Help

Glossary of terms

Most confusion with this software is one unfamiliar word, not a lack of ability. Here is what the words mean, without jargon.

Getting around the screen

Ribbon: The wide strip of buttons across the top of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, divided into tabs such as Home and Insert.
Tab: Two meanings. In Office it is one page of the ribbon. In Chrome it is one open web page along the top of the window.
Menu: A list of choices that appears when you click something, and disappears when you press Esc.
Dialog box: A small window that asks you something before continuing, usually with OK and Cancel buttons.
Right-click: Pressing the other mouse button to show a short list of actions for whatever you clicked on.

File: One document, spreadsheet or picture, stored under a name you chose.
Folder: A container that holds files, so related things stay together.
Save As: Saves a copy under a new name, leaving the original untouched. Use it when reusing an old document.
PDF: A fixed picture of a document that looks the same on any computer and cannot easily be changed.
Download: Copying a file from the internet onto your own computer, usually into a Downloads folder.

Cell: One box in the grid. Its address is its column letter plus its row number, like B3.
Formula: An instruction that starts with = and asks Excel to work something out.
Function: A ready-made calculation with a name, such as SUM or AVERAGE.
Range: A block of cells written with a colon, such as A1:A10.
Workbook: The whole Excel file, which can contain several sheets.

Cc: Everyone can see who was copied in. Use it to keep people informed.
Bcc: Copies someone in without the other recipients seeing their address.
Browser: The program that shows you websites. Chrome is one.
Address bar: The wide box at the top of Chrome where you type a website or a search.
Phishing: A fake page or email pretending to be an organisation you trust, in order to collect your details.