Course Outlines - Hyslop & Associates - Computer Training School

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Hands-On Computer Classes

Windows & Internet Workshops
Microsoft Office
Database & Project Management Workshops
Desktop Management Tools
Spreadsheet Programs
Desktop Publishing & Presentation Programs
Word Processing Workshops
Accounting & Miscellaneous Workshops

Windows & Internet Workshops

Microsoft Windows Module I: Introduction to PCs

Are you looking to learn computer basics but not sure where to start? This workshop is designed for people who want to learn how to operate a PC, understand the Windows operating system, find what programs are in the computer and what to use them for. Participants will learn to open multiple applications, switch windows, and copy/paste text and graphics. Additional topics include an overview of computer hardware including memory (RAM), using a hard drive, CD-ROM, CD-RW (burner), DVD, tape drives, and USB devices (known as flash drive or memory stick).

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: None
Cost: $150

Microsoft Windows Module II: Windows File Management

This workshop is designed for users who have been working with Windows. Topics include using the Windows Explorer to move, copy, rename and delete files; copy files between drives or folders; create new folders; display folder contents; expand and collapse folders. Participants will learn to customize the Windows environment by changing the Start menu and Taskbar options; wallpaper and desktop patterns; screen savers; screen colors; change mouse settings; add/remove software; and create shortcut folders and application icons on the desktop.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Windows Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Using Email and the Internet

This workshop will discuss the basic information a user needs to work with Email. The instructor will discuss the different types of Email programs, assist the student in creating a web-based Email account at yahoo or Gmail. Hands-on practice demonstrates how to send and receive Email messages, attach files to a message, manage Email folders, send with pictures and maintain an address book. Additional topics include navigating the Internet, using search engines to find information on the Internet and bookmarking favorite sites.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: Intro to PC (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Database Workshops

Microsoft Access Module I: Introduction to Databases

Access is the database application included with Microsoft Office Professional. This course will demonstrate how to create and maintain a simple database. Hands-on instructions will include an overview of opening and moving around database objects; previewing and printing tables and reports; working with table layouts; adding and changing information in a table; adding information with a form; defining a new table; using the clipboard to copy data; finding and replacing information in a table. An introduction to filtering and sorting information will be discussed.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: Windows Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Access Module II: Basic Queries, Forms and Reports

This course is designed for people who have been working with Access and need more detailed information on working with forms, reports and queries. Topics will include filtering and sorting records; filter and query criteria; using the form wizard and query wizard; designing select queries; and using the report wizard to create reports.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Access Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Access Module III: Designing Forms

This course introduces the features used to create and customize Access forms. Specific topics include establishing table relationships; adding and editing controls; enhancing a form using combo boxes, list boxes, group options and other special controls; and setting properties in a form.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Access Module II (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Access Module IV: Reports & Select Queries

Access Module IV discusses tools needed to create and customize database reports using formatting and grouping & summarizing. Other topics include importing objects; linking external tables; changing table field properties; enhancing select queries.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Access Module III (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Desktop Management Tools

Microsoft Outlook Module I: Basic Desktop Management Tools

Microsoft Outlook is a complete desktop management application. This workshop will include an overview of the different desktop tools including using E-mail, tracking appointments in the Calendar, keeping a Task List for “to do” items, using the Contacts module to maintain addresses and phone numbers, and creating sticky Notes to record important information.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Windows Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Outlook Module II: Beyond the Basics

This workshop is designed for people who use Microsoft Outlook on a regular basis and want to utilize some of the interactive tools of Outlook. Specific topics will include creating distribution lists, using voting buttons, working with signature files and Out of Office assistant, creating and using rules, integrate Outlook contacts with Microsoft Word to create envelopes and letters, use field chooser and customize views in Outlook, and set up and use the Journal feature to track activities you want recorded on a timeline.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Outlook Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Office

Understanding Microsoft Office Applications

Microsoft Office has become the standard in today's business world. This class provides an overview of each of the applications in the Microsoft Office suite. Students will receive approximately 45 minutes of hands-on practice in each application to get a basic idea of "what is" a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation program, desktop publishing, database and accounting program. Specific programs used will include Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Publisher and Outlook. A brief discussion of QuickBooks accounting will also be provided.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: Intro to PCs (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Office 2007 Overview "What's New & Different?"

Have you recently upgraded to Office 2007 or thinking about whether you should make the change? During this 3-hour class, the instructor will provide an overview of what's new and different in Microsoft Office 2007. Students will work with sample files in Word, Excel and PowerPoint to increase their confidence and comfort with the new look. Specific topics will include using the ribbon, tabs & quick access bar; becoming familiar with new tools such as the mini toolbar, live preview, building blocks, themes & pinning files in the recent documents list. Special attention is given to the important of saving files to compatibility mode when sending files to other users. The instructor also discuss features that have changed significantly -- Word tables, mail merge, Excel charts, pivot tables and autofilter.

