Tech Tips & Tales from The MS Office Maestro

Hello and a big warm welcome Reader

​
I’m thrilled you’ve joined me. Whether you found me through a webinar, a course, or a recommendation, you’re now part of a community that’s all about making work smarter and easier.

Here’s what you can expect in every newsletter:
✅ Personal stories – a peek behind the scenes
✅ Training news – updates on courses and events
✅ Practical tips – shortcuts and strategies for Microsoft 365 apps

I’d love to hear from you!
Drop me an email at shelley@tomorrowsva.com and tell me:

• What’s your role?
• Which Microsoft tools do you use most?
• What would you love to learn next?

Your feedback helps me create content that truly supports you.

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Tales from The Maestro

As you may remember, there was no newsletter last week because I’ve been away in the US visiting our children and grandchildren. We’re still here and loving every moment of catching up with everyone!

Last week, we took a mini break to Panama and what an adventure it was! In the collage below, you’ll see:

• The striking Pandora Building, which really caught our eye.
• A cheeky white-faced monkey who was brave enough to take a grape right from my hand!
• A visit to an Embera Tribe village, where we met a lovely lady dressed in beautiful traditional attire.

Panama was a fantastic experience filled with sightseeing and cultural activities, a real treat.

Once we were back in Florida, we rounded off the week with a fun family outing to Lena’s Circus. A kind chap even took a group photo to prove we were all there!

I’m writing this on Monday, 1 December, as the next couple of days will be busy with family time, meeting friends and squeezing in that last-minute shopping that always seems so essential!

Looking Ahead

I’ll be back in the office from 10 December, although the jet lag will definitely be joining me!

There are lots of exciting courses in the pipeline and I’ll be preparing for the next cohort of Microsoft 365 Fundamentals with AI and Copilot, which is getting a bit of a revamp. So much has changed since the first cohort, especially around Copilot, so I’ll be updating and refining the content to make sure it reflects all the latest developments.

New Laptop Update

In case you were wondering, yes, I finally got the new laptop I was after last week and I’m using it right now to write this edition!

The model is a Lenovo Yoga 9i Slim Aura Edition, quite a mouthful, I know. And yes, it’s blue (because colour matters 🤣).

I absolutely love the keyboard; Lenovo has always been my favourite for that. The specs are impressive too:

• 1TB SSD
• 32GB RAM
• Super-fast and responsive

As you know, I wanted a Copilot PC and this one fits the bill perfectly. I haven’t had much time to explore all its Copilot features yet but I’ll report back once I’ve discovered more ways it can help me work smarter.

Copilot Prompt of the Week

“Create a concise briefing pack from these documents. Include a high-level summary, a bullet-point breakdown of the essential facts, any deadlines or risks I should be aware of, and one recommended action for me to take first.”

Why it Works

• Gives Copilot a clear, multi-layered structure, so it knows to deliver a summary and actionable insights rather than just rewriting content.
• Specifies the required output formats (briefing, summary, bullets, risks, action step), which improves accuracy and reduces the need to refine the prompt.
• Keeps the request outcome-focused, meaning Copilot prioritises what you need to know rather than everything in the source material.
• Ideal for time-poor professionals, because it transforms lengthy or complex documents into a clean, decision-ready pack.

Microsoft 365 Tip of the Week

Pin Your Favourite Files for One-Click Access

Story

Have you ever opened Word, Excel or PowerPoint and found yourself scrolling endlessly through your Recent list trying to locate that document you use every day? A client report, a recurring template, a monthly tracker? They’re there somewhere but they never seem to sit at the top when you actually need them.

Pinning solves this instantly.

In Word, Excel or PowerPoint

1. Open the app (e.g., Word).
2. Click File on the top left.
3. Select Open to view your Recent documents.
4. Find the file you want to keep handy.
5. Click the pin icon that appears when you hover your mouse over the file.
6. The file moves into a Pinned section at the top of the list — and stays there.

To Unpin Later

1. Hover over the pinned file.
2. Click the pin icon again — it will change to an “unpin” symbol.
3. The file returns to your standard Recent list.

Why It Matters

When you pin your most-used files:

• You stop hunting through long lists.
• Your best documents live at the top, ready in one click.
• You create a consistent, calm workspace with less digital noise.

It’s a tiny habit that saves time every single day.

Supporting Your Growth with a Special Offer from Our Business Friend and Empowered Connection

As we wrap up 2025 and look ahead to an exciting new year, I’m always on the lookout for opportunities that help you grow and thrive in your role. That’s why I’m delighted to share an exclusive offer from my Business Friend, Lindsay Taylor of Your Excellency Limited, designed to support your professional development and give you a head start for 2026.

✅ Claim £50 off either The Essential PA Programme or Mini MBA Programme using the discount code MAESTROYEL.
✅ For every booking made with this code, Your Excellency will send us a referral thank-you, which helps us keep doing what we love—supporting you.​
✅ Download Your Excellency’s 2026 Prospectus and enjoy a bonus: free access to one Lunch n Learn LIVE webinar from Series 1–4. These sessions are a fantastic way to experience their professional and fun training style.

​Download the Prospectus & Claim Your Discount​

Lindsay’s blog post encouraging investment in your training for 2026 is here ​

Keyboard Shortcut of the Week

Shortcut: Excel – Quickly Insert a New Worksheet: Shift + F11 ​ If you’re working with large workbooks and constantly need to add new sheets, pressing Shift + F11 instantly inserts a brand-new worksheet without using the mouse or navigating menus. Your workflow stays uninterrupted and your hands never leave the keyboard. Why it’s great:​ I was helping a client who builds complex monthly reports across multiple sheets. They were wasting time right-clicking tabs or using the ribbon to add new worksheets repeatedly. Once they started using Shift + F11, they could create new sheets instantly, keeping their reports organised and reducing repetitive clicks — saving minutes every day and keeping them focused on the data.

Cohort 2 of Microsoft 365 Fundamentals with AI and CoPilot - Early Bird Ends Soon!

Ready to supercharge your productivity and master the power of AI in Microsoft 365? Cohort 2 of our Microsoft 365 Fundamentals with AI and Copilot program is now open for enrolment!

This practical, hands-on course is designed for Admin Professionals who want to work smarter, not harder. You’ll learn how to:

✅ Harness Copilot across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams
✅ Streamline workflows and save hours every week
✅ Build confidence with AI tools that transform the way you work

Early Bird Discount: Enrol before midnight on December 8 to lock in your savings!

After that, the price increases, so don’t miss out.

📅 Dates: January 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th 2026
💻 Delivered live online via Microsoft Teams
🎥 Includes session recordings and resources

👉 Reserve your spot today and start 2026 with a productivity boost!

​Microsoft 365 Fundamentals with AI and Copilot​

Did you know?

I was recently asked where a list of all the courses I offer can be found. So, I thought it would be useful to signpost them. You can find them all here

​www.msofficemaestro.com ​

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