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Technology · Office software

Computer Basics, Word, Excel, and Minute-Taking

A one-hour, step-by-step introduction for absolute beginners. You will learn to navigate a computer, create a simple document in Word, build a basic spreadsheet in Excel, and write clear meeting minutes.

60 min4 modulesBeginner friendly
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Free to take. This course does not use any Learning Credits.

What you’ll be able to do

By the end of this session, you will be able to turn on a computer, open and save files, type a short letter in Word, enter data into an Excel table, and produce a simple set of minutes from a meeting.

Course outline

A clear route from first principles to practical confidence

  1. 01

    Getting Started with Your Computer

    • Turning on the computer and logging in (using your username and password).
    • The desktop, taskbar, and Start menu – what they are and how to use them.
    • Using the mouse: left-click, right-click, and scroll.
    • Opening and closing a program (e.g., Notepad or a web browser).
    • Saving a file to a folder (e.g., Documents) and finding it again.
  2. 02

    Microsoft Word Basics

    • Opening Word and seeing the blank page.
    • Typing a sentence and using Enter to start a new line.
    • Making text bold, italic, or underlined (using the toolbar).
    • Changing font size and colour.
    • Saving your document with a sensible name (e.g., 'My First Letter').
  3. 03

    Microsoft Excel Basics

    • Opening Excel and understanding rows, columns, and cells.
    • Typing a heading (e.g., 'Item' and 'Cost') into two cells.
    • Entering a short list of items and their prices.
    • Using AutoSum to add up the prices (click the cell below the numbers, then click the Σ symbol).
    • Saving your spreadsheet.
  4. 04

    Taking Minutes – The Essentials

    • What minutes are for: a written record of decisions and actions.
    • The key parts: date, attendees, agenda items, decisions, and action points.
    • A simple template: a table with columns for 'Agenda Item', 'Discussion', 'Decision', and 'Action by'.
    • Practice: read a short sample meeting dialogue (provided) and fill in the template.
    • Tips: write in plain English, use bullet points, and note who is responsible for each action.