Crabby Office Lady

If you've ever pounded your keyboard in frustration or thrown your mouse against the wall because nobody heeded your desperate call for help, this column is for you.

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Admit it: sometimes you need help. If you didn't, you wouldn't be reading this. Here in Office, we have a variety of ways of getting you the help you need. Maybe you need to:

• Get detailed instructions on how to do something like a complicated mail merge (just the thought of doing that alone makes me queasy)
• Compare notes (read: vent) with another Office user
• Finally get some training on using Access

Below are my top ten ways of getting the help you (occasionally) so desperately need. Keep this column handy; it's chock-full of links, advice, and even a phone number or two.

#1: Your favorite program's Help and How-to home page

What's there for me?  These pages are your connection to all you want to know about the ins-and-outs of any Office program. From these home pages, link to:

• Help articles for several versions of an Office program
• Features, training courses, and templates
• Discussion groups
• Podcasts, webcasts, and demos
• Pricing information

...and more. Get to know your Help and How-to home pages; they are your friends.

Where do I go?  From the Office Online Homepage, click the Help and How-to tab at the top, locate your program and away you go.

#2: F1

What's there for me?  Help, help, and more help. Pressing F1 when you're working in any Office program is like having an angel sitting on your shoulder. Get an overhead look at a particular feature (such as mail merge or setting up Outlook rules), or dig deeper to find the exact procedure you need before you rip your hair out. If Help can't help, it will guide you to other avenues that can.

Where is it?  Look at your keyboard. Top left corner, next to the ESC key.

#3: Free training courses

What's there for me?  Sometimes it's not a simple question you need an answer to; maybe it's how to use an entire program or a broad aspect of that program. How about a short, online training courses that cover anything from the very specific (how to create a flowchart in PowerPoint) to the very broad (color printing in Publisher)

Our online courses are self-paced, and they actually help you get your hands dirty by using all your favorite (and maybe not-so-favorite) Office applications as part of the course. If, for example, you're taking a course about a feature in Excel, a practice session will open in Excel, along with instructions to help you as you work. There's also a short test at the end of each lesson (for Mom's refrigerator, natch), and each course has a Quick Reference Card that you can print to take away from the course in case your memory fades.

Where are they?  Visit the Microsoft Office Training home page on Office Online.

#:4: MVPs (Most Valuable Professionals)

What's there for me?  Sometimes you just need a little help from your friends — the ones that really know what they're talking about. If you're looking for tips and ideas, wondering how to do something that Help and Office Online don't address, or if you're troubleshooting problems, you already have many capable friends to turn to. They're ready to answer your most basic questions, as well as your most difficult. The Office MVPs are experts who've been recognized by Microsoft for their helpfulness, depth of knowledge, and passion for technology. And they talk to you in a language you can understand. Capiche?

Where are they?  Find an MVP. Also, you can always find our MVPs being ridiculously helpful in the Office discussion groups that Microsoft sponsors. For more on Office discussion groups...keep reading.

#5: Office community/discussion groups

What's there for me?  An Office community is an online forum where you can interact with fellow Office users, get your questions answered, share ideas, and learn more about the Office products and technologies that interest you. This interaction with fellow Office users takes place in discussion groups (also known as newsgroups). Each discussion group contains a number of discussion threads, or a series of related messages. Each individual message either responds to an earlier message, or addresses the overall discussion group topic in some way.

Ponder this: How many other people are using Office out there? (Lots.) What are the chances that someone else has run into the exact same problem you're facing now? (Very good.) Wouldn't it be nice to read about how they fixed their problem so you can fix yours? (Yes indeedy!)

Where is it?  Access all the Office discussion groups from the Office Discussion Groups home page. Also, if you're not quite sure how to behave in this sort of venue, read Crabby's Office Community courtesy chat.

You can also view or participate in discussion groups from within your Office program. To search a discussion group in an Office community for a specific issue when you can't find the answer in Help, click Get answers from other users under Other places to look in the Search Results task pane.

#6 Microsoft Help and Support

What's there for me?  This is Microsoft's database of support articles. If you're having a problem that feels particularly thorny and you've tried to solve it without success, chances are that others have had it too and that Microsoft was able to come to the rescue. Since all of our Product Support rescues are well-documented, there is a Knowledge Base article that can ease your troubled mind.

Where is it?  Search Microsoft help and Support.

#7: Books

What's there for me?   Our Office books offer training and reference information for all Office programs and for all user levels. Some people still like to have a book in their hand when learning a new skill while they're soaking in the tub. And frankly, it's safer that way.

Where are they?  The Office Online Store. And while I have your attention, why not consider take a peek at my very own book? The Microsoft Crabby Office Lady Tells It Like It Is. If you purchase one send it to me, I'll sign it. (OK; not the only reason to buy it, but...)

#8: Microsoft Security

What's there for me?  

• Find out about current security bulletins
• Read about virus alerts (and what to do about them)
• Get free virus-related support: 1-866-PCSAFETY
• Learn more about such things as security and privacy essentials, how to protect your PC, how to check your security configuration

Where is it?  Microsoft Security home page

#9: Live support

What's there for me?  You think I'm about to give you my office phone number, don't you? I'm sorry but I just can't do that. (I'm not my usual sparkly self on the phone.) However, there are ways you can either talk to a live person or send an e-mail request about a problem you're having. And just like the rest of your life, some things are free (like my support options 1–8) and some aren't. And you know me, I don't like to beat around the bush, so here is the fat and skinny of it:

Some of our personal and top support options are not free — but I hear they're worth it. And frankly, like I said, items 1–8 in this column should give you lots of ideas on how to solve your problem without shelling out one thin dime.

Where is it?  The best way to find Microsoft customer service options, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses is to visit the Contact Microsoft home page and read about what you can do there.

 Note    If the Office product that is giving you grief was already installed on your computer when you bought it, warranty support may be available from your computer manufacturer. Take a look at the Computer Manufacturers' Support Phone Numbers Web site.

#10: Third-party support and solutions

What's there for me?  These third-party support centers are usually pay-as-you-go types of deals and they can be infinitely helpful. These companies are customer service–focused and will walk you through any type of problem.

Where is it?  Visit the Microsoft Office Marketplace and click the category Live Support and Forums to find one our partner listings.

"Complain to one who can help you." — Yugoslav proverb

About the author

Annik Stahl, the Crabby Office Lady columnist, takes all of your complaints, compliments, and knee-jerk reactions to heart. Therefore, she graciously asks that you let her know whether this column was useful to you — or not — by entering your feedback using the Was this information helpful? tool below. And remember: If you don't vote, you can't complain.

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