iLAB OVERVIEW

Scenario/Summary

You work with the XYZ Corporation Charitable Trust allows you to demonstrate your expertise with Excel. The trust is sponsoring an auction, and you have received a list of all donors who have contributed to this auction. The list was pulled from the Corporation’s database as a comma separated text file. You have been asked to create a letter that will go out to each of the contributors that will accept their donation. Tickets to the event will be enclosed. The letter requires that you provide the following pieces of information:

• Full Name and Address
• First Name
• Donated Item
• Value
• Number of tickets requested

Deliverables

Your will turn in one Excel spreadsheet and two Word documents.  You will locate the following files in DocSharing (Lab Materials folder):  wk4_trust.txt and wk4_trust_letter.docx.  You will submit the following three items: one Excel spreadsheet (Lab4_yourlastname.xlsx), one Word document showing 25 letters (Lab4_yourlastname.docx), and one Word document showing 25 labels (Lab4_yourlastname_labels.docx).  When submitting the Excel workbook and the Word documents, provide a comment in the Dropbox comments area explaining what you learned from completing this lab activity. 

iLAB STEPS

Download the Lab 4, Step 1 Instructions.

1. Import the text file into Excel and save as lab4_yourlastname.xlsx. Import only the data you will need for your letter.
2. Separate the first and last names into two columns so that you may use the first name in a Mail Merge. Make sure the fields are named LastName and FirstName.
3. Check the accuracy of all data by using the Spelling tool in the Proofing group.
4. Add a documentation sheet that provides a spreadsheet title, author, date, and purpose. Format the documentation sheet by applying a professional color scheme to the text. Ensure that the sheet tab is named Documentation and that the documentation sheet is the first sheet in the workbook.

   (To get help on creating a documentation sheet, refer to Lab 1, Step 1.)

   How to use the lab videos

   Please do not rely solely on the videos to complete this week’s lab. The videos may not exactly match the official lab instructions, and may not show all the steps required. For full credit, follow the written instructions on the main iLab page and the linked Step-By-Step guides. Check your work against the screen shots in the written instructions and the Lab and Project Grading Criteria provided in Doc Sharing. The videos can still help you, by showing operations that are similar to, but not exactly the same as, those needed for the lab. Use the videos as a rough visual guide, but not as your only source of directions. If you have any questions, please post in the Q & A Forum or contact your instructor.

   Transcript This video walks through the current step(s) in this week’s Lab. The video may provide alternative ways of completing steps and may not cover all required steps. It is provided as a tool to help you, but please ensure that you have completed all steps as described in the instructions and Step-by-Step guides. ** Please be patient when loading these videos as they can be large.

Download the Lab 4, Step 2 Instructions.

1. Open the wk4_trust_letter document in Word. Make sure that the document is in the same folder as the Excel spreadsheet. This will make it easier to work with the two documents during the Merge process.
2. Merge information from your Excel spreadsheet into the Word document. Your completed Merge will look like the following when complete:

   9/27/2007
   XYZ Corporation Charitable Trust
   123 Adams Street
   Pittsburgh, PA 15697

   Shelly Martin
   123 North Street
   Pittsburgh, PA 15697

   Dear Shelly,

   Thank you for your generous donation to the XYZ Corporation Charitable Trust Fundraiser. We are delighted to accep the following donation:

   Item: Massage

   Item Value: $50.00

   Enclosed you will find the 2 tickets you requested for this Fundraising event, which will take place on Friday, October 24, 2007. We will be looking forward to seeing you and giving your personal thanks.

   Thank you again for you support of the fund. The proceeds will support international annual rescue efforts.

   With Special thanks,

   Jeoffrey McMillan
   Charitable Trust President
   XYZ Corporation

   Accept all spelling suggestions in the document, and save document as Lab4_yourlastname.docx.

   Transcript This video walks through the current step(s) in this week’s Lab. The video may provide alternative ways of completing steps and may not cover all required steps. It is provided as a tool to help you, but please ensure that you have completed all steps as described in the instructions and Step-by-Step guides. ** Please be patient when loading these videos as they can be large.

Create labels for the letters. The XYZ Corporation wishes to use mailing labels to address the envelopes. They own 8 1/2 x 11″ sheets of label paper with 1″ by 4″ labels, which they purchased from Office Depot.

Download the Lab 4, Step 3 Instructions.

1. Create a new file for printing labels.
2. Merge data from your Excel spreadsheet into the new label document.

Submit your completed workbook and the two Word documents (merged letters and merged labels) to the Dropbox. Make sure you post a comment about what you learned when submitting the files.