I am always getting asked “how do I do this in Excel,” “where is that in PowerPoint,” “where do I find this in Office.” I think I just found a lucrative profession – Microsoft Office Trainer. But, seeing as I don’t want to quit my day job, I started looking online for training tools. Yes, there are 2-hour and even full day training classes available (see LearnIt in the Bay Area), but these can be quite expensive and time consuming. Here’s a solution – and it’s free!
Microsoft offers free online webinars that are pre-recorded for viewing at any time. The hitch, you have to have a Windows Live ID, but again, this is free. And, if you currently use MSN Messenger, then you probably already have an account. They’ve created a site geared specifically toward Administrative Professionals – click here to check out their site. The other hitch, this is best viewed on a PC in Internet Explorer with Windows Media Player because it uses their proprietary meeting software LiveMeeting.
Both webcasts and podcasts are available for Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Visio, and Word. Despite the drawbacks listed above, this is a great tool to learn the tips and tricks of MS Office. All of the webinars are available for download so you could even forward copies to your Webmaster to post on your company’s intranet.
