Map Every Microsoft Office Function To A Stream Deck Button

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Күн бұрын

In this tutorial, we map every function available in Microsoft Office to a button on our Elgato Stream Deck. Building upon the foundations laid in our introductory tutorial published in 2018, we now combine Stream Deck Multi Actions with Office keyboard shortcuts to access the full spectrum of Office functionality.
We work fully through an example in which we change font colour to one of ten predefined favourites, then illustrate how the same technique can be deployed to apply to any function.
Topics covered:
00:00 Introduction
00:15 The Elgato Stream Deck as a productivity tool
00:27 Using System functions to streamline workflow
00:56 Stream Deck hardware and software products
01:17 Overview of the videos in this series
01:31 Using the Stream Deck with Microsoft Office
01:35 Simple Office keyboard shortcuts mapped to Steam Deck hotkeys
02:13 Simple compound shortcuts using Stream Deck Multi Actions
02:41 Creating formatted canned responses
02:51 Accessing every Microsoft Office function via the Stream Deck
03:18 An example project: Using the Stream Deck to select text colour
03:51 Sourcing and downloading icons
05:19 Renaming the downloaded icons
05:25 Editing icons with Paint 3D
05:37 Resizing the canvas to create a square icon
06:12 Saving the edited graphic
06:34 Recolouring the icon
06:43 Flood fill tool
07:02 Creating a Stream Deck folder
07:08 Assigning an icon to the folder
07:31 Opening the group
07:33 Creating the first Multi Action
07:48 Navigating to any Office function using only a keyboard
07:58 The “magic” key
08:18 Navigating to change text colour
08:50 Converting the navigation sequence to Stream Deck hotkeys in a Multi Action
08:55 Dragging in a hotkey function
09:01 Assigning a hotkey function
09:23 Using Cut and Paste for repeating movements
09:59 Testing the completed Multi Action
10:24 Assigning an icon to the Multi Action
10:28 Colour-matching the icon
10:34 Obtaining RGB values from text in Word
10:51 Applying RGB values in Paint 3D
11:31 Saving the recoloured icon
11:59 Creating additional Multi Actions with Copy and Paste
12:33 Amending the template to create a second Multi Action
12:59 Testing the second button
13:08 Repetition and subsequent buttons
14:01 A complete framework for creating Multi Action events in Office
14:10 Further applications of this method
14:28 Mapping any function in Office to a Stream Deck keypress
14:46 Using the “Menu” action in Stream Deck
Related tutorials:
Automating Windows Functions - Elgato Stream Deck
• Automating Windows Fun...
Work Faster With An 18 Button Mouse
• Work Faster With An 18...
Video Links:
Elgato Stream Deck XL (32 Keys). Buy from Amazon:
(US) amzn.to/2Sn0Cl3
(UK) amzn.to/36wg1b1
Elgato Stream Deck (15 Keys). Buy from Amazon:
(US) amzn.to/30uIhac
(UK) amzn.to/3cWIKqx
Elgato Stream Deck Mini (6 Keys). Buy from Amazon:
(US) amzn.to/3ndRq0l
(UK) amzn.to/33tEQSU
Elgato Stream Deck Mobile App for iOS
apps.apple.com/gb/app/elgato-...
Elgato Stream Deck Mobile App for Android
play.google.com/store/apps/de...
Microsoft Office Cheat Sheets (Free download from New Horizons Ireland)
www.nhireland.ie/resources/ch...
Video edited using Magix Movie Edit Pro. Buy from Amazon:
(US) amzn.to/2HOUBLL
(UK) amzn.to/3cRfx00
Screenshots from: Windows 10 Pro (Version 19042.572): Buy from Amazon:
(US) amzn.to/2SjIKHt
(UK) amzn.to/2GwJMgV
Audio recorded using Blue Microphones Yeti Microphone. Buy from Amazon:
(US) amzn.to/3cVwsys
(UK) amzn.to/3ne3qz2
Audio recorded using Audacity. Download free at www.audacityteam.org
Follow on Twitter: / techfixflix
More KZfaq tutorials: / techfixflix

Пікірлер: 48

@reddberendes82 2 ай бұрын

This is the best step by step video I've ever seen.

@TechFixFlix 2 ай бұрын

Thank you very much indeed. That is incredibly kind of you.

@XMegaJuni 3 жыл бұрын

This is great, keep up the series

@TechFixFlix 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much indeed @XMegaJuni. Rest assured that there will be more from this series in the coming months.

@borisabrams2584 Жыл бұрын

this is really cool THANK YOU!

@TechFixFlix Жыл бұрын

Glad you found the content useful. Thank you for your kind words.

@serambca 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for you contribution!! It's very useful !! 🎉

@TechFixFlix 3 ай бұрын

You are very welcome. Glad you found the content useful.

@user-he4mc2pe9r 5 ай бұрын

thank you. this was very helpful.

@TechFixFlix 5 ай бұрын

You are very welcome. Thank you for the kind feedback.