Course Length: 3 hours
Prerequisite: None
Cost: $75

Microsoft Office: Integrating Applications

In this 6-hour workshop the participant will learn how to transfer data between the programs included in the Microsoft Office suite. Specific topics will include:

Creating form letters, envelopes & labels in Word using contacts from Outlook.
Mail merging data from Excel to Word to create personalized letters or mailing labels.
Creating links for charts and data between Excel and PowerPoint or Word files that will update automatically.
Create hypertext links from one application to another.
Transferring data between Excel spreadsheets and an Access database.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: None
Cost: $150
Instructor: Connie Hyslop

Spreadsheet Programs

Microsoft Excel Module I: Introduction to Spreadsheets

This course introduces the basics of Excel for Windows, offers tips and tricks, and includes in-depth instructions on creating, editing, and formatting a spreadsheet. Instructions are reinforced by extensive hands-on exercises. Participants will learn to control screen layout options; create, save, open, close, print and preview workbooks; edit data and use undo; select and move around the spreadsheet efficiently; move and copy text and formulas; use the fill handle to copy or create a series; insert and delete cells, columns and rows; format columns, text and numbers; control cell alignment; write basic formulas; and control basic page setup including margins, paper size, gridlines, headers and footers.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Windows Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Excel Module II: Multiple Sheets, Formulas & Formatting

This course is designed for the person who wants to use advanced formatting to enhance the appearance of spreadsheets, work with multiple sheets in a file and gain more practice in formula writing. Specific topics include advanced numeric formatting; horizontal and vertical alignment; borders, patterns and color. The student will learn to work with multiple sheets by renaming, moving, copying, deleting, grouping and linking formulas between sheets. In addition linking formulas between multiple files; viewing multiple sheets/files and freezing titles will be discussed. Formula features include using Paste Function and AutoSum to write formulas; working with relative and absolute addressing; using Trace Precedents and Trace Dependents to find errors; and using range names in formulas.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Excel Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Excel Module III: Creating and Customizing Charts

During this workshop participants will learn to create embedded charts and chart sheets, understand chart components, use chart AutoFormats, move or resize an embedded chart, add new information to a chart, change the chart type and format, customize the chart axes, legend, titles, data markers, gridlines, plot area and add notes or arrows to a chart. An overview of drawing toolbar features will be discussed including creating objects and working with Autoshapes; rotate or align objects; create text boxes; enhance object appearance by changing colors; add a shadow or 3-dimension effect; create different types of arrow objects; layering objects; and group/ungroup objects in a spreadsheet.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Excel Module II (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Excel Module IV: Formulas, Templates, Tips and Timesavers

This course includes extensive hands-on practice in writing and copying formulas; working with absolute and mixed addressing; and understanding formula arguments. Participants will learn to customize the Excel environment by creating custom lists that can be recalled using the fill handle; customize toolbars; define and apply formats using cell styles, conditional formatting and AutoFormats; create and modify worksheet templates; protect a workbook from changes, track changes and create basic macros.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Excel Module II (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Excel Module V: Databases & Logical Functions

This course is designed for people who have mastered the basics and want to begin using the power of Excel. Students will learn in a hands-on environment how to use Excel database features including sorting information; use a list as a database; create database function formulas; work with the data form; use criteria to find records; filter data to show specific records; calculate automatic database subtotals and totals; and define a criterion range. In addition, conditional IF statements; vertical and horizontal lookups and pivot tables will be covered.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Excel Module II (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Desktop Publishing & Presentation Programs

Microsoft Publisher: Introduction to the Desktop Publishing

This course demonstrates how Publisher templates can be used to create impressive looking documents including brochures, newsletters, greeting cards, ads, signs, invitations, gift certificates and more. The user will learn how to control different types of objects including text frames, WordArt, Clipart, basic and custom shapes. Grouping, layering, and rotating objects will also be discussed.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Windows Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Publisher: Holiday Theme

The holidays are approaching quickly. Enroll in this workshop to learn how to use Publisher to create gifts and holiday publications. Students will learn how to create personalized Christmas letters with seasonal borders and graphics, Christmas cards with photographs, and how to create gifts for the holidays including family calendars, personal stationery or photo magnets.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Windows Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft PowerPoint Module I: Introduction to the Presentations

PowerPoint is used to create on-screen presentations, printed handouts for a meeting, or overhead slides. The graphics capability in PowerPoint will enable you to create dazzling presentations in little time. Topics will include creating a presentation; saving, closing, and opening files; selecting, editing, and undoing; working with bullets; moving and copying using the clipboard; using drag and drop; PowerPoint view modes; print handouts and notes pages; format characters, paragraphs and bullets; format painter; insert clipart; grouping and ungrouping objects; using design templates; controlling slide show effects; and using the Auto-Content wizard.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Windows Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft PowerPoint Module II: Working with Objects

