IT Essentials: Using Windows and Outlook

Do you feel left behind when it comes to computers? Do everyday tasks like opening files or checking your emails  feel confusing or stressful?

From keeping in touch with friends and family to looking up important pieces of information, to ordering groceries and paying your bills, using a computer has become essential to everyday life. This supportive, step-by-step course is designed for complete beginners. You will learn how to use a mouse and keyboard, how to navigate Windows, and get started with sending and receiving emails.

Course overview

This one-day course is the perfect starting point if you are new to IT. You will get familiar with Windows, practice using Outlook to send and receive emails, and how to use the Internet. Everything is explained clearly, with no jargon, and plenty of time to ask questions and practice.

 

Why take this course?

  • Feel calm and confident using a computer, rather than anxious or unsure
  • Navigate Windows and Outlook with ease no more guesswork or fear of doing it wrong
  • Handle everyday digital tasks independently, from sending emails to opening files
  • Stay organised by understanding folders, saving documents, and using the desktop
  • Learn how to ‘Google it’ and find information online
  • Leave the course with the digital basics you need to feel empowered at work and at home

Who is this course for?

  • You are completely new to using a computer or Windows
  • You have had very little or no formal IT training
  • You want to feel confident using Outlook, email and going online
  • You are nervous about doing something ‘wrong’ on a computer
  • You would like patient, step-by-step guidance in a supportive space

Duration

1 day

Classroom size

8 approx.

Location

Online or Classroom

Certificate

Certificate of Attendance

Experience

Beginner

What you will learn

  • Use a mouse, keyboard and Windows desktop confidently
  • Navigate between windows, applications and menus without confusion
  • Create, save, and find documents using folders and File Explorer
  • Send, receive and organise emails using Microsoft Outlook
  • Manage your time by adding appointments to the Outlook calendar
  • Learn how to 'Google it' to find information online
  • Reduce anxiety around technology and feel more independent
  • Gain skills that help in both work and everyday life

Course timetable

This course will be taught in the latest version of the software. We can train this in older versions if needed – please get in touch for more information and availability.

Session 1: Introduction to the computer and Windows

  • Understand some of the jargon used around computers
  • Starting and shutting down safely
  • Jargon busting! The Windows screen
  • What’s on your Desktop?
  • Using the mouse Navigation Techniques
  • Pinning programmes to Start or the Taskbar
  • Opening and closing programs
  • Minimise, Maximise and Restore windows

Session 2: Working with Windows

  • Use more than one program at a time and switch between them (e.g. Word, PowerPoint)
  • Opening and viewing files
  • Creating folders
  • Organise files: moving and renaming
  • Creating a file, saving it and retrieving it
  • Deleting files, the Recycle Bin

Session 3: The Internet

  • Understand essential web jargon
  • Navigate around a website and note common features
  • Use Google to find information by specific keywords or images
  • Create favourites to easily access previously accessed sites

Session 4: Using Outlook for email

  • Outlook Screen
  • Send and receive emails
  • Send and receive emails with attachments
  • Save attachments elsewhere
  • Understand how to use email well
  • Set up an automatic signature 
  • Create a calendar appointment e.g. Annual Leave
  • If there’s time: Set up an Out of Office automatic message

Ready to take the next step?

We are here to help

This course is only available as a one-to-one or private group booking.

For pricing and availability, send us a message using the form, leave us a message on 020 7375 7300, or speak to an Account Manager straight away using our Live Chat service in the bottom right of your screen!

Testimonials from Happy learners

Looking for private group training

If you have three or more learners, a private group training could be cheaper.

We can tailor the content to your team, and host the training remotely, at your workplace or here at Happy’s HQ in Aldgate, Central London.

The Happy guarantee

We want everyone to go away from our courses feeling as though they have learnt useful, practical skills that they can use straight away when they go back to work.

If you don’t feel that your training has been useful or if you are unhappy in any way, please get in touch with our Customer Services team within 30 days of the course.

We will be happy to offer you additional support and training free of charge to help you to gain the skills you need, or if you’d prefer, a full refund.

Why choose Happy?

Because happiness works

Joy leads to success, every time,

Expert-led and hands-on

Our award-winning training isn’t just theoretical. It’s packed with practical tools you can use straight away.

