Access: Automatically enter today's date in a field

For some records, you enter today's date for a particular field. When a date is to be the current date, you can eliminate entering any value at all. Set the field’s Default Value property to Now() or Date(). When you enter a new record, the property will enter the system’s current date (and time). If for some reason it is not today's date, you can still type over the default value with the correct date (and time).If you only occassionaly enter the current date, you can use the shortcut CTRL+; (semicolon) instead.

Now() versus Date()

The Now() function returns the system’s current date and time. It’s a package deal–you always get both. If all you need is the current date and not the time, use the Date() function instead. On the other hand, if all you want is the current time, use the Time() function. Don’t use Now() unless you really mean to store both the date and time.

Windows 7: Send to what you want

You can add any shortcut to the default Send To menu by adding the shortcut to the SendTo folder in Windows Explorer.

Just type shell:sendto into the location bar on any Windows Explorer window to open the SendTo folder. Click and drag any shortcut to this folder and the item will appear on the default Send To shortcut menu.

What's New in PowerPoint 2010?

Echo Swinford, who’s a PowerPoint MVP (Most Valuable Professional) has written up a  list (65 of them) of the new features of PowerPoint 2010. It's a great list with short and easy-to-understand descriptions of each. Read the list!

Office 2010

Want to know more? Read the story online from PC Mag.

Microsoft turns hand and arms into buttons

You gotta see this!


"[Chris] Harrison, a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University and a former intern at Microsoft Research, has developed a working prototype of a system called Skinput that does just that, essentially by turning a person's hand and forearm into a keyboard and screen."-CNN

Read the full article on CNN

How to Select Right Chart for your Data

I get asked this question a lot. There are several chart types I use just because my particular data fits the type, but I have to admit that I don't use them all. If you need help to determine which chart is best for your data, Chandoo (@r1c1), Pointy Haired Dilbert blog, has the answer for your chart selection process.

Office 2010 reaches RTM

Last week, Microsoft reached the release-to-manufacturing (RTM) milestone for Office 2010, SharePoint 2010, Visio 2010 and Project 2010. What does that mean?

• April 27th—Volume License customers with active Software Assurance (SA) will be able to download the products via the Volume Licensing Service Center. 
• May 1st—Customers without SA will be able to purchase the new products through Volume Licensing from Microsoft partners.
• May 12th—Microsoft will officially launch Office 2010 to business customers with Stephen Elop, President of Microsoft’s Business Division, delivering a keynote as part of a virtual launch at http://www.the2010event.com.
• June—Office 2010 will become available in U.S. retail stores, but you can pre-order retail versions of Office 2010 at http://store.microsoft.com/OfficePreorder.