This course is designed for people who have been using PowerPoint and would like to learn more about customizing presentations and including different types of objects in a presentation. Topics include drawing objects; changing object attributes; delete, or copy an object; managing multiple objects; rotate or flip an object; grouping and ungrouping; change stacking order; modifying the slide master; change the background and color scheme; create a table; work with autoshapes; create templates; use the grid, guides, and ruler; create a graph; and setting presentation defaults.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS PowerPoint Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Word Processing Workshops

Microsoft Word Module I: Introduction to Word Processing

This course introduces the basics of Word for Windows, offers tips and tricks, and includes in-depth instructions on formatting a document and using correction tools. Instructions are reinforced by extensive hands-on exercises. Participants will learn to create, save, open, close, print and preview documents; control screen options including view modes, toolbars, ruler, and scroll bars; select text and move quickly through a document; use multiple undo and redo; move or copy text using cut/paste and drag/drop; specify character size, style, color, attributes and special effects; use spell check and AutoCorrect; specify page setup for document margins, paper size, vertical page alignment, and page breaks in a document; and create individual envelopes and labels.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Windows Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Word Module II: Formatting Documents

Word Module II teaches the user how to enhance the appearance of documents using paragraph and section formatting. Specific topics include using Format Painter and the highlight feature; indent paragraphs, change line spacing and alignment options; set custom tabs, change tab alignment and use leaders; add borders, shading, and drop caps; control bullets and automatic numbering for paragraphs; use special symbols; and control page and section breaks.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Word Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Word Module III: Working with Long Documents

This workshop is intended for people who work with large documents. Topics include using search tools; page numbering and field codes; headers and footers; document styles; automatically generating a Table of Contents; cross references; comparing documents and marking revisions; adding non-printing document comments; and managing footnotes.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Word Module II (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Word Module IV: Tables, Forms and Templates

This module is designed for people who want to create templates for repetitive type documents and use the table feature to create lists or forms. The user will learn in a hands-on environment how to create and manage tables by inserting/deleting columns or rows; adjust column width and spacing; change the text direction; control borders, shading and color; split and merge cells; draw and erase cell borders; perform table calculations; sort text or numbers; and use Table AutoFormat to create complex tables. Additional topics will include creating fill-in form documents with tables or form letters; creating and using templates; and customizing toolbars.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Word Module II (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Word Module V: Creating Newsletters and Working with Graphics

Now that you have mastered the basics, you may want to use Word to create newsletters, certificates, invitations or announcements. This class demonstrates in a hands-on environment how to format a document into newspaper columns; add a Drop Cap or page border; insert pictures from the Clipart Gallery; create WordArt objects; use the drawing toolbar to create objects and work with Autoshapes; rotate or align objects; create text boxes; enhance object appearance by changing colors; add a shadow or 3-D effect; create different types of arrow objects; group/ungroup objects and control the layering of objects in a document.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Word Module II (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Microsoft Word Module VI: Macros and Mail Merge

The Mail Merge feature is used to create customized form letters or maintain a mailing list to create labels and envelopes. Specific topics will include creating a form letter with merge codes; maintaining a database of names, addresses, etc.; merge to labels or envelopes; create a catalog or list; use Queries to select data; sort data files alphabetically or numerically; and merge a Word document with data from Microsoft Access or Excel. Additional topics include creating AutoText entries to recall repetitive blocks of text; and creating Macros to play repetitive keystrokes.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Word Module II (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

Accounting & Miscellaneous Workshops

Using a Digital Camera & Editing with Photoshop Elements

You've learned how to take pictures. What do you do next? This six hour workshop will help you understand the capabilities of your equipment, and how to effectively pass your digital photographs into the computer. This class will provide step-by-step instructions on how to use Adobe PhotoShop Elements to transfer and edit pictures, control the size and quality of images, crop, adjust brightness and contrast, and how to organize your hard drive so that you don't lose your pictures. The instructor will also demonstrate how to touch up photos and remove areas of a photo using the clone feature (yes, we can take people out!). Additional topics include options for printing your pictures or Emailing them to friends.

Course Length: 6 hours
Prerequisite: MS Windows Module I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $150

QuickBooks Professional I: Introduction to Automated Accounting

QuickBooks is the leading accounting program for small businesses. In this workshop, learn how to create and customize a new QuickBooks company. Start by gathering information and learn in easy steps how to track your company accounts. Participants will customize the chart of accounts by adding or deleting expense & income accounts; setup items, services, inventory & non-inventory parts; create users and set password protection. Backup and restoring a company file will also be discussed.

Course Length: 3 hours
Prerequisite: MS Windows I (or equivalent experience)
Cost: $75

QuickBooks Professional II – Customers, Sales & Inventory

In this workshop, learn how to track and report customer activities. Topics include adding new customers and editing customer data; create estimates and invoices; apply payments to an invoice and create sales receipts; handle undeposited funds; track refunds and create credit memos; and print monthly statements. Participants will learn how to run customer activity reports including customer balance summaries, summary of open invoices, aging and collection reports.