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I don’t think it’s a stretch to assume that you know what a hyperlink is. If you’re not sure…think Internet, web pages and blue text with a blue underline. See? You use hyperlinks all the time – you just may not have known the term.
In PowerPoint 2007, you can create internal hyperlinks that allow you to jump from one slide to another and external hyperlinks that jump to other presentations, documents, or a web site. You can even create a hyperlink that addresses an e-mail.
What’s more, you can create hyperlinks on text and graphics. Which means, you can create a hyperlink, for example, from a company logo that displays the company web page when clicked. And, you don’t even have to be a web designer to do it!

Creating a Hyperlink to an Internal Slide
1. Select the text or object that you are using as a hyperlink
2. Choose the Hyperlink command in the Links group on the Insert tab

3. Click Place in This Document
4. Choose a slide
5. Click OK

Creating a Hyperlink to an External Slide
1. Select the text or object that you are using as a hyperlink
2. Choose the Hyperlink command in the Links group on the Insert tab
3. Click Existing File or Web Page
4. Choose a file
5. Click Bookmark

6. Select a Slide
7. Click OK
8. Click OK

Creating a Hyperlink to an E-Mail Address
1. Select the text or object that you are using as a hyperlink
2. Choose the Hyperlink command in the Links group on the Insert tab
3. Click E-mail Address

4. Enter the E-mail address
5. Enter a Subject (if desired)
6. Click OK

Creating a Hyperlink to a Web Page
1. Select the text or object that you are using as a hyperlink
2. Choose the Hyperlink command in the Links group on the Insert tab
3. Click Existing File or Web Page
4. Type the web page in the Address box
5. Click OK

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Microsoft is working with the Federal government to establish security settings for the Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC) for the Windows 7 release this October.

With the alpha version of it’s security guide released earlier this month, Microsoft is working with the DOD to merge this component into the FDCC, providing a single standard for secure configuration.

William Jackson reported in a Redmondmag.com article yesterday, “Microsoft’s security guide specifies two security configurations for its operating systems: a standard enterprise configuration and the secure limited functionality recommended for organizations with higher security needs. The government’s FDCC for XP and Vista does not correspond exactly to Microsoft’s security guides, but officials hope the settings for Windows 7 will be harmonized into a single industry/government standard.”

While the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has outlined a process for creating security configuration checklists in it’s National Checklist Program (NCP), Steve Quinn (senior computer scientist at NIST) says the goal of Microsoft’s work with DOD on Windows 7 configuration will be a government-wide standard which applies beyond defense and national security systems. When completed, NIST will check the configuration against the NCP.

Critics point out that until the FDCC configurations are actually tested in a production network, it will be unclear what incompatibilities may come up.

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Businesses purchasing new computers between now and the Windows 7 release on October 22nd will be limited to 25 free upgrades.

These details were finalized last week – providing for consumers who recently purchased a Vista-based computer to be able to upgrade to Windows 7 at little or no cost in October. Brandon LeBlanc (Microsoft) blogged, “Anyone who buys a PC from a participating OEM or retailer with Windows Vista Home Premium, Business, or Ultimate on it will receive an upgrade to the corresponding version at little or no cost to customers.”

Enterprise customers who have a Software Assurance license will also be able to upgrade to Windows 7 at no additional charge, with unlimited upgrades for a three year period on all licensed computers.

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This morning, Paul McDougall with InformationWeek wrote about Microsoft’s pricing for Windows 7 (due October 22nd).

The full version of Windows 7 Home Premium will be priced at $199, and the upgrade price will be $119. Windows 7 Professional will be $299. with an upgrade price of $199. Windows 7 Ultimate will be $319. with an upgrade price of $219.

Microsoft also announced a pre-order program for Windows 7 with discounts of more than 50% for the next two weeks.

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Data Validation rules enable you, as the owner of the workbook, to set rules on what entries are allowed inside individual cells.

For instance, you can set one Validation Rule that only allows whole numbers between 1 and 100 to be entered into a cell. And, on another cell in the same workbook, you can specify that only entries from a drop-down list that you’ve created can be entered into a cell.

The possibilities are almost endless.

Setting Data Validation Rules
1. Select the cells on which you want to enable Data Validation
2. Click the Data Validation command in the Data Tools group on the Data tab
3. Choose Data Validation

4. On the Settings tab, choose the value type that you will allow
5. Click the Input Message tab

6. Enter the title and Message to help your user understand what is required for input

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I was reading a blog by Mary-Jo Foley that she posted on the 18th, citing that Microsoft will put an 18-month cap on Windows 7 to XP downgrades.

The Microsoft statement was: “Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate customers will have the option to downgrade to Windows XP Professional from PCs that ship within 18 months following the general availability of Windows 7 or until the release of a Windows 7 service pack, whichever is sooner, and if a service pack is developed.”

While many are concerned with the perceived short time frame for downgrades, Microsoft seems confident that the new Windows 7 operating system will deliver. In a couple of months, we will find out how on target that goal is.

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If you are currently running Vista and planning to upgrade to Windows 7, there is good news. Microsoft has designed the transition to be smooth and effortless.
When you boot the Windows 7 Disk, you will have an option to perform an in-place upgrade from the booted disk. An hour or so later… you are in business.

If you go with a clean install on a new computer, you can also use Windows Easy Transfer to transfer your existing settings and documents from your old computer to the new one.

