4 easy steps to keep the leading zero in Excel!

When working on spreadsheets you might have a need to have a column that has leading zeros. For example, let’s use an ID number, if I was to input the beginning of my id “0010” Excel would automatically remove the first two zeros.  Here’s how to keep the leading zero in Excel:

  1. Right-click on the column you want the leading zero, and select Format Cells.
  2. Select Custom from the category list.
  3. In the Type field, enter how many digits you need. The SMU ID is 8 digits which we will use in our example below.  (Note: You do not need to add quotes to the string.)

Format Cells

4. Click OK. The column will now utilize the format you created!

ID number

 

Tips for Using OneNote in Office 365

headerKeep your notes close at hand

Stay organized and collaborate with teammates using OneNote in Office 365 on all your devices. Your notes are saved automatically as you make them—just like a paper notebook. They go with you everywhere too and, unlike paper notebooks, you don’t have to worry about losing them.

Get OneNote on your devices

csc-sc1-tip3_photo1_@2xDraw, sketch, or handwrite notes

Use your finger, stylus, or mouse on any Touch-capable device—and automatically convert your handwriting to text.

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csc-sc1-tip3_photo2_@2xRecord your notes

Don’t miss important information when you video- and audio- record your notes during important meetings.

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csc-sc1-tip3_photo3_@2xWork together from anywhere

Share your OneNote notebooks with others, so that everyone can edit and share notes in the same place. Your notes are synced to OneDrive for Business, giving everyone access to them from wherever they are.

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For more information on Office 365 at SMU, please visit our webpage http://www.smu.edu/BusinessFinance/OIT/Services/o365.

Tips for Using Excel in Office 365

sc1_tip2_headerLet your data tell a story

With Office 365 you can easily tell the story of your data. Perform complex tasks quickly, visualize your data to understand it better, and share your workbooks for better results.

csc-sc1-tip2_photo1_@2xAnalyze your data instantly

Discover and compare different ways to represent your data visually then apply formatting, sparklines, charts, and tables with a single click.

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csc-sc1-tip2_photo2_@2xGet a better picture of your data

Let Excel recommended the charts that best illustrate your data’s patterns. Quickly preview your chart and graph options, then pick the ones that present your insights most clearly.

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csc-sc1-tip2_photo3_@2xLet Excel work for you

Save time as Excel learns your pattern and auto-completes remaining data. No formulas or macros required.

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For more information on Office 365 at SMU, please visit our webpage http://www.smu.edu/BusinessFinance/OIT/Services/o365.

O365 for SMU Students

sc1_tip1_headerA better way to work for SMU students

With Office 365, you can read, write, collaborate, and present ideas—from virtually anywhere with consistent, clean, and fast experiences.

Simplify sharingcsc-sc1-tip1_photo1_@2x

Your files are saved online, so you can send everyone a link to the file where updates can be made together, at the same time.

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csc-sc1-tip1_photo2_@2xZoom in with PowerPoint

Direct your audience’s attention right to your point in your PowerPoint presentation. Zoom in on a diagram, chart, or graphic with a couple of clicks, and zoom out just as smoothly.

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csc-sc1-tip1_photo3_@2xA PDF time-saver you’ll love

Open a PDF in Word on your desktop, and you can edit content as if you created it in Word.

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OneDrive for Faculty, Staff, & Students

one driveIn case you haven’t heard, OneDrive is now available for all SMU faculty, staff, and students! What does that mean? OneDrive for Business is a Microsoft online service that provides resources for file storage, collaboration, and communication. Students and Employees receive unlimited space. All files that you store in OneDrive are private initially. However, you can easily change the permissions of the files to share them with other individuals (both at SMU and externally). The single-item file size upload limit is 10GB. You can also access and synchronize files easily on multiple devices.

Sounds great! How do I access my OneDrive?

  1. Visit http://office365.smu.edu and click Login.
  2. Enter your SMU email address using the @smu.edu format (user@smu.edu).
  3. You will automatically be redirected to the SMU Office365 login page.
  4. Enter your SMU email address using the @smu.edu format and your mySMU password.
  5. Click Sign In.
  6. Click OneDrive from the top menu bar. The first time you click on OneDrive, you may see a message that indicates your account is being activated. That process takes a few minutes to complete.
  7. You can use the OneDrive service from the browser window. Once you have initially launched one drive, it should also be a default save option without your Microsoft Office applications. You can also download the OneDrive Sync application onto your computer. This will automatically backup files saved to a specified location to your OneDrive account.