This intermediate-level productivity training blends live virtual sessions with personalized one-on-one coaching to reinforce and sustain new productivity habits and processes. Designed for those who have completed basic productivity and efficiency training, this course delves deeper into managing emails, tasks, calendars, and meetings using Microsoft Outlook and OneNote. Additionally, it covers intermediate functionalities in Microsoft Teams to enhance collaboration and information sharing with colleagues. Following the live training, each participant will receive a two-hour, individualized productivity coaching session. In these virtual coaching sessions, expert coaches work closely with each participant to apply intermediate-level functionalities, tailoring tools and applications to suit their unique work style and role. Coaches share screens to facilitate real-time collaboration, helping participants implement and customize Outlook, OneNote, and Teams based on strategies covered in the training. The course consists of three live, interactive sessions, which can be scheduled over a three-day period. Participants will engage in reflective exercises, hands-on practice, and instructor-led Q&A to solidify their learning. This training assumes that participants are already familiar with Outlook and have completed the foundational productivity training.
Course Overview
Course Outcomes
Microsoft Outlook: Using Intermediate Functionality
Time: 2 hours
This course will focus on learning intermediate functionality in Outlook to improve email, task, calendar and contact management. Participants will learn strategies of how to take the next level of managing the email inbox and tasks using Outlook functionality that will help them track and manage action items and priorities.
Microsoft OneNote: Using Intermediate Functionality
Time: 2 hours
OneNote, a powerful meeting, note-taking, and collaboration tool within the Microsoft Office suite, offers features to streamline team productivity. This intermediate training takes users beyond the basics to explore OneNote’s advanced functionality, including organizing and archiving notebooks, sections, and pages. Participants will learn platform differences, share and collaborate on notes, and enhance their organization with Section Groups and sub-pages. We’ll also cover advanced page management, such as embedding Excel sheets, tracking versions, and linking or moving pages. Finally, attendees will personalize their OneNote experience with customized tags, templates, and drawing tools, and use view options like “Dock to Desktop” and “New Window View” for efficient multitasking.
1. Optimizing OneNote for Organization and Collaboration
- Distinguish between desktop, mobile, and online applications.
- Share and collaborate on meeting notes and projects.
- Organize content with pages, sections, Section Groups, and archiving methods.
2. Advanced Content and Page Management
- Enhance pages with embedded Excel sheets, links, and history tracking.
- Move, copy, and mark pages; manage version history.
3. Customizing Tools and Views for Efficiency
- Personalize tags, templates, and drawing tools.
- Access recent edits, the Notebook recycle bin, and utilize pinned pages and dual-window views for multitasking.
Microsoft Teams: Using Apps to Effectively Collaborate
Time: 2 hours
Microsoft Teams is the collaboration hub within Office 365, designed to enhance team communication and productivity. This training course provides attendees with a comprehensive understanding of Teams, covering essential skills such as customizing settings, managing notifications, and integrating apps. Participants will learn to use chat and messaging features effectively, organize group conversations, and convert chats to emails or tasks. They’ll also explore the differences between Teams and Channels, manage settings and permissions, and collaborate on shared files. The course introduces useful Office 365 apps like Microsoft Planner, OneNote, and Whiteboard to support teamwork. Additionally, attendees will discover how to set up and manage online meetings, add agendas, and use collaborative note-taking tools, enabling them to leverage Microsoft Teams for streamlined, effective collaboration across their organization
Settings:
- Configure status, notifications, and preferences
- Customize the Teams taskbar and integrate new apps
Chat and Messaging:
- Understand chat basics, including organizing group chats and using @mentions
- Convert chats to emails or tasks and add tabs to access files and information
Teams and Channels:
- Differentiate between Teams and Channels and understand their functions
- Manage Team and Channel settings, permissions, and membership
- Organize and collaborate on shared files and add tabs for key resources
Collaboration Apps:
- Leverage built-in apps for collaboration, including:
- Microsoft Planner, Lists, OneNote, Stream, Whiteboard, Forms, Website, and Power BI
Meetings:
- Explore meeting options, add agendas, and use Whiteboard or OneNote for notes
- Access post-meeting group chats and share documents through tabs
Individual Productivity Coaching
Time: 2 hours
Each participant in the training will receive a personalized, two-hour, one-on-one productivity coaching session. These virtual sessions, led by an expert productivity coach, take place following the live training. In collaboration with the participant, the coach will review key functions and strategies covered during the training, focusing on practical ways to apply them within their existing systems. The goal of productivity coaching is to help participants more effectively utilize the Microsoft productivity applications available to them.
Business Need
Organizations today face the challenge of maximizing productivity from their most valuable asset: their people. Empowering employees with organizational and productivity skills is essential to help them reach their full potential. By learning to manage communications, email, priorities, meetings, and time more effectively, employees can achieve their job objectives while reducing stress and preventing overwhelm.
Course Topics
Email Management in Outlook
- Utilize Outlook’s “Cleanup” tools to manage inboxes effectively, including rules, junk mail settings, and conversation cleanup.
- Create and send emails more efficiently by using email templates and QuickParts.
- Boost productivity with the Dictation feature to draft emails hands-free.
- Optimize email timing to improve response rates with the Schedule Send feature.
- Streamline email management by automating actions with QuickSteps.
- Quickly locate emails with advanced search tools, including search folders and the “Find Related” feature.
- Customize email settings and preferences for a personalized Outlook experience.
Task Management in Outlook
- Navigate the Microsoft To Do app on both desktop and mobile devices.
- Customize views and lists to organize tasks effectively within the To Do app.
- Share task lists with others to enhance collaboration and productivity.
- Integrate task lists with Outlook email and calendar views for streamlined task management.
Calendar Management in Outlook
- Explore and customize view options in the Outlook calendar for optimal organization.
- Apply categories to calendar events for better tracking and prioritization.
- Use the Scheduling Assistant to ensure meeting times work for all participants and avoid conflicts.
- Tag meeting participants as optional or mandatory to clarify attendance expectations.
- Understand calendar permissions in a networked environment to manage access securely.
- Share your calendar with external contacts within your organization for enhanced coordination.
- Follow up effectively with meeting attendees using the Contact Attendees and Follow Up features.
- Discover various calendar options and preferences to tailor Outlook to your scheduling needs.
Contact Management in Outlook
- Create new contacts and explore key features within the contact setup window.
- Set up and manage Contact Groups for efficient communication.
- Organize contacts effectively by applying and managing categories.
- Easily view and search contacts for quick access and streamlined organization.
Course Schedule
Typical Course Duration
Virtual: 8 hours
In-person: 8 hours
Delivery Methods
Number of participants
- in-person: 30
- virtual: 30
Course Details
Course Level:
- Intermediate
- Advanced
Learning Methods:
- Computer Training Demonstration
- Exercises/Activities
- Interactive Discussion
Equipment:
- CI's virtual platform