Can you use Excel’s text-to-speech functionality in VBA? You bet. Simply use this line of code: application.speech.speak and then specify your text in paranthesis or you can even use a variable. If your variable was called Announcement, your code would look like this:
application.speech.speak announcement
And to read text:
application.speech.speak (”This is the text!”)
Simple!
Here is a up-and-coming site I contribute to- check out some of the other contributors on Master the Business.com, you’ll find useful business info and advice on A LOT of topics. And please let me know what you think.
Stock Layouts is the professional design site I use and have purchased from in the past, and here are some free templates they give away to attract business. They have a postcard, brochure, newsletter and flyer template for free, and they work in Adobe apps, Microsoft Apps, CorelDRAW and even QuarkXPress.
Recently, I went to the DMV to renew my license. I failed the eye exam and had to get glasses for the first time in my life. Are glasses the only way to see Excel sheet tabs better? There’s no control in Excel that will do it.
That’s why you have to adjust your system settings to do it. Right click on your desktop, select properties, click appearance, and select advanced. You will see a drop-down box labeled item- simply select the scrollbar item and increase it’s size. For some reason unkown to mere mortals, sheet tabs are affected along with the scrollbars in windows- the only trick is to balance how much you increase it, as all scrollbars will also increase in size.
Here is a good site to look for add-ins- http://www.add-ins.com/ , just remember as with all sites, only download from sites you trust and use antivirus software to scan it.
Excel has the amazing ability to grow beyond it’s original programming with an “Add-in.” Add-in’s are basically mini-programs you add to Excel to expand it’s tools and options. For instance, there are add-ins that will sort your sheet tabs in order, add-ins that will display a stock market ticker in your worksheet, and add-ins that dramatically expand Excel’s analysis tools.
Some add-ins are free- go to the Tools menu and select Add-ins (Excel 2003 and prior). You will see a list of available add-ins, install them by simply checking the box next to their name.
You can also use add-ins from other sources- some are free, some are not- and they are available from many sources on the web BUT BE CAREFUL, add-ins may contain harmful code that can infect your computer, so only get them from trusted sources and always use anti-virus software to scan them first off. Most of these Add-ins are downloaded as zipped files, so you will need to extract them to a new folder. Go back into Excel and select Tools, Add-ins, then click on Browse. Navigate to the file you unzipped, click on the add-in file and Presto! New Excel.
I had to dig a little on Microsoft’s website to find this- they are always changing the site these days with the new office system, but it’s worth checking out. Click here and then click on your department or general work area (you’ll see the options on the left) to find free tips on being more effective.
No doubt about it- Microsoft Office is the premier software office suite available. It is almost a universal standard. But what if it’s price range is out of your budget? Check out Open Office - a free, highly-sophisticated alternative. Not only does is have a Word Processor and a Spreadsheet program, it can open and creat Excel and Word compatible files. One major difference- it does not use the same macro language that Microsoft Office does, so macros will be non-transferrable. If you don’t use macros, it makes great sense.
Dealing with difficult people. Enough said.
Corey Smith spotted this piece. I think he was hinting at something…
Subtle abuse from so-called superiors is one of the most deadly yet unchecked maladies in the workforce today. Check out these eight tips on how to deal with a difficult boss.