Q. I make written presentations to my board of directors, and rather than give them just a spreadsheet chart, I’d like to give them a comprehensive report that includes charts created from the most recently updated spreadsheet data. However, that means I have to transfer the data from the spreadsheet to the Word document at the last minute and that puts too much time pressure on me. Any ideas?

A. Today’s office suite technology makes that chore relatively easy. I’ll show you how to embed the spreadsheet chart directly into the Word document and then create a link between the two so any time the underlying spreadsheet numbers change—and you indicated they will be updated at the last minute—the chart in Word will reflect those changes automatically.

Begin by opening both your Excel spreadsheet file and your Word file. I assume you’ve already created the chart in your Excel worksheet. Highlight the chart (be sure you’ve captured the entire chart—not just a portion of it), and copy it (Ctrl+C) to the Clipboard. Now switch to the Word file and place your cursor where you want the chart positioned. Instead of using the normal Paste function (Ctrl+V), go up to the toolbar and click Edit, Paste Special . That will evoke this Paste Special dialog box.

Highlight Microsoft Excel Chart Object and select Paste link . Click OK to copy the linked chart into your document; it will update automatically whenever the Excel numbers are changed.

Q. I frequently have to search through large spreadsheets to find sales figures that either exceed or fail to meet a goal. It’s a tedious task. Can Excel capture those figures?

A. Excel has a function called Conditional Formatting, and as the name implies, it automatically formats data that meet a condition set by the user—acting like a filter. I’m sure that function will solve your problem.

I’ll demonstrate a simple scenario. Once you’re comfortable with the process, however, you can step it up to handle very sophisticated conditions. In this example, we’re going to tell Excel to locate numbers between 50 and 25 and to color them red so you can spot them easily. We’ll even set a second condition: Color numbers under 25 green. Any numbers over 50 would remain black.

Begin by highlighting the cells to be covered by the conditional formatting. Then click Format, Conditional Formatting , and a dialog box will appear. The box can handle my two conditions, but if you click on the Add>> button you can list more conditions. Use the controls in the dialog box to specify thresholds or ranges.

Click on the down arrow at Cell Value Is and you can choose between setting a value or a formula:

In this case, we select a value. Then click on the next box and you have more choices:

Click on Format in the dialog box and another dialog box appears— Format Cells , which lets you change the filtered numbers’ color or font or even provide borders and patterns.

Q. Call me a maverick, but I don’t like Word’s default shortcut keys—such as Ctrl+C for copy. Can I change them? If so, how?

A. Sure you can, but do you really want to? Consider this: If you have to use another computer or someone uses yours, a new setup will create confusion. I would suggest you change one and see how it works out. What you may want to do is add some new shortcuts for functions you use often. Here’s how to add or change shortcuts:

Click Tools, Customize and then the Keyboard button, which evokes this Customize Keyboard dialog box:

Notice there’s a Reset All button. If you click on that you’re going for broke—eliminating all the shortcuts. But if you want to take the more conservative approach you can change just the few that really bother you or add others. Under Categories: , select the command you want to change. Notice that as you click different categories the Commands: menu changes. Click on your target command and move your cursor inside the box for Press new shortcut key . If you already have a shortcut to that command, it will appear in the adjacent Current keys: box; if there’s no command, that box will remain blank. To create a shortcut, press your keys choice. They will appear in the adjacent box. If you want to remove a shortcut, highlight it and click the Remove button. When done, click OK.

Q. I use Outlook as my e-mail application, and I get loads of spam—unwanted junk mail. Is there some way to block that mail without loading some fancy add-on program?

A. While it’s not foolproof, Outlook is able to block, erase, highlight with color (so you can spot them easily), or move most junk or adult content mail to some designated place. Here’s how it’s done:

In Outlook, click Tools, Organize . Click on the Junk E-Mail link, which opens this pane:

Notice that you have two choices: one for Junk messages and one for Adult Content messages. And for each you have two further choices: either color the mail or move it. The menus change as you make a selection.

You can set up exceptions to these filters. Select Tools, Rules Wizard .

Then click New and the following menu appears:

With a few more clicks, you can put together a list of spam senders. If a spam e-mail slips past the filter, just add it to your list.

Q. Is there any way to save an Outlook e-mail other than in the Inbox folder?

A. Yes, there is, and it’s important that you do because the Outlook mail folder can get so fat it becomes hard to manage. Here’s how:

Open the e-mail message, go to the toolbar and click on File, Save As . You can move the messages anyplace on your computer. I set up a special folder, called E-mail, along with multiple subfolders, where I file and save most of my messages.