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| Bar Bulletin |
June,
2003 |
| Technology Talk |
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Software Tips that will Save You Time...Immediately
By
Jared Goralnick
There are a number
of technology products that will make your practice hum, but no matter
what these products do, the core of your computer work will always be
creating and editing documents, performing research and corresponding with
clients and associates. Document management programs, websites, handheld
computers and office networks are all merely aids for the way you do the
work that pays the bills. So let’s address how to get your work done
faster.
Some
Real Time-Savers
Here are some tips
to get you started that will help you save time.
- In Microsoft
Word, use the keyboard! - You can navigate a document much
faster by using the Ctrl key with the arrow keys. For instance,
Ctrl+Left arrow and Ctrl+Right arrow move your cursor a word to the left
or to the right. Similarly Ctrl+Del and Ctrl+Backspace delete one word
at a time, either forwards or backwards. Another shortcut to have at
your finger-tips is Ctrl+S: this will save the current document you’re
working on. Press this key combination every few minutes—it will prevent
a lot of frustration someday!
- Add
frequently-used words or phrases to your AutoText list. If you
frequently type a particular client’s name, an address, or a technical
term then you can have Word finish it for you. In Word 2000, go to
Tools->AutoCorrect or in Word XP, go to Tools->AutoCorrect Options. From
there, click on the “AutoText” tab and type the phrase you’d like to add
in the box provided. After you’ve typed your entry, click “Add” to add
it to the AutoText list and then click the “OK” button when you’re
finished. Now whenever you start typing the phrase you added, Word will
prompt you to complete the phrase. Pressing “Enter” will complete the
phrase for you.
- In Microsoft
Outlook... - To create an appointment, press Ctrl+Shift+A. To create an
e-mail, press Ctrl+Shift+M. To find a contact, press F11; this will move
your cursor into the “Find a Contact” box on the Outlook toolbar. Simply
type a portion of the contact’s name or business and press Enter - the
matching contacts will appear. Please note that some computers need to
be configured to enable the “Find a Contact” feature.
- If spam is
plaguing your Inbox then use a spam filter! There’s a program that may
do just what you need: CloudMark’s SpamNet. This program uses what’s
known as “Community-based spam filtering” – as SpamNet users receive
spam and report it to the community, these spam messages get tracked and
shared with all other SpamNet users through frequent updates. Identified
spam messages are blocked from entering your Inbox. It’s an honesty
system that works quite well. Don’t worry; none of the messages you
receive will be deleted even if they’re considered spam. They’ll simply
be moved to a folder appropriately labeled “Spam.” Visit
www.cloudmark.com to download
a free trial. If you do decide to purchase a subscription, you can save
60 percent over the first year by using this referral code: QO05HL.
- In Internet
Explorer... - Open links in a new window. Have you ever hit the back
button and found “Warning: Page has Expired”…or waited for a long 15
seconds before the page loads? To alleviate this annoyance, just open
links to new sites or time-intensive pages in new windows. Try it on
your web searches so that you don’t lose the search page and have to
re-enter your queries. Press the Shift key while clicking on a link.
- Use the Google
Toolbar. The Google Toolbar attaches to your browser window and allows
you to search Google without visiting their website…but it also does
much more! Once you’ve performed a search, it has buttons to find your
search terms on the page you’re visiting or to highlight all instances
of those terms. The “Search Site” button enables you to search the
current website you’re visiting for a particular term—which is
especially useful for sites that don’t provide a search feature. There
are too many useful features in the toolbar to explain here, but try it
out for yourself:
http://toolbar.google.com.
Pursuing Practical Technical Knowledge
These are just a
few tips to improve your use of the software you already have. No single
source could list all of the tips and techniques that exist in the
Microsoft Office suite or on the Internet, but there are certainly places
to start. Payne Consulting’s Word 2002 for Law Firms (Payne, 2001)
and Ed Jones & Romena Benjamin’s Office XP for Law Firms (Hungry
Minds, 2001) are excellent workbooks and reference guides.
Regardless of where
you go from here, always keep in mind that investing in yourself is often
more valuable than any off-the-shelf technology widget. Even very
competent drivers require additional training before entering a race
track. Attorneys are the race-car drivers of document creation – not only
because they are under pressure and on the clock, but also because they
have seen serious crashes. By investing in yourself, you will win more
races with less frustration. So start with the tips in this article and
see where you can go from here. Best of luck.
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