MS Word - Master Office Skills

Section 1: Working Efficiently

Hyperlinks

When a document is being viewed on screen, there are ways of making it easier for users to move to different locations within the document or to access connected information held in other locations. This is done using hyperlinks.

A hyperlink can be applied to any piece of text or object in a document so that clicking the object will display another location in the document, which has been defined with a bookmark.

Alternatively the hyperlink may open a different file, a web page, or your e-mail application. Some features, such as Table of Contents, use hyperlinks automatically.

Saving

Although the usual format for saving documents is as a Word Document (with a .docx extension), it is possible to save them in many different formats.

One file type is Plain Text (with a .txt file extension) . This means that all formatting, styles and graphics are removed, reducing the file to the simplest text format, making it much smaller and recognisable by most other applications.

To save in a format that can be read by any version of Word, but still keeps some of the original formatting, save in Rich Text Format (.rtf file extension). To enable a document to be viewed as a web page, it can be saved in .htm format. The location of saved files can also be specified.

Section 2: Text Editing

Find and Replace

The Find and Replace feature allows you to search a document for specific words, phrases and sentences.

However, you can also use it to find or replace other items such as page breaks, paragraph marks and specific formatting of fonts and paragraphs.

Paste Special Options

Cut and paste is a very useful, time saving feature, but if you simply paste, the text will be added with its original formatting and any styles it contains will automatically be brought into the destination document.

Paste special gives you more control over how the cut or copied text is added to the document. You can choose whether to retain the source formatting , or not.

AutoCorrect

AutoCorrect is a tool that can automatically replace certain text with alternative text as you type.

The most widespread use for this is to correct common spelling errors, so that for example “teh” can be added so that it changes automatically to “the”.

It is also possible to replace common grammatical errors, and there are options to correct capitalisation mistakes.

AutoFormat

Some formatting of documents can be applied automatically, either as text is being entered or afterwards in a separate step. This is called AutoFormat.

Once a document has been altered in this way, it is still possible to change the formatting.

AutoText

Phrases (or graphics) that are used frequently can be stored in an AutoText list, so that they can quickly be added to a document.

The required text can be given a different name to identify it and can be called up at any time.

Once an AutoText entry has been created, it can be inserted into any document.

Some AutoText entries already exist within Word and can be found within the Building Blocks Organizer.

Text Flow and Wrap

There are a variety of formatting options available when including objects such as graphical objects and tables in text.

They can have their own space within the text or they can be included within text blocks so that the text ‘wraps’ around them.

This can be either on one side of the object or the other, or on both sides.

Alternatively the object can be placed behind the text.

Section 3: Paragraph Editing

Line Spacing

The amount of space between lines in paragraphs can be changed using the Paragraph dialog box. Increasing line spacing can sometimes make paragraphs easier to read. There are various advanced spacing options:

At least

minimum spacing – can be adjusted by Word to accommodate larger font sizes that would otherwise not fit the spacing specified.

Exactly

specific, fixed spacing that Word does not adjust – makes all lines evenly spaced regardless of font size.

Multiple

multiples of the basic line spacing for the current font size. Word 2013 has a default line spacing of 1.08 lines.

Pagination Options

The Widow/Orphan control prevents Word from separating the last line of a paragraph and printing it at the top of a new page (widow), or separating the first line of a new paragraph and leaving it at the bottom of the current page (orphan). By default, the control is on.

Creating Styles

Although there are many formatting styles available by default, it is possible to create others.

Styles can be created from scratch or, more usually, they can be based on other styles.

Modifying Styles

Once styles have been created and applied they can be changed at any time.

A change to a style will change all the text in a document to which that style has been applied, ensuring continuity throughout the document.

Outline Level Styles

You can assign an Outline level paragraph property to styles and then use Outline View to show the hierarchy of those styles within a document.

By default the styles Heading 1, Heading 2, have outline levels 1 and 2 respectively, but levels can be assigned to any style.

Within Outline View , a document can be collapsed to show only those headings contained within it, or expanded so the entire document can be seen.

This view also makes moving around a large document or moving text easier. If text under a heading is collapsed, moving the heading will also move all its text.

Outline level text can be demoted (moved down a level) or promoted (moved up by a level). All of the selected text will then be reformatted accordingly.

Multilevel Lists

Styles for bulleted or numbered lists can be created to contain up to nine levels. A different format can be assigned to each level.

Section 4: Document Setup

Adding and Deleting Section Breaks

When certain pages or parts of a document are to be formatted differently from the rest, e.g. page layout or page numbering, sections are created.

Each section can have its own page layout and headers and footers (see later lesson).

A document can have as many sections as required.

Applying Section Formatting

Once sections have been created in a document, each one can be formatted in a diflerent way.

For example, the page layout of one section could be in portrait and another in landscape.

Other settings like margins, vertical alignment, headers and footers and columns can also be modified from section to section (columns and headers and footers are described in later exercises).

Section Headers and Footers

Each section in a document can have different headers and footers.

Headers and footers can be omitted from the first page of a document if desired and different ones can be applied to odd and even pages.

Multiple Column Layout

Columns divide the page vertically.

Several columns can be created on a page to create a varied effect.

Columns can be applied to the whole document, or to certain parts of it.

Modifying Column Layout

Columns can be balanced to divide the text evenly.

Column breaks are used so that the following text is moved to the top of the next column.

Modifying Column Width/Spacing

After columns have been applied to a document, it is possible to change the column width and the spacing between columns.

