Category Archives: Writing

Learn how to write better business and technical documents

[How To ] Use the Background Saves Option in MS Word

By default, the Allow background saves option is turned on in Word. This allows you to continue working in Word while a document is being saved. However, this eats up system memory. If you want to conserve resources, turn off this option. To turn Allow background saves off, follow these steps:  On the Tools menu, […]

How to Copy Text and Graphics from PDF Files into Word

To copy text from a PDF file into Word: Open the PDF file.  On the Tools menu, click Select Text.  Select the text you want to copy (or click Edit, Select All to select the entire file).  Click Copy on the Edit menu.  In Word, click where you want to paste and click Edit, Paste. […]

How to Run Sample Code from Microsoft Knowledge Base Articles

If you want to learn how to create Word macros, then this Knowledge Base article is the place to start.  As the site says, “The Microsoft Knowledge Base contains a number of articles that include sample code for Visual Basic for Applications macros. Many of these macros illustrate basic concepts of programming in Visual Basic […]

[How To] Add Spacing Between Cells in MS Word Tables

Spacing gives a table some space to breath. Words and figures stand out more. Without it, data can get very cluttered and hard to read as it all appears to be cramped together. To add spacing between cells, follow these steps: Select the table. Click Table Properties and then select the Options button. Click the […]

How to Change the entire document’s text with one click

If you want to make your life easy, use different styles for different parts of your document. For example, create a style for all your numbered lists, a style for Chapter 1, 2, and 3 headings, and other such styles.

How to Remove Your Name from MS Word Macros

If you create a lot of macros in Word, you’ll probably know that you’re name is recorded as the Author. The macro begins with a header similar to the following:     ‘ Macro1 Macro    ‘ Macro recorded 7/12/2006 by Your Name From Word’s point of view, it makes sense to keep track of […]

[How To] Remove Old File Versions from MS Word

Word’s file version feature lets you save multiple versions of the same document in the same file. You can delete older versions of the document in order to reduce the file size. To delete one or more versions of a document, follow these steps: On the File menu, click Versions.  Select the version of the […]

How to Remove Your User Name from Your Documents

To remove your name from a document, follow these steps: Click Options on the Tools menu. Select the User Information tab. The following edit boxes appear: Name Initials Mailing Address If you do not want any of this information to appear in your documents, enter spaces or dummy text in the boxes, and then click […]

How to Preview MS Word Docs Instead of Opening Files

Microsoft Word’s preview tool lets you view the contents of a document WITHOUT having to open it. This is a terrific time saver, especially if all you want to do is look at the cover sheet of a large document.  From the File menu, click Open. Instead of opening the file, click the Views menu […]

MS Word Quick Launch

Want to automatically open the last document you worked on? This will save you time from having to go to the File menu and opening the document every time. Right-click on an empty part of the desktop. Select New, Create Shortcut. In the ‘Type location of the item’ box, paste the following command. For Word […]