Managing Information. Technology. Lesson 7. What You Will Learn WORDS TO KNOW

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1 Lesson 7 Managing Information Technology What You Will Learn Copying Files and Folders Moving Files and Folders Compressing Files Recognizing Types of Business Documents Determining the Risks and Rewards of Developing an IT Strategy Identifying Needed Equipment and Supplies Establishing, Scheduling, and Following Maintenance Procedures Software Skills Every employee benefits from knowing how to identify the equipment and supplies he or she needs to accomplish tasks, and how to manage information technology resources to achieve goals. A basic place to start is by learning how to recognize types of business documents and the programs you need to create, view, and edit them. You can also save money and time by understanding the importance of maintaining IT equipment so that it performs efficiently. WORDS TO KNOW Business document A professional document used to communicate information within a company, or between one company and another. Compress Minimize the size of something. Destination location The location where a folder or file is stored after it is moved. Extract Remove, or separate from. IT strategy A plan that identifies how information technology will be put in place over time to help an organization achieve its overall business goals. Source location The original location where a folder or file is stored. Technology infrastructure The computer systems, networking devices, software, and other technologies used to collect, store, and distribute information. Application Skills You have been hired by the Michigan Avenue Athletic Club to set up policies for purchasing and maintaining information technology equipment and supplies. In this lesson, you use Word to create a memo to the office manager asking him to conduct an inventory of hardware currently owned by the club, the software programs currently in use, and the current maintenance schedules. You also ask him to provide you with a list of needed equipment and supplies. You will create a folder where you can store the files he submits, and you will organize the files so you can use the information to develop an IT purchasing and maintenance plan.

2 What You Can Do Copying Files and Folders n You can copy a file or folder from one storage location to another. n When you copy a file or folder, the original remains stored in it its source location and the copy is stored in the destination location. n Both the original and the copy have the same name; you can tell them apart because they are stored in different locations. n You copy a file or folder using the Copy and Paste commands, or by dragging the item from its source to its destination while holding down b. n When you copy a folder, all the items stored in the folder are copied as well. n If you try to copy a folder or file to a location that already contains a folder or file with the same name, Windows offers three options: l. Copy and Replace. Select this option to replace the existing file with the copy. l. Don t copy. Select this option to cancel the command. l. Copy, but keep both files. Select this option to continue with the copy command. Windows leaves the existing file unchanged and adds (2) to the copied file s name. Try It! Copying Files and Folders 1 Click Start > Computer to open Windows Explorer and navigate to the location where your teacher instructs you to store the files for this lesson. 2 Create a new folder named BTry07_Copy_ studentfirstname_studentlastname. Leave the window open. 3 Click Start > Computer to open Windows Explorer in another window. Using Windows Explorer, navigate to the location where the data files for this lesson are stored. 4 Click a blank area of the Windows Taskbar and click Show Side by Side to arrange the two windows so you can see the contents of both. 5 In the location where the data files are stored, right-click the file named BTry07a and click Copy on the shortcut menu. 6 Right-click a blank area in the BTry07_Copy_ studentfirstname_studentlastname folder and click Paste on the shortcut menu. 7 Press and hold b and drag the BTry07b file from the data files storage location to the BTry07_Copy_studentfirstname_ studentlastname folder. 8 Drop the file and release b when the ScreenTip displays Copy to BTry07_Copy _studentfirstname_studentlastname. 9 Close the window where the data files for this lesson are stored. Double-click the BTry07_ Copy_studentfirstname_studentlastname folder to open it. The two copied files are in the folder. The originals are still in the original location. 10 Click the Back button to return to the location where the files for this lesson are stored. 11 Right-click the BTry07_Copy_ studentfirstname_studentlastname folder and click Copy. 12 Navigate to the desktop, right-click a blank area, and click Paste. The folder is copied to the desktop. 13 Open the BTry07_Copy_studentfirstname_ studentlastname folder on the desktop. Note that the two files were copied as well. 14 Close the BTry07_Copy_studentfirstname_ studentlastname folder, and delete it from the desktop. 15 In Windows Explorer, navigate to the location where the files for this lesson are stored, and delete the BTry07_Copy_studentfirstname_ studentlastname folder. Leave the Windows Explorer window open to use in the next Try It. (continued)

3 Try It! Copying Files and Folders (continued) Copy by dragging Moving Files and Folders n You can move a file or folder from one storage location to another. n When you move a file or folder, it is deleted from its source location and is stored in the destination location. n You move a file or folder using the Cut and Paste commands, or by dragging it to the destination. n When you move a folder, all the items stored in the folder are moved as well. n If you try to move a folder or file to a location that already contains a folder or file with the same name, Windows offers three options: l. Move and Replace. Select this option to replace the existing file with the one you are moving. l. Don t move. Select this option to cancel the command. l. Move, but keep both files. Select this option to continue with the move command. Windows leaves the existing file unchanged and adds (2) to the copied file s name.

