Many agents do not know that there’s a calculator built right into Microsoft Windows. That’s because it is a bit hard to find. However, you can make it immediately accessible by following these directions.

On your computer, in Windows XP (Home or Pro versions), go to Start>Programs>Accessories> and then when you see the word “Calculator,” just highlight it for a moment. (Note: Windows 2000 works much the same way)

Now, right click on the highlighted word, and you will see a lengthy menu. There are two choices on the menu that let you make the calculator readily available.

If you launch programs from the desktop, then choose “Send To,” then choose “Desktop (As shortcut)”. Doing so puts a little calculator icon on your desktop. Just click on it anytime to launch the basic calculator.

If you launch programs from your start button menu, then choose “Pin to Start Menu.” Doing so puts a calculator icon in the menu that comes up on the left when you click on Start.

I like a far more immediate location for the calculator icon. I place a calculator icon just to the right of the Start button. To do this, show only your desktop on your monitor’s screen. Now, click on the calculator icon that you put onto your desktop and draaaaaaaag it down to the blank area just to the right of your Start button. Watch until you see a little “I” (like a vertical steel girder) show up there. When you see it, drop the computer icon there by releasing your finger from the left click button on your mouse. As you do, the calculator icon stays in that location.

Handy enough? Now the calculator is always visible, and only one click away at all times, most handy if you are running numbers for a realty-related transaction, not to mention for doing your taxes.

You advanced number crunchers will be thrilled to know that this simple-looking calculator easily converts to a scientific calculator (similar to what used to be called a “programmer’s calculator.”

To convert the standard to the scientific calculator, click on: “View” at the top, then choose “Scientific.” Whoa! Look at all those new options. Square root; convert between decimal, binary, hex and octal numbers, etc.

Which type of measure you choose is important because it determines how the trigonometric functions are worked out. If you try Sin(90) with Radians selected, you get a very different answer from the Sin of 90 degrees!

The trigonometry functions can be easily converted to their hyperbolic forms - sinh, cosh and tanh - by ticking the Hyp box.

Unlike some calculators, you can actually highlight and copy the totals off the standard or scientific calculator, and paste them into documents, spreadsheets, tax forms, or fields on web pages. This saves you much retyping time.

Okay, if you haven’t already done so, leave this page on your screen and follow the directions here. Go right now and find and install your already existing, but seldom used, Windows calculator.

Once you have it in your face, you’ll soon wonder how you ever got along without it.

Published: June 15, 2004

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Bill Koelzer is a Web marketing consultant to web-proficient agents nationwide. He is co-author, with Barbara Cox, Ph.D., of the Prentice-Hall books, Internet Marketing in Real Estate and Internet Marketing. Bill is also webmaster of Orange County Real Estate, among the most-awarded known Realtor® sites. Visit his website, Koelzer.com or e-mail him at .