Formatting tips and tricks in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is a vast application with thousands of tools and features. Due to this, many unhidden tools that many users are unaware of how to use. This post will discuss some of the common formatting tips in Word.

How to update all fields

a) Using keyboard shortcuts

Steps to follow:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document that contains the fields you want to update.

3. Highlight the whole document. That is, press CTRL + A keys to highlight the whole document.

4. Then, press the CTRL + F9 keys to update all the fields in the document.

b) Using the Word Options tool

Steps to follow:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document that contains the fields want to update.

3. Click on the File tab on the toolbar.

4. In the Info screen, click the Options button to open the options dialogue box.

5. From the box, click the Display button and locate the Printing options section.

6. Check the Update fields Before Printing the checkbox.


How to write fractions

a) Using the fraction Auto format tool

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document you want to use this feature.

3. Click on the File tab on the toolbar.

4. In the Info screen, click the Options button to open the options dialogue box.

5. From the box, click the proofing button and locate the autocorrect option button

6. In the dialogue box, click on AutoFormat as you type the tab.

7. Then, check the Fractions checkbox and hit the ok button.


b) Using the slash key

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document or open a new document.

3. Enter the fraction numerator, and then click on the backward slash on your keyboard.

4. Then, enter the denominator of the fraction.

c) Using pre-formatted fractions

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document or open a new document.

3. Click the Insert tab. In the symbol section, click the symbol drop-down button.

4. From the menu, choose the more symbols button.

5. From the Subset section, choose the Number Form option.

6. Choose the fraction you want to insert into your document and hit the OK button.

d) Using the Equation tool

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document or open a new document.

3. Click the Insert tab in the symbol section, and then click the equation button.

4. In the design tab, click the fraction drop-down menu and choose the menu you want.

How to move images freely

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document that you want to make images move freely.

3. Click on the File tab on the toolbar.

4. In the Info screen, click the Options button to open the options dialogue box.

5. From the box, click the advanced button and locate the Cut, Copy and Paste section.

6. In the Insert/paste picture As a section, choose the In Front of Text option.

7. Finally, hit the Ok button.

How to split the page in half

a) Using columns

Steps:

1. To get started, locate the Word application on your Pc. Double-click on it to open the application.

2. Select or highlight the text you want to split into columns. To select all the readers, press the CTRL + A keys. To choose a section of your document, press the left mouse, and then move the cursor over the text you want to select.

3. On the toolbar section, click on the Layout tab.


4. Locate the page setup section, then click on the Columns drop-down button.

5. From the drop-down menu, choose the number of columns you want.

b) Using the table tool

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing or new document.

3. Click on the Insert tab, and locate the Table drop-down button.


4. Choose the number one row and two columns.

5. Resize and position the table to fit on the page.

How to do a hanging indent

a) Using the Layout tab

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document or a new document that you need to use this feature.

3. Highlight the section you want to add the hanging indent.

4. Click on the Layout tab on the toolbar.

5. Locate the paragraph section, and click on the paragraph box launcher.


6. In the dialogue box, locate the Indentation section.

7. Click the Special drop-down button, and select the Hanging option.

8. Finally, hit the Ok button.

b) Using paragraph in the Home tab

Steps:

1. Highlight the section you want to add the hanging feature.

2. Click on the Home tab on the toolbar.

3. Locate the paragraph section, and click on the paragraph box launcher.


4. In the dialogue box, locate the Indentation section.

5. Click the Special drop-down button, and select the Hanging option.

6. Finally, hit the Ok button.

How to make a one-page landscape

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document.

3. Click on the page you want to change the orientation. Then, click the Layout tab on the toolbar.

4. Locate the Page Setup section, and click on the Orientation Drop-down button.

5. From the menu, choose the Landscape option.

How to edit drop-down list

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document or open a new document.

3. Click on the Developer tab on the ribbon.

4. Locate the Controls section, and click on the drop-down option.

5. Click on the drop-down inserted on the page. Then, click the Properties button in the Control section.


6. A content control dialogue box will open. Add the title of the drop-down button.

7. Then, locate the Drop-down list properties section. Click on the Add button.

8. Add the display name and value in the add dialogue box, and then hit the Ok button.

Note: You will have to hit the Add button every time you need to add a new value to the list.

9. Finally, hit the Ok button to save the changes made.

How to enable Macros

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document you want to enable the macro.

3. Click on the File tab on the toolbar.

4. In the Info screen, click the Options button to open the options dialogue box.

5. From the box, click the Trust Centre button and the trust center setting.


6. Click the Macros setting button, and toggle on the Enable All Macros button.


How to open Macros

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document that you want to open the macro.

3. Click on the Developer tab on the toolbar.

4. Locate the Code section, and click on the Macros button.


How to add accent marks

a) Using symbol tool

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document or open a new document.

3. Click the Insert tab. In the symbol section, click the symbol drop-down button.

4. From the menu, choose the more symbols button.

5. Choose the accent letter you want to add to your document from the dialogue box.

b) Using Keyboard shortcuts

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document or open a new document.

3. Add the letter you want to make an accent letter

4. Highlight the letter, and then press CTRL + ‘ keys.


5. Release the keys above and press the A key.


How to Show paragraph marks

Steps:

1. Locate the Excel icon on your Pc and double-click on it to open.

2. Press CTRL + O keys to open the existing document that you want to use the marks.

3. Click on the Home tab from the toolbar on the opened document.

4. In the paragraph section, locate the Show/Hide icon. Click on it to show all the formatting in your document.

5. The paragraph marks will show in your document.

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