B Corp certified and proud

We don’t just talk about impact — we live it. As a B Corp, we’re committed to making workplaces better for everyone.

Classroom or live online learning available

Both available for public and private dates.

The small print

For Live Online Interactive Learning sessions (webinars)

All learners will need to install Zoom on their machines. Full technical requirements are on the Zoom website. Your link will be included in your joining instructions once you have booked your place — if you haven’t received this email then please contact our team.

Learners should log into the session 10 minutes before the start time to ensure that they have downloaded and set up Zoom correctly. The course will start precisely on time and it may not be possible to go back over material missed by late arrivals. Unfortunately you will be asked to leave and attend a different day if you arrive more than 15 minutes late for online sessions, and more than 30 minutes late for classroom sessions.

Please ensure you read our Terms and Conditions before booking for our payment terms and cancellation policy.

For classroom sessions

All public classroom sessions take place at Happy’s HQ in London at Robert Dolan House, 9 Alie Street, London E1 8DE. Please see our Contact Us page for full directions and a PDF map.

The course will run from 10am to 4:45pm (lunch is served 1pm to 1:45pm — we offer a choice of 3 cold bowl dishes). Please be careful to arrive by 9:45am for registration and refreshments. The course will start precisely on time and it may not be possible to go back over material missed by late arrivals. If you arrive over 30 minutes late you may be asked to leave and attend another day.

Please ensure you read our Terms and Conditions before booking for our payment terms and cancellation policy.

FAQs

If you are a Mac user, please let us know when booking. If the course is held in the classroom at Happy, the training is held on PCs so we recommend that you bring your Macbook with you (we are not able to provide an additional monitor).

For online training, please let us know when booking and you can use your Mac as normal. 

We provide a PDF with shortcuts for Mac users and your trainer will refer to this throughout the training.

Our public course is designed for Windows users only due to the large differences between the Apple and Microsoft versions of Outlook. We can hold this as a private group session for Mac users — please get in touch for pricing and availability.

Our learning sessions are thoughtfully designed to be inclusive of all learners by accommodating a variety of learning styles and preferences. We recognise that individuals process and engage with information differently, so each session includes a range of practical exercises that allow participants to interact with the material in ways that best suit them. Whether through hands-on activities, visual aids, group discussions, or individual reflection, we strive to create a supportive and flexible learning environment where everyone can thrive. Learn more about ways that we can support your learning here.

If you are eligible for a discounted rate you will see this on the final stage of the shopping cart after you have either logged in or set up your account (if you are a new user). Discount codes can also be added on this final page. 

 

If you have any issues, get in touch with our friendly team for help.

For our public dates, if you give us at least 14 days’ notice, you can rebook on another date or cancel your place at no extra cost. For less than 14 days, there is a charge – please see our Terms and Conditions for full details. If a colleague can take your place, no extra fee applies (even if it’s at the last minute).

 

For private group bookings, there is no charge if you give us at least 28 days’ notice. Cancellations after this time will incur 100% of the cost of the course. Please speak to your Account Manager or email speak to our friendly team.

For our digital skills courses, we provide one PC per learner, so you do not need your laptop.

 

For all courses, we provide all supporting materials, such as manuals, pens, sticky notes and refreshments, so you don’t need to bring anything with you. 

 

Lunch is provided on full-day courses, but not on half-day courses.

We are based at Robert Dolan House, 9 Alie Street, London E1 8DE. We are just 5 minutes’ walk from Aldgate and Aldgate East.

 

Please see our Contact Us page for a map and directions, or search on Google Maps for Happy Ltd. [can this link jump down to the map/directions section under the form?]

 

For private group bookings, we can hold this course at Happy, inhouse at your workplace, or at a location of your choice, as long as you have a suitable space.



We accept all credit and debit cards through Stripe (including American Express). You can also pay by invoice, both for our public dates and private group bookings. Your invoice should be emailed to you at the time of booking. If you haven’t receive this please contact our team.

After attending your course, you will receive a certificate of attendance.

 

If your chosen course is certified by the CPD Certification Service, you can track and log your hours of learning using the myCPD Portal.



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Sign up for our Happy Manifesto newsletter and discover fresh ways to ignite joy and productivity at work. Get expert tips, insights, and ideas that challenge the norm—straight to your inbox. Join our movement and start your journey for a trust-based, values-led organisation.