The MCAS: Windows Vista for the Business Worker exam is designed for the professionals who have hands-on experience using Windows Vista for at least one year. The professionals should be very productive, collaborative, and efficient in using the Windows Vista technology. The exam measures your skills and ability to accomplish technical tasks, such as protecting your computer, managing mobile and remote computing, managing files and folders, etc. On passing the exam 77-600, you earn credit toward the MCAS: Windows Vista for the Business Worker certification.

This exam prepares you for job roles that require knowledge and use of the Windows Vista technologies to complete business-related tasks, such as managing mobile and remote computing, software, disks, and devices, and also managing files and folders.

The format of the MCAS: Windows Vista for the Business Worker exam varies from those of other Microsoft certifications exams. The 77-600 exam basically covers performance-based or simulated questions. There are no Case study type questions and multiple-choice questions might be asked.

Many of the questions in this exam require you to complete a series of tasks. For example, you might be instructed as follows:

Configure the firewall settings to allow a program to pass through it.

A watermark is a text or a picture that appears behind the text. It is used for printed documents. A user can add watermarks such as Draft, Confidential, Preview, etc. A watermark does not interfere with the written text and is placed in the background in a very light color. It tells the status of the document such as Draft.

Microsoft’s 77-601 exam measures your skills and knowledge of technical tasks, such as creating and formatting documents, formatting content, sharing and securing content, making documents and content easier to find, etc. The Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (77-601) exam earns you credit towards the MCAS: Using Microsoft Office Word 2007 certification.

This exam prepares you for job roles that require knowledge and use of the Word application to complete business-related word processing tasks.

The exam is appropriate for you if you have at least six months to one year of hands-on experience in creating business deliverables with Microsoft Office Word 2007 and experience with previous versions of Microsoft Office Word.

The exam is appropriate for you if you have at least six months to one year of hands-on experience in creating business deliverables with Microsoft Office Word 2007 and experience with previous versions of Microsoft Office Word.

This exam consists of performance-based questions where a candidate is required to perform a series of tasks using Microsoft Office 2007. There are no Case study type questions.

Many of the questions in this exam require you to complete a series of tasks. For example, in Microsoft Word 2007 exam, you might be instructed as follows:
Modify the existing list by completing the following tasks:

1. Apply a bold format to the heading Today’s Tasks.
2. Center-align the list of tasks directly beneath the heading.

Exam Controls

During the exam you will see the exam controls across the bottom of the screen. Each of the exam controls and their functions are described below.

1. COUNTER: The Counter tracks how many questions you have completed and how many remain.
2. TIMER: The Timer starts when the first question appears on your screen. The Timer displays the remaining exam time. If the Timer is distracting, click the Timer to remove the display. Note: transition time between questions is not counted against total allotted exam time.
3. ZOOM: The Zoom icon enables you to increase or decrease font size of the question text by clicking “+” or “-”.
4. RESET: The Reset button enables you to restart work on a question if you think you have made an error. Note: the Reset button will not restart the entire exam nor extend the total allotted exam time.
5. NEXT: When you complete a question, click the Next button to move to the next question. Note: It is not possible to move back to previous exam questions.

Cover page is the first page of a document that contains the title of the document, author name(s), date of creation, and any other information that a user wants to give.

A cell style is a defined set of formatting characteristics available in Excel, such as fonts and font sizes, number formats, cell borders, and cell shading. A cell style is used to apply several formats quickly. It also ensures that cells have consistent formatting. Several built-in cell styles are provied by Microsoft Excel that can be applied on cells. Users can also modify these styles to create custom cell styles.

An index is a list of words arranged alphabetically at the end of a book. Index helps a reader to find the information quickly and easily. The words in the index are given along with the page numbers where they occur to help the reader to quickly go to the desired word.

An index is a list of words arranged alphabetically at the end of a book. Index helps a reader to find the information quickly and easily. The words in the index are given along with the page numbers where they occur to help the reader to quickly go to the desired word.

The Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) certification is designed to validate skills in using the 2007 Microsoft Office system and the Windows Vista operating system and meeting the demand for the most up-to-date skills on the latest Microsoft technologies. This certification can help you differentiate yourself in today’s competitive job market, broaden your employment opportunities by displaying your advanced skills, and result in higher earning potential. Candidates who successfully complete the program by passing a certification exam show that they can meet globally recognized performance standards.

To get Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) certification, you have to pass any one of the following tests:

I, myself, have used the uCertify’s MCAS PrepKit and found it useful for the exam. The PrepKits are very useful in preparation for the exam. It has various step-by-step description of the actions performed by the actula software. These step-by-step descriptions are called How-Tos. These How-Tos help a lot in performing the simulaion based questions that come in the exam.

Visit the site for more details: http://www.ucertify.com/certifications/Microsoft/mcas.html

The MCAS certification is the globally recognized standard for validating expertise with the 2007 Microsoft Office system. Reasons for Microsoft Business Certification include career advancement, personal improvement, skills enhancement, and higher salaries.

The MCAS exams are performance-based and conducted in a “live,” or simulated environment. You have to perform a series of tasks to clearly demonstrate your skills. For example, an Office Word 2007 exam might ask a user to balance newspaper column lengths or keep text together in columns.

A typical exam takes up to 90 minutes. Individual efforts are measured for both knowledge and efficiency. Hands-on practice on the software will help you a lot in scoring good marks in the exam. If you don’t have hands-on practice, atleast you should know the steps of performing various tasks in the software.

All MCAS exams are administered by Certiport. The result of an exam is displayed on your screen immediately after you complete an exam.