4 Try It! Moving Files and Folders 1 Click Start > Computer to open Windows Explorer in a new window. Navigate in that window to the location where the data files for this lesson are stored. 2 Click a blank area of the Windows Taskbar, and click Show Side by Side to arrange the two windows so you can see the contents of both. 3 Right-click the BTry07a file, and click Cut on the shortcut menu. 4 In the window displaying the location where you are storing the files for this lesson, right-click a blank area and click Paste on the shortcut menu. The file is deleted from its original location and pasted into the new location. 5 In the location where the files for this lesson are stored create a new folder named BTry07_ Move. 6 Right-click the BTry07b file, and click Cut on the shortcut menu. 7 Right-click the BTry07_Move folder, and click Paste on the shortcut menu. The file is deleted from its original location, and pasted into the BTry07_Move folder. 8 Close the window where the data files for this lesson are stored, and maximize the window where the BTry07_Move folder and the BTry07a file are stored. 9 Drag the BTry07a file to the BTry07_Move folder. 10 Drop the file when the ScreenTip displays Move to BTry07_Move. 11 Double-click the BTry07_Move folder to open it. The two files are now stored only in this folder. 12 Click the Back button to return to the location where the files for this lesson are stored. 13 Right-click the BTry07_Move folder, and click Cut. 14 Navigate to the desktop, right-click a blank area, and click Paste. The folder is moved to the desktop. 15 Open the BTry07_Move folder on the desktop. Note that the two files were moved as well. 16 Select both files, right-click the selection, and click Cut. 17 Navigate to the location where the files for this lesson are stored, right-click a blank area of the window, and click Paste. 18 Delete the BTry07_Move folder from the desktop. Compressing Files n Compress, or zip, a file to minimize its size, making it easier to store or transmit. n You use Windows to compress files. n When you compress a file, you create a compressed, or zipped, folder in which the file is stored. n By default, the compressed folder has the same name as the compressed file, but you can rename it, if you want. n You can compress multiple files together into one folder. n You can even compress entire folders. n To use the compressed files, you must extract them from the folder. n When you extract the files, you copy them from the compressed folder to a destination location. By default, the location is a new folder with the same name as the compressed folder, but you can select a different location.

5 Try It! Compressing Files 1 Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the location where the data files for this lesson are stored. 2 Right-click the BTry07c file to display a shortcut menu. Use Windows to compress a file 3 Click Send to on the shortcut menu, and then click Compressed (zipped) folder. Windows compresses the file into a compressed folder. The new folder name is selected so you can type a new name. 4 Type BTry07_compressed, and press e. Notice that the compressed folder has fewer kilobytes (KB) than the original file. Kilobytes are a measurement of size. 5 Right-click the BTry07d file and click Copy on the shortcut menu. 6 Right-click the BTry07_compressed folder and click Paste on the shortcut menu. This copies the BTry07d file into the compressed folder. 7 Double-click the BTry07_compressed folder to open it and view its contents. It contains both the BTry07c and BTry07d files. Close Windows Explorer. A compressed file is smaller than the original Compressed folder Original file