Creating a Watermark

A watermark is a piece of text or an image appearing in the background of a
document, usually on every page.

These can be easily created in Word.

Watermarks are meant for printed documents only.

Watermark text is stored in the Header or Footer of a document.

Modifying and Deleting Watermarks

After adding a watermark it can be modified by changing the text or by changing it to a different type, i.e. a Picture Watermark.

Watermarks can be removed using a command from the ribbon or the Printed Watermark dialog box.

Watermark text is stored in the Header or Footer of a document.

Section 5: Tables

Table Styles

You can quickly give your table a professional design using one of Word’s bult-in table formats. you can also create your own table style

Merging and Splitting Cells

Cells in a table can be merged or split.

To merge cells means to join two or more cells together to make one large cell.

To split cells means to divide a cell into two or more cells.

Converting Text to a Table

Existing text can be converted to table format, provided the text is already separated into fields.

This can be done with commas, tabs or paragraph marks.

It may be necessary to remove any extra commas or tabs to reach the required format.

Sorting Table Data

A Table can be sorted in order of any column, with secondary sorts being applied, if required.

Ascending or descending sorts can be performed on text or numbers.

Performing Calculations

Calculations can be carried out within a table. A column of numbers can be summed, or any basic calculation can be performed on the data within the table.

Every formula must start with the equals sign =. Standard mathematical functions are used to create formulas.

Like a spreadsheet, each column in a table is referred to by a letter: A,B,C,D etc., whilst rows are referred to by numbers: 1,2,3,4, etc.

The cell address eg A1, is the position where the row and column intersct. It is this cell address that will be used to build formulas, eg =A1+A2.

Table Properties and Setup

Various aspects of a table can be changed, for example the cell margins, text alignment and direction.

If the table is large, you can apply settings so that the heading rows are repeated on each page, or so that rows either break or don’t break across pages.

Section 6: Referencing

Creating Footnotes and Endnotes

Footnotes are a formalised way of documenting sources for quotations, facts and ideas in a report.

A footnote number is automatically placed in the document next to the text to be referenced. The same number appears at the
bottom of the page with details about the source of the information.

Endnotes perform the same function, but are found at the end of a document

Modifying/Deleting Footnotes and Endnotes

Footnotes and endnotes can be edited, formatted and deleted in the same way as normal text.

There is a widely observed convention that footnote reference numbers are entered in superscript form.

Creating a Table of Contents

It is possible in Word to create various reference features in a document such as tables of contents, indexes, cross references and captions.

Once created, these tables can be automatically updated if any information changes.

A table of contents is based on styles within a document.

Certain heading styles are chosen and all text in the document that uses these styles is automatically included in the contents.

Updating a Table of Contents

Once a table of contents has been created, it is an easy matter to update it if any changes are made to the contents themselves.

Adding and Deleting Bookmarks

A bookmark can be assigned to a text position or to a graphic within a document.

Once a place within a document has been given a bookmark, there are various methods to locate it quickly and easily.

This can be a very useful feature in a large, complex document.

Cross-Referencing

Cross-referencing is a method of placing a reference in a document, which refers to an item elsewhere in a document, such as a heading, bookmark,
caption, etc.

When a cross-reference is created there are a variety of options for the reference text, including page number, heading text, bookmark text, etc.

If the cross reference is defined as a hyperlink, pressing <Ctrl> and clicking on it will take you directly to the target location.

Adding Numbered Captions

Captions can be added individually to objects such as graphs, images and tables.

They can also be set up to be automatically applied, so that when a graph, etc., is inserted, it is automatically numbered.

Once captions have been entered in this way a table of figures/captions can also be created.

Creating a Table of Figures

A table of figures is a list of the captions for pictures, charts, graphs, slides, or other illustrations in a document, along with the page numbers where they appear.

Creating Index Entries

An index shows the position of selected words or phrases in a document.

Text required for inclusion in the index must be specifically marked before the index can be created.

Once styles and captions have been created in a document and cross-referencing and index entries have been marked, it is a simple process to create tables for the entries.

Section 7: Collaborative Editing

Adding/Editing Comments

Comments are used to make notes on a document. They are usually for on-screen reference but can be printed if required.

Tracking Changes

When a document is being developed, particularly if it is being revised by different people, it is very useful to have all the amendments clearly visible within the document.

By tracking changes to a document, it is possible to see where, when and who made the changes to it.

Text that has been amended, added to or deleted from a document is shown.

Accepting and Rejecting Changes

Once changes have been tracked in a document, it is possible to view each change and either accept it or reject it. If the change is rejected, the text reverts to its original state. This is very useful when creating a joint report, or similar document.

A common scenario is for an author to create a report or similar document, then have it reviewed by one or more people. By tracking changes, the author can see which changes to the document have been suggested and decide whether to include them in the final version.

Compare and Combine

As well as making amendments in a single document and reviewing them, it is possible to make the amendments in a separate copy of the document and then combine the amended version with the original.

All changes will be highlighted and can be accepted or rejected as before. In this way, input from several reviewers can be merged then processed in one operation.

Section 8: Document Security

Password Protection

Passwords can be assigned to certain documents to restrict access to them. This is particularly important if a computer is shared or is on a network where it can be accessed by other users.

Passwords can be used to control whether a document can be opened or modified.

A document can also be protected, so that only tracked changes or comments may be added. Be careful, as without the password, access to the document will not be allowed; make sure to use a password that will not be forgotten.