When answering my question, keep in mind that I barely know enough about this to ask the question?

Question

OK...I'm an organization list making freak. Is a spreadsheet software what I need to make forms and documents...lines and squares and stuff...or is it Word??? Power Point or Excel??? Does Microsoft® Works Suite 2006 have it all or do I have to buy 3 different softwares??? Word, PwrPnt and Excel??? I'm so confused!! Remember I'm blonde and need simple answers. Thanks >%~)

Answer 1

What you are looking for is Microsoft Office, not Microsoft Works.

Works has: Microsoft Word 2002, Works 8, Money 2006 Standard, Digital Image Standard 2006 and Encarta Encyclopedia Standard 2006.

Office has: Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

You'll note that Microsoft Office includes Excel, Works does not. Remember, you don't have to install everything that Office includes. You can just choose to install Word and Excel (which is what I've done, since I don't need any of the other stuff.)

Answer 2

Woah!! Reign that pony in there.... Each software you mentioned has a different use. Taken in order: Word® is a word processor. Think typewriter; Power Point® is a graphic business option. Think sales charts with neat colored backgrounds and eye catching presentations; Excel® is a spreadsheet. Think financial, check register, bank statements, etc.; Access® is a database. Think phonebook, calendar, lists of household valuables. It can be searched by each column. Microsoft® Word Suite 2006 usually has Word, Outlook (e-mail), Excel, and a limited Power Point.

There are several options you can go with. Microsoft® Word Suite 2006 is a good choice.
You can use the Microsoft® Works already installed on your system. It's much easier to use, and the help f1 key is much more user friendly because the package is simpler.
There is also a program that you can download called Open Office. It's a much simplified generic knock-off of Works.
From your question, I am guessing that you need nothing more than the works you already have. It's chock full of templates that can make so many different forms that you can fill in for almost anything. If you're an organizing list freak, then you just need a database.

Play with it. Use it. Make up forms and numbers to your heart's delight. Then delete them. Anything you can create, you can learn from. You aren't likely to hurt anything that way.

Good luck and have fun.

Answer 3

First of all, I would check your MS Works Suite 2006 to see what is included. Earlier versions of Windows XP came bundled with Excel and Word but no Power Point. If your Suite 2006 has it all, you are in luck. You would need Power Point to create graphics but Excel can take care of your spreadsheets or lists. I use Excel to keep track of the passwords for the numerous accounts I have. Of course, don't forget to backup the data to another media such as a CD. You can do all kinds of things with word to include importing graphics from another window. Power Point is an expensive program. You might buy a flat top scanner/printer combo for about $100.00 and draw any diagrams on a separate piece of paper then scan them into a file on your hard drive then import them to your Word File. All kind of ways to skin a cat. If your Works Suite 2006 does not include Power Point, you can download a "read only" version for free. As you say that you hardly know enough to ask questions, I suggest that you keep experimenting. You can't hurt anything. Make use of your tutorials and help screens. Each time you find something that works on a help window, print it out and keep it in a binder. That way you will eventually build up your own reference guide and save all the money you would spend on all the books out there. Have fun!!

Answer 4

A spreadsheet software, like Excel, Will let you make nice tables where it is easy to check off completed items or total hours you spent on each item and such. I don't believe Microsoft Works has what you need. So look at buying Microsoft Office. You can get a student version for a lot less than the full-blown package. The student version will not have some of the advanced features but will work fine for the most projects.

Now, if you don't want to spend money on it, look into getting OpenOffice. http://www.openoffice.org. OpenOffice is an open source competitor to Microsoft Office. It is basically free unless you want to donate to the cause. I think it will work great for what you're trying to do. And since it is free, you can download the complete suite and play with the different included programs to decide which program you like best for your needs.

Answer 5

Tee Hee.. well, please don't confuse me with all of those names.

Actually, about 80% of the software titles you mention are all included with Microsoft Office's suite of applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, FrontPage). MS Office's official spreadsheet application is Excel (handy, powerful organizational tool; get a book on it or take an adult class for it so you can appreciate and utilize some of it's subtleties).

On the otherhand, Microsoft Works is like the "affordable" version of Microsoft Office. It does have a lot of identical appications (it's spreadsheet is simply called "Microsoft Works Spreadsheet"), however, they do not have the power or versatility of it's Office big brothers. If you're experienced with MS Excel and then try to do a quarter of the things you can do with Excel, you'll be disappointed.

Example: Excel permits text formatting for Each Individual Cell; meanwhile in Works version, a text formatting affects the Entire Document. Excel permits increasingly complex individual calculations (or, to be precise, "formulas") for individual cells or cell ranges quite effortlessly; in Work's version, permissions are vastly limited.

If you can afford Office, go Office all the way, but if you just need some basics and Office is cost-prohibitive, Works is not a completely horrible alternative.

Answer 6

Microsoft Office 2003 has everything you need, sugar. I personally would choose Excel for what you are seeming to want to do. It is what I use in my business, along with Access, a database program included in MS Office 2003. Just go to Best Buy or Circuit City...though Fry's would be better. They can help you better make a decision.

Answer 7

Excel

Answer 8

Excel makes spreadsheets. The spreadsheets do calculations and whatnot.

You can make your own charts and tables in Word, but you need to have the know-how.

Answer 9

Desktop Publishing software is best for making forms, though I tend to use spreadsheets for everything. A free DTP software program that's good is Scribus from http://www.scribus.net/ . Otherwise you can download and install OpenOffice (which is also free) from http://www.openoffice.org and use their spreadsheet called Calc to make your forms.

Answer 10

Works has it and it's called excel.