a publication of the new orleans hapter of legal ......-page 7 - king of mardi gras the quality...
TRANSCRIPT
A Publication of The New Orleans Chapter of Legal Administrators
A’LA Carte 3RD QUARTER 2019
Contents
President’s Message 2
Chapter Board 3
Chapter Committee Chairs
4
Calendar of Events 6
Business Partner Level Sponsorships
7
August Educational Luncheon
11
Annual Retreat 17
September Educational Luncheon
21
Articles
Conference Scholarship 14
My Journey Over Past Fifteen Years
15
Building Relationships with Business Partners
8
Increase Law Firm Profitability Through Cost Accounting
10
Legal Administrative Teaming Models
16
Purple Haze 23
Time Saving Excel Tricks 28
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
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Another quarter has passed us by and my Presidential journey continues at full throttle. The CLI Conference was held in Louisville, Kentucky. The Chapter Leadership Institute (CLI) is an orientation, training and networking event for chapter officers and volunteer leaders. Many of the sessions focus on member retention and recruitment, Business Partner relations, financial guidelines relating to the association, what to expect as president and how to be a strong and successful leader. The lunch break provides a great opportunity to get to know other colleagues and expand your network.
If your name gets pulled for one of our chapter scholarships, and you get the chance to attend
any one of the educational conferences hosted by National, take it; you will be glad that you did. However, you can always attend our Chapter’s monthly educational luncheons and/or half-day seminars to enhance your knowledge on a specific topic. Our professional development committee is always looking for interesting speakers, as well as topics to lecture on.
In addition to networking and educational events, we are involved in multiple community
projects. In the Spring we volunteered to help serve at the “YLC Wednesday at the Square Concert.” As explained by Ryan, a YLC representative, “YLC Wednesday at the Square is a free, 12-concert music series in the heart of the Central Business District. Proceeds from food and drink sales benefit the Young Leadership Council’s community service projects, designed not only to improve the quality of life in the Greater New Orleans area but also to foster leadership skills in young professionals.” In August we started the “Reach Out and Read” program which lasts until March 2020. This is a book drive in which members and business partners donate books to be distributed by Daughters of Charity Healthcare Services to children from infants to age five (5) who are “prescribed” an age appropriate book after each well-visit appointment. Our latest project was spending an afternoon cooking dinner for the families staying at the Ronald McDonald House, a “home away from home” for the families of seriously ill children. What a worthwhile afternoon!
Our Chapter is a “melting pot” filled with talented and exceptional people. It is the support of
our members and business partners that enables us to continue to grow as professional leaders. Therefore, join a committee or volunteer to help with a community project, just get involved. Remember, this is your Chapter - achieve great things!
Vickie T. Generose President, New Orleans Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators
President Vickie Generose
Silbert, Pitre & Friedman [email protected]
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2019-2020 NEW ORLEANS CHAPTER BOARD MEMBERS
Past-President Melissa G. Tokar
Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
President Vickie Generose
Silbert, Pitre & Friedman [email protected]
At-Large Director Gerri Walters
Usry Weeks & Matthews [email protected]
Secretary Lynn M. Johnston
Frilot L.L.C. [email protected]
President-Elect Daniel Simpson
Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith
Treaasurer Patricia Hennessey, CLM
Lugenbuhl, Wheaton, Peck, Rankin & Hubbard
At-Large Director Stephen Wolf, CLM
Deutsch, Kerrigan & Stiles [email protected]
2019-2020 NEW ORLEANS CHAPTER COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Business Partner
Bobby Douglas, Chair Bryan Bagnetto
[email protected] [email protected]
Past-President’s Committee Teresa Douglas, CLM, Co-Chair Cheryl Innis, Co-Chair
[email protected] [email protected]
Communications & Marketing
Lynn Johnston, Chair [email protected]
Community Connections
Shanon Chehardy, Chair [email protected]
Diversity & Inclusion
Mary T. Tucker
Legal Community Outreach Program
Chapter At-Large Directors
Meetings & Special Events
Janet Dotson, [email protected]
Membership
Bonnie Aucoin, Co-Chair Darlene Cook, Co-Chair [email protected] [email protected]
Nominating
Melissa G. Tokar, Chair [email protected]
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Photographer
Carlotta Duhe' [email protected]
Professional Development
Ginnie Blake, Chair [email protected]
Retreat
Denise Abadie
Salary Survey
Patricia H. Christovich Ray Lightell, CPA, CLM [email protected] [email protected]
Website & Social Media
Gerri Walters [email protected]
Chapter Representative—Region 4 Council
Vickie Generose, President [email protected]
2018-2019 NEW ORLEANS CHAPTER COMMITTEE CHAIRS (Continued)
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ALA VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
In addition to involvement in our local chapter, have you considered becoming more involved at the Association level? Throughout the year, ALA issues calls for volunteers for various ALA committees and leadership opportunities. Visit the ALA Website at http://www.alanet.org/volunteer/ for more information.
