Office
Verified@ivangdavila
npx machina-cli add skill @ivangdavila/office --openclawWhat "Office" Means Here
Productivity software: Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and office administration.
| Signal | Context | Load |
|---|---|---|
| Formulas, pivot tables, VLOOKUP, macros | Spreadsheets | tools/spreadsheets.md |
| Formatting, headers, mail merge, TOC | Documents | tools/documents.md |
| Slides, animations, presenter view | Presentations | tools/presentations.md |
| Supplies, vendors, facilities, space | Office admin | admin/facilities.md |
Spreadsheets (Excel / Google Sheets)
Formulas people actually need:
VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP— lookup value in table, return another columnSUMIF/COUNTIF— sum/count with conditionsINDEX/MATCH— more flexible than VLOOKUPIFwithAND/OR— conditional logic
Common problems:
- VLOOKUP returns #N/A → check for spaces, data types, exact match setting
- Formula works in one cell, breaks when copied → missing
$for absolute references - Dates sorting wrong → format as actual dates, not text
Pivot tables: Right-click data → Create Pivot Table → drag fields to rows/columns/values.
Documents (Word / Google Docs)
Formatting essentials:
- Use Styles (Heading 1, 2, 3) for structure — enables automatic TOC
- Page numbers starting on page 3: Insert break → Different First Page → start numbering
- Different headers per section: Section breaks, unlink from previous
Mail Merge:
- Prepare data source (Excel with columns: Name, Address, etc.)
- Word → Mailings → Start Mail Merge → Letters
- Insert Merge Fields where dynamic content goes
- Preview Results → Finish & Merge
Presentations (PowerPoint / Google Slides)
Professional basics:
- Slide Master for consistent styling (View → Slide Master)
- 6x6 rule: max 6 bullets, 6 words per bullet
- One idea per slide
Animations:
- Entrance animations for bullet reveal (Appear > Fade > Fly In)
- Timing: On Click vs After Previous
- Keep it subtle — animation should aid, not distract
Presenter View: F5 to present, use Presenter View to see notes while audience sees slides.
Office Administration
For those managing physical office operations:
Supplies & Inventory:
- Track with simple spreadsheet: Item, Quantity, Reorder Point, Supplier
- Set calendar reminders for regular orders
- Bulk ordering usually 15-30% cheaper
Vendor Management:
- Cleaning, maintenance, IT support contracts
- Document SLAs and contact info in shared location
- Review contracts annually for renegotiation
Space Planning:
- Hot-desking: Use booking system (even a shared calendar works)
- Meeting room: Clear naming, visible displays, 15-min buffers
Quick Reference
| Task | Excel/Sheets | Word/Docs | PowerPoint/Slides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Find value | VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP | Find & Replace | Find & Replace |
| Conditional format | Home → Conditional | N/A | N/A |
| Auto-update content | Formulas | Fields | Links |
| Export to PDF | File → Save As | File → Save As | File → Save As |
Overview
Office spans Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, teaching practical formulas, formatting, and automation across spreadsheets, documents, and presentations, plus admin workflows. It covers pivot tables, mail merges, TOCs, and space or vendor management to boost efficiency.
How This Skill Works
The skill organizes learning into four modules: Spreadsheets (formulas, pivot tables, VLOOKUP, macros), Documents (styles and mail merge), Presentations (Slide Master and best practices), and Office Administration (supplies, vendors, space). Each module presents concrete tasks, common problems, and step-by-step workflows to build real-world proficiency.
When to Use It
- Building data-driven budgets or dashboards in Excel/Sheets using VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP and Pivot Tables.
- Creating well-formatted documents with headings, TOCs, and mail merges.
- Designing professional presentations with Slide Master, the 6x6 rule, and Presenter View.
- Managing office operations like inventory, vendor contracts, and SLAs.
- Coordinating space planning and meeting room bookings using shared calendars.
Quick Start
- Step 1: Review the Spreadsheets module and practice core formulas (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, SUMIF/COUNTIF, INDEX/MATCH, IF with AND/OR).
- Step 2: Set up a Documents workflow with Styles, a TOC, and a sample mail merge data source; practice inserting Merge Fields.
- Step 3: Build a master presentation using Slide Master, apply the 6x6 rule, and configure Presenter View; create a simple admin tracker.
Best Practices
- Use named ranges and absolute references in formulas to avoid errors when copying.
- Apply Styles for headings in documents to enable automatic TOC and consistent formatting.
- Adopt Slide Master and the 6x6 rule to keep slides clean and focused.
- Document SLAs and vendor details in a shared, version-controlled location.
- Create reusable templates for mail merge and standard office workflows.
Example Use Cases
- Data lookup with VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP combined with a Pivot Table for a quarterly sales dashboard.
- Mail merge letters generated from an Excel data source into Word with dynamic fields.
- A presentation built on Slide Master with consistent fonts and restrained animations.
- An office supplies tracker with reorder points and automated calendar reminders.
- A space planning sheet using a shared calendar to manage hot-desking and meeting buffers.