The following exams are covered under the MCAS certification:

1. Windows Vista (77-600)
2. Microsoft Office Word 2007 (77-601)
3. Microsoft Office Excel 2007 (77-602)
4. Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 (77-603)
5. Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 (77-604)
6. Microsoft Office Access 2007 (77-605)

To get preparation software for MCAS exams, visit: http://www.ucertify.com/certifications/Microsoft/mcas.html

To know my experience on MCAS: Windows Vista exam, visit: My experience

The Microsoft exam 77-605 consists of simulation questions. In the simulation type questions, you will be given an environment of Microsoft Access 2007 and you have to perform a given task. The Microsoft test 77-605 measures your ability to design databases and database objects. Before taking the 77-605 test, you should practice the following:

1. Methods of creating databases.
2. Various ways of formatting database objects.
3. Ways of managing databases.
4. Ways of inserting, retrieving, and deleting data.
5. Ways of formatting data.
6. Use of datatypes.
7. Ways of connecting forms and reports to a table in a database.
8. Ways of implementing constraints.
9. Ways of deleting database objects.
10. Ways of implementing indexes.
11. Different types of SQL statements.
12. Ways of importing and exporting data.
13. Different types of views of a table, form, and reports such as Design view.
14. Ways of relating tables.

The Microsoft exam 77-603 consists of simulation questions. In the simulation type questions, you will be given an environment of Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 and have to perform a given task. Before giving the exam, you must have hands-on practice to accomplish the following tasks:

1. Creating presentations
2. Customizing slide master and its elements
3. Arranging slides
4. Inserting and formatting text boxes
5. Manipulating text
6. Adding and linking existing content to presentations
7. Applying and customizing animation
8. Creating and modifying SmartArt diagrams
9. Customizing illustrations
10. Inserting and modifying charts
11. Inserting and modifying tables
12. Reviewing presentation
13. Protecting presentations
14. Securing and sharing presentation
15. Preparing printed materials
16. Rehearsing presentation

The Microsoft Office 2007 introduces a new file format that is based on XML. It is called Open XML Formats. It applies to Microsoft Office Word 2007, Microsoft Office Excel 2007, and Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007. The benefits of Open XML Formats are as follows:

1. Compact Files: Files are automatically compressed in Open XML Formats. They can be up to 75 percent smaller in some cases. Zip compression technology is used to store documents. It offers potential cost savings as it reduces the disk space required to store files and decreases the bandwidth needed to send files across the Internet. When a user opens a file, it is automatically unzipped. When a user saves a file, it is automatically zipped again.

 

2. Improved damaged-file recovery: In Open XML Formats, files are structured in a modular fashion that keeps different data components in the file separate from each other. This allows files to be opened even if a component within the file (for example, an image or a chart) is damaged or corrupted.

 

3. Better privacy and more control over personal information: Documents can be shared confidentially using Open XML Formats because personal information and business-sensitive information, such as author names, comments, tracked changes, and file paths can be easily identified and removed by using Document Inspector.

 

4. Better integration and interoperability of business data: Documents, worksheets, presentations, and forms can be saved in an XML file format using Open XML Formats. XML file format is freely available for anyone to use and to license, royalty free. Office supports customer-defined XML Schemas that enhance the existing Office document types. Therefore, customers can easily unlock information in existing systems and act upon it in familiar Office programs. Other business applications can easily use the information that is created within Office. A ZIP utility and an XML editor is used to open and edit an Office file.

 

5. Easier detection of documents that contain macros: In Open XML Formats, files that are saved by using the default “x” suffix (such as .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx) cannot contain Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros and XLM macros. Only the files whose extension ends with an “m” (such as .docm, .xlsm, and .pptm) can contain macros. In this way a user can easily identify the files that contain macros.

The new file name extensions
By default, documents, worksheets, and presentations that a user creates in Microsoft Office 2007 are saved in XML format with new file name extensions that add an “x” or an “m” to the file name extensions. The “x” signifies an XML file that has no macros, and the “m” signifies an XML file that contains macros.
The following tables list all of the default file extensions in Microsoft Office Word 2007, Microsoft Office Excel 2007, and Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007.
Word

Excel

PowerPoint

By getting MCAS certified, you can prove your expertise in using the latest Microsoft Office programs and the Windows Vista operating system. Getting certified will help you to differentiate yourself in today’s competitive job market, broaden your employment opportunities by displaying your advanced skills, and result in higher earning potential. Research indicates that certified individuals have increased competence, productivity, and credibility with their employers, co-workers, and clients.

Candidates must pass one certification exam in order to earn the MCAS credential:

1. MCAS: Windows Vista for the Business Worker (Exam 77-600)
2. MCAS: Microsoft Office Word 2007 (Exam 77-601)
3. MCAS: Microsoft Office Excel 2007 (Exam 77-602)
4. MCAS: Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 (Exam 77-603)
5. MCAS: Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 (Exam 77-604)
6. MCAS: Microsoft Office Access 2007 (Exam 77-605)

Note: For more certifications of Microsoft Office, visit the following pages:

1. MCTS: Managing Projects with Microsoft Office Project 2007
2. MCTS: Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, Configuring

Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) certification validates the productivity skills of candidates for using Microsoft Office 2007 applications and the Windows Vista operating system. It helps a candidate to meet the demand for the most up-to-date skills on the latest Microsoft technologies. Individuals interested in validating their skills can take hands-on certification tests for Windows Vista, Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Office Excel, Microsoft Office PowerPoint, Microsoft Office Outlook and Microsoft Office Access.