Excel – Searching for recently used files

Use the search bar in Excel, Word and PowerPoint

In Excel, Word and PowerPoint you can use the search box above the ribbon to search for recently used files

Simply start typing the name of the file in the search bar and files will appear.

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The Search bar appears above the ribbon in Excel

As you strat typing the name of the file a list of files will appear.

Excel – Searching for features in excel

Use the search bar in Excel, Word and PowerPoint

In Excel, Word and PowerPoint you can use the search box above the ribbon to search for any feature in the application

Simply start typing the name of the feature in the search bar and they will appear.

This stops you searching for it on the ribbon or a right click on the mouse

Contact us about Excel

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The Search bar appears above the ribbon in Excel

As you start typing the name of the feature a list will appear.

Microsoft Loop in Email

What is Microsoft Loop?

Microsoft Loop is a collaborative workspace designed to help teams think, plan, and create together. It combines a flexible canvas with portable components that sync across apps like Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and OneNote.

Key Features:

Loop Components: Small pieces of content (lists, tables, notes) that stay updated wherever they’re shared.
Loop Pages: Dynamic workspaces where teams can organize ideas, tasks, and links.
Loop Workspaces: Shared spaces that group everything related to a project, making collaboration seamless.

Loop is part of Microsoft 365, offering real-time collaboration and integration with other Microsoft apps. You can explore more about it here.

Here we’ll look at Loop components in Emails

Contact us about Microsoft Loop

It’s always easier to contact us via email rather than phone. We’re out training most days of the week

Loop components can be identified by this icon

In an email you will see the Loop Component icon on the Message and insert tabs of the ribbon

Thre are various types of Loop components you can you, including:

Bulletted Lists
Numbered List
Paragraph
Table
Task List
Q&A

In this post we’ll take a look at The Task List Loop Component

Once you insert a task List component in to an emai it will prompt you for a Title and then Tasks.

Tasks will include Task Name, Assigned to, Due Date and Bucket

Here you ca see this data added

When you send this email to anyone in your organisation they will be able to interact with the Loop component instantly. There is only one Loop Component and anyone with the link will be able to edit it.

The Loop component will update in everyones email instantly whenever a change is made.

Any tasks assigned to you in the task List Loop Component will appear in your To Do app on the due date.

Microsoft Teams – streamlined

Microsoft Teams – Streamlined

The latest changes to Microsoft Teams provide a new strealined layout bringing teams Chat and Channels together in one place

Rather than navigate from Chat to Channels you can access everything from one quick launch pane and even create groups of related discussions

In this article we’ll look at the changes, how to switch between the two and how to customise the new layout into related groups

Contact us about Microsoft Teams

It’s always easier to contact us via email rather than phone. We’re out training most days of the week

The new layout

Previously you would access Teams and Chat from seperate icons in the Teams quick launch pane

Now all your Chats and Channel posts can be accessed from Chat, the Teams link has been removed

Switching between old and new Teams layout

You can easily switch from the new Microsoft Teams streamlined view back to the original view by selecting the ellipses and Customse view in Chat

You then have the option to switch between Combined and Separate

Customising the new layout

Sections can now be created in Microsoft Teams to bring together conversations in Chat and Channels

To create a New section, go to the Ellipses and select New Section

Once you have named the section it will appear in Chat

To Add a Channel to the Section go to the Channel ellipses and select show in selecting the appropriate section

To add a conversation in chat to a section, locate the indiviual or group in Chat, select the ellipses and move to and select the appropriate section

You can now see channels and chats in the same section and filter for either using the links at the top of the pane

7 reasons to use Microsoft Bookings

Microsoft Bookings

Bookings has evolved in to a great app for planning meeting with colleagues, clients, suppliers and your Team.

Using bookings will eliminate the need to send emails back and forth trying to agree a date, time and location for a meeting.

Bookings is a Microsoft 365 app and integrates seemlessy with Outlook and Teams calendars and automates the process or booking meetings

Contact us about Microsoft Bookings

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7 reasons to use Microsoft Bookings

Arrange meetings with colleagues, suppliers and customers without the to and fro of emails that begin “can you do…” “are you free on…”
Customise and share various personal booking pages.
Set specific days and time options for meetings.
Set buffer and travel times between meetings.
Set automatic email meeting reminders and follow ups.
Share and publish your booking pages publicly.
Allow colleagues, team members suppliers and clients to book times in your diary.

Let’s go in to bookings in a little more detail

Produced by Microsoft CoPilot

Microsoft Bookings: A Convenient Way to Schedule Appointments

A brief introduction to the features and benefits of Microsoft Bookings

What is Microsoft Bookings?

