Lesson 3: Productivity Tools: Application Technique

Objective:

• Use common productivity tools effectively by maximizing advanced application techniques.

• Create an original or derivative ICT content to effectively communicate or present data or
information related to specific professional tracks.
• Used advance tools and techniques found in common productivity and software applications in
developing ICT content for specific professional tracks.

Description:

In this lesson, the Mail Merge feature is presented. It is a word processing tool used to combine
information stored on a spreadsheet with a template created using a word processor. In this lesson also
introduce the concept of hyperlinking. Embedding or inserting photos and other files in a word
processing software or PowerPoint presentation is also presented in the lesson.
MAIL MERGE

Mail merge is a software tool kit is used to produce multiple documents with a given template, editing
the basic information that is supplied by a structured dataset. Sample outputs are certificates of
attendees in a one's time and to make the task easier to seminar. Instead of manually and individually
inputting information, it is automatically generated when using Mail Merge. The template of the
certificate should, of course, be uniform, but the names should be customized for every individual.

Steps in using Mail Merge:

1. Create a dataset with title headings on a spreadsheet application.
2. Create the template of the letter or document that will receive the dataset in a word processor
3. Insert the label of customized detail in the word processor and insert the label that corresponds to
the spreadsheet.
4. Select the option preview in the word processor to generate all of the pages with different
information.

Mail Merge Utilization

1. Create a spreadsheet containing your information and make sure that the labels are written in
the first row. Save it SeminarParticipants.xlsx

2. Indicate the source of information in your word processor.

a. On the upper part of the word processor, click the Mailings tab.
b. Under the Mailings tab, click the Select Recipients option
c. Then under the Select Recipients option, click Use Existing List.
3. Select the spreadsheet file you've created in step 1.
a. Browse the directory where you saved the spreadsheet file containing the information you
are going to use
b. Select the spreadsheet file.
c. Click Open.

4. Select which sheet in the file contains the information

a. Select the sheet that you are going to use as your reference for the information.
b. Click OK after highlighting the sheet.

5. Start writing or creating the template that you are going to use.
a. To include the customized field, select the Mailings tab.
b. Under the Mailings tab, select the Insert Merge Field option.
c. From the Insert Merge Field option, select the column name that you want to insert.
6. Check the result of label placement.
a. After assigning the labels, you can check the result by clicking the Preview Results option
under the Mailings tab
b. Beside the Preview Results option, a text box with number is displayed. Press the Next Record
and Previous Record buttons to browse between pages.

7. Print the finished product.

a. In the Mailings tab, click the Finish and Merge option
b. Under the Finish and Merge option, click Edit Individual Documents.

8. Create a new document.

a. A small window will appear. Select the button All and click OK
b. A new document will appear with multiple similar pages where the labels' positions are
customized.
c. The generated document can be saved or printed depending on your preference.
Integrating Images and External Materials

Integrating or inserting pictures in your document is fun and it improves the impression of your
document. A common use of inserting a picture on a document is when you are creating your
résumé. Though seemingly simple to do, your knowledge on the different kinds of materials that you
can insert or integrate in a Word document and its characteristics can help you create a more
efficient, richer document not only in content but also in physical form. A better understanding of
the physical form of your document as well as the different materials you integrate in it would allow
you to be more efficient and versatile in using Microsoft Word.

Let us consider the interesting aspects of inserting or integrating images and other external
materials which are categorized as an advanced feature.

Kinds of Materials
There are various kinds of materials Microsoft Word is capable of integrating to make your
documents richer, more impressive, and more informative.

The screenshot above shows the kinds of materials that can be integrated or inserted in your
Microsoft Word document. One can easily get excited and instead create a collage of what is
generally called images and arts rather than an enriched text document. One important thing to
remember is that images and other materials are not to be inserted as images for design purposes
only, but they are used to enhance or improve the effectiveness of the message you want to convey
Let us describe each of them.

