Office 365 Tutorial
Wilson College Office 365 Tutorial
Microsoft 365
All Wilson College students have access to Microsoft 365 for free through their Wilson email account - you DO NOT need to buy Microsoft 365. Below you will find information about how to access Microsoft 365 and what you can do with it.
There are 2 different versions of Microsoft 365 - Cloud and Desktop. The cloud version is available anywhere that you have Internet access, the desktop version is available on your personal computer (once you download it). They each have their pros and cons, and while the functionality is mostly the same, there are differences
Fun fact - you can start a document online and finish on your desktop or vice versa
Microsoft 365 - Cloud
Best for
- When you can't be on your own computer
- Real time collaboration with others
- Automatic saving to OneDrive
Limitations
- Some advanced features/functionality is missing
- Requires an Internet connection
How to Access It
- Through the Wilson Portal (my.wilson.edu)
- Under Tools, click on Campus Apps to expand
- Click on Office 365
- At Office.com
Links to an external site.
- Sign in with your Wilson email and password
Microsoft 365 - Desktop
Best for
- When you need full functionality (including advanced formatting, complex functions, data and design tools)
- You can't be online
- You want to save your work locally to your computer instead of the cloud
Limitations
- You must install it on your computer
- You must save work to the cloud in order to share it
How to Access It
Before you can use the desktop version you need to download and install it.
- Begin by logging in to the online version (either through the portal or at office.com)
- In the upper right hand corner of the screen you will see a button that says "Install and more" - Click on that button to see the options
- Click Microsoft 365 apps
- That will take you to the My account page. In the Office apps & devices section, click on the Install Office button
- Once the program has downloaded, click open the file and follow the instructions to install the program
- Be patient - it might take a few minutes
OneDrive is Microsoft's cloud storage tool. It is your personal online storage location (similar to Google drive if you have used that). It allows you to save, organize and share your work from any Internet accessible device.
Saving to OneDrive
Office Online - If you are using the cloud version of Office, your work is automatically saved to OneDrive. You should see a cloud by the name of the file in the title bar of the document.
Desktop Office - In the desktop version, you have the options of saving files to your local hard drive or to OneDrive.
- Files saved to your local computer are available only when you are working on your computer.
- You can't share files saved on your local hard drive
- Files save to OneDrive are available on any device with Internet access
- You must save a file to OneDrive to be able to share it
- Clicking File on the menu then Save As lets you decide where you want to save your file
- Clicking OneDrive will save your file to the cloud
- Clicking This PC will save your file to your local hard drive
If you don't see OneDrive as an option, you might not be signed in. To sign in, click on File, then Account (down at the bottom) and sign in with your Wilson email and password
A couple of things to note:
- When you are using the Cloud version of Office, Files are autosaved automatically
- When you are using the Desktop version of office, you can enable AutoSave in the title bar of the document.
- You can also confirm the save location of a document by clicking in the drop down of the file name
Sharing a file
When your file is saved in OneDrive, you don’t need to download it or attach it to an email—you can share a link instead. This is faster, more secure, and makes it easy for someone else view (or even edit) your file.
In an Office Online or Desktop App
If you are in the document that you want to share, you will see a Share button on the upper right side of the window. Clicking that button will show you the different share options:
- Share - this opens a dialog box that lets you enter the email addresses of the people you want to share with. You can also add a message and change the access settings
- Copy Link - this gives you a shareable link that you can send to anyone
- Manage Access - this lets you see who a document has been shared with and also stop sharing the file
Sharing in OneDrive
If you don't have the file open, but just want to share it, that can be done using the OneDrive app, which is available when you go to office.com.
Clicking on the three dots (1) brings up a menu of options for ways to share the file.
Clicking on the square with the arrow (2) opens the share dialog box that lets you send a file via email.
A Note on File Management
OneDrive is also an app that you can use to manage and organize your files. Files can be shared directly from OneDrive as well. You can access OneDrive in the Microsoft 365 app (shown in image), by clicking on OneDrive then clicking on My files to see your folders. Most of your work should be in your Documents folder.
You will be creating a lot of files while you are in college, so it is a good idea to get in the habit of being intentional with your file naming and organization.
One suggestion would be to make a folder for each semester, then within that folder you can make a folder for each course.
Be sure and use descriptive file names for any work that you can create.
Good File Names
A good file name might include any or all of the following:
- Course Code or class name
- Assignment name or type
- Date or version number
Example: FYS Reflection 1 Sept 2.docx
- Document 2.docx (don't use the default)
- Essay draft.docx (which draft of which essay)
Being intentional in your your file naming and management doesn't take much time, but can save you a lot of headaches.
Outlook is Microsoft's email tool, but it can do more than just send and receive email. It can be a great tool to help you stay organized and keep in touch with your professors and classmates.
Accessing Outlook
There are several ways that you can access Outlook:
- Portal - There is an email link in the portal that will take you directly to the online version of Outlook
- Outlook.office.com Links to an external site. - You can skip the portal and go directly to the online version of Outlook
- Desktop app - If you have downloaded the desktop version of Office, then you will have access to the desktop version of Outlook. Just sign in with your Wilson user name and password
- Mobile app - You can get the Outlook app on your phone so that you can check messages without accessing your computer. Here are instructions for setting it up: Mobile Device Email Configuration
Using the Outlook Calendar
The Outlook Calendar can be your best friend when you are trying to stay organized during the semester. You can put meetings and assignment due dates on there (you can even sync with Canvas). You can also include reminders or block off your schedule for working sessions for classes. Below is more information about uses for the Outlook Calendar.