Microsoft Bookings is an online scheduling tool that allows businesses to create and manage appointments with their customers. It is part of the Microsoft 365 suite of applications and integrates with Outlook, Teams, and other Microsoft products. With Microsoft Bookings, businesses can:

Create a customized booking page that showcases their services, availability, and contact information.
Send automatic confirmations and reminders to customers via email or text message.
Manage bookings from any device, anywhere, anytime.
Reduce no-shows and cancellations by allowing customers to reschedule or cancel their appointments online.
Sync bookings with their Outlook calendar and other staff members’ calendars.
Collect feedback from customers after each appointment.

Why should you use Microsoft Bookings?

Microsoft Bookings can help you save time, money, and hassle by streamlining your appointment scheduling process. Here are some of the benefits of using Microsoft Bookings for your business and your customers:

Improve customer satisfaction and loyalty by offering them a convenient and flexible way to book your services.
Increase your visibility and reach by creating a professional and personalized booking page that can be shared on your website, social media, or email.
Boost your productivity and efficiency by reducing manual tasks and errors, such as double-booking, missed appointments, or miscommunication.
Gain insights and analytics on your booking trends, customer preferences, and feedback to improve your service quality and performance.
Enhance your collaboration and communication with your team members by sharing your booking calendar and availability.

How to get started with Microsoft Bookings?

To start using Microsoft Bookings, you need to have a Microsoft 365 subscription that includes Bookings. You can check your subscription by login on to Microsoft 365, going to the app launcher (aka the waffle) and locate the bookings apps in your list of apps. You can also download the Bookings app for iOS or Android devices from the app store. To set up your booking page, you need to follow these steps:

Sign in to Bookings and create your business profile.
Add your services, staff members, and business hours.
Customize your booking page with your logo, color scheme, and policies.
Publish your booking page and share it with your customers.

For more information and guidance on how to use Microsoft Bookings, contact us to arrange a training session.

7 reasons to use SharePoint Lists

About SharePoint List

Perhaps the best quote we’ve had about Sharepoint lists is that they are some much cleaner and easier to use and collect data in that Excel, and you can’t easily delete them

So what are SharePoint Lists?

They can help you organise and manage your data in one secure place, analyse and visualise the data and create automated workstream flows

Contact us about SharePoint Lists

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7 reasons to use SharePoint Lists

Store, collect, analyse and collaborate on up to 30 million rows of data.

Create real time Power BI reports and dashboards from Lists.

Sort, Filter and format lists.

Add Conditional Formatting and validation rules to list.

Clean, tidy and easy to add records and navigate lists.

Not a file that you lose or delete, but a SharePoint website page.

Version history and alerts available

Create relationships and lookups between lists, track tasks, inventory, feedback, reports and more.

Create Power Automate flows from Lists

Let’s go in to SharePoint Lists in a little more details

Produced by Microsoft CoPilot

What are SharePoint lists?

SharePoint lists are collections of data that can be stored, managed, and shared in a SharePoint site.
SharePoint lists can store various types of data, such as text, numbers, dates, choices, yes/no values, pictures, hyperlinks, and more.
SharePoint lists can be customized to suit different needs and preferences, such as adding or removing columns, changing the order or appearance of columns, applying filters, sorting, grouping, and formatting.
SharePoint lists can be integrated with other SharePoint features, such as workflows, alerts, views, web parts, and apps.

Why use SharePoint lists?

SharePoint lists can help you organize and manage your data in a centralised and secure location.
SharePoint lists can help you collaborate and communicate with your team members and stakeholders, as you can share, edit, and comment on the data in real time.
SharePoint lists can help you automate and streamline your business processes, as you can create workflows, alerts, and rules to trigger actions based on the data changes.
SharePoint lists can help you analyse and visualise your data, as you can create charts, graphs, dashboards, and reports using the data in the lists.

How to use SharePoint lists?

To create a SharePoint list, you can either use a template or start from scratch.
To add data to a SharePoint list, you can either enter it manually, import it from an external source, or use an app or a web part.
To modify a SharePoint list, you can either use the list settings or the quick edit mode.
To share a SharePoint list, you can either use the share button, the permissions settings, or the email option.

5 reasons to use Microsoft Loop Components

Microsoft Loop Components

Loop components are editable chunks of text, lists, paragraphs, table, tasks and voting tables that can be shared and edited instantly.

They are a relatively new app in Microsoft 365 as at April 2024 but will continue to evolve

One of the biggest advantages of using Loop components and a game changer for anyone involved with meetings is its ability to create agendas, create meeting minutes and assigning tasks from meetings all in one place instantly accessible by all meeting attendees.

