Pinning documents has become a very useful task. We are bombarded every day by so much digital information that any action that aids focus is a benefit to your productivity.
If you've ever wondered what programs allow pinning and how it might be useful, this post is for you.
Pinning frequently used files in Excel, Word or PowerPoint
Excel is one of those programs where work gets opened and edited a lot. You probably have at least one Excel file that gets routine updates--and you don't want to waste time looking for that workbook every time you have to add or change a cell.
If you want to quickly access, these files, you can pin them so that they'll appear under the "Pinned" items tab when you open Excel.
Recently used files are always available in the "Recent" menu - but if you only update an important file once a month, like a commission statement or finance report, then that file may not show in the Recent menu.
To pin workbooks in Excel, hover over them without opening. You will notice a pin icon appear in the bottom right. Click the icon and that workbook will appear in your "Pinned" column. These workbooks will populate the "Pinned" column list in the same order you pinned them in--from first to last.
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The action of pinning a document in Word or a presentation in PowerPoint is basically the same.
As long as you are using an updated version of Office, you will hover over the doc and click the pin icon to add it to the list. When a document is unpinned, the pin icon in the bottom right slants to the right--when the pin has been applied, the pin appears vertical.
Removing a Pinned Excel, Word, or PowerPoint file from the list
If a file no longer needs to be pinned. Right-click over the file you want to remove from the Pinned list and select "Unpin from List" in the drop-down menu.
Keeping a short pinned list of frequently used files is a great way to cut down on file search time and improve access to files you want to share.
Pinning Documents to clean up your Desktop
If your desktop resembles a messy floor with no rhyme or reason as to where icons are located--you may want to take a moment to use pinning to clean things up a bit.
You can actually pin frequently used applications and documents to the taskbar in Windows 8 or later.
To pin an item to your taskbar, you will need to do the following:
- Click and drag the application to the taskbar.
- A prompt will appear that says "Pin to Taskbar" confirming the action.
- Release the icon in the taskbar to leave it pinned there.
Pro tip: You can pin a document to an application shortcut on the Taskbar by clicking and dragging the file to the program icon that's already pinned to the taskbar.
Windows 10 even allows pinning across multiple desktops. Click the Start button, right-click the program you'd like to pin, select More > Pin to start.
You could create a series of pinned programs on one desktop for work and another for entertainment--the important thing to remember is that there are layers of organizational ability built in.
Use Pinning on Social Media as a Marketing Tool
Just like over-stuffed desktops and file folders, social media feeds can get cluttered too.
Use pinning to highlight the most important post you want page visitors to notice first. At PTG, we currently have our 30 commerical pinned to the top of our Twitter feed.
On Facebook, you can manually select which post stays at the top of your page's timeline by:
- Visiting your Facebook business page.
- Scrolling down to find the post you want to pin.
- Click the down arrow in the upper, right-hand corner of the post.
- From the drop-down menu, select “Pin to Top.”
That post will remain pinned to the top of the feed until you manually replace it. Pinning at the top of Facebook works great for current promotions, brand awareness videos, or posts with attractive offers and strong CTA's.
On Twitter, you follow a similar four step process:
- Visit your Twitter profile page.
- Find the tweet you want to pin.
- Click the three-dot icon that appears at the bottom of the tweet.
- From the drop-down menu, select “Pin to your profile page.”
Try pinning your best performing post to generate even more likes and shares! Pin a comment or retweet from a business partner or influencer with a large following.
Pin time-sensitive announcements and offers, so your followers are sure to see them.
Hopefully, this post has given you some good ideas for how to use pinning as a tool for personal organization and business growth!
PTG helps businesses leverage their technology to experience better productivity and revenue growth. Interested? Find out more.
