Office 2013 Bible: The Comprehensive Tutorial Resource

Chapter 2

Navigating in Office

IN THIS CHAPTER

Taking a look at the new Office

Locating and using tools in Office applications

Understanding the Start screen and File tab (Backstage)

Managing the Ribbon

Learning about new touch gestures

Reviewing application option settings

Working with a dialog box

The Microsoft Office 2013 programs have been retooled and updated to help you get things done faster. Underneath its streamlined new look, Office integrates smoothly with the new features built into the Windows 8 operating system and Windows 8 devices, though you can use Office on a Windows 7 system, too. (It also runs on Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012, but this book limits coverage to using Office on the end user versions of Windows.)

Office 2013 keeps the Ribbon interface found in the 2007 and 2010 versions. Its significant improvements show up elsewhere within individual applications. Even if you know the Ribbon, there’s a lot to discover about Office in this book. This chapter kicks it off with leading you through a tour of common operations you’ll need to perform in any Office application.

The Office Look

In redesigning Windows 8, Microsoft incorporated a sleeker look that would be at home on either tablets or PCs, added greater integration with cloud-based features such as SkyDrive, and built in even more social media functionality. You don’t have to spend much time working in the new Office to find that it follows the lead of Windows 8:

• Sleeker look: As shown ...