office.microsoft.com Tutorials

Create and use speech recognition user profiles
Speech recognition user profiles store information about how to recognize your voice. You can create profiles for multiple users on the same computer. You can also create additional profiles for yourself when working in environments with different levels of noise or using different microphones.

Use files from other Office programs in your Access forms and reports
Using files from other Office programs The concepts you must understand in order to use files correctly, such as whether to link or embed them, and whether to use bound or unbound files. It also briefly explains OLE (Object Linking and Embedding), the technology that some Access components use to store and display files. Storing files in a database How to add fields to your database tables and either link to or embed file data in those fields. Adding unbound files to forms and reports How to add files that remain fixed as you move through the records in a database or the pages in a report. Adding bound files to forms and reports How to add files that change as you move through the records in a database or the pages in a report. Updating and editing links and files How to update links to your files, display updated files automatically and manually, and edit files in Access. Solving common display problems What to do when you see file names instead of the files themselves, and "Package" in your table fields instead of a specific Office file type.

Use speech recognition
You'll save time if you complete dictation first, review your file, and then format text or make corrections. As a result, you'll switch between using Dictation mode and Voice Command mode less often.

Install handwriting recognition
This feature is available in the Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean language versions of Microsoft Office.

Turn on or off the speech recognition microphone
Turn or or off microphone with voice command.

Add or delete a shortcut from the My Places bar
Learn how to add or delete a shortcut from the My Places bar.

Applications that work with Access
Microsoft Office Access 2003 provides features for working with other programs.

Copy an image of a window or screen
In the past, the PRINT SCREEN key did what it says - it sent the current screen of text to your printer. Now, pressing PRINT SCREEN captures an image of your entire screen, also known as a "screen shot" or "screen capture", and copies it to the Clipboard in your computer's memory. You can then paste (CTRL+V) the image into a document, e-mail message, or other file. If you want, you can print the image from the application that you pasted it into.

Add a submenu to a menu
You can add a submenu to a built-in or custom menu.

Change speech recognition engines
How to change speech recognition engines to dictate in another language or to use a third-party engine.

Customize driver settings
Customize text driver settings, Customize Microsoft Excel driver settings, Customize dBASE driver settings, Customize Paradox driver settings, Customize Lotus driver settings, Customize Microsoft Exchange driver settings, Customize ODBC driver settings, Customize HTML driver settings.

Turn Office Clipboard command options on or off
How to turn Office Clipboard command options on or off.

Show all buttons or commands
How to Show all the buttons on a toolbar and Show all the commands on menus.

Change file properties
You can change document properties from the currently open document or from the list in the Open dialog box:

Use handwriting recognition
Write as you naturally do on a paper surface, using cursive style, printing, or a combination of both. As you write, enter entire words without pausing after each letter, and leave space between words.

Assign a hyperlink to a toolbar button or menu command
When you assign a hyperlink to a toolbar button or menu command, the hyperlink replaces the command currently assigned to that button or menu command. You cannot assign a hyperlink to a button that displays a list or menu when clicked.

Add a button, menu, or command
Do one or more of the following: Add a button, menu, or command to a toolbar, Add a button, menu, or command to a toolbar (keyboard accessible), Add a command to a menu, Add a command to a menu (keyboard accessible).

Troubleshoot handwriting recognition
My handwriting isn't recognized. I can't insert writing in handwritten form. When I use Write Anywhere, my writing isn't inserted where I write on the screen. When I select text in Write Anywhere mode, it looks as though a line has been drawn through it. When I click toolbars and commands in Write Anywhere mode, it looks as though a line is being drawn on the screen. Handwriting is recognized too slowly or too quickly. I can't exit the Write Anywhere box. When I send a Microsoft Outlook e-mail message in handwritten form, I see "Pictures will be lost." When I send an Outlook e-mail message in handwritten form, the sent message is blank. When I convert handwritten text to typed text, it looks as though nothing is happening. When I write anywhere on the screen, text seems to disappear. When I insert a drawing by using the Drawing Pad, the drawing is smaller than the way I drew it.

Startup options
You can use startup options to control how a Microsoft Access file looks and behaves when it opens. The startup options apply only to the current Access file. The startup properties don't override the property settings for a specific toolbar, menu bar, shortcut menu, form, or report. For example, the Menu Bar and Shortcut Menu Bar options in the Startup dialog box don't override the property settings for specific forms or reports that have a custom menu bar or shortcut menu. Thus, when you open a form or report, Microsoft Access displays the custom menu bar attached to the form or report instead of the global menu bar specified in the Startup dialog box. You can also create an AutoExec macro to carry out an action whenever an Access file opens. You can use the Startup dialog box instead of or in addition to an AutoExec macro. An AutoExec macro runs after the startup options have taken effect; therefore, you should avoid any actions in an AutoExec macro that change the effect of the startup option settings. For example, if you specify a form in the Display Form/Page box in the Startup dialog box, and you also use the OpenForm action in an AutoExec macro, Microsoft Access first displays the form specified in the Startup dialog box, then immediately displays the form specified in the OpenForm action.

Save time by using ready-made templates
Has your boss just asked you to create a business form - such as an invoice - before lunch? Or perhaps you need to write a complaint letter, but don't have the time? Or maybe you need to create a newsletter for your organization, but you're dreading it because you've never had to create anything with a complicated layout before?