6 Try It! Extracting Compressed Files 1 Click Start > Computer and then, in Windows Explorer, navigate to the location where the data files for this lesson are stored. 2 Right-click the BTry07_compressed folder and click Extract All. Windows displays the name of the default folder where it will store the extracted files. 3 Select the text compressed at the end of the folder name and then type extracted to change the name. 4 Click Extract. Windows creates a new folder in the current location and copies the files to it. By default, it opens the new folder in a separate window. You can see the extracted files. 5 Close the BTry07_extracted folder window. The window for the location where the data files for this lesson are stored should still be open. 6 Right-click the BTry07_compressed folder (with the zipped folder icon), click Delete on the shortcut menu, then click Yes in the confirmation dialog box. The compressed folder is sent to the Recycle Bin. The regular folder containing the extracted files remains. 7 Right-click the BTry07_extracted folder, click Delete on the shortcut menu, then click Yes in the confirmation dialog box. The folder is sent to the Recycle Bin. 3 If the window does not open by default, double-click the BTry07_extracted folder to open it. Recognizing Types of Business Documents n Some common business documents used by most companies include letters, memos, fax covers, marketing presentations, training slide shows, invoices, purchase orders, press releases, agendas, reports, and newsletters. n Certain businesses or departments within a larger company may have specialized documents. For example, a law office or legal department produces legal documents such as wills, contracts, and bills of sale. n In additional, individuals create personal business documents such as letters, research papers, and resumes. n Each Microsoft Office program is designed for creating specific types of business documents. l. Microsoft Word is used for text-based documents, such as letters, memos, and reports. l. Microsoft Excel is used for numeric or financial documents, such as invoices, sales reports, and graphic analysis. l. Microsoft PowerPoint is used for slide shows and presentation graphics. l. Microsoft Access is used to store data and create forms, tables, and reports based on that data. n Most business documents have standard formats, which means each type of document includes similar parts. n You will learn about the standard formats for different types of documents throughout the lessons in this book. Determining the Risks and Rewards of Developing an IT Strategy n An IT strategy is a road map or plan that identifies how information technology will be put in place over time to help an organization achieve its overall business goals. n A successful IT strategy prepares a business for future growth and puts the technology in place that a company needs to make the best use of available resources, solve problems, and compete. n Companies that take the time and make the effort to include IT in their overall business plans are more likely to implement successful IT strategies. l. Different businesses have different IT needs. l. A small business might require only a desktop computer, an all-in-one printer/scanner device, and an Internet connection.

7 l. A large business might require hundreds of desktop PCs, notebook and tablet computers, one or more internal networks, corporate servers, a telephone system, printers, scanners, and copier machines, projection systems, and more. n Some businesses might require specialized IT tools. l. A construction company might require rugged portable devices that can withstand extreme weather or rough conditions. l. A design firm might require high-end computeraided design software, while an investment firm requires high-end financial applications. n A successful IT strategy takes into consideration factors such as the current needs of the company, how to best use systems currently in place, and how to implement new technologies that support the business. n It also takes into consideration the cost of new equipment, maintenance, and training, as well as the physical environment in which IT will be installed. For example, a small business must consider if there is space to install new computer systems. A large company might need to install a climate control system for a new data center. n There are two primary risks of locking in to a particular IT strategy: a plan that is too advanced, and a plan that is not advanced enough. l. If a company puts a plan in place that is more advanced than it can support, it wastes money on unnecessary technology that employees do not know how to use. l. If a company puts a plan in place that is not advanced enough, the company may lose ground to its competition or find that it has to spend money to upgrade systems sooner than expected. n When an IT strategy balances the needs, costs, and corporate goals, the risks are minimized and the rewards are achievable. Identifying Needed Equipment and Supplies n Almost every business has a technology infrastructure, which is the computer systems, networking devices, software, and other technologies used to collect, store, and distribute information. n No matter how large or small a business may be, it is vital that someone monitor, manage, and maintain the technology infrastructure in order to keep the business running. l. In a small organization, each employee might be responsible for his or her own technology. That might mean changing the ink in a desktop printer. l. In larger organizations, the employees in the IT department are responsible for the IT systems. n Performing an inventory of the current IT situation is a good first step in developing an IT strategy. Knowing what is already in place and how well it meets current needs helps define future needs. n Researching and budgeting for an IT project is much like planning any project. You can check pricing online, get bids from various consultants and vendors, or use a combination of those techniques. n When budgeting for IT systems, it is important to factor in the costs of ongoing support, maintenance, and training. Establishing, Scheduling, and Following Maintenance Procedures n Technology systems require maintenance to operate properly. In a large company, maintenance is a constant need. A dedicated staff of technicians responds to employee requests, services hardware, and upgrades software, or outside technicians are hired to provide service. n In a small company, maintenance might be as basic as keeping a computer keyboard clean, installing a virus protection program, and changing the ink in the printer, when necessary. n All systems will be more reliable and effective if maintenance is performed on a regular basis. n Establishing maintenance schedules enables you to plan and perform maintenance appropriately, provide notice to users when maintenance is due, and budget for ongoing maintenance costs. n Many maintenance tasks can be automated, including data backup, virus scans, and program updates.

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