My Semester in Office 2013

Well I would like to start off the last blog that I will post in this class by saying, " this wasn't what I
signed up for. Let me explain when I signed up for this class I didn't pay much attention to what it was about .I thought I was taking a class on basic computer knowledge. What a surprise when I got my book from the school store and saw it was all on Microsoft Office 2013.Now don't get me wrong. I'm never against trying and learning new things I 'm in school for goodness sakes! However even though I have used Microsoft Word in the past I have never dealt with Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Access before in any shape, form, or fashion. Needless to say it has been quite a learning experience!
When I started the class I thought it would be simple ,but I must admit I struggled in parts in it and lost interest somewhat mainly because of discouragement, but then I realized that I have made it this far there was no way I planned on turning back now, so I stuck to my guns. What I learned was really something beneficial to me in the long run. All of these I will and do need now on my job and in the future if and when I find a better job or start my own business.

I think if I could've done anything different It would have been trying harder in class and on my projects, not getting discouraged like I did, but that would have been the things I would do differently. My instructor was excellent in explaining and going over projects and helping if called on.
Down the road as all of us know by now.
Computers and software are going nowhere! They are a mainstay for many years to come, so I will continue to learn more technologies as they come along and software. I think my strengths in this class were Microsoft Outlook ,Microsoft Word, and my weaknesses were definitely the ones I had never used before such as; Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Access. I feel with more time on them and on job experience with them I will get a better understanding of how they work. What seemed to be a negative outlook when I started turned into optimism because this knowledge and understanding can only help me in my future. It was a great experience, one that I can take with me and use it for the rest of my life in whatever or wherever the road leads me on this journey called life.

Access Blog Post

Microsoft Access is database software that allows the user to manipulate large amounts of data. The different components and features of Access lend to its easy-to-use, quick-learn format and make it beneficial for small and large office environments.

Three benefits of using Microsoft Access 2013 are;
1)Because Access is user-friendly and incorporates features that are used across other Microsoft Office applications, the learning curve is not very steep. Wizards make it easier to create an operational database in less than an hour

2)Large amounts of data can be integrated into the database without sacrificing performance. 
3)Information that is already available can be simply imported into the database; or, as stated earlier, the data can be keyed directly into the database. In a large office environment, Access can be programmed to take information from the enterprise resource software.

http://www.ehow.com/facts_4963940_benefits-using-microsoft-access.html

1)SQL=Structured Query Language (SQL), to manage the data and give users the information they are looking for

2)Field Lists=Small windows that display field names

3)Query grid=The lower pane in query design view

4)Syntax=Rules that determine how criteria are entered

5)Is Null=Criteria that finds all records where no entry has been made in the field

I could use access for charting weight loss program as well as financial reports like budget at home.

Forget Big Brother! Retailers Are Watching Your Every Move.

Retailers from some of your favorite name brands are using technology these days to spy on consumers. We will discuss three ways this is happening in this weeks blog post.
1)Mannequin spying-Retailers place a small camera in the eye of a store mannequin to spy on consumers.
They do this because it helps them to personalize their offers as growth slows.
They help brands know their customers better and also give insight into what men/women want to purchase.

2)RFID TAGS(Radio Frequency Identification Chip)-A wireless use of electromagnetic fields
to transfer data, for purposes of automatically identifying and tracking tags attached to objects.
A RFID tag gives a retailer great visibility to know where a product is.
Inventories are getting done in less time and with more accuracy.

3)Cell Phone Tracking By Malls-This is done by following Wi-Fi signals from their smartphones.
The reason Retailers do this is to learn more about customers shopping habits.
It also helps them come up with new ideas like changing store layouts, and offering store coupons.

Now of course many say including privacy groups that this type of retail spying is walking a thin line with invasion of privacy. It also could raise some legal and ethical issues and it can appear a little too creepy.

References

Bionic Mannequins Spy on Shoppers to Boost Luxury Sales

By Andrew Roberts Nov 21, 2012

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-19/bionic-mannequins-spy-on-shoppers-to-boost-luxury-sales.html

The Wall Street Journal

Zara Builds Its Business Around RFID

'Fast Fashion' Meets Smarter Inventory; Retailer Learns From Others' Mistakes

By

Christopher Bjork

http://online.wsj.com/articles/at-zara-fast-fashion-meets-smarter-inventory-1410884519

The New York Times

Attention, Shoppers: Store Is Tracking Your Cell

By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD and QUENTIN HARDY

Published: July 14, 2013

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/15/business/attention-shopper-stores-are-tracking-your-cell.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

The wonders of OneDrive(Formally known as SkyDrive)

As I wrote in an earlier blog post titled "
The Sky's The Limit" (File Storage) Cloud storage is one of the many types of
file storage methods you can use.
This is definitely the future of file storage. Gone are the days of HDD'S.
There is no carrying around bulky equipment ,or tiny flash drives.
The storage is online for you to upload whatever the need is. You can access anywhere there is WI-fi or an internet connection. With use on laptops ,tablets, and smartphones. This makes the cloud so appealing to many users today and its easy use makes it an even better alternative.

File Storage-The Sky's The Limit

In todays world of ever changing technology there are so many choices for storing your files.
Gone are the days of floppy disk, cd and DVD media, the dreaded jazz disk (ugh) even 5 1/4 floppy LOL!
I threw that one in for giggles. Now there are  HDD's  on every desktop laptop ,portable hard drives, flash drives, and now the cloud or online storage that you can access anywhere you have a pc, laptop, smartphone, tablet  etc. and internet access. While all of these work extremely well and are very portable they all have small advantages or disadvantages lets take a look at these options to see which is best for you.
 HDD's -on laptops and desktop computers-really its tried and true perhaps the only thing as a draw back is carrying around a laptop everywhere you go, and if your HDD was to go bad and you lose all data .

Taking us to the next option portable HDD's. These are compact some the size of your palm. Once again maybe the few drawbacks are a failed USB cable preventing communication from HDD to pc or failed HDD.

Flash drives are very tiny and can fit in your pocket, keychain, shirt pocket etc. They are very easy to use and can plug in to any tablet, pc, or laptop that has USB ports on it and they vary in sizes and the prices are very reasonable a great choice.

Lastly the new standard and future of storing files. "The Cloud" or online storage.
There are a lot of options for online storage and they all offer plenty of space for storing your files etc.
You can access your cloud anywhere you have internet access on a tablet, desktop pc, smartphone, and  laptop. The few drawbacks are the chance though slim that someone could hack into your cloud, or your internet go out all over the country LOL! but all in all this is the future of file storage and most likely the safest. In that being said I would recommend two options first have a USB flash drive on hand you never know if you will need it, and last embrace the future of the cloud and enjoy not having your hard drive space dwindle down on your desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Hi my name is Tony Dockery. I'm an Associate Minister at Ramseur Baptist Church in Shelby,NC.
I have decided after all these years to go to school.I'm seeking an Associate in Business Administration for better jobs opportunities. I'm hoping to learn as much as I can in this class and have a better understanding on how to use Office 2013.I hope to one day own my own business and every bit of knowledge is valuable to me.