Path 4 · Office
Office and Productivity
Write documents, build spreadsheets and presentations, and handle PDFs, printing and scanning, using LibreOffice with Microsoft Office equivalents explained.
By the end you will be able to
- Create a well-formatted document, CV and letter.
- Build a spreadsheet with formulas and a chart.
- Design a clear presentation.
- Export, print and scan documents correctly.
Before you start
- Recommended first: Files, Storage and Digital Organisation
Module 14: Word processing
Write, format, check and export documents in LibreOffice Writer, with the Microsoft Word equivalents, and finish with a CV, a formal letter and a report.
- Writing your first document in LibreOffice Writer
Open Writer, type a short document, save it in the right format, close it and open it again, and learn how Writer's tools match the ones in Microsoft Word.
25 min · beginner · Ubuntu/Linux · Windows
- Headings, margins, lists, headers, footers and page numbers
Give a document a clear structure with styles and headings, set margins and line spacing, make bullet and numbered lists, and add headers, footers and page numbers in Writer or Word.
30 min · beginner · Ubuntu/Linux · Windows
- Tables, images, checking, track changes and exporting to PDF
Add tables and pictures, check spelling, find and replace words safely, use track changes and comments when others review your work, and export a finished document to PDF.
30 min · elementary · Ubuntu/Linux · Windows
- Project: a CV, a formal letter and a report
Put the module together by building three real-world documents from fictional details: a one-page CV, a formal letter and a short formatted report, then check each one against a quality checklist.
40 min · elementary · Ubuntu/Linux · Windows
Module 15: Spreadsheets
Build, calculate, sort, filter and chart data in LibreOffice Calc, with the Microsoft Excel equivalents, and keep your spreadsheets correct and safe.
- Spreadsheet basics: cells, rows, columns and data types
Open LibreOffice Calc, learn what workbooks, worksheets, cells, rows and columns are, enter text, numbers and dates correctly, format them, and build a small household budget.
30 min · beginner · Ubuntu/Linux · Windows
- Formulas, functions and cell references
Write formulas that calculate for you, use SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX and COUNT, understand relative and absolute cell references, and decode the common error messages.
30 min · elementary
- Sorting, filtering and data validation
Keep a list of records in a spreadsheet, sort it without scrambling the rows, filter it to see only what you need, and stop wrong entries with data validation drop-down lists.
30 min · elementary
- Charts and spreadsheet safety
Turn a table into a clear chart, choose the right chart type, label it honestly, avoid misleading charts, and protect your spreadsheets with checks, backups and careful sharing.
35 min · elementary
Module 16: Presentations
How to build clear, readable slides, then present them, make them accessible, and export or share them safely.
- Building slides: layouts, themes and content
Build a short slide deck with a clear layout, a consistent theme, readable text, one helpful picture or chart, and speaker notes, and tell a good slide from a crowded one.
30 min · elementary · Ubuntu/Linux · Windows
- Presenting, accessibility, exporting and sharing
Rehearse and deliver a talk with presenter view and timings, make slides readable for everyone, and export and share the deck as a PDF without leaking private notes.
30 min · elementary · Ubuntu/Linux · Windows
Module 17: PDFs, printing and scanning
How to open, create and print PDFs with the right settings, then scan paper documents with good quality, searchable text and safe sharing.
- PDFs, print preview and printing
Open and create PDF files, use print preview to catch mistakes before paper is wasted, and choose the right printer, page range, orientation and two-sided setting.
30 min · elementary · Ubuntu/Linux · Windows
- Scanning, image quality, OCR and safe sharing
Scan paper into a clear, reasonably small file, understand what OCR does to make scanned text searchable, and share documents safely, including why a black box is not real redaction.
30 min · elementary · Ubuntu/Linux · Windows