Kelly LaForest

When I mention using “Windows Explorer” in class, I often find myself in a sea of blank looks or furrowed brows, particularly by information workers or management who are not fluent in the language of computers. For those that speak geek,  this description makes perfect sense: For those that don’t, here’s my attempt to explain to explain what the heck I’m talking about, …

Recently I had a few colleagues complaining that the Microsoft OneNote hyperlinks I was sending them via Outlook emails and Lync instant messages weren’t working. One of two things was happening: 1. The Notebook was opening to the correct section, but not to the correct page, and they’d need to look back at the link …

I love keyboard shortcuts! My top three favourite keyboard shortcuts that I use every single day and could not live without are: Ctrl + K Windows + S Windows + right arrow / left arrow I spent the majority of my workday toggling between Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Lync, and Microsoft SharePoint – but the one program I never shut down – even …

I use this blog to act as a repository of useful technology tips and tricks – not only for you, but for myself. If I don’t use a trick every day I tend to forget the steps and find myself straining to remember and end up wasting a bunch of time on Google looking for …

I use Quick Notes in OneNote every single day via the Send to OneNote feature to jot down bits of information that I don’t want to misplace or accidentally close without saving (i.e. the great Notepad disaster of September 2013). Up until recently I thought there was no way to “convert” a Quick Note to a Page …

Today my boss came by my desk and ripped my paper phone extension list off the wall of my cubical. Fear gripped me as I could not process how I would be able to get by without it. I can barely remember my families’ phone numbers let alone memorize this information that I only use once in a while. Ultimately Sean is correct. …

First, are you ready to insert an Image Map into your SharePoint web page? Do you have a graphic? No? Follow the instructions here: How to Convert a Smart Art Object into a Graphic Yes?  Carry on. Have you created a piece of code that will convert that graphic into a clickable graphic using Image …

I like to wax poetic on the benefits of creating a SharePoint site map using Smart Art in Microsoft Office. Users like colourful, visually appealing diagrams especially when they are interactive (such as graphics with clickable hotspots created with a tool like Image-Maps – check out my instructions here!) I recently shared this information with a client without providing …

Recently a client asked: “Do you know if there is a way around having to register with Image-Maps.com? Do they have a free version that you are aware of?” Fortunately, there is a way to create functioning Image Maps with no account required.This workaround adds seven extra steps to the process so it’s up to you to …

A client called today to ask: is there an easy way to convert multiple Excel files to the new file format at once (xlsx > xls). The answer is: Yes. Now before you start clicking links, be prudent and ask yourself – do you really need to invest a chunk of time to convert every file …