Word Processing Packages

Word processing software is used to create, manipulate, and print documents. Documents can be any kind of text material. Some examples of documents are letters, memos, term papers, reports, and contracts.
The beauty of the computer word processor is that users can make any changes or corrections before printing out the document. Even after usersr document is printed out, users can easily go back and make changes. Users can then print it out again. Popular word processing packages include WordPerfect, MS-Word, and MacWrite. These word processing packages allow users to do the following interesting features:

• Word Wrap/Enter Key: One outstanding word processing feature is a word wrap. A word processor decides for Users and automatically moves the cursor to the next line. As users keep typing, the words "wrap around" to the next line. To begin a new paragraph or leave a blank line, users press the Enter key.

• Search/Replace: A search command allows users to find any wcircleord or number that users know exists in usersr document. When users search, the cursor will move to the first place where the item appears. The replace command automatically replaces the word users search for with another word. The search and replace commands are useful for finding and fixing errors.

• Block/Move: The portion of text users wish to move is a block. Users mark the block by giving commands that produce highlighting, a band of light over the area. The task of moving the block is called a block move. The block command may also be used to delete text or to copy chunks of text into another document.

• Margins: Margins may be justified to right, left or full (right and left at the same time) in the most word processing packages. That is, they may be evened up to the right, left or both side simultaneously.

• Centering/Emphasizing: Headings of a document may be centered. Words or phrases may be typed underlined or boldface (extra dark lettering) for emphasis.

• Spelling Checker: A spelling- checker program can check spelling errors in a document automatically.

• Thesaurus: This programs enable users to quickly find the right word or an alternative word by presenting users with an on-screen thesaurus.

• Mail Merge: This feature allows users to merge different names and addresses so that users can mail out the same form letter to different people.

• Desktop Publishing: Today's advanced word processing programs can perform desktop publishing capabilities. This feature enables users to mix text and graphics to produce newsletters and other publications of nearly professional quality.

• Outliner: Sometimes called idea processors. It helps users organize and outline usersr thoughts before users prepare a document or develop a presentation.

• Grammar/Style Checker: These programs can be used to identify and correct grammar and punctuation errors.

• Importing: Most of the programs have an importing feature. Files may be retrieved from nontext programs such as spreadsheets and graphics and added to the word processing program.

A spreadsheet is an electronic worksheet used to organize and manipulate numbers and display options for what-if analysis. The electronic spreadsheet has rows and columns stored in the computer's memory and displayed on its video screen.
Electronic spreadsheets allow users to try out various what-if kinds of possibilities. That is a powerful feature. Users can manipulate numbers by using stored formulas and calculate different outcomes.
A spreadsheet has several parts. The worksheet area of the spreadsheet has column headings across the top and row headings down the left-hand side. The intersection of a column and row is called a cell. The cell holds a unit of information. The position of a cell is called the cell address. A cell pointer (sprepdsheet cursor) indicates where data is to be entered or changed in the spreadsheet.
Popular electronic spreadsheet packages include Lotus 1-2-3, Quattro Pro, and Excel. Some common features of spreadsheet programs are as follows:

• Format: Column and row headings are known as labels. Usually a label is a word or symbol. A number in a cell is called a value. A label can be centered in the cell or positioned to the left or right. A value can be displayed to show decimal places, dollars, or percent (%). The number of decimal positions (if any) can be altered, and the width of columns can be changed.

• Formulas: The major benefit of spreadsheets is that users can manipulate data by using formulas. They make connections between numbers in particular cells.
• Recalculation: Recalculation is the most important feature of spreadsheets. If users change one or more numbers in usersr spreadsheet, all related formulas will recalculate automatically. By manipulating the values, users can use spreadsheet formulas to explore usersr options.

• Windows: The screen-sized area of a spreadsheet that users can view is called a window or a page. Only about 20 rows and 8 columns of a spreadsheet are visible on the video display screen at one time. The total size of the spreadsheet can be much larger.

• Graphic Data Display: Most spreadsheets allow users to present their data in graphic form. That is, users can display numerical information as pie charts or bar charts.

• 3-D Graphics: Most spreadsheet programs even permit users to display data in graphs and charts that have a three-dimensional look.

• Graphics on Worksheet: A new feature gives users the ability to place graphical elements such as lines, arrows, and boxes directly onto the worksheet. Users can create charts and graphs directly on the worksheet.

• Consolidation Feature: Data may be consolidated from several small worksheets into one large worksheet. Thus, users can work with small worksheets, which are more manageable, and summarize the data on a large worksheet.

• Dynamic File Links: Some software offers dynamic file links, which allow users to link cells in one worksheet file to cells in other worksheet files. Whenever a change occurs in one file, the linked cells in the other files are automatically updated.

A database is a large collection of data entered a computer system and stored for future use. The computerized information in the database is organized so that the parts that have something in common can be retrieved easily. Most DBMS packages can perform four primary tasks:

• Database Development: Define and organize the content, relationships, and structure of the data needed to build a database.

• Database Interrogation: Access the data in a database for information retrieval and report generation. A user can selectively retrieve and display information and produce printed reports and documents.

• Database Maintenance: Add, delete, update, correct, and protect the data in a database.

• Application Development: Develop prototypes of data entry screens, queries, forms, reports, and labels for a proposed application.

A database management package or database management system (DBMS) is a software package used to set up, or structure, a database. It is also used to retrieve information from a database. The top part of the figure is a menu. The entire list of member names and addresses is called a file. Each line of information about one member is called a record. Each column of information within a record is called a field.
Popular database management programs include dBASE, Paradox, and FoxPro. Database management packages have different features, depending on their sophistication. A principal feature of database management software for microcomputers are as follows:

• Retrieve/Display: A basic feature of all database programs is the capability to locate records in the file quickly. The program can search each record for a match in a particular field to whatever data users specify. The records can then be displayed on the screen for viewing, updating, or editing.
  