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2019 Calendar of Events
July 10 Chapter Board Meeting (Rescheduled to July 17th)
July 18 General Membership Luncheon — Calcasieu Private Dining
July 25-27 ALA Chapter Leadership Institute
August 14 Chapter Board Meeting
August 15 General Membership Luncheon — Andy’s Bistro
September 11 Chapter Board Meeting
September 19 General Membership Luncheon — Metairie Country Club
September 27-28 Chapter Retreat — Grand Hotel, Point Clear, AL
October 9 Chapter Board Meeting
October 10 Level Business Partner Social Event — Landry’s in the French Quarter
October 17 General Membership Luncheon — Hyatt Centric French Quarter
November 8 General Membership Half Day Seminar — Westin Canal Place
November 13 Chapter Board Meeting
December 5 Chapter Holiday Luncheon — Windsor Court Hotel
December 11 Chapter Board Meeting
Jane Armato Law Offices of Benjamin Misko
Mary Hill
Sternberg Naccari and White, LLC
The Membership Committee is
actively recruiting new members!
If you know of someone in legal
management who is not a member of the
Association of Legal Administrators,
please email Bonnie Aucoin, Co-Chair, at
[email protected] or Darlene Cook,
Co-Chair at [email protected].
New Orleans Chapter 2019 Level Sponsors
ROYAL PRINTER/ROYAL NEWSLETTER SPONSOR Southern Imaging Solutions, Inc.
QUEEN OF MARDI GRAS
Hub International
MultiTech Office Machines
Ricoh USA Inc.
JESTERS OF MARDI GRAS
ABA Retirement Funds EATEL Business
Bellwether Technology Ener Systems
BIOS Technologies, Inc. Executone Systems of LA Inc.
Brooke Companies Le Pavillon Hotel
Cambria Hotel Lexis Nexis
Capital One Bank Prosource Insurance Services, Inc.
Coyote Analytics LLC Razorline LLC Rippe & Kingston
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KING OF MARDI GRAS
The Quality Group
ROYAL COURT OF MARDI GRAS
FlexManage Restech Gilsbar, Inc. Thomson Reuters iSolved
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSINESS PARTNERS
“THE MULTITECH TEAM TO THE RESCUE” By Vickie Generose, Chapter President
I feel confident in saying, at some time in our administrative position we have all experienced “printer problems”. My issues arose in 2010 when I met with my IT guy and decided to purchase new printers for all the legal assistants/secretaries and paralegals. It was a nightmare! We could not get these printers to print consecutive copies without smudging. For months on end we tried to find a printer that would meet our needs, but were unsuccessful.
It was at our 2011 Business Partner Expo when I met Mike Danna and Multitech team. They
listened to my frustration, asked me what I was actually looking for and informed me they could resolve my issues. And, they did just that! Mike, Chris, Octavian and Jason (to name a few) are professional, friendly and accommodating. When we have a printer problem I contact Mike and someone is at my office within 24 hours. When it comes time to replace our large copier, Multitech is on speed dial.
