OpenOffice is a great alternative to Microsoft Office, which can save time and money. However, like any time saving tool it can be used even more efficiently if you know the ins and outs of the system. Here are 5 ways to save time with OpenOffice so you spend more time working on your projects rather than manipulating the interface.

1. Sending a document as an email: If you are composing a document to be sent as an email attachment, instead of saving it, opening your email client, writing a small introduction and then attaching the file, why not send the file directly from OpenOffice? Click File > Send > Document As Email. This option will take a snapshot of your current document, open your default mail program, and attach the document as the extension you specify, either as an .odt or .doc.

2. Use extensions: There are a wide variety of extensions available for OpenOffice to make certain tasks easier, such as MultiCloud File Manager for backups, CropOOo for improved cropping features in Draw and Impress, and Sun PDF Import for reading and editing PDF files. This makes the interface between different programs much easier to manage.

3. Quickly create tables: If you frequently use tables in your documents, instead of going up and clicking Insert > Tables, use this item instead: “+——–+———+”. When you type out the syntax, as soon as you press enter, the plus signs are converted into borders.

4. Perform a search within OpenOffice: If you find yourself needing to make sure you have used a word correctly, instead of opening your browser and typing in the word separately, you can click View > Toolbar, and check Hyperlink bar. Now when you highlight a word you have typed, the word will appear in the bar and you can click the small magnifying glass to use your favorite search engine automatically.

5. Remove the splash screen: There’s nothing worse than wanting to get your day started, only to be greeted by a five second splash screen. You can stop this screen from appearing by navigating to your OpenOffice install directory and finding the file called “soffice.ini”. Open it with Notepad and change the value “logo=1″ to “logo=0″.

Using these tips you can shave away the amount of time you spend on OpenOffice to make your day more productive and more efficient.

Image: OpenOffice