For detailed instructions and expectations for Windows XP to Windows 7 migration, and Windows Vista to Windows 7 migration, read Joel Durham’s articles (Windows XP to Windows 7, and Moving to Windows 7 – From Vista) on ExtremeTech.

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According to Bill Koefoed, Microsoft’s general manager of investor relations, many businesses may not consider Windows 7 integration until early 2010.

He spoke at the RBC Capital Markets’ 2009 Technology, Communications and Media Conference in San Francisco last week, and despite the admitted economic challenges, seemed upbeat about Windows 7’s future.

Windows 7, scheduled to ship October 22 of this year, is expected to boost Microsoft’s 4th quarter numbers. However, Koefoed cautioned that in the current economic climate, PC Sales are down 15% and analysts are predicting a depressed server market through 2010.

When do you plan to look at Windows 7 Integration?

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GCN recently published a review of Microsoft Access 2007, by Carlos A. Soto, that I thought was very helpful.

His summary was that Access 2007 provides great versatility and compatibility with other Microsoft suites, but can be difficult to master.

With robust and intuitive database templates, Access 2007 has become very accessible (outside of complex schemas or advanced features). Microsoft has answered the criticism on it’s lack of templates by providing access to dozens, ranging from an asset database to track resources to templates for faculty, students, and marketing-related project resource tracking. While the templates are ready to use as-is, they can also be modified and re-created as needed.

Access 2007, like the rest of the Microsoft Office 2007 Suite, utilizes the ribbon interface, and like Excel, you can enter data into an Access cell before formatting, add columns to tables and edit them without using Design view.
In addition, a new feature called Automatic Data Type Detection, makes it easy to create schemas and tables. You can now paste Excel spreadsheets into an Access table, run pivot tables and chart views, and basically eliminate the need to export data to Excel.

Carlos goes on to list a handful of other new features found in Access 2007, and concludes that, “Access was by far the easiest and most robust database in the review for uploading, expanding and analyzing my test data.”

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Three Dimensional Formulas are, by far, the most flexible of the three methods of data consolidation that we’re discussing in this post. With Three Dimensional Formulas, the placement of the data your are summarizing, or consolidating, has no bearing on the final outcome. Moreover, it doesn’t matter in which worksheet or workbook file the detail data is stored.

And, you probably already know how to create formulas. Creating a Three Dimensional Formula is as simple as being able to point and click on the data you want to summarize.

Let’s look at an example.

I have a workbook that tracks the sales of Widgets, Ball Bearings and Hammers for each of four Regions (East, West, North & South). I already have the detail data by Region for each of the three products broken down by quarter. Each product already has their own worksheet tab (see sample below).

Here’s what my formula might look like in Excel:

=SUM ( Widgets!B6+‘Ball Bearings’!B6+Hammers!B6 )

In other words, on my summary tab, the above formula would total the sum for cell B6 on the Widgets worksheet, cell B6 on the Ball Bearings Worksheeet and cell B6 on the Hammers worksheet. The reason that the worksheet name “Ball Bearings” is surrounded by apostrophes is that there is a space in the worksheet name.

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I read a blog today by Ed Bott, “From Starter to Ultimate: What’s really in each Windows 7 Edition?“, and I had to share it with you.

Ed has done an amazing job breaking down the different editions of Windows 7, what features are included, what’s unique to the Windows 7 Ultimate Edition, and just how viable is the Windows Starter Edition.

For all of you with Windows 7 question, I recommend that you read his blog for yourself. He includes an executive summary with the common features and specific features for Windows 7 Starter and Home Basic, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, and Windows 7 Ultimate/Enterprise.

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Microsoft’s new “decision engine”, Bing, claimed 6% of the search engine market share within hours of launch.

While Windows Live Search users seem to embrace the new engine, Google’s market share does not appear to suffer any immediate impact. However, Bing’s early success could be a beginning.

According to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, search engines “don’t do a very good job of enabling people to use the information they find.” Assuming a better alternative, Bing may begin to see growth as people experience the difference. Early discussion on the new tool suggests that results are good and users are impressed with the results.

The biggest challenge for Microsoft will be to reach the users who are currently satisfied with alternative engines.

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DSUM is a great function when working with large lists of data. It works a little like Automatic Subtotals except that you get to pick and choose which columns you want to calculate based on an entry in another column

For instance, on a worksheet tracking sales people and their deals, DSUM would allow you to calculate only certain Region’s totals.

DSUM (database, field, criteria)

The sample above reflects a DSUM Function. Now, let’s break this down:

DSUM = Name of the Function
database = Your list range
field = The name of the column that contains the data you are looking for
criteria = The criteria range that contains the value you are matching

Now, let’s put that into action using our Sales by Region example. I’d like Excel to look at my list of sales. And, if it says “West” in the Region field, take the numbers in the Sales field and add them together.

Here’s what my formula would look like in Excel:

=DSUM

So, my listis stored in cells A1:G34 (including the header row) and I’m totaling the value found in the Sales field (column) when Excel finds a match with my criteria stored in A43:A44.

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Last Friday we learned that Microsoft is planning to release ten fixes in their next security patch. I hope you’ve been lifting weights because that’s one heavy security patch. Want to know more? Check out the full article here.

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In the current economy Microsoft has been slow to add upgrades to Office 2007, and with the release of Office 2010 approaching this article explains why some experts believe that many companies that haven’t yet adopted Office 2007 will skip it completely. However, a number of IT professionals have said “they have no plans for implementing an alternative to Microsoft Office applications.”

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