Access the Calendar and Add a Meeting or Appointment
| In Outlook Online, click the Calendar icon then click the New event button to add something to your calendar | In the Desktop version, click the Calendar icon then click New Appointment (to schedule something with yourself) or New Meeting (to schedule with someone else) |
Planning
Below are some suggestions for ways that you can use the calendar to help manage your time
- Put it on your calendar - For each face to face course you are taking, block out the time that the course meets on your calendar. The same goes for any practice, game or work commitment. If you have any online courses, look at the unscheduled times on your calendar and block off time to work on that course. Just because a class is online doesn't mean you shouldn't work on it on a regular basis. Block out some time on your calendar every day or every other day to work on the course. This will ensure that you don't lose track of time and miss an assignment.
- Look ahead and use your calendar to plan - spend some time on Sunday or Monday looking at the week ahead and what is due for your classes. Figure out how much time you think that you will need to complete the assignments that you have due and block out time on your schedule accordingly. Putting it on your calendar will ensure that you get a notification/reminder to complete the work and will help make sure that you don't lose track of time or forget about something.
- Ask for help in a timely manner - looking over assignments ahead of time also helps to ensure that if you need help you can ask for it in a timely manner (this is addressed in How to Email Your Professor)
- Avoid Procrastination - Procrastination is a problem for everyone. Putting things on your calendar may help you avoid that.
Syncing with Canvas
You can sync your Canvas Calendar with your Outlook Calendar. The links below will show you how to do this with either the Desktop App or Outlook Online.
If you have never had any training in Microsoft Office products, it might be a good idea take a little time and learn the basics you might be surprised how much time you can save.
GCFGlobal Links to an external site. offers free tutorials for everyone from the very beginner to someone who is just looking for help in a few areas.
Pro Tips
Save as PDF - Sometimes your teacher will request that you submit your work as a PDF to ensure that they will be able to open it regardless of what tool was used to create it. To do this, choose File, Save as or Save a Copy, then click on the file type drop down (1) and choose PDF (2).
NOTE: The image shows Word, but this works for PowerPoint presentations as well
Changing the Ribbon for Online - When you are using the online version of Office, it defaults to a simplified Single Line Ribbon. If you want options that are closer to the full functionality of the Desktop version of the app, you can change the Ribbon Layout. To do this, use the drop down at the far right side of the ribbon and click on Classic Ribbon
NOTE: The Classic Ribbon isn't exactly the same as the ribbon in the desktop app, but it is much closer.
Word Pro Tips
Read Aloud/Immersive Reader - You can catch a lot of problems with your writing by listening to it be read aloud. If you don't have someone around who can help with that, Word can do it for you.
- In the Desktop version of Word, click on the Review Ribbon, then on the Read Aloud button
- In the Online version, click on the View Ribbon then on Immersive Reader
Headings for Accessibility and Organization - It is easy to adjust the formatting by making text bigger or bold, but using styles to do that can also help with organization and accessibility. The images below show how to apply styles in both the online and desktop versions of Word. You can also learn more about styles here: Word: Applying and Modifying Styles Links to an external site.
| Style Online | Style Desktop |
PowerPoint Pro Tips
Presenter view to see notes - PowerPoint has a Presenter View, which allows you to see your Presentation on one screen, with controls and notes on another. While this may not seem useful if you only have a laptop and no additional screen, you can still use Presenter View to practice, and if you are giving the presentation in a classroom, you can have the presentation projected and the notes on the screen in front of you. You can also use Presenter view in Zoom - just share the window with the presentation. You will still see the notes, but the audience will only see the presentation. A screenshot of presentation view is shown below.
Rehearse with Coach - Once you have created your PowerPoint, you have the option of using "Rehearse with Coach" to practice your presentation. This AI enabled coach will give you feedback as you present and a summary at the end. The video below will show how this works.
Excel Pro Tips
Excel is not as intuitive as Word or PowerPoint, so if you haven't used it before but need it for a course, it is a good idea to spend a little time learning about the program. The GCF Global resource mentioned above, has a series of tutorials on Excel Links to an external site. (they are text and video).
Formulas and Functions - Formulas and functions let you perform calculations and analyze data in Excel. Formulas can add, subtract, multiply, or divide numbers, while functions like SUM, AVERAGE, and COUNT make it easy to work with large sets of data. Excel has hundreds of built-in functions to help you save time and reduce errors. You can learn more about Excel Formulas here: Excel Formulas Links to an external site.
AutoFill - AutoFill lets you quickly fill a series of cells with data that follows a pattern-like numbers, dates, days of the week, or even formulas. Just enter the starting values, select them, and drag the fill handle (the small square at the corner of your selection) to automatically continue the pattern. You can learn more about AutoFill here: Microsoft Support: Fill data automatically in worksheet cells Links to an external site.
Charts - Excel can quickly and easily turn data into charts. You can learn more about how to do this here: Charts in Excel Links to an external site.