Our customer/business partner relationship has developed into one of trust, confidence and
mutual respect for each other. Silbert, Pitre & Friedman, as well as myself, look forward to the Multitech being our “technology partner” for many years to come. Vickie T. Generose Chapter President
In today’s world, the idea of a long-term vendor relationship may be one that seems intimidating. However, with the steady increase of online purchasing and escalating competition, it is crucial as a vendor to form a long-term customer/vendor relationship that can endure the ebbs and flows of today’s modern business landscape. Just like personal relationships, it's important to grow and nurture customer relationships. When companies such as ours develop strong relationships with their customers, it can lead to lifelong loyal clients, positive word of mouth and increased sales. Well, I’m proud to say that teaming up with Vickie Generose of Silbert, Pitre & Friedman has proven to be true for all of those things. Vickie has become a champion for Multitech Office Machines singing our praises at all ALA sponsored shows and events whenever called upon. She has been integral part in spreading the word around to colleagues and fellow administrators about the benefits and success she has had in partnering with Multitech. We consider ourselves truly lucky to have made the type of customer/vendor relationship that we have with Vickie and we look forward to being business partners for many years to come. Mike Danna Multitech, Royal Court Sponsor Telephone: 800-641-5291 x 105 Telefax: 985-641-3273 E-mail: [email protected]
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Relocate your entire practice without losing a single billable hour.
Increase Law Firm Profitability Through Cost Accounting By Suzette Welling, CLM ALA Suncoast Chapter
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How are changes in today's climate impacting your law firm profitability? I have seen a lot of changes in the legal industry since 1982. Technology has changed our world significantly, and law firms are slowly catching up to the rest of the business world in many areas. Gone are the days of the large offices, where every attorney has their own secretary, and the firm houses a large library full of books that must be manually updated with those supplements that would arrive on a regular basis, much to our chagrin. As we have slowly joined the rest of the world in the ways of online research and paperless offices, we are also considering more appropriate ways to look at profitability. This is due, in part, to client demand. Clients no longer accept the idea that they will pay our firms by billable hour, with no budget or foreshadowing of what their final out-of-pocket expense may become. Technology allows for broader communication and stiffer competition, and if we want to remain competitive, we must become more efficient and readily able to consider alternative fee arrangements (AFAs) such as flat fees, risk collar agreements, etc., or at the very least, offer accurate budgets that clients can count on so that they know their worst-case scenario. While we may have given in to the fact that we must agree to these terms in order to get the work, many firms find themselves no longer profitable as a result. Where they are falling short is in the failure to recognize that, like other businesses, they must have a cost accounting model that allows them to understand what their cost is for producing the client's product before they can agree to a sale price. If you think only manufacturing companies can use cost accounting methods in their businesses, think again. Law firms who are using these methodologies will leave in the dust those who do not jump on the bandwagon. You may not be producing widgets, but you are selling a "product" that can measured in order to determine the cost to produce. By implementing a cost accounting system, you will be able to determine profitability by producer, department, office, client and matter. (You may be surprised to learn that your largest fee income client is not necessarily the largest contributor to your bottom line!) So how does a firm determine the cost of their product? It isn't as complicated as you may think. By determining the direct costs of your timekeepers (salary, payroll taxes, insurance, training, etc.) and allocating the remaining firm overhead to your timekeepers (how the overhead is allocated to differing timekeepers is another article in itself), you can determine an annual cost per timekeeper. By then looking at the number of hours each timekeeper bills per year, you can determine their hourly cost. (Timekeeper annual cost including overhead allocation ÷ number of hours billed = timekeeper cost per hour.) Once you have determined the timekeeper's cost per hour, you can readily understand what you can (and cannot) afford to offer as your billable rates and AFAs. You can determine the necessary billable rate for each timekeeper in order to meet your profitability goals, taking into account anticipated write-downs and write-offs (typically 10 percent). You will also know very quickly whether you can afford to offer a client a discount on any given invoice and still receive a profit on that work.
By doing a small amount of legwork on the front end to create a model that works for your firm, you can:
Ensure you are billing your timekeepers at a rate that will meet your profitability goals; Look at the profitability of each client based on the timekeepers who have worked on their
matter(s) and the effective rates for those timekeepers after receipts; Be more accurate in your budgeting for client proposals;
Be more competitive by using this knowledge to be creative in your billing models and the use of AFAs. You can start with a simple spreadsheet prepared for each of your timekeepers to determine their break even rate. For a sample spreadsheet, email Suzette Welling at [email protected].
