Information management and technology assurance

Q: I use Firefox as my default Internet browser instead of Windows’ default browser, Internet Explorer. Can I remove Explorer from my computer without creating a problem? A: Yes, many people prefer Firefox as their browser. It’s easy to remove Internet Explorer, and it won’t create a problem. However, unless

Q: I insert hyperlinks in some cells of Excel reports that I eventually distribute to clients. However, those hyperlinks are for my information only: I don’t want them to appear in the reports. Is there some way I can hide the hyperlinks so they don’t show in the printed report?

Q: I frequently paste explanatory text into my Excel spreadsheets. But when I paste text that includes more than one paragraph, each paragraph gets popped into separate cells. How can I get them to stay in one cell? A: You’ve touched on a little-known peculiarity of Excel. If you copy

Q: For years I’ve been looking for an application that would place on my screen a spreadsheet table or an app like the Calculator, and it would remain there as I maneuvered from one worksheet to another or from one file to another. That way I could always instantly reference

Q: Back in the old days—that is, when I was still using XP—I downloaded a neat freeware utility from Microsoft that let me tweak my computer’s settings in multiple ways. Is there anything like that for Windows 7? A: Yes, it’s called the Ultimate Windows Tweaker, and it works in

Q: Did Microsoft hide the compressed-weekend option in Outlook 2007, where Saturday and Sunday share one box in the calendar? A: No, it’s not hidden, it has been removed. However, there are some things you can do to partially compensate for the loss. For example, you can adjust your calendar

Consider this scenario: You’ve got six applications open, and to apply a program’s upgrade or to shut down your computer for the night, you’ve got to close each of those open apps—one at a time. This means you first have to save any files that need saving and then click

Excel: A quick way to copy the number in a cell that is immediately above the cell you’re in: Press Ctrl+” (that’s Ctrl plus the quote mark, which means you have to hold down the Shift key as well). That also copies the number’s formatting. Word: To format (bold, underline,

Q: I love those handy icon shortcuts that launch applications and files. In fact, I’m so addicted to them I find it hard to resist adding just one more to my desktop. As a result, I end up with so much on the desktop that my shortcuts get lost in

Q: It has always puzzled me that the little digital clock tucked into a corner in the extreme right side of the system tray only shows the time and the date. If I want to know what day of the week it is, which I would find very helpful, I’ve

Q: When I was using Office 2003, I could pull up the names and addresses of clients and business associates from Outlook’s Contacts, and then with just a few more clicks I could prepare the fully formatted data to address letters and envelopes. But I can’t find that feature in

David Curbo, a CPA with Cannon & Co., Memphis, Tenn., corrected an error in the “Shortcuts” item in the January 2010 column (page 68), where I described a fast way to schedule future dates and times in Outlook’s calendar. I said that, while it would easily schedule future days and