MS Office Applications & its Functions
Currently, MS Office 2016 version is being used across the world and all its applications are widely used for personal and professional purposes.
Discussed below are the applications of Microsoft Office along with each of their functions.
1. MS Word
- First released on October 25, 1983
- Extension for Doc files is “.doc”
- It is useful in creating text documents
- Templates can be created for Professional use with the help of MS Word
- Work Art, colours, images, animations can be added along with the text in the same file which is downloadable in the form of a document
- Authors can use for writing/ editing their work
To read in detail about Microsoft Word, its features, uses and to get some sample questions based on this program of Office suite, visit the linked article.
2. MS Excel
- Majorly used for making spreadsheets
- A spreadsheet consists of grids in the form of rows and columns which is easy to manage and can be used as a replacement for paper
- It is a data processing application
- Large data can easily be managed and saved in tabular format using MS Excel
- Calculations can be done based on the large amount of data entered into the cells of a spreadsheet within seconds
- File extension, when saved in the computer, is “.xls”
Also, visit the Microsoft Excel page to get more information regarding this spreadsheet software and its components.
3. MS PowerPoint
- It was released on April 20, 1987
- Used to create audiovisual presentations
- Each presentation is made up of various slides displaying data/ information
- Each slide may contain audio, video, graphics, text, bullet numbering, tables etc.
- The extension for PowerPoint presentations is “.ppt”
- Used majorly for professional usage
- Using PowerPoint, presentations can be made more interactive
In terms of Graphical user interface, using MS PowerPoint, interesting and appealing presentation and documents can be created. To read more about its features and usage, candidates can visit the linked article.
4. MS Access
- It was released on November 13, 1992
- It is Database Management Software (DBMS)
- Table, queries, forms and reports can be created on MS Access
- Import and export of data into other formats can be done
- The file extension is “.accdb”
5. MS Outlook
- It was released on January 16, 1997
- It is a personal information management system
- It can be used both as a single-user application or multi-user software
- Its functions also include task managing, calendaring, contact managing, journal logging and web browsing
- It is the email client of the Office Suite
- The file extension for an Outlook file is “.pst”
6. MS OneNote
- It was released on November 19, 2003
- It is a note-taking application
- When introduced, it was a part of the Office suite only. Later, the developers made it free, standalone and easily available at play store for android devices
- The notes may include images, text, tables, etc.
- The extension for OneNote files is “.one”
- It can be used both online and offline and is a multi-user application
Microsoft Office is a collection of applications and each application has a unique purpose and requirement. Thus, the basic function of MS office is to allow all these applications to run in the system and help us create meaningful documents.
No special skills are required to use MS Office. It is the basic software that is installed in the computer which comprises multiple applications. To use these applications like Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc. one needs to know the functions and use of each of them.
Following are the important Microsoft Office tools: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Powerpoint, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Publishers
Microsoft in the year 1988 had developed Microsoft Office.
MS Office is the basic software that comprises multiple applications. Thus, to create an interactive and graphical presentation, a user can use MS PowerPoint which is an application under the MS Office suite.
Requirements
- Most Microsoft Office courses require basic computer skills, such as using a keyboard and mouse, navigating file structures, and opening and closing applications.
- To use Office 365, you'll need at least 4 GB of RAM and 4 GB of available disk space on Windows, or 4 GB of RAM and 10 GB of available disk space on macOS.
Features
- All Microsoft Office programs share common features like the ribbon bar, command tabs, smart tags, screen tips, and help.
- Microsoft Office offers security features like multi-factor authentication, data encryption, and advanced threat protection.
- Office apps can be used on mobile devices to stay productive and connected from anywhere.
- Microsoft 365 Cloud Storage allows users to send files to colleagues without attaching them to an email.
- Microsoft 365 offers real-time integration features to help users make decisions based on the most up-to-date information.
- PowerPoint can be used to create presentations, posters, and videos.
- Word includes features like spell check, grammar, thesaurus, word count, language, translation, comments, and more.