Word Processing-Excel-PowerPoint

 

This post will assess word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications. The applications used were Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. It will briefly compare the functions of each, explain the advantages and disadvantages, state which application is most appropriate for the journaling assignment and why, and describe scenarios where each application would be most useful.

I think that word processor, power point, and excel are all applications that allow a person to express the same idea in different ways. They all allow the user to express what the point they are trying to get across with words. The difference between them is that word processor mainly allows the user to express their point in words, power point allows the user to express their point with images and words as a presentation and excel allows the user to express their point with numbers, graphs, and charts.

Advantages & Disadvantages

Each program has advantages and disadvantages. The advantages of Microsoft Word are that it is a very simple program and anyone with basic computer knowledge can use it. It automatically checks grammar and spelling for the user. The program also has auto save which will automatically save the users work. The main disadvantage of Word is the cost. To use Microsoft word a license for the software must be purchased or the user must have a subscription to Microsoft office. Although there are free word processing options out there Microsoft Word is the most preferred. The advantages of PowerPoint are it makes it very simple for the user to create presentations. It is set up in a way that allows for the easy addition and movement of images on slides. The user is also able to animate text and images. There are several templates that the user can choose from that will fit whatever presentation they are making, and if the user is unable to find a template that they like they can simply make their own. I think that one of the disadvantages of PowerPoint is that because it allows for so many things to be done it can take time for the user to find something that works visually. Meaning that the presentation isn’t cluttered with images and text and/or over animated. I think it also becomes time consuming determining which order the slides should flow in because there are so many visual elements. The advantage of Excel is that it is a great way to organize, calculate, and graph data points. It makes data points easy to visualize with charts and graphs. It also allows the user to use formulas which makes it simple to calculate large amounts of data. A disadvantage of excel is that if a user is not familiar with the software it can be complicated. It takes time to learn how to properly input formulas and the formulas, depending on what the user is doing. can be complicated. It also does not allow for the use of many visual aids outside of the charts and graphs. Images outside of the charts and graphs can be added but they are not easy to manipulate.

When it comes to making journal entries, I would recommend word processor. It allows for the user to simply express in words the events that occurred throughout their day. When talking about one’s day in a personal outlet like a journal most people that I know prefer to just write about the events that occurred and the feelings that they felt throughout the day. A presentation, in my opinion, would not be the best outlet because the user could get carried away with animations and images and not focus on the events or feelings of the day. A spreadsheet would not be the best outlet because it is more data driven. If the person was only looking to calculate how their time was spent throughout the day, then it would be the better option.

Best Scenarios

The best scenarios for using word processor would be documenting poems, book writing, typing up recipes, if the user is not concerned about images, and journaling. Basically, any scenario where the task that the user is trying to complete is more word heavy. The best scenario for using presentation is when the user is breaking down an idea and has several micro-topics to cover and want to incorporate images. For example, if the user wanted to pitch a new business idea to investors a presentation could be made that shows images of what they envision the business would be while still hitting on all the topics they want. The best scenarios for using a spreadsheet include calculating time, monthly bills, or saving funds for a certain event by a certain date.

In conclusion, there are advantages and disadvantages for each application. Each application provides benefits for specific use and reason. The applications are similar but also very different. It is up to the user to determine which application would be best for whatever they are doing.

 

References

Groenewald, S. (2022, December 14). 10 Undeniable Benefits of Microsoft 365. Micro Pro. https://micropro.com/blog/10-undeniable-benefits-of-microsoft-365/

Mahrra, L. (n.d.). The 7 Key Benefits of Using Office 365 for Business. Core Technology Systems. https://www.core.co.uk/blog/blog/the-7-undeniable-benefits-of-using-office-365-for-business

Vahid, F., Lysecky, S., & Wheatland, N. (2019). TEC 101: Fundamentals of Information Technology & Literacy. zyBook.