Suzette Welling, CLM, ALA Suncoast Chapter
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AUGUST 2019 EDUCATIONAL LUNCHEON Diversity & Inclusion
August 15, 2019 Andy’s Bistro
Speaker, Sarah Jane Brady, Forum for Equality
New Orleans Chapter Members Networking
Sponsor: Gilsbar, Inc. Royal Court of Mardi Gras Sponsor
ALA Community Connections Project
August 2019 – March 2020
The New Orleans ALA Chapter will host an ongoing drive to collect children’s books for the “Reach Out and Read,” program which is celebrating its 30th year! Your book donation will be given to children from infants to age five (5) are who are “prescribed” an age appropriate book after each well-visit appointment. Locally, Daughters of Charity Healthcare Services, Tulane, LSU-HSC, and Ochsner are all participants in this program. For your convenience, we will have a box for you to deposit your donation at the monthly meetings! Participants in the drive will be included in a drawing (held in August, October, and December) for fancy wine donated by a local wine distributor. We are confident that our monthly drive will be incredibly successful, therefore, it is our goal to deliver children’s books to the four participants in our area. Don’t have time to go to a bookstore? No worries! Children’s books are available at all local pharmacies and most grocery stores including:
CVS Pharmacy
Walgreens
Rouse’s Supermarket
Whole Foods
Please contact Shanon Chehardy (504) 401-2900 or email [email protected] to coordinate pick up of your donations. Monetary donations welcome – make checks payable to Reach Out and Read National Center and mail to Shanon Chehardy at The Young Firm, 400 Poydras Street Suite 2090, New Orleans, LA 70130.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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I am thankful to the vendors and the New Orleans chapter for sponsoring my attendance to the 2019 National ALA Conference. I had been watching webinars and reading about various staffing models prior to the conference so I was delighted to see that there were several sessions on this topic including a round table discussion and a panel presentation featuring three different law firms that had implemented secretarial teams. By learning the details of various models, I gained the insight and contacts to help me create a model for my firm. Upon returning home, I scheduled a conference call with one of the presenters and my HR Manager. We were able to design and implement a legal support team model that is working for us. I went with a mission and accomplished that mission but the contacts and camaraderie with fellow chapter
members cannot be overstated. I got to know and appreciate colleagues heretofore; I only recognized their face. If
you can attend a national conference, it is well worth your time and money.
ALA National Conference Scholarship By Janet Dotson, Administrator of Duplass Zwain
LEGAL ADMINISTRATIVE TEAMING MODELS By: Lori Schmidt, Executive Director, Sessions Fishman
This session provided insight into how some firms are addressing the challenge of hiring, developing and retaining non-professional staff. It was a panel discussion of administrators whose firms have already adopted a teaming model for administrative support. Their real experience made the session very relevant to issues I see now. One of the tasks I find most difficult is recruiting and hiring administrative staff. I struggle between trying to offer a career path to less experienced candidates, and not having the budget for seasoned assistants. Each firm approached this structure change a little differently but, the advantages seemed consistent. They included:
providing consistent support to attorneys during vacancies and vacation;
creating efficient task assignments;
reducing the admin to attorney ratio, and thus payroll cost;
allowing remote support from any office and creating a virtual workforce;
addressing the changing legal assistant role in firms;
providing a path for promotion and greater responsibility with more appealing job responsibilities for next generation staff members;
building replacement talent for retiring workforce and expected attrition.
Implementation of this type of staffing model began with buy in from senior firm management or executive committee. A survey of hours used by type of clerical task was also a good starting point. Evaluating current staff and their core competencies included testing and additional training. Creating a task force, and including cynics of the plan, helped identify other obstacles. Updated job titles and descriptions were also necessary.
