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Productivity Software for Lawyers

The purpose of this guide is to highlight tools and techniques available in common productivity software that you may not have had reason to use before, but that can be especially useful to lawyers and legal professionals.

General

Why do lawyers need to know Excel?

• How lawyers can use Excel

The basics of cells, rows, columns, and sheets

• Video: start using Excel (4:24)

Basic row/column manipulation

• Freeze or lock rows and columns
• Show or hide columns and rows
• Change the column width and row height

Formatting data

• Conditionally formatted data: Examples and guidelines

Using simple formulas

• Overview of formulas
• Cell referencing

Using template spreadsheets

• Use and save an Excel template
• Video: Create an Excel 2010 workbook from a template (2:35)
• Excel templates for budgets, invoices, calendars, and more

Sort/filter functions

• Sort data in a worksheet

Charts and graphs

• Create a chart from start to finish
• Choosing a good chart format

Printing a spreadsheet

• Print a worksheet or workbook
• Excel printing for newbies
• Print row and column headings on every printed page
• Set a print area on a worksheet
• Set page margins before printing a worksheet
• Use Page Layout view to fine-tune pages before printing

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