options
- Start a slide show
- Move around within the slide show
- Use the pen
- Attaching to email
- Saving as a PDF
OneNote Essentials
Overview
OneNote is one of Microsoft’s best kept secrets, and one of its most useful programs. In this course, students learn how OneNote can be used to organize and share information for task management and historical purposes.
Course Length
Half Day
Course Format
This course is a combination of lecture and hands-on guided instruction. Course manual and quick reference guide provided.
Prerequisites
This course is appropriate for all students.
Takeaways
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Understand different uses of OneNote
- Create and customize a OneNote notebook
- Search OneNote for a variety of types of information
- Tag content for follow-up
- Share a notebook with other collaborators
- Work with a variety of different types of content
Target Student
This course is appropriate for individuals who want to use OneNote to collect and share information with others.
OneNote Essentials Topics
Click the “+” to learn more:
- What is OneNote?
- How to use OneNote
- Open and create notebooks, sections, pages
- Examine the interface
- Organize and view information
- Create sections
- Create section groups
- Create pages
- Move sections, sub-sections, pages
- Tables
- Text
- Graphics
- Screen clippings
- Audio and video
- Scans
- Send content directly to OneNote
- Task management
- Outlook integration – meetings
- Tag items
- Find tagged items
- Create a page template
- Use a page template
- Invite others to view notebook
- Synching notebooks
- Use author indicators to track information
- Locate new information with highlighting
- Deleting notebooks
Windows and Office Essentials
Overview
The majority of self-taught computer users are unaware of most of the productivity features available in Windows and Office. In this course, you will learn hidden tools in the Windows Taskbar, how to efficiently manage file folders and navigate open windows. You will also discover time-saving tools common to all Office programs and how and when to use them.
Course Length
Half Day
Course Format
This course is a combination of lecture and hands-on guided instruction. Course manual and quick reference guide provided.
Prerequisites
To ensure success, students should have experience using a keyboard and mouse. Specific tasks the students should be able to perform include: launching and closing applications, navigating basic file structures, and managing files and folders
Takeaways
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Use Windows file management, navigation and view tools more efficiently
- Save time by using features common to all Office programs proficiently
Target Student
This course is intended for any office worker using Windows and Office, primarily self-taught and unaware of many features that enable them to work more productively
Windows and Office Essentials Topics
Click the “+” to learn more:
- Close a Window from the Taskbar
- Distinguish Between Open and Non-Opened Programs
- Keyboard Shortcut to Open Program
- Open Windows Thumbnails Quick View
- Pin Programs to the Taskbar
- Rearrange programs on the taskbar
- Switch to Open Window Using Taskbar
- Thumbnails
- Unpin Programs from the Taskbar
- View Full Sized Window
- View Open Window Thumbnails
- Display Recent Documents
- Open a Jump List
- Open Multiple Copies of a Program
- Pin Recently Used Documents to Jump List
- Unpin an Item from a Jump List
- Arrange items by folder, date, and other properties
- Enhanced Search Function
- File Views and Preview of File Contents
- Navigate Using Breadcrumbs
- File naming conventions
- Quickly Access Navigation History
- Accessing dialog boxes
- Contextual ribbons
- Group scrolling and more Buttons
- Keytips
- Minimize/restore the Ribbon
- Two part buttons
- Info
- New
- Recent
- Save and send options
- Multiple collection
- Copy/move between files
- Paste format options
- Basic Cut/Copy/Paste
- Format Painter
- Multiple collection
- Document title
- View Ruler toggle
- View shortcuts
- Zooming
- Scroll bars
- Status bar
- Create an Autocorrect entry
- Use Autocorrect entry
- Use Autocorrect for quick words
- Select noncontiguous content
- Select content with mouse and/or keyboard
- Mini-toolbar
- Live preview
- Change the size and view
- Locate the right file quickly
- Preview files easily
Office Graphics
Overview
In this course, students learn how to create dynamic, engaging Office documents and presentations by using graphics to illustrate information.
Course Length
Half Day
Course Format
This course is a combination of lecture and hands-on guided instruction. Course manual and quick reference guide provided.
Prerequisites
To ensure success, students should have completed the following
courses or possess the equivalent knowledge:
- Windows and Office Foundations
Takeaways
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Access graphics from within and outside of Microsoft Office
- Insert and manage graphics in a variety of Microsoft Office programs such as Word and PowerPoint
Target Student
This course is appropriate for individuals who create more sophisticated documents and presentations who would like to know the various sources and types of graphics available in Office as well as how to integrate graphics from other sources.
Windows and Office Essentials Topics
Click the “+” to learn more:
- Close a Window from the Taskbar
- Distinguish Between Open and Non-Opened Programs
- Keyboard Shortcut to Open Program
- Open Windows Thumbnails Quick View
- Pin Programs to the Taskbar
- Rearrange programs on the taskbar
- Switch to Open Window Using Taskbar
- Thumbnails
- Unpin Programs from the Taskbar
- View Full Sized Window
- View Open Window Thumbnails
- Display Recent Documents
- Open a Jump List
- Open Multiple Copies of a Program
- Pin Recently Used Documents to Jump List
- Unpin an Item from a Jump List
- Arrange items by folder, date, and other properties
- Enhanced Search Function
- File Views and Preview of File Contents
- Navigate Using Breadcrumbs
- File naming conventions
- Quickly Access Navigation History
- Accessing dialog boxes
- Contextual ribbons
- Group scrolling and more Buttons
- Keytips
- Minimize/restore the Ribbon
- Two part buttons
- Info
- New
- Recent
- Save and send options
- Multiple collection
- Copy/move between files
- Paste format options
- Basic Cut/Copy/Paste
- Format Painter
- Multiple collection
- Document title
- View Ruler toggle
- View shortcuts
- Zooming
- Scroll bars
- Status bar
- Create an Autocorrect entry
- Use Autocorrect entry
- Use Autocorrect for quick words
- Select noncontiguous content
- Select content with mouse and/or keyboard
- Mini-toolbar
- Live preview
- Change the size and view
- Locate the right file quickly
- Preview files easily
How Does an In-Person Training Session Work?
What to Bring
Bring something to write or take notes with and a light sweater or jacket if you tend to be colder than most.
How to prepare
You’ll get more out of the class if you take the time the week or so before the class to jot down questions or issues you may have about the software you will be studying.
When to Arrive
Take this extra time to look through the Table of Contents of the class manual and check it against your list of things that you’d like to learn more about.
What to Expect During Class
Before class starts, instructor will cover schedule, course objectives, his/her qualifications.
You will be encouraged to ask questions during the class. Often your questions will be answered in the course; however Jumpstart instructors are happy to answer questions beyond the scope of the class either during the class if there is time, on breaks, or after class to interested individuals.
Materials
You’ll get a lot more out of the class if you take the time the week or so before the class to jot down questions or issues you may have about the software you will be studying.