Synchronize Outlook

Q. How do I synchronize my Outlook data on two computers?

James Singer, Crescent City, California

A. Yahoo's free services can sync Outlook's address book, calendar, notepad, and to-do list, but not its e-mail. They require a free Yahoo account; sign up at www.yahoo.com. Log on to this account, click Mail, and then choose the Calendar tab. Click Sync to download and install Intellisync for Yahoo, which syncs your Outlook data with Yahoo's services. To share your e-mail, you'll have to use your ISP's Web-based e-mail service, and then add the account to your Outlook inbox. To sync a work account, try SynchPST (free demo available here ; see FIGURE 1). The $40 Basic version meets all of my needs, but the $70 Professional version adds mail-sync automation and password protection.

Lock cell references when you Copy an Excel Formula

When you use Microsoft Excel's Copy or Paste option (or when you <Ctrl>-drag) to move a formula to a new location, the program maintains relative cell references. For instance, if you copy cell C5, containing =A3*B4, to cell F8, that cell will have the formula =D6*E7. Most of the time, this is what you want. But not always. To copy the exact formula to a different cell, select the cell containing the formula, press <F2> to edit the formula, enter <Shift>-<Home> to select it, and then press <Ctrl>-C to copy it. Press <Esc> to exit cell editing. Now you can paste the formula, unchanged, into any cell. You can also record a macro for the copy/paste process by selecting Tools, Macro, Record New Macro.

Send questions to answer@pcworld.com. Answer Line pays $50 for published items. You'll find Contributing Editor Lincoln Spector's humorous and other writings at www.thelinkinspector.com.