@ahmadfathaldin 2 жыл бұрын

subscribed....not only for how useful this was...but also for the "no apologies for streamers" :D

@TechFixFlix 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much indeed for the subscription...and there are still no apologies to streamers.

@mcculloughimagery4952 Жыл бұрын

@@TechFixFlix how do you map the hotmail desktop to the stream deck

@TechFixFlix Жыл бұрын

Hi @Mccullough Imagery. For any Stream Deck project, we’d ask: 1 )..What are we trying to achieve? 2 )..Can we achieve this with a single keyboard shortcut? 3 )..Can we achieve this with multiple keyboard shortcuts, applied sequentially? If we are unable to achieve our objective via a single or a multiple keyboard shortcut, it may be beyond the scope of what we can achieve via the Stream Deck. How can we find the appropriate keyboard shortcuts? Typically, either by hovering our mouse over an icon or menu item, where a well-programmed app will often reveal a tool-tip detailing the corresponding keyboard shortcut. Failing that, reading the “Help” section of an app will often list its keyboard shortcuts. Alternatively, a Google search for the application name followed by “keyboard shortcuts” will often provide a useful summary. Once we have acquired the relevant shortcuts, it is simply a question of using them either as a single Hotkey in the Stream Deck software, or using them in combination as a Multi Action, following the pattern shown in our videos.

@user-nb8df2wj1o 2 жыл бұрын

Hello. thank you for the quality video. Is this all applicable to Onenote? Also, can we use streamdeck on iPad apps like this?

@TechFixFlix 2 жыл бұрын

Hello, and thank you very much for your kind words about the video. We’re confident that the technique highlighted in this video can be applied to OneNote, where pressing the Left Alt key demonstrates those keyboard shortcuts which translate into Stream Deck hotkeys, directly paralleling the example from Word shown in our video. In terms of the iPad app, we’d fully expect the same degree of functionality as we see with the physical device, although there are two key issues which cause us concern. The first is that the iOS version is designed for the iPhone, rather than the iPad, so there may be issues with scaling on larger devices. Our second objection is the subscription model, requiring recurring payments via in-app purchases. We very much dislike this as a funding model, and canniot see why it is justified or appropriate. As our use of the Stream Deck is open-ended, those subscription fees will soon add up. Our preference is therefore to simply buy the physical Stream Deck to avoid ongoing costs.

@Dataforliving 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this insightful video. How do we open the MS Outlook Calendar with Stream Deck? Trying to figure out if there's a hot key...

@Dataforliving 3 жыл бұрын

Gosh, I just figured it out ... Ctrl + 2

@TechFixFlix 3 жыл бұрын

Glad you figured that out. Once you've worked out which keys access which functions (and not just in Office, but in any environment) it's very easy to create Stream Deck buttons and routines.

@RogerLawrence Жыл бұрын

I appreciate the constraints you placed on yourself (only native Stream Deck functions) but this could be accomplished a lot quicker and more elegantly using Autohotkey 👍But given the constraints, well played

@TechFixFlix Жыл бұрын

Agreed @Roger Lawrence. In the opening video of the series, we briefly mention AutoHotkey as both an alternative to and companion for the Stream Deck. We also reference using the Stream Deck as a means to trigger predefined batch files and scripts which again offer greater elegance and wider functionality than can be achieved natively using the Stream Deck software alone. Although we never make explicit reference in the video, the intention here, as you’ve correctly deduced, was to constrain the toolkit to only those functions offered natively by the Stream Deck. To approach this from an alternative perspective would place AutoHotkey as the focal point of the tutorial, relegating the Stream Deck to little more than a trigger mechanism, and that wasn’t the video we were trying to make on this occasion.

@user-bh1ux5de5l Жыл бұрын

Best wishes for you from Iraq 🇮🇶

@TechFixFlix Жыл бұрын

Thank you very much, and best wishes to you also.

@LetThereBeCode. 3 жыл бұрын

finally a video for adults

@TechFixFlix 3 жыл бұрын

That’s appreciated. Thank you very much indeed.

@axlapointe 2 жыл бұрын

Would love to see this implemented as a downloadable profile

@TechFixFlix 2 жыл бұрын

We’d certainly considered that possibility, although we were put off by the fact that we need to carefully consider the layout for 6, 15 and 32 button variations of the Stream Deck. We only own the original 15 button variant at present, so realistically we’d need to purchase the 6 and 32 button versions to ensure that we could supply profiles for all three configurations, and we aren’t likely to be able to recoup that investment. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting project, and we haven’t abandoned the idea entirely.

@iokepaxxxx 3 жыл бұрын

is there a way to create a hot key to simulate a right mouse click?

@TechFixFlix 3 жыл бұрын

We think so. Here’s how we would do it: 1 )..Drag in a new “Hotkey” function. 2 )..The “Hotkey” field will read “Observing keystrokes.” To the right of that field, you will see a downward pointing arrow. Click that arrow. 3 )..You’ll see a list of keys. Drop down to “Others” and a new submenu will appear, containing more options. 4 )..One of these options is “Menu,” which is the effect of a right click in almost every context. Click that option to confirm. 5 )..After that, simply add an icon and/or label as you see fit. As an alternative, if your keyboard has a dedicated “Menu” key, you could simply press it in step 2. Hope this helps.