1. Pictures. Generally, these are electronic or digital pictures or photographs you have saved in
any local storage device. There are three commonly used types of picture files. You can identify
them by the extension on their file names.
a. JPG. This is pronounced as "Jay peg" and is the short form for jpeg or Joint Photographic
Experts Group. Like all the rest of the image file extensions, it identifies the kind of data
compression process that it uses to make it more compatible and portable through the
internet. This type of image file can support 16.7 million colors that is why it is suitable for
use when working with full color photographic images. Unfortunately, it does not support
transparency and therefore, images of this file type can be difficult to integrate in terms of
 blending with other materials or elements in your document. But if you are looking for the
best quality image to integrate with your document, then this is the image file type for you.
JPG does not work well on lettering, line drawings, or simple graphics. JPG images are
relatively small in file size.
b. GIF. This stands for Graphics Interchange Format. This type of image file is capable of
displaying transparencies. Therefore, it is good for blending with other materials or
elements in your document. It is also capable of displaying simple animation apparently,
this may not be too useful on a printed document but if you are sending documents
electronically or through email, or even post documents into a website, then this could be
quite impressive. The downside is that it can only support up to 256 colors so it is good
mostly on logos and art decors with very limited, and generally solid colors GIF is much
better for logos, drawings, small text, black and white images, or low-resolution files.
c. PNG. This is pronounced as "ping" It stands for Portable Network Graphics, It was built
around the capabilities of GIF its development was basically for the purpose of transporting
images on the Internet at faster rates. It is also good with transparencies but unlike GIFs, it
does not support animation but it can display up to about 16 million colors, so image quality
for this image file type is also remarkably improved. .PNG allows the control of the
transparency level or opacity of images.
2. Clip Art. This is generally a .GIF type; line art drawings or images used as generic representation
for ideas and objects that you might want to integrate in your document. Microsoft Word has a
library of clip arts that is built in or can be downloaded and used freely. There are still other clip
arts that you can either purchase or freely download and use that come from third-party
providers.
3. Shapes. These are printable objects or materials that you can integrate in your document to
enhance its appearance or to allow you to have some tools to use for composing and
representing ideas or messages. If you are designing the layout for a poster or other graphic
material for advertising, you might find this useful.
4. Smart Art. Generally, these are predefined sets of different shapes grouped together to form
ideas that are organizational or structural in nature. If you want to graphically represent an
organization, process, relationships, or flow for infographic documents, then you will find this
easy and handy to use
5. Chart. Another type of material that you can integrate in your Word document that allows you
to represent data characteristics and trends. This is quite useful when you are preparing reports
that correlate and present data in a graphical manner. You can create charts that can be
integrated in your document either directly in Microsoft Word or imported from external files
like Microsoft Excel
6. Screenshot. Sometimes, creating reports or manuals for training or procedures will require the
integration of a more realistic image of what you are discussing on your report or manual.
Nothing can get you a more realistic image than a screenshot. Microsoft Word even provides a
snipping tool for your screen shots so you can select and display only the part that you exactly
like to capture on your screen.
Image Placement
In practice, inserting an image or any other material in your document is quite easy especially if the
material already exists in your local storage device. It is just a matter of opening up the image file
through the Microsoft Word dialog box or wizard. Sometimes if the image you would like to insert is on
a web page currently displayed on your screen could be copied and pasted. The real challenge is where
to put the image you inserted or where to move it. In this part of the lesson, we will study the different
characteristics of text wrapping options that you can use with the image you integrated in your
document

1. In Line with Text. This is the default setting for images that are inserted on integrated in your
document. It treats your image like a text font with the bottom side totally aligned with the text
line. This setting is usually used when you need to place your image at the beginning of a
paragraph When placed between texts in a paragraph or sentence, it distorts the overall
appearance and arrangement of the texts in the paragraph because it will take up the space it
needs vertically, pushing whole lines of texts upward as in the example below.

2. Square. This setting allows the image you inserted to be placed anywhere within the paragraph
with the text going around the image in a square pattern like a frame

3. Tight. This is almost the same as the Square setting, but here the text "hugs" or conforms to the
general shape of the image. This allows you to get a more creative effect on your document.
This setting can mostly be achieved if you are using an image that supports transparency like a
 GIF or PNG file.

4. Through. This setting allows the text on your document to flow even tighter, taking the contours
and shape of the image. Again, this can be best used with a GIF or PNG type of image.
5. Top and Bottom. This setting pushes the texts away vertically to the top and/or the bottom of
the image so that the image occupies a whole text line on its own as in the example

6. Behind Text. This allows your image to be dragged and placed anywhere on your document but
with all the texts floating in front of it. It effectively makes your image look like a background.

7. In Front of Text. As it suggests, this setting allows your image to be placed right on top of the
text as if your image was dropped right on it. That means whatever part of the text you placed
the image on, it will be covered by the image. In our example below, notice the difference
 between using a .PNG file (on the left) with a transparency effect and a JPG file on the right.

Hyperlink

A hyperlink is a reference to another file that is represented by a word, an image or any document
element on a document processor. The file referred to by the hyperlink can be accessed by clicking
or hovering the cursor on the hyperlink itself. The hypertext is a term used to describe a document
that contains hyperlinked elements. Usually, hyperlink texts are colored blue for distinction and
noticeability. There are two types of links.

Anchor link - This is a hyperlink that points to a portion of the same document. The contents are
embedded in the same document but are located in some other location within the
document.

Inline link - This is a hyperlink wherein the content is located in other or remote files. The link
searches for the path of the document before displaying it. Also, the contents of the link
are not embedded in the document.

Hyperlink Utilization

Hyperlinking in Word Processors

1. Creating your file to be hyperlinked

a. Start by writing your texts in the word processor.

b. Highlight the word that you are targeting to set up a link.
 c. Then right-click on the highlighted link to access more options.
d. Left-click on the Hyperlink option.

2. Setting up the linked file

a. When the Insert Hyperlink window opens, browse the path of the file you want to link with the
previous text.
b. Highlight the selected file by left-clicking to it and pressing the OK button to select.

3. Checking the hyperlink

a. Upon setting up the hyperlink, the selected text will change color and will be underlined.
b. To follow the hyperlink, hover the cursor on the hyperlinked text. Then hold the Ctrl button in
the keyboard and left-click the hyperlink.
5 Linking with external Websites

a. In the left part of the Edit Link window, click Browsed Pages.
b. b. On the Address box, Type the URL of the web site.
Hyperlinking in Presentations

1. Creating your file to be hyperlinked

a. Start by writing your texts in the presentation
b. Highlight the word that you are targeting to set up a link
c. Then right-click on the highlighted link to open the options pop-up box,
d. Left-click on the Hyperlink option.

2. Setting up the page

a. When the Insert Hyperlink window opens, click Place in This Document.
b. Highlight the slide title or slide number and press OK.

Notice the change in the color of the hyperlinked text.