Microsoft Office Blog by Chris Menard

August 19, 2025 - Southeastern Accounting Show (SEAS) - The CPA's Guide to Excel Data Analysis - Chris Menard

I will be presenting at the Georgia Society of CPAs' Southeastern Accounting Show on August 19, 2025. My first session will be The CPA's Guide to Excel Data Analysis: Turning Numbers into Knowledge

2025 Upcoming Public Speaking Events with Chris Menard

Discover my exciting public speaking events for 2025! Join me for sessions on mastering Excel, Microsoft 365 productivity tips, and advanced Excel training at conferences in Athens, GA, Boise, ID, and the University of Georgia. Learn more about these empowering workshops designed for administrative professionals, support staff, and Executive MBA students.

Microsoft Teams: Edit Display Name in Meetings

Microsoft Teams is rolling out a fantastic new feature that allows you to customize your display name during meetings. This enhancement is perfect for personalizing your presence and ensuring your name appears just how you want it to.

Copilot Chat vs. Microsoft 365 Copilot: Understanding the Key Differences

Discover the key differences between Copilot Chat and Microsoft 365 Copilot in our detailed analysis. Learn about their functionalities, user interfaces, and how each tool can enhance your productivity. Find out which AI-powered solution is best suited for your needs.

Teams and Outlook: Keeping Teams and Outlook Contacts in Sync

Discover how the new synchronization feature between Microsoft Teams and Outlook can streamline your contact management, enhance productivity, and reduce errors.

Excel Training for the University of Georgia's Online and Professional MBA Students

Saturday, April 5, 2025: I'll train the University of Georgia's online and professional MBA students in Microsoft Excel. Topics include PivotTables, Filtering, and even Financial Statement analysis.

Unlocking Snagit 2025: Smart Redact Feature Demo

Snagit 2025 has arrived, and it's packed with an exciting new feature called Smart Redact. This powerful tool is designed to make your workflow more efficient and secure when dealing with sensitive information. In this blog post, we'll dive deep into the Smart Redact feature, demonstrating its functionality with two practical examples.

Revolutionizing Data Import with Copilot in Excel: A Game-Changer for External Data Integration

The latest rollout of Copilot in Excel brings an exciting new capability: the ability to effortlessly import data from various sources, including Word documents, PowerPoint files, PDFs, and external websites. This powerful feature promises to streamline your workflow and enhance your data analysis capabilities like never before.

Blog Posts Week Starting February 17, 2025 - Snagit 2025, Teams NEW Feature, and Live Stream on Microsoft Copilot in Excel

February 16, 2025 - Next week, two videos and one Live Stream. Discover the power of Snagit 2025's new Step Capture feature! Stay organized and on top of your schedule with the new Calendar feature in Teams! Live stream on Friday, Feb 21, covering Copilot In Excel.

Combining Unique Names from Multiple Lists with Copilot in Excel

Copilot in Excel can help us combine unique names from multiple lists, a task that's often needed but can be tricky to execute manually.

Copilot in Excel - Ask Copilot Questions about Keyboard Shortcuts, Functions, and Steps

Copilot in Excel can be asked for intermediate keyboard shortcuts, how-to steps, and function explanations.

Speed Up Data Entry and Accuracy with Excel Data Validation Lists

In today's fast-paced work environment, efficiency and accuracy in data entry can significantly impact productivity. One of the best tools to achieve this in Excel is the Data Validation List feature. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up and using Data Validation Lists to streamline your data entry tasks in Microsoft Excel.