Technology advancements have enabled attorneys to be more self-sufficient and has permanently changed the
role of legal assistants in law firms. By focusing on the gains and benefits of this change and not what has been lost, resistance to a new staffing model can be reduced. The correct staffing model can ensure substantive legal work and traditional clerical tasks are all addressed.
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Over the past fifteen years, New Orleans Chapter has given me the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally. I got involved! No matter how busy my life was or how apprehensive I was to accept a leadership role, I saw the great benefits of pushing myself to take part in all that ALA had to offer. In addition to serving on various committees, I took a big leap to get even more involved. In 2010, I accepted the opportunity to Chair the Business Partner Sponsorship Expo Committee and served as Chair until 2015. Since that time, I have continued to be a part of the BP Committee. In 2010, I was elected to the Board of Directors and served as an At-Large-Director for two years. In 2012, I was elected to be the President-Elect and took over as President of the Chapter in 2013. I am currently serving my second term on the Board, the first year as an At-Large Director and now as the Secretary. I have served in the capacity of Past-President and have served as a mentor to our President and Board. What an incredible journey! In 2017, I decided to submit my name for a spot on the ALA Annual Conference Committee and when I received the call to serve I was shocked! I was very excited to serve on the committee but was also skeptical on how my experience and knowledge would assist me in this tremendous endeavor. After eighteen months of meetings, conference calls, and homework, the Committee, along with the assistance of the outstanding Staff of ALA Headquarters, put on one of the best Conferences I had ever attended. Of course, I am being biased, but it surely was amazing. The feeling of being part of this committee will forever be a part of my growth. Again in 2018, I served on the Committee for the Regional Conference. This was another amazing opportunity. I would like to sincerely thank the Chapter as well as our sponsor, The Quality Group, the King of Mardi Gras Sponsor, for the scholarship and opportunity to attend the 2019 ALA Annual Conference in Grapevine, Texas. The conference was filled with outstanding educational sessions, an amazing Expo Hall filled with over 200 Business Partners, and a valuable networking experience with other ALA Members.
Through these years, I have learned how valuable ALA is and how the association offers all of the members such great opportunities for growth. The Association provides outstanding educational conferences several times each year, and I have been fortunate to attend fourteen of the Annual Conferences and four Regional/Fall Conferences. Additionally, I have attended five of the ALA’s Chapter Leadership Conferences. Getting involved in the Association has helped me to step out of my comfort zone and, in so doing, has opened up so many avenues for my growth. The opportunities that I have been given by the Association and the New Orleans Chapter have changed my personal and professional life in so many ways. I am forever grateful!
Step out of your comfort zone and get involved. Serve on a committee, attend a conference, network with other members, it is all there waiting for you! Lynn Johnston, Chair New Orleans Chapter Newsletter
My Journey Over the Past Fifteen Years By: Lynn Martin Johnston, HR Director, Frilot LLC
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2019 NOLA CHAPTER RETREAT Grand Marriott Hotel, Point Clear, AL
The Roaring 20’s September 27-28, 2019
The Grand in Point Clear, Alabama made an excellent venue for our 2019 Retreat. I can honestly say that the Roaring 20’s theme was a hit and I am so grateful that so many guests participated in the games. Our 2019 retreat was attended by 78 guests which included a few ALA members from Alabama. We had donations from 40 different companies. Wait a minute! 41 companies – we need to include the “Bosses” at Quality Group. You have to admit, both Robert Chaisson and Rick Gervais, with their ad-libs and commentary, filled the evening with laughter. Debbie Foster was an incredible speaker. She shed quite a bit of light on why we feel overwhelmed and how we best could pull ourselves out of the funk. With feedback like, “How could anyone complain, it was great!” and “You guys did an amazing job. Congrats!” – I could not have not done this without the wonderful assistance of my committee members, Gerri Walters and Samantha Baskerville. I am thankful for all the time and energy they spent helping to prepare for this event! I am looking forward with 20/20 vision to our next retreat. I am sure it will be a splash! Denise Abadie, Retreat Chair
