ICDL Digital Student

APPLICATION
ESSENTIALS
Syllabus 1.0

Syllabus Document

© 2019-2023 ICDL Foundation Ref: ICDL Application Essentials - Syllabus - V1.0 Page 1 of 7
Purpose
This document details the syllabus for the Application Essentials module. The syllabus
describes, through learning outcomes, the knowledge and skills that a candidate for the
Application Essentials module should possess. The syllabus also provides the basis for the
theory and practice-based test in this module.

Copyright © 2019 - 2023 ICDL Foundation

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form except as
permitted by ICDL Foundation. Enquiries for permission to reproduce material should be
directed to ICDL Foundation.

Disclaimer
Although every care has been taken by ICDL Foundation in the preparation of this publication,
no warranty is given by ICDL Foundation, as publisher, as to the completeness of the
information contained within it and neither shall ICDL Foundation be responsible or liable for
any errors, omissions, inaccuracies, loss or damage whatsoever arising by virtue of such
information or any instructions or advice contained within this publication. Changes may be
made by ICDL Foundation at its own discretion and at any time without notice.

© 2019-2023 ICDL Foundation Ref: ICDL Application Essentials - Syllabus - V1.0 Page 2 of 7
 Application Essentials Module

This module sets out the essential concepts and skills needed to start using common office
productivity applications – word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations – effectively.

Module Goals

Successful candidates will be able to:

• Understand the purpose of different common office productivity applications and carry
out common tasks.
• Work with text in a document, inert and edit objects and tables, and prepare and print
outputs.
• Work with numbers and text in a spreadsheet, manipulate spreadsheet data, use
formulas, insert charts, and prepare and print outputs.
• Build a presentation, insert and format text in slides, inert and edit objects and effects,
and create outputs including a slideshow.

CATEGORY SKILL SET REF. TASK ITEM

1 Office Productivity 1.1 Overview 1.1.1 Recognise common office productivity

Applications suites.

1.1.2 Understand the function of different office

productivity applications: word processing,
spreadsheet, presentation.

1.2 Common Tasks 1.2.1 Open, close an office productivity

application. Open, close office productivity
file(s).

1.2.2 Save a file to a location on a local, online

drive. Save a file under another name to a
location on a local, online drive.

1.2.3 Save a file as another file type.

1.2.4 Switch between open files.

1.2.5 Identify appropriate help resources.

1.2.6 Use magnification/zoom tools.

1.2.7 Restore, minimise the ribbon. Display, hide

built-in toolbars.

1.2.8 Use the undo, redo command.

2 Word Processing 2.1 Getting Started 2.1.1 Create a new document based on default
template, other available template locally
or online.

2.1.2 Enter text into a document.

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 CATEGORY SKILL SET REF. TASK ITEM

2.1.3 Insert symbols or special characters like: ©,

®, ™.

2.1.4 Select character, word, line, sentence,

paragraph, entire body text.

2.1.5 Edit content by entering, removing

characters, words within existing text, by
over-typing to replace existing text.

2.1.6 Copy, move text within a document,

between open documents.

2.1.7 Delete text.

2.2 Formatting and 2.2.1

Apply text formatting: font size, font type.
Alignment

2.2.2 Apply text formatting: bold, italic, underline.

2.2.3 Apply font colour to text.

2.2.4 Create, merge paragraph(s).

2.2.5 Align text: left, centre, right, justified.

2.2.6 Apply spacing above, below paragraphs.

Apply single, 1.5 lines, double line spacing
within paragraphs.

2.2.7 Add, remove bullets, numbers in a single

level list. Switch between different standard
bullet, number styles in a single level list.

2.3 Objects 2.3.1 Create, delete a table.

2.3.2 Insert, edit data in a table.

2.3.3 Select rows, columns, cells, entire table.

2.3.4 Insert, delete rows and columns.

2.3.5 Modify column width, row height.

2.3.6 Insert an object (picture, drawn object) to a

specified location in a document.

2.3.7 Select an object.

2.3.8 Resize an object maintaining, not

maintaining aspect ratio. Delete an object.

2.4 Outputs 2.4.1 Spell check a document and make

changes like: correcting spelling errors,
ignoring specific words, deleting repeated
words.

