Microsoft Word allows you to create and work with a lot of new documents every day, but sometimes what we are used to can be neither efficient nor effective. Professionals offer 10 ways to make your life easier while working with this application.
Change the default font in Word
The standards of the organization for which you work, or personal preference, dictate that you use a certain font with certain characteristics, let's say Times New Roman, 12 pt. Alas, Microsoft Word can't read minds, and every time I start the program it suggests that the text should be in Verdana, 10 pt font. This is very annoying, because over and over again I have to change the font. It only takes a few seconds to do this with one document, but if you do it over many years, it will take you hours. Shouldn't we stop the agony and put a period on it?
Solution: you need to specify the font and its characteristics, which will be used every time you open a new file. To do this, go to the "Home" tab, click on "Font", specify the option you want and click on the "Default" button at the bottom left.
Thesaurus comes to the rescue
Everyone understands that specific scientific definitions and legal terms do not involve the use of synonyms. But in informal or everyday writing, the use of words with similar meanings is quite acceptable, and sometimes even necessary. This will allow your text to play with new colors, improve its readability and it ceases to be boring. In case you don't have a big enough vocabulary or if you can't think of anything at the moment, is it worth turning to your browser all the time?
Solution: the thesaurus already built into Word will tell you the words you need. Click on the word you want to replace while holding down the Alt key on your keyboard. A window will pop up on the right where you will be able to find a synonym from the suggested variants.
Quickly move the lines of the list
Information is best understood when using lists with different markers. By being structured and compartmentalized, it makes it much easier for our brains to absorb information. That's why planning is done in a list format. A list that is pleasant to look at, but awkward to format, stops users from using them frequently. A particular case - the movement of lines relative to each other, for this usually all use the so beloved key combinations: Ctrl + C and Ctrl + V.
Solution: the Alt + Shift + ↑(↓) combination will move the specified element in the desired direction. This button combination is also applicable for paragraphs. You can insert snippets of text between parts of the list.
Unbreakable space
Many people know that when writing large values, numbers can't be separated by several lines, or initials shouldn't be separated from the last name. But Word sometimes doesn't know the elementary rules and does things it shouldn't. Don't get nervous and blame the program for all the sins.
Solution: the non-breaking space is the solution to all problems. Press Shift + Ctrl + "Space" and it will keep the lines separate. They are used for abbreviations (e.g., 10 mm), between characters and the numbers that relate to them (e.g., 26). It will appear as a circle in the non-printable characters view.
Field Codes
This feature in normal life may not seem too convenient, but for the design of standard documents will be suitable. You can just make a small correction to a typical document, update the margins and not have to redo all the text.
For example, if you want to translate six-digit numbers into capitalization or insert the date when the document was created, the field codes will definitely help you with that. The Alt + F9 key combination changes the reflection of the field codes and their values. To do this, go to Insert, look for "Express Blocks" and click on "Fields" or use Ctrl + F9. After the curly brackets appear, you can put a number in there, and it will be reflected later through spelling.
Secure documents
Life can be different situations, so you should not leave your laptop, flash drive, etc. unattended. But still, if you do, then it's worth insuring in advance and set passwords on documents. Word's security is similar to that used by the American government to protect state secrets.
But still do not forget your passwords, because you can not restore them. Go to the "File" tab, go down to the bottom, select "Information", click on "Protect Document" and click on "Password Encrypt". To cancel protection, you must activate the document, and remove the password, in the same place.
Set a restriction on making changes
If you want your works to be seen but nothing can be changed by another user, use the restriction on changes.
Solution: go to the "File" tab, go down, choose "Information", click on "Protect Document" and click on "Restrict Editing". Here you can, for example, specify portions of the document that will not be subject to the restriction rule.
Autosubstitution
With this feature, you can easily reduce the spelling of complex words and phrases and in some cases sentences to just a couple of letters. It will also allow you to eliminate typical typos that are unique to you.
Find the "File" tab, expand "Options", click on "Spelling" and click on "Auto-Swap Options". Enter the information in the "Replace" and "To" lines. Done. Your typing speed may now increase.
Always create a backup copy
Everyone has encountered moments in their lives when the power went out without warning or you accidentally closed a document without saving it. For such cases and invented a backup, which will be necessary to restore the information after unforeseen circumstances. Such a feature is also used to archive earlier versions of a document.
Click on "File", click on "Preferences", then "Advanced" and look for "Save". Click on "Always keep a backup".
Pull up the "tails" of pages
Sometimes the text does not fit on 1 page, and Word throws the text to the next, although for printing it is inconvenient. This is where various tricks are resorted to, although you can simply use the "Shrink to Page" option. The text is reduced to the size of 1 page by slightly compressing the size and spacing of the lines. Go to the Quick Access Toolbar, open "Other Commands," change to "All Commands," then drop down to the "Shrink to Page" feature and move it to the window on the right. One click and the "tail" is cut.
Take the tips that apply to your work, study them and use them in practice. Save your time, make your work more rational. Have a nice work!