@TimelineTapestry 3 жыл бұрын

I have a macbook pro 2018. I have been reading online that I do not have access to the ribbon, which is what happens when you hold down the alt key. Do you know of a work around for a mac user? Thanks

@TechFixFlix 3 жыл бұрын

It’s a shame that the Mac version of Office hasn’t implemented keyboard shortcuts in parallel with the Windows equivalent, especially as this is the foundation upon which this particular tutorial is built, effectively placing this method beyond the reach of macOS users, unless it is introduced in future. Although there isn’t a straightforward workaround, there are solutions which can offer some of the functionality available from the ribbon. If you haven’t done so already, we’d encourage you to take a look at some of the suggestions and links in this article: apple.stackexchange.com/questions/237327/how-do-i-navigate-the-ribbon-in-office-for-mac-2016-with-the-keyboard Whilst they don’t quite equate to full spectrum offered under Windows, they may make some key functionality available on the Mac.

@SpaceGhostNZ 3 жыл бұрын

I would suggest you look into Keyboard Maestro, a brilliant macro program for Mac that integrates very well with the Stream Deck. I'm not sure about ribbon commands, but you can definitely access any menu command with KM

@TechFixFlix 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback @Barnaby Fredric. Much appreciated.

@glennskinner9564 3 жыл бұрын

You can also use “keyboard” in Mac prefs to give a shortcut to any menu item that doesn’t have one

@TechFixFlix 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tip @Glenn Skinner. Very much appreciated.

@julianperez9000 3 жыл бұрын

I'm having difficulty configuring my Stream Deck to switch to Outlook, and open a new email. I tried configuring a multi step to Step1: Open Outlook Step2: Ctrl+N Unfortunately if I already have Outlook open it opens a second instance. Any suggestions on how to switch to Outlook rather than open a new instance?

@TechFixFlix 3 жыл бұрын

Hi Julian. We think we have a solution... There’s an Outlook flag /recycle, and its purpose is to start Outlook using an existing window, if one exists. You’d use it with a Stream Deck “Open” command like this: "C:\Insert Your Installation Pathway\OUTLOOK.EXE" /recycle On first push, this will launch Outlook. On second push, it will switch back to the Window which is already open. Hope this helps.

@julianperez9000 3 жыл бұрын

I figured it out. I pinned my outlook app to my toolbar as the second icon, and switched step one to hotkey Window+2.

@TechFixFlix 3 жыл бұрын

That works, and is also an easy solution for launching any of the first nine apps pinned to the taskbar (provided they are kept in a fixed order).

@julianperez9000 3 жыл бұрын

@@TechFixFlix exactly. I have a number of pinned apps kept in a fixed order. I used this Windows+# hotkey to also configure a multistep button to open my key apps upon startup.

@borisabrams2584 Жыл бұрын

Bossman, can you post video of new stream deck +

@TechFixFlix Жыл бұрын

That’s a great idea @Boris Abrams, and we’re intrigued by the new touch strip and dials, but there’s the small matter of the 200 pounds purchase price which we’d need to shell out, as we don’t get sent review samples, which pretty much rules out the possibility…unless Elgato are feeling generous.

@deadbear1099 3 жыл бұрын

Hi I use different browsers for different uses. E.g. Chrome for all my browsing, Opera for all my social media, Edge for my work. I am setting up the stream deck, setting up website shortcuts. However all shortcuts open in the default browser i.e. Chrome. How do I make certain websites to open in specific browser? E.g. Outlook to open in Edge, but KZfaq to open in Chrome. Thanks

@TechFixFlix 3 жыл бұрын

Great question…and we think we have an answer. First, drag an “Open” command into your Stream Deck window. In the App/File dialog, your syntax will be: “[Full path to the browser’s exe file]” [Full URL of the web site] Note that the path to the browser’s exe file is enclosed in inverted commas, whereas the web site URL is not. Here are some real-world examples (using default installation paths): "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" kzfaq.info "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\msedge.exe" outlook.live.com/owa Hope this helps.

@akashtriz 3 жыл бұрын

Thou art the saviour of us massess Sent to stand against the RPA-bot-sters We the new deck-resistance shall out perform those silicon botties😉😂😂😂

@TechFixFlix 3 жыл бұрын

Well...er...exactly. We couldn’t have put it better.

@platohjwang 2 жыл бұрын

thx but can you share the profile file?

@TechFixFlix 2 жыл бұрын

You’re the second person to request the file this week, and we’d certainly considered the possibility of making a profile available, although we were put off by the fact that we need to carefully consider the layout for 6, 15 and 32 button variations of the Stream Deck. We only own the original 15 button variant at present, so realistically we’d need to purchase the 6 and 32 button versions to ensure that we could supply profiles for all three configurations, and we aren’t likely to be able to recoup that investment. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting project, and we haven’t abandoned the idea entirely.