Johnson Yacoubian & Paysse
Janet and Jim Dotson and speaker, Debbie Foster of Affinity Consultants
Robert Chaisson and Rick Gervais of The Quality Group, King of Mardi
Gras Sponsor, with Vickie Generose, Chapter President
Denise Abadie, Retreat Chair
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Bryan Bagnetto and Lindsay O’Connor
Jeri Lynn and Oscar Davila
Rick and Laurie Gervais, of The Quality Group, King of
Mardi Gras Sponsor
Robert and Mary Chaisson, of The Quality Group, King of
Mardi Gras Sponsor
Sherry Cates and David Constantine of the Mobile Chapter
Scott and Debbie DeRouen
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Ginnie Blake, Darlene Cook and Linda Soileau Carlotta Duhe' and Denise Abadie, Retreat Chair
Bonnie and David Aucoin Amy Norman, George Richardson and Carrie Dunn, CLM
Vickie Generose, Chapter President, Gerri Walters, Linda Soileau, Melissa Tokar,
Darlene Cook and Debbie Rivolo Dan Chapman and Sherry Cates
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Jo Light, CLM
Pauletta and James Jones Jim and Monica Allen
Tricia Hennessey, CLM Lindsay O’Connor, Kerri Caputo and Ginnie Blake
SEPTEMBER 2019 EDUCATION LUNCHEON Is Your Website Working Hard for Your Firm?
Or Is It Just a Brochure Online? Metairie Country Club
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Vickie Generose, Chapter President and Shanna Wozney of iSolved,
Royal Court of Mardi Gras Sponsor
Daniel Simpson, Vickie Generose, Chapter President, Speaker, Elonide Semmes,
and Rachel Kiedrowski
Retreat Members and Guests having a great time!
Speaker, Debbie Foster of Affinity Consulting
Daniel Simpson, Vickie Generose,
Chapter President, Stephen Wolf, CLM,
with Speaker, Debbie Foster of
Affinity Consulting
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I just returned from attending the HR Leadership Conference in Seattle which I won as a scholarship from the Chapter. I want to thank all of our Business Partners for sponsoring chapter scholarships for our members. Without them, no member would have the opportunity to attend national ALA educational events. The conference was dedicated to leadership training and leadership skills for HR Professionals and Firm Administrators. It rained, was damp, dank and chilly except for one day, when the sun magically appeared. I actually got to see Mt. Rainer for the first time in my many visits to this town. The conference opened with Debbie Foster’s “Mindful Leadership” session. It was déjà vu for me since it was quite similar to her Retreat Presentation at the Grand a few weeks ago. All other sessions focused on individual leadership styles, motivating staff, and learning how to keep staff engaged, empowered and grow within our firms, especially the younger generations and how the new generation will change the future of law firms. The conference concluded with a session by Judy Hissong on how to lead and when to follow. Interestingly, our chapter has had both of these speakers present sessions for our members several times. This is why our chapter is one of the best in ALA. We provide timely, pertinent member education. You may wonder about the title of this conference review. I arrived early to spend some time with my oldest son, who lives in Seattle for the past 13 years. Pre-conference, I was at a Mexican Restaurant in Belltown, with Bryan Bagnetto, our other Chapter Scholarship winner, and his girlfriend Lindsay, providing them with some things to do in Seattle. Of course, Margaritas were the drink of choice. Lindsay’s drink, shown above, immediately reminded me of “Purple Haze”, the Jimi Hendrix song from long ago. Seattle is his hometown and a song on his album “Are You Experienced”. As I reflected on this song and album, I think of all of the experiences a Chapter member gains by attending ALA conferences, as well as how fast time passes. It seems like yesterday that I first listened to the album. As a veteran of many ALA Conferences, I am still learning new things to help me lead the Galloway Johnson team. More importantly, since my first visit to Seattle over 10 years ago, this place has changed dramatically. It is a booming metropolis, filled with Gen X’ers and Millennials. Although New Orleans is always a few years behind the rest of the country, our firms will have to change because of the influx of the next generations. Those new employees are ready to work, and we need to understand how each will fit into our firm culture as lawyers and staff. This is our future challenge. “ARE YOU EXPERIENCED”? I think we are, and will manage our way
through the “Purple Haze” of the future.
