7 Microsoft 365 Expert Tips

These 7 Microsoft 365 tips help you work faster: search for commands instead of hunting through menus, use free stock images, pull live data into Excel, run surveys with Forms, rehearse presentations with Speaker Coach, reuse email text with Quick Parts, and paste without formatting.

At the end, we cover the Microsoft 365 features that help hybrid teams work across the office and home. If you are new to it, see how Microsoft 365 fits your business. 

Get More Out of Microsoft 365 With These Tips

1. Skip the Menu Bar by Using Search to Find Functions

We’ve all been there at one time or another. You know there is a way to do something in an app, but you can’t find it in the menu. For example, trying to change your margins in Microsoft Word to give you more space on the page.

You can stop wasting time clicking through one tab after another, and instead, use the search box at the top. It’s not just for searching for help topics. You can use a search to quickly jump to settings like margins, page orientation, and many more.

2. Leverage the Free Stock Images, Icons & Videos

Most businesses need to have nice-looking images from time to time. They’re used on websites, brochures, and presentations. But finding good business images can be expensive.

You can’t just do a Google search to find them because they may be copyrighted. You need to have images that you can use commercially without any problems.

Inside Word, Excel, and PowerPoint you have a treasure trove of images. These are free to use in your marketing. You also have videos, icons, and even 3D models, all there for the picking.

Find them by going to Insert > Pictures > Stock Images

Use the tab at the top to tab between the different media. Then, click to insert it directly into your document, spreadsheet, or presentation.

3. Save Time by Using Data Types in Excel

Researching things like the population of a city or the nutrition value of a new menu can take days. Did you know that inside Excel you have access to several databases?

You can leverage facts and figures stored inside Excel’s “data types.” They include topics on everything from chemistry to yoga poses. Use data types to populate tons of data in seconds for various topics.

• Start by adding your list (e.g., a list of menu items)
• Highlight your list.
• Then, click the Data tab.
• In the Data Types window, choose the type of data it is (e.g., Food, Plant, etc.).

• Next, click the small database icon that appears at the top of the list.
• Choose the type of data you want.
• The details will populate into the next open column on the right for each list item.

4. Save Time on Customer Surveys with Microsoft Forms

Microsoft Forms is one of the best-kept secrets of M365. This cloud-based survey and form builder makes it simple to send out surveys to people. You get the results back as soon as they click “submit” on the cloud-based form.

You can even download the results directly to Excel. Using them for graphing or uploading them into a software template.

5. Use PowerPoint Speaker Coach to improve your presentations

Speaker Coach (formerly Presenter Coach) gives you private feedback as you rehearse: pacing, filler words like “um”, repetitive language, and whether you are just reading the slides. Open it from Slide Show > Rehearse with Coach. Learn more on Microsoft’s Speaker Coach page.

6. Save Recurring Email Text in Outlook’s Quick Parts

Do you have certain emails you send to customers that have the same paragraphs of text in them? For example, it might be directions to your building or how to contact support.

Stop retyping the same info every time. Outlook has a feature called Quick Parts that saves and then inserts blocks of text into emails.

• Create a Quick Part by highlighting the text to save in an email.
• On the Insert Menu, click Quick Parts.
• Save Quick Part.

When ready to insert that text into another email, just use the same menu. Then click to insert the Quick Part.

7. Create a Keyboard Shortcut to Paste as Unformatted Text

Keyboard shortcuts are great for saving time. But there’s not always one there when you need it. One handy keyboard shortcut to add for MS Word is to paste as text only. This method removes any formatting that copied text might have had so your document isn’t messed up.

Here’s how to make a keyboard shortcut for this:

• In Word, click File> Options.
• Click Customize Ribbon.
• At the bottom of the panel, next to Keyboard shortcuts, click Customize.
• Scroll in the left pane to All Commands.
• Look for “PasteTextOnly”
• Type your keyboard command, then click Assign.

Microsoft 365 for hybrid teams

Many teams now split time between the office and home. Even in 2022, Gallup found that 42% of employees with remote-capable jobs worked hybrid schedules. These Microsoft 365 features make hybrid work easier: 

• Teams meetings, webinars, and town halls: run internal meetings, client webinars with registration, and company-wide events from one app. 
• In-person or online RSVP in Outlook: when you accept a meeting, you can say whether you will join in person or online, so organizers can plan rooms. 
• PowerPoint Cameo: place your live camera feed directly on your slides, so remote viewers see you and your content together. 
• OneDrive and SharePoint: keep files in the cloud so everyone works on the latest version, wherever they are. 

Moving from another email platform? See our guides on email migration and Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365. For hybrid offices, our meeting room solutions set up rooms that work well with Teams.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest way to find a command in Microsoft 365 apps? 

Use the search box at the top of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint and type what you want to do, like “margins” or “orientation”. 

Does Microsoft 365 include free stock images? 

Yes. Go to Insert > Pictures > Stock Images to use free images, icons, and videos in your documents and presentations. 

What is Speaker Coach in PowerPoint? 

Speaker Coach, formerly called Presenter Coach, gives feedback on your pacing, filler words, and repetitive language while you rehearse. Open it from Slide Show > Rehearse with Coach. 

How does Microsoft 365 help hybrid teams? 

Teams handles meetings and webinars, Outlook lets people RSVP in person or online, OneDrive and SharePoint keep files in the cloud, and PowerPoint Cameo shows the presenter on screen with their slides.

Need help getting more out of Microsoft 365? 

CloudConsole sets up, migrates, secures, and supports Microsoft 365 for businesses in the Philippines, with 24/7 helpdesk support for your team. Get a free quote.