Microsoft Office is the world's best-selling productivity suite. The powerful package's small business editions include all the software you need to get your business started and to keep it running smoothly. Use it to create a business plan, a profit-and-loss projection, a balance sheet, letterhead or attractive sales and marketing materials. Depending on the specific small business edition you choose, Office may contain the following programs among others:

1. Word (word processing program).
2. Publisher (desktop publishing program).
3. Outlook with Business Contact Manager (email, scheduling and contact management program).
4. PowerPoint (slide presentation program).
5. Excel (spreadsheet program).
6. Access (database program).
7. Small Business Accounting (accounting program).

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose the best version(s)

Microsoft offers a number of versions of Office — some with more programs than others. Don't opt for a bare-bones version if you anticipate major growth and a need for additional programs in the near future. Conversely, if you're never going to need certain programs, don't waste the money on them. Depending on your employees' job functions, you may want different versions for cerrtain workers.

I recommend: Compare the various versions of Office to find the right one for you.

Get the most from Word

Use this high-powered word processing program to create impressive-looking documents, including correspondence, invoices, notes, reports, contracts, press releases and more. Edit and format text using a variety of fonts, colors and styles. Add flair to your documents with numbered lists, tables and images. A thesaurus helps you find just the right word, and a spelling and grammar checker helps keep your documents error-free.

I recommend: Learn how to make your documents stand out with free Microsoft Word tutorials from Florida Gulf Coast University and the Baycon Group. Get a head start with templates for letters, letterhead and more.

Get the most from Publisher

A desktop publishing program enables you to combine text, graphics, and photographs created in other programs. Use Publisher to create newsletters, brochures, catalogs, flyers, menus, signage, corporate image materials and more.

I recommend: Get up to speed with free online classes from Hewlett-Packard and free tutorials from Microsoft. Explore the possibilities with templates for business cards, brochures, postcards, gift certificates and more.

Get the most from Outlook

Outlook is more than just an email program that lets you attach and send files created in other programs. Use it to create and follow your schedule as well as for an address book to track, manage and sort your contacts.

I recommend: Discover how to use Outlook to its fullest with free tutorials from Microsoft and Linda's Computer Stop.

Get the most from PowerPoint

PowerPoint lets you create presentations that pop. Use it to craft slide shows for sales and marketing presentations, training materials, meeting materials and more. Make your presentations more memorable with sound, images, animation and photos. And learn how to mark up your slides during presentations for added impact.

I recommend: Find free PowerPoint and presentation tips at DreamingdogDesign.com. Florida Gulf Coast University and the Baycon Group also offer free Microsoft PowerPoint tutorials by topic. Spark your imagination with presentation templates from Microsoft.

Get the most from Excel

A spreadsheet is a table arranged in rows and columns, like graph paper. With this spreadsheet program, you can prepare all kinds of charts and graphs to project, record, calculate and track financial data or to create if/then scenarios. Put Excel to work for you by creating balance sheets, break-even analyses, cash flow forecasts and employee schedules.

I recommend: ExcelTips has hundreds of tips by topic. Florida Gulf Coast University and the Baycon Group offer free Microsoft Excel tutorials by topic. Find Microsoft templates for common business spreadsheets.

Get the most from Access

A database lets you take control of your data — with just a few clicks on your keyboard, you can sort it, analyze it, summarize it and report it. If you need to organize, analyze and share information about your customers, their demographics and their buying patterns, or you want to manage your sales and inventory numbers, you can benefit from this database program.

I recommend: For hands-on training, the Learning Tree offers a comprehensive five-day introduction to Microsoft Access at locations throughout the nation. Microsoft offers a number of database templates to help you get started.

Get the most from Small Business Accounting

This program has everything you need to manage your company's finances, including inventory management, accounting, payroll and banking. Use it to forecast cash flow, track time sheets and payroll and keep track of customer payments and billing.

I recommend: See how this program lets you manage your company's financials with a demo and a Quick Start Guide at Microsoft.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  You can download additional free templates from Microsoft's Web site and other sources.
• •  Each Office program has extensive built-in help features.
• •  You have three ways to accomplish most functions in Office: use the pull-down menus, click an icon or use a keyboard shortcut.
• •  Microsoft's default installation creates many annoyances; your preferences will vary. You can customize the look and feel of the program after installation.