Ray Lightell, JR., CPA, CLM Chief Financial Officer Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith
PURPLE HAZE By Ray Lightell, Jr., CPA, CLM
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Editorial Policy
This newsletter is published by the New Orleans Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators. Opinions expressed in articles and advertisements are strictly those of the contributors and advertisers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the New Orleans Chapter or its members. Comments, suggestions, and articles are welcomed by chapter members and Business Partners. Reprinting of any portion of this newsletter by any means including photocopying, scanning or any information storage system, is prohibited without the permission of the Editor or the New Orleans Chapter.
Editor Lynn M. Johnston
HR Director Frilot L.L.C.
Time Saving Excel Tricks by Bonnie Schloegel
If you work in Excel often, anything that can save you time is going to make working in a spreadsheet easier. Quickly moving around a spreadsheet is always a big help. These tricks will save you time and frustration. Go to a Cell Location
1. Press F5. 2. Type the Cell Location in the Reference field. 3. Either press the Enter key or click the OK button.
Go to the Next Blank Cell in a Column
1. Click on a cell in the column. 2. Hover the mouse over the bottom of
the cell so that the pointer displays as
3. Double click.
Your cursor will go the last cell above a blank cell.
Make Wrapped Text Cells Display When a column has been set at Wrapped Text, but the cells do not display all the contents, this trick will quickly remedy the current display.
1. Select the Column 2. On the Home tab in the Cells group, click the down arrow for the Format Button. 3. Click AutoFit Row Height.
Copy Formatting
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1. Click a cell that has the desired formatting. 2. On the Home tab in the Clipboard Group, click the Format Painter. 3. Click in the cell to which you want to copy the formatting. Tip: Double click Format Painter to select multiple separate cells.
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Copy Data Down
Select a Range Quickly This is especially useful when you want to set a print range.
1. Click in the last cell in the last row, last column of your desired selection. 2. Hold down CTRL and Shift with your left hand. 3. While holding down the above keys, press the Home key with your right hand.
When you release all three keys your range will be selected. If cell A1 is not to be included, hold the Shift key with your left hand and click with mouse in the beginning cell of your range. Select a Range that Does Not Include Cell A1
1. Click in the first Cell. 2. Using only the Vertical and Horizontal Scroll Bars (do not change the cursor location), display (do
not change the cursor location) the last desired cell. 3. Hold down the Shift key on the keyboard with one hand and with the other hand, click the last
cell. If you have added the Set Print Area button to your Quick Access Toolbar, setting your Print Area is less clicks now that your range is quickly selected. Add Operators to the QAT Also adding operators to your Quick Access Toolbar speeds up creating formulas. Your hand will never leave the mouse. To add them click the down arrow to the right of all the icons on the Quick Access Toolbar, then:
1. In the cell that has what you want to copy, hover the mouse over the Auto Fill green square so that your pointer displays as a +.
2. Double click. The contents of the cell will copy as far down as there are nonblank cells in the column to the left.
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1. Click More Commands. 2. Under Choose commands from:, select All Commands. 3. Anchor your cursor in the list by clicking any item in the list, such as 3-D Color. 4. Type the letter E which will bring you to the first command starting with an E. Scroll to the Equal
sign. 5. Click the Add button. 6. Continue looking for: Plus sign, Percentage Sign, Minus Sign, Multiplication Sign, Division Sign, Left
Parenthesis and Right Parenthesis. 7. You may want to rearrange the commands using the Up and Down Arrow keys on the right of the
list. And Add a Separator which is the first command in the list on the left. 8. Click the OK button when done.
These time saving tips will reduce the amount of time you spend creating, printing and formulating your spreadsheets. Enjoy! Bonnie M. Schloegel Telephone: (281) 755-6575 E-mail: [email protected]
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Proud Sponsor
of the
New Orleans Chapter
Association of Legal
Administrators’
Newsletter
A’LA Carte
A’La Carte
New Orleans Chapter Association of Legal Administra-tors P.O. Box 51145 New Orleans, LA 70151-1145
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