Information management and technology assurance

Q: I am scheduled to manage a large project with people located in several countries, and our goal is to produce a detailed Excel workbook and report. Accordingly, we will all need shared access to these documents for editing and review purposes. To further complicate matters, this group has a

Q: When reviewing Excel workbooks that contain hundreds of formulas, I often find the review process time-consuming and frustrating. Can you provide suggestions that would make this process easier? A: An obvious solution for making the workbook review process easier is to ensure that all data and formulas are well

Presented below are a few inexpensive computer gadgets that you might find useful. 1. USB extension cable. A USB extension cable that plugs into the back of your computer and extends to your desktop will provide easier access to your USB port (cost: $2 to $5). 2. Laptop traveling mouse.

Q: I have three computers—a laptop for traveling, one at the office and one at home. I frequently use my Favorites button in Internet Explorer to bookmark useful websites and, to keep my Favorites up to date on all three computers, I transfer my Favorites from each computer to the

Q: The last time I purchased a new computer, I wasted many hours configuring it with all of my user accounts, email account settings, network connections, Internet favorites, dictionary updates and passwords. Once again, I plan to purchase a new computer, but this time I want to avoid the configuration

Q: I have noticed that when I use Excel’s Text to Columns tool to parse text data, sometimes it automatically recognizes the commas, spaces, quotes or other separators, and other times it does not. How do I make the Text to Columns tool work correctly every time? A: Excel’s Text

Q: I found the tip in the May 2011 issue of the JofA for pasting a cell’s content multiple times to be very helpful (“Pasting Away Again,” page 72), but my situation is more complicated. When working in Excel, I need to copy and paste multiple sources of content (account

Q: Sometimes when I click a hyperlink in a browser window, or in an Excel, Word or PowerPoint document, the resulting Web page opens to a new browser window. I like this effect. Can you please tell me how this is done? A: Hyperlinks that open in an existing browser

Q: It’s time for me to get a new computer, but I am not sure whether I should purchase a desktop, laptop, netbook or, perhaps, even a tablet. Which solution do you think is best? —Susan A: Susan, you have asked a loaded question, which reminds me of the adage

Q: I like to review Word documents in Full Screen Reading view, but when I catch typos or want to make changes, I must switch back to Print Layout view to make those changes. Is there a different option that allows me to read more text on the screen, yet

Q: I use COUNTIF and SUMIF to summarize detailed transactions based on criteria for one column, but I need to count and sum transaction data based on criteria for multiple columns. Is there an easy way to do this? A: Beginning with Excel 2007, Microsoft added the new functions SUMIFS