Second Edition
Frequently asked questions and instructor notes
All our courses assume that each student has a personal computer to use during the class. Our hands-on approach to learning requires they do. This topic gives information on how to set up the classroom to teach this course. It includes minimum requirements for the students’ personal computers, setup information for the first time you teach the class, and setup information for each time that you teach after the first time you set up the classroom.
Student computer requirements
Each student’s personal computer should have:
· A keyboard and a mouse
· Pentium 233 MHz processor (or higher)
· At least 128 MB RAM
· At least 400 MB of available hard drive space
· CD-ROM drive
· SVGA monitor (800´600 minimum resolution support)
· A printer driver (An actual printer is not required, but students will not be able to use the Page Break Preview feature in Unit 1 unless a driver is installed.)
· Internet access, if you want to download the Student Data files from www.courseilt.com, and for downloading the latest updates and service packs from www.windowsupdate.com
First-time setup instructions
The first time you teach this course, you will need to perform the following steps to set up each student computer.
1 Install Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional on an NTFS partition according to the software manufacturer’s instructions. Then, install the latest critical updates and service packs from www.windowsupdate.com. (You can also use Windows XP Professional, although the screen shots in this course were taken using Windows 2000, so students’ screens might look somewhat different.)
2 Adjust the computer’s display properties as follows:
a Open the Control Panel and double-click Display to open the Display Properties dialog box.
b On the Settings tab, change the Colors setting to True Color (24 bit or 32 bit) and the Screen area to 800 by 600 pixels.
c On the Appearance tab, set the Scheme to Windows Classic.
d Click OK. If you are prompted to accept the new settings, click OK and click Yes. Then, if necessary, close the Display Properties dialog box.
3 Adjust the computer’s Internet settings as follows:
a On the desktop, right-click the Internet Explorer icon and choose Properties to open the Internet Properties dialog box.
b On the Connections tab, click Setup to start the Internet Connection Wizard.
c Click Cancel. A message box will appear.
d Check “Do not show the Internet Connection wizard in the future” and click Yes.
e Re-open the Internet Properties dialog box.
f On the General tab, click Use Blank, click Apply, and click OK.
4 If necessary, install a printer driver. If a printer was connected to the computer during the installation of Windows, there will be a driver installed for that printer. If not, you should install a standard PostScript printer driver, such as the HP LaserJet 5.
5 Install Microsoft Office 2003 according to the software manufacturer’s instructions, as follows:
a When prompted for the CD key, enter the 25-character code included with your software.
b Select the Custom installation option and click Next.
c Clear all check boxes except Microsoft Excel.
d Select “Choose advanced customization of applications” and click Next.
e Next to Microsoft Office Excel for Windows, click the drop-down arrow and choose Run all from My Computer.
f Next to Office Shared Features, click the drop-down arrow and choose Run all from My Computer.
g Click Next. Then, click Install to start the installation.
h When the installation has completed successfully, click Finish.
6 If necessary, download the Student Data files for the course. You can download the data directly to student machines, to a central location on your own network, or to a disk.
a Connect to www.courseilt.com/instructor_tools.html.
b Click the link for Microsoft Excel 2003 to display a page of course listings, and then click the link for Excel 2003: Intermediate, 2nd Edition.
c Click the link for downloading the Student Data files, and then follow the instructions that appear on your screen.
7 Copy the data files to the Student Data folder.
8 Configure Windows Explorer to show hidden files and folders.
a Start Windows Explorer.
b Choose Tools, Folder Options, and then activate the View tab.
c Under Advanced settings, select “Show hidden files and folders.”
d Click OK and then close Windows Explorer.
9 Start Excel. Then, turn off the Office Assistant, as follows:
a If the Office Assistant is not displayed, choose Help, Show the Office Assistant.
b Right-click the Office Assistant and choose Options to open the Office Assistant dialog box.
c Clear Use the Office Assistant and click OK.
10 Dock the Formatting toolbar below the Standard toolbar.
11 Hide the Language Bar. To do so:
a Click Start and choose Settings, Control Panel.
b Double-click Text Services to open the Text Services dialog box.
c Under Preference, click the Language Bar button to open the Language Bar settings dialog box.
d Clear Show the language bar on the desktop.
e Click OK.
12 Display the Borders toolbar, and then dock it below the Formatting toolbar.
13 Close any open task panes. To close the Startup task pane:
a Choose Tools, Options to open the Options dialog box.
b Activate the View tab.
c Clear Startup Task Pane
d Click OK.
14 Set Excel’s default file location to C:\Student Data, as follows:
a Choose Tools, Options to open the Options dialog box.
b Activate the General tab.
c In the Default file location box, enter C:\Student Data.
d Click OK.
15 Close Excel.
Setup instructions for every class
Every time you teach this course, you will need to perform the following steps to set up each student computer.
1 Start Excel. Then, turn off the Office Assistant, as follows:
a If the Office Assistant is not displayed, choose Help, Show the Office Assistant.
b Right-click the Office Assistant and choose Options to open the Office Assistant dialog box.
c Clear Use the Office Assistant and click OK.
2 Drag the Formatting toolbar below the Standard toolbar.
3 Apply the following settings for Smart Menus:
a Choose Tools, Customize to open the Customize dialog box.
b Activate the Options tab and clear “Always show full menus.”
c Click “Reset menu and toolbar usage data.”
d Close the dialog box.
4 Set the Recently used file list entries to 4. Here’s how:
a Choose Tools, Options, and then activate the General tab.
b Check “Recently used file list” and set the number of entries to 4.
c Open and close at least four files on each student machine so that students can view four file names during each activity.
5 If necessary, configure Excel to display zero values, as follows:
a Choose Tools, Options.
b Activate the View tab.
c Check Zero Values.
d Click OK.
6 Delete the custom template that was created in Unit 8, Activity B-1.
7 Remove the Erase Border option from the Format menu.
8 Close any open task panes.
9 Reset any other defaults that have been changed in previous classes.
10 Close Excel.
11 Delete the contents of the Student Data folder, if necessary. (If this is the first time you’re teaching the course, create a folder called Student Data at the root of the hard drive.)
12 Copy the data files to the Student Data folder. (See the download instructions in the preceding section.)
CertBlaster test preparation for Microsoft Office Specialist certification
Students interested in attaining Microsoft Office Specialist certification can download CertBlaster test preparation software for Excel 2003 from the Course ILT Web site. To do so:
1 Go to www.courseilt.com/certblaster.
2 Click the link for Excel 2003.
3 Save the .EXE file to a folder on your hard drive. (Note: If you skip this step, the CertBlaster software will not install correctly.)
4 Click Start and choose Run.
5 Click Browse and then navigate to the folder that contains the .EXE file.
6 Select the .EXE file and click Open.
7 Click OK and follow the on-screen instructions. When prompted for the password, enter c_excel.
Topic B: Frequently asked questions
There are no frequently asked questions for this course at this time.
Topic C: Course notes
In April, 2006, we discovered that the old dates in the Unit 4 data files led to undesirable results. The downloadable data files for the course have been corrected, and the disc files will be corrected for a future reprint. You might notice very small discrepancies between dates you see when using the new data files and those shown in two of the screenshots in Unit 4.
Topic D: Additional information
There is no additional information for this course at this time.