Creating Your Own Shortcuts With An Overlay Keyboard

Memory is a funny thing. We all remember the important things like pay day, and hopefully our birthday our anniversary. These are things that are important to us so it remembers. Not true of most keyboard shortcuts in the programs running.

Some of the benefits of direct access are:

1. Less frustration with a program.
2. Fewer errors and to correct the error.
3. Less reaches for the mouse.
4. The increase in productivity.

Yes, we remember the shortcuts that are common to all programs, such as Ctrl + C to copy, Ctrl + O to open, and Ctrl + S to save. But what is the shortcut to add a hyperlink in Word? What can be frustrating is that there are no shortcuts to many functions of Word. Features such as the section of dialogue needed to remember to use the mouse or the Alt + O + P sequence.

This is where an overlay keyboard can be valuable. Each key on the keyboard in a layer can be configured to replicate the entire sequence of keys on a standard computer keyboard. Naturally, this includes all the shortcut keys in a program.

Simply press the right key and the shortcut is activated. When you set a key sequence Ctrl + K in the hyperlink dialog box. Another key to set Shift + F1 and show the form window.

With an overlay keyboard that we have the ability to create your own shortcuts. In Word there is no shortcut for the Save As function. A user must grasp the mouse, click File and then Save As or press Alt + F + A. With an overlay keyboard, simply configure a button to play the Alt + F + A and the sequence that has created its own shortcut.

While I use Word as an example in this article a keyboard overlay can be used with any program. Programs that are industry standards for applications written specifically for Windows, even in itself may be easier to use. (Do not forget the Mac OS and applications.)

With an overlay of the user's keyboard while the computer user becomes more productive. They are free to concentrate on their work and not how to run the program. The user does not contorta hands in awkward position to press the shortcut keys.