GOOGLE CALENDAR - Appointment Slots 2022

 APPOINTMENT SLOTS in GOOGLE CALENDAR make scheduling so easy!

I like to create a special Google calendar first and then create the Appointment Slots on that calendar. This makes it easier for me to check the appointment schedule because it's separate from my regular calendar. This also keeps my regular calendar from being too cluttered. If I need to see the appointments along with my regular calendar items, I can always select both calendars and view the calendars together. Also, remember that Google Calendar Appointment Slots can only be created and used by someone with a Gmail account. If you don't have a Gmail account, you won't be able to sign up for someone else's Appointment Slots in Google Calendar.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JUNE 2022

 It's NO SWEAT to create APPOINTMENT SLOTS in GOOGLE CALENDAR and it makes scheduling so easy!

GOOGLE CHROME - Share Button

Click on the SHARE BUTTON in GOOGLE CHROME to make a QR Code and more!

Did you know that Google Chrome has a built in QR Code generator? It's the Share Button! I've been using a Chrome extension to create QR Codes and now I can just use the Share Button. It's so easy! The QR Code it generates even has a cute dinosaur in the middle of it. How fun is that?!? With the Share Button, I can also quickly share any web page to Facebook, Twitter, reddit, LinkedIn, or Pinterest. Look for the Share Button in the omnibox on a desktop and try it out!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - MAY 2022

 Using the SHARE BUTTON in GOOGLE CHROME to make a QR Code will make your life ROSY!

GOOGLE DOCS - Insert a Watermark

We've been waiting for this! You can INSERT A WATERMARK in GOOGLE DOCS now! Hooray!

It's great to have so many options with formatting a watermark in Google Docs. When you select a picture, you can scale it, fade it, resize it, rotate it, reposition it, recolor it, and adjust the transparency, brightness, or contrast. You can really make that watermark picture look exactly like you want! There are also some great options when you insert text. You can choose your font (my favorite thing to do), font size, font color, make it bold or italicized, select the transparency, and make it diagonal or horizontal. It's so easy to make any edits to your watermark, too. All you have to do is click on Insert and Watermark, just like you did to get started.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - APRIL 2022

 This is no JOKE! You can now INSERT A WATERMARK in GOOGLE DOCS with lots of great formatting options!

GOOGLE SLIDES - Slideshow Auto-Play

 Check out the new Slideshow button in GOOGLE SLIDES and see how easy it is to have your SLIDESHOW AUTO-PLAY!

Many times when people want a slide presentation that can be auto-played, they will use the Publish to the Web feature in Google Slides. This works great but it's not as easy as Slideshow Auto-Play. Using Slideshow Auto-Play eliminates having to create a separate link, which is what you get with Publish to the Web. Also, if you're presenting live and decide to Auto-Play, you don't have to stop and go through the Publish to the Web process. You can start Auto-Play right away while you're live in the presentation. It's fast and easy!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - MARCH 2022

It's your LUCKY day! Look how easy it is to have your SLIDESHOW AUTO-PLAY with GOOGLE SLIDES! 

GOOGLE CHROME - Search Open & Closed Tabs

This is a lifesaver! You can SEARCH OPEN & CLOSED TABS in GOOGLE CHROME!

The little down arrow in the upper right corner of Google Chrome is hard to see but once you use it, you will go back to it over and over again. Being able to re-open a tab that you recently closed can be a lifesaver but being able to easily find an open tab can be just as useful. I have two monitors so I always drag tabs to my other monitor and then I have multiple tabs open on both monitors. I also separate tabs all the time so there can be lots of "loose" tabs on both monitors. Now I won't have a problem finding any of my tabs!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - FEBRUARY 2022

 You're going to LOVE being able to SEARCH OPEN & CLOSED TABS in GOOGLE CHROME!

GOOGLE DOCS - Smart Chips

The new SMART CHIPS in GOOGLE DOCS can be used for so many things!

Smart Chips are such a great new feature in Google Docs because they provide information about people, files, and calendar events and a connection to them right in your Google Doc. They can be used in so many ways and work great in Hyperdocs. Typing the @ symbol, not only makes it easy to insert a Smart Chip, it also gives you easy access to insert lists, media, headings, page components, and more. Just type the @ symbol and see what pops up!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JANUARY 2022

 Celebrate the NEW YEAR by trying out the new SMART CHIPS in GOOGLE DOCS!

GOOGLE SLIDES - Hide Filmstrip

 You can HIDE the FILMSTRIP now in GOOGLE SLIDES! It's a great new feature that many have been wishing for!

You might be wondering why you would want to hide the Filmstrip. Here are some reasons - You might need to have more space around a Google Slide while you're creating and editing it. With the Filmstrip hidden, you have plenty of "gray space" that you can use. You might be presenting in Edit Mode and want to prevent people from seeing a preview of the upcoming slides. This keeps the focus just on the slide that you're showing. Whatever reason you have, being able to hide (and unhide) the Filmstrip is a great new feature!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - DECEMBER 2021

 Being able to HIDE the FILMSTRIP in GOOGLE SLIDES is a GIFT that many have wished for!

GOOGLE CALENDAR - Meeting Notes in Events

 Check out MEETING NOTES, the new feature in GOOGLE CALENDAR. It's so handy and easy to use!

Being able to create Meeting Notes in Events in Google Calendar is such a great new feature! It's so nice to have the meeting notes stored with the Google Calendar event (in addition to being stored in Google Drive and Google Docs). The meeting notes are created in Google Docs and set up so that you can easily add additional attendees, notes, or action items (a checklist). If you add attendees who were not originally invited to the event, you don't even have to worry about forgetting to share the meeting notes with them because you will be prompted to share with them.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - NOVEMBER 2021

You'll be THANKFUL when you see how easy it is to use MEETING NOTES, the new feature in GOOGLE CALENDAR! Check it out!

GOOGLE SHEETS - Smart Fill

We finally got SMART FILL in GOOGLE SHEETS and it was worth the wait! It's amazing!

I waited a long time for Google Sheets to get Smart Fill and it was worth the wait. It's the equivalent of Flash Fill in Excel and they are both amazing! Smart Fill makes it so easy to separate full names into different columns for first and last name. You can also change a first and last name to "last name, first name" and vice versa. This comes in handy so many times when you download a report and the names are not listed in a way that you can sort them alphabetically. Now you can just use Smart Fill to change the way the names are listed!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - OCTOBER 2021

 SMART FILL in GOOGLE SHEETS seems like a TRICK but it's definitely a TREAT!

GMAIL - Use Emojis on Labels

When you USE EMOJIS ON LABELS in GMAIL, it looks good and makes your life easier, too!

I use my "Flagged" label all the time in my Inbox and since I added an emoji to it, I no longer have to scroll down halfway through my Label List to select it. What a game changer! A label with an emoji at the front will also be at the top of the Label List when you move an email to a label. Now, not only does my "Flagged" label stand out with the red flag but it's also at the top of my Label List so no more scrolling for me! Win-win! Try adding emojis to your most used Gmail labels!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - SEPTEMBER 2021

 It's as EASY AS ABC to USE EMOJIS ON LABELS in GMAIL and it will make your life easier, too!