It will cut out a huge swathe of meeting related emails

Contact us about Microsoft Loop Components

It’s always easier to contact us via email rather than phone. We’re out training most days of the week

5 Reasons to use Mcrosoft Loop Components

Brings together Team meeting agendas, meeting minutes and meeting actions directly in a Team meeting and other easy to find locations.

Collaborate in real time on bullet, number and task lists and document paragraphs.

Collatable and editable in Loop components, Outlook, Team meetings, Whiteboard and One Note

Loop component accessible in Teams chat, Team meetings and Teams Channels

Brainstorm ideas in real time from in the same Loop component from an email, Teams Chat, Teams Channels and One Note.

Let’s go in to Microsoft Loop Components a little more

Produced by Microsoft CoPilot

Microsoft Loop is a new platform that enables collaborative work across teams and applications. It consists of three main components: Loop Workspaces, Loop Components, and Loop Pages.

Loop Workspaces

Loop Workspaces are shared spaces where teams can create, edit, and chat about their projects. They can also integrate data and content from other Microsoft 365 apps, such as Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and Power BI. Loop Workspaces are accessible from any device and sync automatically across the cloud.

You must have a Microsoft Enterprise Licence to use Loop Workspaces

Loop Components

Loop Components are modular and interactive elements that can be added to Loop Workspaces or other apps. They include tables, lists, calendars, notes, and more. Loop Components can be customized and linked to each other, creating dynamic and rich experiences. They can also be embedded in other Microsoft 365 apps, such as Outlook, Teams, and OneNote.

Loop Pages

Loop Pages are web pages that can be created and published from Loop Workspaces. They allow teams to share their work with external audiences, such as customers, partners, or stakeholders. Loop Pages can include Loop Components, as well as images, videos, and text. They can be viewed on any browser and device, and can be updated in real time.

You must have a Microsoft Enterprise Licence to use Loop Pages

7 reasons to use Microsoft To Do

Microsoft To Do has become more and more important to us here at Redwing.

In the early days it was a great tasks management tool and was used on both desktop and mobile.

Now it is the first application we look at every day, not email. Why, because it brings together tasks from all Microsoft 365 apps.

What’s more we no longer need to set pop up reminders in Outlook, so out list of pop ups is limited to meetings only and thereofre under complete control

We underestimated the To Do app for too long, now we couldn’t be without it.

Contact us about Microsoft To Do app training

It’s always easier to contact us via email rather than phone. We’re out training most days of the week

The 7 reasons, although this list could easily have gone to 17 or 77 reasons why.

All your tasks in one place, in one application in an easy to use interface

Includes Outlook tasks, flagged emails, planner tasks, Personal To Do lists, shared tasks, meeting tasks and Loop tasks

You can create tasks lists to share with team members and colleagues.

You can prioritise and reorder tasks.

You can create tasks steps.

Available as mobile and desktop app and accessible in Outlook and from Microsoft 365 and syncing across all devices.

Automatically adds due dates to tasks from task descriptions

Microsoft To Do – About

How the Microsoft To Do app helps me stay organised and productive

The To Do app is one of the productivity apps in Microsoft 365. In the last 18 months, it has become the first and last app I go to every day, it’s invaluable. It provides a gateway to all the tasks and actions I have for the day, whether they are flagged emails, tasks from Planner, tasks from Meetings, or Teams messages, tasks assigned to me. It is also my own daily list for both personal and business reminders. It’s easy and intuitive to use. There is a mobile version, desktop version and Microsoft 365 version, all syncing seamlessly. To Do can also be accessed from Outlook and Teams.

To Do app contains 7 different sections breaking down your tasks as follows

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My Day

Any To Do task that you have Added to My Day
Emails flagged with a due date will appear here ONLY on the due date.
Planner tasks with a due date will appear here ONLY on the due date.
Outlook tasks with a due date will appear here ONLY on the due date.

Important

Tasks that you have marked as important.
Planner tasks marked as Important.
An email you have received that has been marked High Importance

Planned

Any task that has a due date
Emails flagged with a due date.
Tasks assigned from Outlook tasks with a due date
Tasks assigned to you from Planner with a due date

Assigned to me

Tasks assigned to you in Microsoft Team Meetings where loop components have been used.
Tasks assigned to you in Microsoft Planner
Tasks assigned to you from Loop components.

Flagged email

Emails you have flagged appear here

Tasks

Tasks created by you in To Do
Tasks created by you from Team Channel posts
Tasks created by you from a message in chat during a Teams meeting
Tasks Created by you in Outlook tasks.
Tasks created by a colleague and assigned to you from Outlook tasks.

Lists

Custom To Do lists that you can create and share and assign Tasks to list members.

There are 5 lists I run

Lets go in to Microsoft To Do in a lot more detail now

Produced by Microsoft CoPilot

What is Microsoft To Do?

