The standard document properties are:

Author, Title, Subject, Keywords, Category, Status, and Comments

However if you take a look at the advanced properties then you will find a large number of additional options are available for you.

So what can you use document properties for?

The properties are information about the document. For example the comments field can be used in a review process to make notes about possible changes. Fields like keywords, subject and category can be used for making search and indexing more effective. You might wonder how this is going to help you. Well Windows Explorer can display document properties for you. In Windows Explorer select the details view  and right click on the column headings. You will see a short list of common properties and there is a ‘more option ‘ from which any property can be selected. You can now customise your view of the documents to contain properties like status, subject, and category. These can all be put into order. Suddenly your documents can be cross-referenced in a manner that means something to you.

Document properties lets you improve your knowledge of a document inside and outside of Word and this can make your life much easier.

It also works for any MS Office application, and most other files too.

To start with we’ve got a great tip on the creation of shutdown shortcuts in Windows 7. Although Windows 7 has a brief shutdown procedure, accessing features like restart, lock workstation, hibernate and sleep can be difficult for some people. This is particularly true for the elderly or disabled. Making shortcut to do this in a place that is most convenient for the person in question can really help with this most basic of tasks.

If you are interested in learning how to do this click here and you will be taken to an excellent article in TechRepublic that goes through the procedure step by step with some very clear illustrations.

Image by stevecadman via Flickr

Libraries are a new feature in Windows 7 that allow you to group folders from more than 1 location under 1 heading. Here’s the official description from Microsoft:

where you go to manage your documents, music, pictures, and other files. You can browse your files the same way you would in a folder, or you can view your files arranged by properties like date, type, and author.

It may not sound all that sexy and interesting at all. Except that you can customise the properties and which folders go into a library. Now you can collate files by purpose, project, or your own personal needs. You can also cross reference files. All achieved by not moving any files or making copies of any files. Instantly this decreases the chances of a file going out of date whilst also making it easier for you to find based on the use you are going to make of it.

If you are the kind of person who needs to organise lots of files, then should take a look at libraries, it will make your life much easier.

For the nitty-gritty on getting into and managing libraries there is a good blow by blow account by lifehacker listed below.

Here’s my take on the two sides. Conservatism is an essential part of computing. A bad change to a computer system can be very costly indeed, but I also feel that it is also best to take each product on its merits and apply it to your own needs. As a product I still feel that Windows 7 exceeds previous versions of Windows. Does it meet your needs – well only careful consideration can tell you that. In fact this is why we are putting a number of businesses in a room with Windows 7. We are hoping for an open and frank examination of the system against business needs. Its all about putting information in the hands of the people who need it.

Talking about information here is today’s Windows 7 video, have a look at Latika talking about responsiveness and safety in Windows 7

Want to learn more? Click to get details about our Windows 7 launch event

Media broadly speaking refers to music, TV, films, games.  Not that much for business there you might thing but remember that media also includes things like plans, maps, designs, photographs, graphics, and logos. I’ve been revising a series of graphics and photographs recently and I do find keeping track of my work much easier. Previous versions of Windows did this, but only reasonably well. Vista was a step forward but its Windows 7 that makes things good. I think I now find it easier to handle this type of work than I have done on an Apple Mac.

Enjoy the video. There’ll be another along tomorrow.

You might ask why we are doing this. After all why note the launch of another version of Windows? Its a good question. However we have been using Windows 7 for some time now and are utterly convinced that this is an important version of Windows, and one that has great implications for business – especially small businesses. I don’t want to sound like an advert for Microsoft, after all we pride ourselves for considered and impartial but this new version of Windows really does improve the way you interact with a PC in a most efficient and effective way.

Ok so that’s the technical pitch, but lets be honest for most people in business being told about Windows is not the most exciting way to spend some time. That is why we are running in the party format. We invite you to come along, have some lunch, mingle and network with other business people and take a look at why we think this is important.

That is why you should be there. It is a way meet other business people, maybe strike a deal and also learn about something that could help you out in the future.

If you’d like to come why not give us a call on 0800 0354148

To make sure you find us here is our address: Merlin House, 1 Langstone Business Park, Langstone, Newport, NP182HJ

Click here to see a map of our location

So come to the party, you get a free lunch and networking thrown in – which makes it a pretty good deal.