2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44
It turns out that people have been working in Word for years, but do not know its basic features or do not follow the innovations. It's time to catch up!
A few words about why I undertook to describe the not at all unique functions of Microsoft Word. The article matured in my head slowly. Time after time I had to describe the same editor's capabilities to my colleagues and loved ones. Their blatant insight, surprise at what they saw, prompted me to write this material. I hope that you too will learn something new for yourself.
All of the following tips work in Word 2013. I highly recommend moving to this particular generation of the program if you have been postponing the transition for some reason.
1. Start typing anywhere
The Click-to-Write feature is not new, but not everyone has heard of it. Often you have to observe how a person clicks on the "Enter" button many times in order to get to the end of the page and, for example, enter the person who wrote the letter there.
A double mouse click can replace a dozen key strokes.
Move the cursor over the intended print location and make a couple of quick clicks with the mouse. Word itself will place new lines, tabs and serifs for the place that you indicated to it. This is clearly visible when looking at the hidden formatting marks.
2. Translate right away
Ask your neighbor about which translator he prefers, and you will most likely hear about Google, Yandex, PROMT, but hardly about Bing. For some reason, Microsoft's branded translator is not very popular in our area. And in vain, because the quality of his work is quite enough for everyday needs. Of course, Office provides fast translation of text using Bing. I recommend trying it.
It is quite possible that you will stop rushing between the browser and Word, endlessly copying and pasting sentences back and forth.
There are dozens of languages and three translation methods to choose from. You can find them on the "Review" tab.
3. Use kerning
Designers know well what kerning is, and they often operate with it when typesetting texts. In simple terms, kerning is responsible for the spacing (distance) between letters depending on their shape. Changing this setting can shrink or expand the same word, sentence, or paragraph compared to the standard state. I have seen how people began to delete part of the text, or, conversely, "pour water" just to fit it into a certain framework. Kerning solves such problems in a more sophisticated way. Of course, rough play with it hurts the eye, but minor manipulations may be appropriate.
Changing kerning will be useful when using large fonts, for example, when preparing title pages of books, articles, reports.
Press the combination Ctrl + D to bring up the "Font" dialog box, go to the second "Advanced" tab. This is where you can play with kerning. And a little more on the topic. Just in passing, I want to introduce you to an interesting browser game in which you need to guess the best kerning for reading. Enjoy!
4. Apply hidden text
Can a blank Word document weigh tens or hundreds of megabytes? Yes! And at the same time, many people experience a clouding of mind. People do not see a single word in front of their eyes, but they cannot understand why the file is so large? Evil viruses or harmful hackers? No. It's all about hidden information. These can be graphics, pictures and text.
Like non-printable characters, hidden data is not displayed on the screen or printed, but it is still part of the document.
With hidden text, you can:
- Hide confidential information temporarily.
- Leave comments or provide answers to questions that should not be mixed with the main text.
- Print several versions of the same document, alternately hiding different parts of it. In this case, you do not have to mess with multiple copies of the file!
Select part or all of the text, press Ctrl + D and put a checkmark in front of the "Hidden" option. The fragment disappears and becomes available for viewing only in the display of non-printable characters. For clarity, hidden data is underlined with a line of black dots.
5. Use the "Document Inspector" function before saving
Old Word can't open the file or does it display incorrectly? Familiar to everyone and everyone! This kind of trouble around me happens with frightening regularity, because many organizations and people still work in Office 2003. Therefore, before sending and / or saving a document, it is worth checking it for compatibility with previous versions of Word. The "Document Inspector" is responsible for this.
He also knows how to run a text readability check for people with disabilities and, importantly, find hidden properties and data in a document.
For example, the function detects the presence of macros, embedded documents, invisible content and other potentially problematic file elements.
6. Edit PDF
The abundance of options is not always beneficial. Working with PDF is a prime example of this. Sometimes people get lost already when choosing the tool with which they want to process the PDF file. Here is the classic Adobe Reader, and the alternative Foxit Reader, and any more or less modern browser, and many more online services. However, one of the most successful methods lies on the surface - this is the hero of our article.
Word 2013 not only opens, but also makes it possible to edit the contents of a PDF document.
The editor converts text, tables, lists, graphs and other elements into a DOCX file, preserving the formatting of the original as accurately as possible. It should be noted that he turns out very, very worthy. You can also add PDF files to a Word document as an embeddable object. In this case, only the first page of the PDF or the file link icon will be displayed.
7. Insert video
It's no secret that long-term viewing of dry text quickly reduces attention and leads to a loss of interest in the reader. Therefore, almost all students, speakers and office workers dilute the lines with diagrams, tables, graphs and other visual tricks. However, only a few are adopting a much more powerful tool - video.
Word can embed Bing search videos into a document, add YouTube videos, and embed codes from various websites.
And don't worry about the final file size. The document does not save the video itself, but only makes its link in a visual form. Of course, an internet connection is required to view.
8. Work on the document together and comment on edits
Remember the words of the classic: "What one does not do - we will do together"? They are relevant to this day. But not everyone understands how to properly organize joint work. Unfortunately, it is still possible to see how a person highlights a piece of text with any color, after it, in brackets, he adds his revision or objections and sends the document back. At such moments, my eyelid twitching begins to twitch. The latest edition of Word allows you to comfortably annotate and make edits to a public file. This should be used!
Word 2013 allows you to reply to other people's comments, which makes the editor a great tool for group discussion.
Spend a few minutes exploring the Review tab, share your new skills with your peers, and you will feel the ease of working together.
9. Simplify your work with tables
Let me guess, do you still insert table rows and columns by right-clicking and navigating to the corresponding menu item? It's much easier!
Place your cursor just above / below (left / right) where you plan to add a row or column. Word will promptly suggest enlarging the table.
By the way, the latest version of the editor has got several new functions for table design. Update your knowledge.
10. Combine parts of the document into blocks
To be honest, there are some employees who are ready to turn over 100+ pages of a document just to kill time. If you want to quickly navigate large files, you need to master several keyboard shortcuts for lightning-fast navigation or structure your works correctly.
Using headings of different levels allows you to collapse elements of the document that you are not currently working on.
Place the cursor next to the heading and the program will prompt you to collapse the contents of the block. Thus, even the most enormous works can fit in just a couple of pages.
Didn't find anything interesting for yourself? Just in case, read Lifehacker's article on 20 Word Secrets to Help Make Your Job Easier. Or give your advice in the comments.
Recommended:
Do you want to study at an American university, but think that you will not apply? It's not as hard as it sounds
Studying in the USA can give you a good start to your career. We tell you how to choose a study program in America, apply for a scholarship and prepare documents
What you should definitely not do if you want to pump your personal brand
You need to be able to properly present yourself and your business to the audience. I am often asked the question, can an ordinary person create and pump their personal brand? From my own experience, yes! The main thing is not to confuse the creation of a brand with a banal window dressing.
Kapwing helps you quickly apply a filter to your video
Kapwing is a simple web service for PCs and mobiles that lets you apply Instagram-style filters to your videos
The ruble collapsed. What you need to know if you don't want to lose your money
It is pointless to panic, it is too late to buy up currency. We will tell you how the collapse of the ruble can affect the Russians and what to do in the current situation
22 little-known Google Docs features to make your work easier and more convenient
Google Docs is a great time saver because it isn't cluttered with unnecessary features. But if you dig a little deeper, you will find a lot of additional features in the service