Many using Microsoft Office inefficiently

Most Microsoft Office users are not maximising their returns when they use the productivity software, says Dr Nitin Paranjape, a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional for Office and Founder of MaxOffice. 

"Office is used by people three to four hours every day. How do you make sure you get your returns?" asked Dr Paranjape, who shows people how to use Office properly at MaxOffice.

Dr Paranjape, in Singapore to speak at the Share-the-Point conference, explained that users typically end up in a comfort zone when it comes to the set of commands they use, even though there may be much quicker ways of getting the job done. "Just because work is getting done does not mean it is being done in the best possible way," he pointed out. "People have learned to get the work done, nobody has crosschecked the method to get the work done."

"Features have no voices. You have to discover them and nobody is discovering them. Microsoft can't reach every user and teach them (to use) every feature," he said, pointing out that Microsoft would not introduce a new feature unless there is a good use for it. 

Dr Paranjape went so far as to say that this inefficiency is considered normal. "People who are inefficient don't know they are efficient. If everyone has the disease, it's called normal," he said. 

MaxOffice has worked with a bank where he has shown how eight hours of work can be compressed into three minutes by using the right features in Office, without writing macros, Dr Paranjape said. "Users who are suffering every day just don't know there is a feature sitting in front of them," he said.

Maxoffice has free 30-minute videos about how to use Office better on its website.