Microsoft To Do is a Microsoft 365 app that helps you manage your tasks, lists, and reminders across your devices. You can create and customise your lists, add due dates and reminders, attach files and notes, and sync your tasks with Outlook, Microsoft 365, and other apps. Microsoft To Do also offers smart suggestions and personalised features to help you plan your day and achieve your goals.

How to use Microsoft To Do?

To use Microsoft To Do, you need to download the app from the Microsoft Store, Google Play Store, or Apple App Store, or access it from the web browser. You also need a Microsoft account to sign in and sync your tasks. Once you sign in, you can start creating your lists and tasks. Here are some basic steps to help you use Microsoft To Do:

Create a list: To create a new list, click or tap on the + icon next to the Lists section on the left sidebar. You can name your list, choose a color and an icon, and share it with others if you want.
Add a task: To add a new task to a list, click or tap on the + icon at the bottom of the list. You can type the task name, and optionally add a due date, a reminder, a recurrence, a note, or a file.
Complete a task: To mark a task as completed, click or tap on the circle next to the task name. The task will move to the Completed section at the bottom of the list. You can also undo a completed task by clicking or tapping on the circle again.
Delete a task: To delete a task, right-click or tap and hold on the task name, and select Delete from the menu. You can also delete a task by dragging it to the right edge of the screen.
Edit a task: To edit a task, double-click or tap on the task name, and make the changes you want. You can also edit a task by right-clicking or tapping and holding on the task name, and selecting Details from the menu.
Move a task: To move a task to another list, right-click or tap and hold on the task name, and select Move from the menu. You can also move a task by dragging it to another list on the left sidebar.
Sort and filter tasks: To sort and filter your tasks, click or tap on the Sort by or Filter icons at the top of the list. You can sort your tasks by due date, creation date, importance, or alphabetically. You can filter your tasks by due date, importance, assigned to, or completed.
Use smart lists: To use smart lists, click or tap on the My Day, Important, Planned, or Assigned to you sections on the left sidebar. These are automatically generated lists that show you the tasks that are due today, marked as important, have a due date, or assigned to you by others.
Use suggestions: To use suggestions, click or tap on the light bulb icon at the top of the My Day list. This will show you some tasks that you might want to add to your My Day list, based on your habits, deadlines, and priorities. You can add a task to your My Day list by clicking or tapping on the + icon next to the task name.
Use themes: To use themes, click or tap on the Settings icon at the bottom left corner of the app, and select Theme from the menu. You can choose from different themes, such as dark, light, colourful, or custom, to change the appearance of the app.

Why use Microsoft To Do?

Microsoft To Do is a simple and smart task management app that can help you organise your life and work. Here are some benefits of using Microsoft To Do:

It is part of your Mcrosoft 365 licence and easy to use.
It syncs across your devices and integrates with other Microsoft apps and services.
It lets you create and customise your lists and tasks according to your needs and preferences.
It offers smart suggestions and personalised features to help you plan your day and achieve your goals.
It helps you stay focused and productive.

7 reasons to use Micorosft Planner

Microsoft Planner

A tool that we have used here at Redwing for a few years primarily for our CRM system.

We can assign and track customer interactions for all the team to see and update.

We also use Planner when planning future marketing campaigns and small projects.

We can view all the assigned tasks in one location making it easy to keep on top of and ahead of everything

Contact us about Microsoft Planner

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How can Microsoft Planner benefit you, your team and your organisation?

Accessible in Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Teams

Plan events, teamwork, small projects.

Easy to use interface.

Collaboration on files and with chat features

Assign, track and comment of plan tasks.

Task card with task details, comments, checklist, associated files and more

Task assignment, due date, importance and reminders all in one place

Task visibility and progress throughout team

Let’s go in to Microsoft Planner in a lot more detail now.

Produced by Microsoft CoPilot

Microsoft Planner is a task management tool that is part of the Microsoft 365 suite.

It allows users to create and manage plans, assign tasks, and track progress.

It is designed to be intuitive and collaborative, enabling people to plan, manage, and complete task-based initiatives.

Planner is described as a Kanban solution that simplifies task management and to-do lists for teams, connected across Microsoft 365 apps.

It is an intuitive, collaborative task management tool that enables people to plan, manage, and complete task-based initiatives.

It is part of a suite of tools that Microsoft offers to project managers and their teams, helping to gather the elements of a project and create a project plan with a beginning, middle, and end

Combining these insights, Microsoft Planner is a versatile tool that enhances productivity and collaboration, offering a simple and familiar experience for managing tasks and projects within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Whether you’re working on daily tasks or complex projects, Planner provides a structured and efficient way to keep track of work and collaborate with team members.