Guide directory
20 free, step-by-step guides written in plain English. No sign-up, no pop-ups.
Microsoft Word
Documents, formatting, mail merge and templates.
How to do a mail merge in Word (letters and labels)
Send the same letter to a whole list of people with each one personalised, using a spreadsheet as the source.
Microsoft WordFixing a Word document where the formatting has gone wrong
Wonky spacing, mystery indents and text that changes size on its own — how to see what is really happening and put it right.
Microsoft Excel
Formulas, tables, charts and tidying up messy data.
VLOOKUP and XLOOKUP explained simply
Pull a price, name or code from one sheet into another automatically, and understand why it sometimes says #N/A.
Microsoft ExcelBuild your first pivot table in Excel
Turn thousands of rows of sales, hours or invoices into a one-page summary in about two minutes.
Microsoft ExcelRecovering an Excel or Word file you did not save
Three places to look before you accept that a morning of work has gone.
Microsoft Outlook
Email, calendars, rules, signatures and shared mailboxes.
Set up an email signature in Outlook
Add your name, job title and logo to the bottom of every email, on both the desktop app and webmail.
Microsoft OutlookTame a busy inbox with Outlook rules
File newsletters, supplier notifications and CC-all-staff messages automatically so your inbox holds only what needs you.
Microsoft OutlookAdd a shared mailbox in Outlook
Get info@ or accounts@ showing in your Outlook, and send replies from that address rather than your own.
Microsoft PowerPoint
Slides, templates, animation and presenting well.
Microsoft Teams
Meetings, chat, channels and file sharing.
OneDrive & SharePoint
Cloud storage, syncing, sharing and version history.
Sage
Sage 50 and Sage Business Cloud accounting and payroll.
Sage 50 month end: a practical checklist
The order to do things in so your month end balances first time, with the checks that catch the usual errors.
SageSubmitting a VAT return from Sage under Making Tax Digital
Reconcile, check, and file your VAT return digitally to HMRC, plus what to do when the submission is rejected.
SageAdding a new employee in Sage Payroll
Set up a starter correctly first time so their tax code, pension and RTI submission are all right.
QuickBooks & Xero
Bookkeeping, bank feeds, VAT and reconciliation.
Windows & PC Basics
Printers, backups, updates, passwords and speed.
Printer not printing? Work through this list
The checks we run in order, from the obvious to the driver reinstall, before anyone buys a new printer.
Windows & PC BasicsSpeed up a slow Windows PC
Genuine improvements you can make yourself in half an hour, and the one hardware upgrade that is always worth it.
Windows & PC BasicsA backup that will actually save you
The 3-2-1 rule in plain English, what to back up, and the test most people never do.
Security & Scams
Staying safe online, phishing, and account recovery.
How to spot a phishing email
The signs to look for, the two rules that stop nearly every attack, and exactly what to do if you have already clicked.
Security & ScamsPasswords and multi-factor authentication, done properly
Why three random words beat P@ssw0rd1, and how to turn on the one setting that blocks most account takeovers.