• Sort: Database management packages make it easy to change the order of records in a file. Normally, records are entered the database in the order they occur. There are many ways users can quickly rearrange the records in the file, such as by employees' last name or by their social security number.

• Calculate/Format: Many database programs contain built-in math formulas. In the office, for example, users can use this feature to find the highest or lowest commissions earned. Users can calculate the average of the commissions earned by the sales force in one part of the country. This information can be organized as a table and printed out in a report format.

• Customized Data-Entry Forms: A person new to the database program may find some descriptions for fields confusing. For example, a field name may appear as "CUSTNUM" for "customer number." However, the form on the screen may be customized so that the expression "Enter the customer number" appears for "CUSTOM." Fields may also be rearranged on the screen, and boxes and lines may be added.

• Professional-Looking Reports: A custom-report option enables users to design the elements users want in a report. Examples are the descriptions appearing above columns and the fields users wish to include. Users can even add graphic elements, such as a box or line, so that the printed report has a professional appearance.

• Program Control Languages: Most people using a database management program can accomplish everything they need to do by making choices from the menus. Many database management programs include a programming control language so that advanced users can create sophisticated applications.

A graphics program can display numeric data in a visual format for analytical or presentation purposes. Any other types of presentation graphics displays are possible. Draw and Input graphics packages support freehand drawing, while desktop publishing programs provide predrawn clip art graphics for insertion into documents. Popular business graphics packages are Harvard Graphics, Freelance, Corel Draw, and etc.
There are two types of graphics programs. Analytical graphics programs are used to analyze data. Presentation graphics programs are used to create attractive finished graphs for presentations or reports.

• Analytical Graphics: Analytical graphics make numerical data much easier to grasp than when it is as rows and columns of numbers. Graphics may take the form of bar charts, line graphs, and pie charts. The bar chart gives an instant visual profile of the some figures. The line graph shows a visual profile in another way. The pie chart shows the proportion of some figures as slices of pie. High-low graph shows a range, such as house prices.
  Most analytical graphics programs come as part of spreadsheet programs, such as Lotus 1-2-3 and Quattro-Pro. They are helpful in displaying economic trends, sales figures, and the like for easy analysis. Analytical graphics may be viewed on a monitor or printed out.

• Presentation Graphics: Users can use presentation graphics to communicate a message or to persuade other people, such as supervisors or clients. Thus, presentation graphics are used by marketing or sales people, for example.
  Presentation graphics look more sophisticated than analytical graphics, using color, titles, a three- dimensional look, and other features a graphic artist might use. High-end presentation graphics packages even include animation capabilities. These packages allow users to create and edit animated graphics on usersr microcomputer.

Communications software packages for microcomputers are also viewed as general-purpose application packages. These packages can connect a microcomputer equipped with a modem to a public and private network. Communications software enables a microcomputer to send and receive data over a telephone or other communications line.
Communications programs are used by all kinds of people inside and outside business. Examples are students doing research papers, travelers making plane reservations, consumers buying products, investors getting stock quotations, and economists getting government statistical data.
Communications programs give microcomputers a powerful feature, which is connectivity. Connections with microcomputers open a world of services. Popular communications software includes ProComm, Smartcom, and Crosstalk. Some common features of microcomputer communications programs are as follows:

• Data Banks: With a communications program, users can access enormous computerized databases - data banks of information. Some of these, such as Dialog, resemble huge electronic encyclopedias.

• Message Exchanges: Communications programs enable users to leave and receive messages on electronic bulletin boards or to use electronic-mail services. Electronic bulletin boards exist for people interested in swapping all kinds of software or information.
  Many organizations now have electronic mailboxes. For instance, users can transmit a report users have created on usersr word processor to a faraway company executive or to a college instructor.

• Financial Services: With communications programs, users can look up airline reservations and stock quotations. Users can order discount merchandise and even do home banking and bill paying.

Integrated packages combine the abilities of several general-purpose applications in one program. Integrated software is an all-in-one application package that includes word processing, spreadsheet, database manager, graphics, and communications. An integrated package works together and shares information from one program with another.
Integrated packages were developed to solve the problems caused by the inability of individual programs to communicate and work with common files of data.

Some integrated packages require significant amounts of memory and may compromise on the speed, power, and flexibility of some of their functions to achieve integration. Powerful microcomputers available these days, however, allow users to accomplish all their works without sacrificing computers' speed and flexibility.
What happens if users want to take the data in one program and use it in another? Suppose users want to take information stored in the database manager and use it in a spreadsheet. This is not always possible with separate application packages, but it is with integrated software.
With an integrated package, users can use the database manager to pull together relevant facts. An example of such facts might be the annual membership fees for a sports club for different years. Users can then use the spreadsheet to compare these membership fees. Users can use the word processing program to write a memo about these membership fees for different categories of members. Users can use this program to merge into the memo totals from the spreadsheet. Finally, users can use the communications program to send the memo to another computer.
Some popular integrated packages are Works, First Choice, Symphony, Enable, Framework, SmartWare 11, Microsoft Office, and Perfect Office. End users who are just beginning to learn about application software find integrated packages quite helpful. These packages can easily exchange data between programs, and they share a common structure. These factors make them easy to learn and convenient to use.

What-If Analysis Example

A bookstore manager can figure out whether the business will make a profit or loss by projecting the cost of books and computer software, clothes, stationery, and other sales over a six-month period. The manager can then subtract expenses from sales. Expenses might include such things as payroll for employees, lease of bookstore space, and purchases of books and other supplies. If the expenses are too high to produce a profit, the manager can experiment on the screen with reducing some expenses. For example, the number of employees and therefore payroll costs might be reduced.