Microsoft tools (Teams, outlook, etc)

[azucena]

As my company continues to insert Microsoft Teams into our workflow, I'm trying to figure out an efficient way to get up to speed on it. I haven't seen any internal training come through even though I asked about it a couple of months ago. I want to go from novice user to medium.

Got me thinking about other software like Outlook, Word, and even Excel. I'd consider myself a medium user of Outlook and Word. Looking for advanced tools that would help me be more efficient without spending hours going thru online training or reading manuals.

I'm more of an advanced Excel user given the nature of my actuarial career living in spreadsheets, but I'm still probably behind on enhancements that have come out in the last 5 yrs or so.

How does someone in her mid-40s with a full workload and very limited personal time go about staying relevant with software updates?

[stillmovingforward]

I ask the younger people I work with to help me even though I could figure it out on my own. While teaching me one trick, I often learn about 3 or 4 other cool items to dig into. And it makes the younger members of our team feel like I'm open minded and approachable. So they are more likely to ask and accept my direction on other problems.
They have some cool skills to contribute.

[Opti]

You could also see if there are any virtual classes through the library or books to check out. And whoever helps you need not be young. Someone who is good with teams or whatever, is who I would ask.

[azucena]

Jan 14, 2022 12:51:10 GMT -5 stillmovingforward said:

I ask the younger people I work with to help me even though I could figure it out on my own. While teaching me one trick, I often learn about 3 or 4 other cool items to dig into. And it makes the younger members of our team feel like I'm open minded and approachable. So they are more likely to ask and accept my direction on other problems.
They have some cool skills to contribute.

Harder to do in a virtual world, so I think this is part of why I feel like I'm falling behind faster after the last two years.

Open to virtual classes and books - just hoping someone can point me to better ones.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I google whatever I am needing help with and tend to find a YouTube video that walks me through it. I can have it open in a tab next to the sheet and walk myself through the process in tandem pausing as much as I need.  I learn software by doing not by reading, you make me read a textbook about it and good luck getting me to operate it.  I need the motor memory.

There are probably thousands of free tutorial videos out there just find the version you want.


I'll be honest I am not overly concerned with being up to date on every detail of Microsoft Office at this point because by the time I am they are going to change it again anyhow.  If it's relevant for my job or a potential job I will figure it out.  Otherwise meh I am fine with certain aspects of Excel forever remaining magical voodoo to me.

[Lizard Queen]

I took some Excel classes online through my local CC. My CC did not create these classes, and they were quite a bit cheaper than their regular classes they offer for credit. It was quite a bit better than Coursera. Unfortunately, I forgot much of what I learned because I didn't use it for years.
I know they also had classes on the other Microsoft products.

I actually printed out my stuff for future reference. It was called ed2go.

[azucena]

It's more that I don't know what I don't know especially in regards to anything that could make me more efficient as the workload keeps growing but the number of people stays the same.

[honeysalt]

As a lady in her 40's that has to stay up to date on software, I recommend Udemy.  It is a platform for people to sell instructional videos.  They are inexpensive, rated by students and often have workbooks/example data bases, so that you can apply what you learn. Courses are inexpensive $10 and can be done at your own pace.  

[honeysalt]

Jan 14, 2022 15:42:00 GMT -5 azucena said:

It's more that I don't know what I don't know especially in regards to anything that could make me more efficient as the workload keeps growing but the number of people stays the same.

You said that you were a solid excel user.  Power BI would probably be a great place to focus your learning if you want to optimize efficiency.  Reporting done is excel can be automated with a data connection.  Nominal additional cost if you don't have a Power BI seat at your organization. 

[justme]

I have no idea of the cost because work pays for it, but I've done a lot of stuff on coursera.

I'll second the power bi. I fucking hate it compared to other software like it, but it's a great tool to learn and a lot of companies use it because to a certain point is free with office 365. And if you're heavy into excel switching to power bi could help with some things.

[wvugurl26]

I use Teams. I'm wracking my brain trying to think of how it could improve tracking/making do with less.

We use it primarily for chat, meetings, and we create groups and share files. Our weekly tracking log is stored on there.

[azucena]

Jan 14, 2022 16:08:40 GMT -5 honeysalt said:

Jan 14, 2022 15:42:00 GMT -5 azucena said:

It's more that I don't know what I don't know especially in regards to anything that could make me more efficient as the workload keeps growing but the number of people stays the same.

You said that you were a solid excel user.  Power BI would probably be a great place to focus your learning if you want to optimize efficiency.  Reporting done is excel can be automated with a data connection.  Nominal additional cost if you don't have a Power BI seat at your organization. 

I have underlings who do the heavy data lifting using power pivots and tableau.

[Lizard Queen]

Jan 15, 2022 1:42:00 GMT -5 justme said:

I have no idea of the cost because work pays for it, but I've done a lot of stuff on coursera.

I'll second the power bi. I fucking hate it compared to other software like it, but it's a great tool to learn and a lot of companies use it because to a certain point is free with office 365. And if you're heavy into excel switching to power bi could help with some things.

If it hasn't changed too much recently,  it was around $89 per class, but many classes can be audited for free. Their free option used to be much better (and easier to find), but it has gotten more limited. Still, 0 out of pocket is worth checking out. 

[honeysalt]

Jan 15, 2022 12:40:35 GMT -5 azucena said:

Jan 14, 2022 16:08:40 GMT -5 honeysalt said:

You said that you were a solid excel user.  Power BI would probably be a great place to focus your learning if you want to optimize efficiency.  Reporting done is excel can be automated with a data connection.  Nominal additional cost if you don't have a Power BI seat at your organization. 

I have underlings who do the heavy data lifting using power pivots and tableau.

Completely agree that there is no utility in using Power BI if your organization is already using Tableau. 

IMO, there isn't much opportunity for leverage/optimizing time by learning more in Outlook or Word. 

I'd spend 10 minutes per day learning one new Teams function - I think you will get the most leverage there. 

One example is converting internal support tickets/problem solving communication from emails to teams conversations.  This has helped us socialize institutional knowledge. 

Example - tech/data/whatever team has internal problem X.  Amy and Bob tasked with solving. 

Amy and Bob communicate via their departments dedicated support channel in Teams sharing questions, screen shots, ideas and eventually, the solution.

John and Susan encounter the same internal problem X 3 months later.  They can search for problem X in teams and access all of Amy and Bob's work in a way they couldn't had this been done via email.  It took some time/discipline to change the habit loop from email to Teams for solving internal problems, but it has paid off.

While we also use other software - such as Trello - to plan and document, we can link the Teams conversation in Trello when we need the background details.