Using Dictation Function in Microsoft Office Desktop Apps

I have been finding myself using the dictation function, especially inside Word and OneNote, a lot more recently. 

Dictation is a feature in Office 365 that allows you to use your voice to create content in Office apps. You can dictate text, punctuation, and even formatting commands. Dictation is available in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and Publisher.

To use dictation, you need to have a microphone and a reliable internet connection. You also need to be signed into Office 365.

To start dictation, open an Office app and click on the "Dictate" button in the toolbar. The Dictate button is a microphone icon. Once you click on the Dictate button, your microphone will turn on and you can start speaking.

As you speak, the text will appear on the screen. You can use your voice to dictate text, punctuation, and even formatting commands. For example, you can say "period" to insert a period, or "bold" to bold the text.

You can also use dictation to create tables, lists, and other types of content. For example, you can say "table" to create a table, or "list" to create a list.

When you are finished dictating, click on the "Stop Dictation" button in the toolbar. The Stop Dictation button is a square with a red X in it.

Dictation is a great way to quickly create content in Office apps. It can be especially helpful if you are unable to type, or if you want to be able to create content while you are on the go.

Here are some tips for using dictation effectively:

• Speak clearly and slowly.
• Use natural pauses to indicate when you want to insert a new line or paragraph.
• Use the Dictate commands to insert punctuation and formatting.
• Review your work carefully after you have finished dictating.

Dictation is a powerful tool that can help you to be more productive in Office 365. By following these tips, you can learn to use dictation effectively and create content quickly and easily.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind when using dictation:

• Dictation works best in quiet environments.
• If you have a strong accent, you may need to speak more slowly or clearly.
• Dictation is not perfect, so you may need to edit your work after you have finished dictating.

Overall, dictation is a great way to save time and be more productive in Office 365. If you have a microphone and a reliable internet connection, I encourage you to try it out.

Workflow: Using OneNote as a Task Manager

One of the nice things about using OneNote as a task manager is the ease of being able to manipulate the information that you're putting into your task list. You can’t do that on paper!

I begin by selling up the section as a month/year heading. For example June 2023 would be my sectional heading. I then create separate pages for each day of the week labeling each page in the following way to make it easier for me to work with: 20230610 Saturday Task List.

I also create a floating page for Monthly Projects that I move with my current day page to keep the two together. I use the Monthly Projects for a reminder of ongoing things that I need to deal with that I can pull into a Day Task List as I work on them.

I keep a couple of other informational pages with the Monthly Project Sheet for quick referencing as well. It makes it easier for me to answer questions as they arise by keeping those listing easily accessible.

Since I create anywhere from 28 to 31 pages for the days in the month it is easier to create the first seven days and copy them as a group and adjust the information as needed once they are pasted back into the monthly section to create all the pages that I need. I also change the date on each page to match the date of the page. (Just the quirkiness in me)

This whole process only takes about 10 minutes to complete. A typical page layout is shown below.

I typically work on my task list either the night before or in the morning when I start my day. It usually entails me bringing any unfinished tasks from the previous day over to be worked on. I add on any new tasks that may have come in via email or Teams communications. I also receive task functions from workflow notifications that I have created in our ticketing system to be included in the list. I then slide the task up and down list to place them in the order in which I want to attack the list. I will use tabbing to keep subtasks underneath a major heading to keep a project together (as you see in the example above). I use the check box function to mark off when the task is completed on the list.

What are the benefits of doing this in OneNote? There are several. First, because of the freeform nature of the application it can bend to my needs on a daily basis. Second, Search Notebooks allows a word search though all of your notebooks through one search bar. Third, Organization, being able to manipulate the data from day to day and within a day to reorder information and change it makes for a quick and easy control of the data that you are working with.

Let me know if this type of article is one that you would like to see more of.