© 2019-2023 ICDL Foundation Ref: ICDL Application Essentials – Syllabus – V1.0 Page 4 of 7
 CATEGORY SKILL SET REF. TASK ITEM

2.4.2 Preview a document.

2.4.3 Change document orientation: portrait,

landscape.

2.4.4 Print a document using output options like:

entire document, specific page(s), selected
text, number of copies.

3 Spreadsheets 3.1 Getting Started 3.1.1 Create a new spreadsheet based on default
template, other available template locally
or online.

3.1.2 Enter a number, date, text in a cell.

3.1.3 Select a cell, range of adjacent cells, range

of non-adjacent cells, entire worksheet.

3.1.4 Edit, delete cell contents.

3.1.5 Copy the contents of a cell, cell range

within a worksheet, between worksheets,
between open spreadsheets.

3.1.6 Use the autofill tool/copy handle tool to

copy, increment data, formula, function.

3.1.7 Move the contents of a cell, cell range

within a worksheet, between worksheets,
between open spreadsheets.

3.1.8 Use a simple search command for specific

content in a worksheet.

3.1.9 Use a simple replace command for specific

content in a worksheet.

3.2 Formatting 3.2.1 Apply text formatting to cell contents: font

size, font type.

3.2.2 Apply text formatting to cell contents: bold,

italic, underline, double underline.

3.3 Managing 3.3.1 Select a row, range of adjacent rows, range

Worksheets of non-adjacent rows.

3.3.2 Select a column, range of adjacent

columns, range of non-adjacent columns.

3.3.3 Insert, delete rows and columns.

3.3.4 Modify column width, row height to a

specified value, to optimal width or height.

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 CATEGORY SKILL SET REF. TASK ITEM

3.4 Formulas 3.4.1 Create formulas using cell references and

arithmetic operators (addition, subtraction,
multiplication, division).

3.4.2 Use sum, average, count.

3.5 Charts 3.5.1 Create different types of charts from

spreadsheet data: column chart, bar chart,
line chart, pie chart.

3.5.2 Select a chart.

3.5.3 Move, resize, delete a chart.

3.5.4 Add, remove, edit a chart title.

3.5.5 Add, remove, edit a chart legend.

3.6 Outputs 3.6.1 Preview a worksheet.

3.6.2 Print an entire worksheet, number of

copies of a worksheet, the entire
spreadsheet.

4 Presentation 4.1 Getting Started 4.1.1 Create a new presentation based on

default template, other available template
locally or online.

4.1.2 Switch between presentation view modes:

normal, slide sorter, master, notes page,
outline.

4.1.3 Apply a different built-in slide layout to a

slide.

4.1.4 Apply a built-in design template, theme to

a presentation.

4.1.5 Add a new slide with a specific slide layout

like: title slide, title and content, title only,
blank.

4.1.6 Copy, move slides within the presentation,

between open presentations.

4.1.7 Delete slide(s).

4.1.8 Hide, show slide(s).

4.2 Text and 4.2.1 Enter text in a placeholder in normal view.

Formatting Enter text in outline view.

4.2.2 Edit text in a presentation.

4.2.3 Copy, move text within a presentation,

between open presentations.

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 CATEGORY SKILL SET REF. TASK ITEM

4.2.4 Delete text.

4.2.5 Apply text formatting: font size, font type.

4.2.6 Apply text formatting: bold, italic, underline,

shadow.

4.2.7 Apply font colour to text.

4.2.8 Align text: left, centre, right in a text frame.

4.3 Objects and 4.3.1 Insert a graphical object (picture, drawn

Effects object) into a slide.

4.3.2 Copy, move graphical objects, charts within

the presentation, between open
presentations.

4.3.3 Resize a graphical object maintaining, not

maintaining aspect ratio. Resize a chart.

4.3.4 Add, remove built-in transition effects

between slides.

4.4 Outputs 4.4.1 Spell check a presentation and make

changes like: correcting spelling errors,
ignoring specific words, deleting repeated
words.

4.4.2 Print a presentation using output options

like: entire presentation, specific slide(s),
handouts, notes pages, outline view of
slides, number of copies of a presentation.

4.4.3 Start a slide show from first slide, from

current slide. End a slide show.

4.4.4 Navigate to next slide, previous slide,

specified slide during a slide show.

© 2019-2023 ICDL Foundation Ref: ICDL Application Essentials – Syllabus – V1.0 Page 7 of 7