EssentialTools

EssentialTools is a set of tools that enables easier access to most used features in the Office suite on branded templates as well as features that solve a simple use case, which can be difficult for most users.

Where is EssentialTools implemented?

The EssentialTools ribbon is a rather simple ribbon consisting of various tools. This section describes these tools shortly as well as it specifies how to support if a client ask for changes, e.g. in colors.

This is the ribbon in Word:

This is the ribbon in PowerPoint:

Productivity

This is a group that consist of five features and is only present in Word.

The first feature, Show/Hide, enables the user to show or hide shapes in the document. This tool is by default configured to show/hide logo or address (or both), but technically speaking it will show or hide based on the naming of shapes that are present in the particular document, which then means that the naming of the shapes must be aligned according to the configuration.

The second feature, Update Fields, updates all fields in the body and header/footer section of the document.

Paste and Formatting is a menu supporting users to take out direct formatting and paste with/without formatting.

The last three features, View Gridlines, View Field Codes and Show/hide Paragraph Marks are injected features, meaning that they are a part of Office's built-in functionalities, and thus changes to these buttons are very limited.

Language

The language selector allows users to easily change spelling language across the entire presentation, and thus this tool is only for PowerPoint.

The feature, Spelling Language, is a menu consisting of a wide range of languages by default. For some clients, it may make sense to narrow down the list and/or add other languages.

Colors

The color selector allows easy access to corporate colors throughout both Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

There are three options: 1) change fill color of selected element, 2) change line color of selected element, and 3) change font color of selected text or text within selected element.

We define the colors in RGB and notice that we for fill colors also change the line color accordingly and change the font to either black or white (depending on the fill color).

Styles

This group is only present in Word and consist of shortcuts for native styles, meaning that the buttons link to built-in Word styles.

Shortcuts to specific, custom styles may be in TailoredTools.

Levels

This group is present in PowerPoint and consist of a menu from where levels can be selected and applied in the presentation. The functionality refers to Level 1-9 in the slide master of the particular presentation.

Image

Our Image Tools improves the ability to insert images from non-Templafy libraries into image placeholders in both Word and PowerPoint.

What we need from you:

• Templates
  We will add a button to your ribbon giving the user easy access to your templates. Please provide us with the location of your template hub, or provide us with your templates, and we will place them in a suitable location.
  NB: Perhaps SkabelonDesign created your templates and, therefore, already have access to them. Perhaps you are using Templafy, in which case Templafy will serve as you template hub, and you can ignore this request.
• Colors
  We will place buttons in your ribbon granting the user easy access to your corporate colors. Please provide us with the RGB values for the colors you would like us to include.
  We would also like your input in regard to the structure of the module, i.e. which colors goes where.
• Exclusions
  Let us know which features, if any, you would like to exclude from your ribbon. Sometimes, it does not make sense to include ALL features of EssentialTools to the ribbon. Let us have a dialog about which are relevant for you.