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Microsoft Office XP

Office Online Help

The Microsoft Office Help (hereafter referred to as "Help") system provides concise, printable descriptions and procedures for virtually every possible Office topic. Every feature and view is explained, and the Help system offers suggestions regarding how to most effectively use the features in the program.

NOTE: The same Help system is available in all Office programs (Excel, FrontPage, Outlook, PowerPoint, Publisher, and Word). This document uses PowerPoint as a guide; however, you can easily substitute PowerPoint for the Office program you are using.

return to topAbout the Help Dialog Box

The Help dialog box gives you three different ways of searching for your topic: Contents, Answer Wizard, and Index tab. Using the Help dialog box also gives you navigation and print options. While the Help dialog box may be a bit more complex, it can help you narrow your search. The Help dialog box gives you a toolbar with these useful options:

Name Button Action
Auto Tile
Auto Tile button
 Tiles the work area and the Help dialog box so they do not overlap.
Untile
Untile button
 Untiles the work area and the Help dialog box so they overlap.
Show/Hide
Show/Hide button
 Shows or hides the list of topics.
Back
Back arrow
 Navigates backward through the list of topic instructions.
Forward
Forward arrow
 Navigates forward through the list of topic instructions.
Print
Print button
 Prints the instructions currently in view.
Options
Options button
 Displays a submenu of available options with the Help dialog box.

return to topUsing the Help Dialog Box

Searching for a topic with the Help dialog box means you will not have to go through the Office Assistant. You go directly to the dialog box to begin your search. In order to open the Help dialog box from the Help menu, Office Assistant must be turned off.

To turn off Office Assistant:

  1. From the Help menu, select Microsoft (program name) Help
    EXAMPLE: From the Help menu, select Microsoft PowerPoint Help
    The Office Assistant along with the What would you like to do? dialog box appears.

  2. Right click the Office Assistant » select Options...
    OR
    In the What would you like to do? dialog box, click OPTIONS
    The Office Assistant dialog box appears.

  3. Deselect Use the Office Assistant

  4. Click OK
    The Office Assistant disappears.

To turn on Office Assistant:

  1. From the Help menu, select Show the Office Assistant

To open the Help dialog box:

  1. From the Help menu, select Microsoft (program name) Help
    The Microsoft (program name) Help dialog box appears.
    EXAMPLE: From the Help menu, select Microsoft PowerPoint Help
    The Microsoft PowerPoint Help dialog box appears.
    HINT: If the dialog box is not maximized, click MAXIMIZEMaximize buttonfor easier viewing.
    Help Dialog box

Using the Help Dialog Box: Contents Tab

Using the Contents tab means you will be searching throughout the entire library of Help topics to find your topic. This can be beneficial if a keyword search does not bring up any relevant topics. 

  1. Open the Help dialog box

  2. Select the Contents tab
    A list of all the main Help topics appears.

  3. From the list, double click a topic
    A sublist appears.
    HINT: To expand a topic, click the plus (+) next to the topic.

  4. Select a topic
    The instructions for that topic appear on the screen to the right of the list.
    NOTE: If another list of subtopics appears instead of the instructions, keep navigating through the list until your search is complete.

Using the Help Dialog Box: Answer Wizard Tab

The Answer Wizard tab functions a lot like the Office Assistant. You will type a question or topic and a list of topics related to your query appears. 

  1. Open the Help dialog box

  2. Select the Answer Wizard tab

  3. In the What would you like to do? text box, type a topic or question

  4. Click SEARCH
    In the Select topic to display list, a list of topics related to your query appears.
    NOTE: If there are no topics that match your query, repeat steps 3 and 4.

  5. Select a topic
    The instructions for that topic appear on the screen to the right of the list.

Using the Help Dialog Box: Index Tab

The Index tab searches via keywords. You have the choice of either typing in your own keywords or selecting from the list of keywords. 

  1. Open the Help dialog box

  2. Select the Index tab

  3. In the Type keywords text box, type keywords for your search topic
    OR
    From the Or choose keywords scroll box, select a keyword related to your search topic

  4. Click SEARCH
    A list of topics appears under Choose a topic.
    NOTE: If there are no topics that match your query, repeat steps 3 and 4.

  5. Select a topic
    The instructions for that topic appear on the screen to the right of the list.

return to topUsing Help with the Office Assistant

The Office Assistant is a character that helps you find the Help topics that you are looking for. Instead of going directly to the Help dialog box, you will ask the Office Assistant for help. In order to get help from the Office Assistant the Office Assistant must be turned on.

  1. From the Help menu, select Microsoft (program name) Help
    OR
    On the Standard toolbar, click Microsoft (PROGRAM NAME) HelpMicrosoft PowerPoint Help
    EXAMPLE: From the Help menu, select Microsoft PowerPoint Help
    OR
    On the Standard toolbar, click Microsoft PowerPoint HelpMicrosoft PowerPoint Help
    The What would you like to do? dialog box appears.

  2. In the text box, type a word or phrase that describes the information you are searching for

  3. Click SEARCH
    A list of related topics is displayed.

  4. Select the topic that best suits what you are looking for
    The Microsoft (program name) Help dialog box appears showing the instructions for that topic.

  5. To close the Help window, click the X in the top right corner

  6. OPTIONAL: To hide the What would you like to do? dialog box, click outside the dialog box

  7. OPTIONAL: To hide the Office Assistant, from the Help menu, select Hide the Office Assistant
    OR
    Right click the Office Assistant » select Hide

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