Office Productivity Applications
What this domain tests
Practical command knowledge in a word processor, a spreadsheet and a presentation program: formatting, formulas, functions, charts and slide design - plus the ability to say why a feature is used.
Core concepts
- Word processing: character vs paragraph formatting, styles, page setup, header/footer, bullets, tables, spelling check, track changes, mail merge (main document + data source → merged output).
- Spreadsheet: cell address (column letter + row number), relative reference (A1) changes when copied, absolute reference ($A$1) does not, mixed ($A1 or A$1) locks one part.
- Common functions: SUM, AVERAGE, MAX, MIN, COUNT, COUNTA, IF, and lookups; formulas always begin with =.
- Charts: column for comparison, line for trend over time, pie for parts of a whole.
- Presentation: slide master controls global fonts and layout; transitions are between slides, animations are within a slide.
Worked example
In B2 you have =A2*$C$1 and you copy it to B3. Reasoning: A2 is relative, so it becomes A3; $C$1 is absolute and stays $C$1. Result: =A3*$C$1. If you had copied to C3, the formula would become =B3*$C$1. This is exactly the pattern used for a tax or discount rate kept in one cell.
Traps that cost marks
- Confusing transition with animation.
- Pressing Delete to remove a cell when Insert > Delete Cells was needed - Delete clears contents but leaves the gap.
- Typing numbers that were imported as text and then wondering why SUM returns 0.
- Forgetting that a formula must start with = and that text arguments need quotes.