Microsoft Word Tips and Tricks

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Re-Formatting the Case of Words

dID YOU EVER FORGET YOU HAD caps lock on AND TYPE A SENTENCE LIKE THIS? Help is at hand! Select all the offending words. Click Word's Formatting menu > Change Case, and select tOGGLE cASE.

An even quicker shortcut, if you can remember it, is to press Shift+F3 as many times as required - it cycles through the various casing possibilities. This shortcut was contributed by a reader who wishes to remain anonymous.

Special Characters (also work in Excel):

Question: I want to use the Euro sign (€) in Word – Where is it?

Answer: In (menu) Insert > Symbol, Font: Arial (or Times), under Subset: Currency Symbols.
The shortcut key is Ctrl+Alt+e. New laptops and some keyboards now include it.

Question: I frequently need to type é (e accent) as in "André", what's the quickest way?

Answer: The shortcut is to hold in the Alt key and (on the numeric keypad), type 0233, then release Alt.

Question: How about the long dash (–)?

Answer: The shortcut is to hold in the Alt key and (on the numeric keypad), type 0150, then release Alt.

From the Helpline: Word 2003 Hyperlinks Show as {Field Codes}

Q: Can you help? I pressed two keys, or clicked on something, and the result is that all hyperlinks in Microsoft Word display like this: { HYPERLINK "http://www.softwareafrica.co.za" } { HYPERLINK "mailto:rick@softwareafrica.co.za" }, but print correctly... I'm going nuts!

A: In Word, click Tools > Options. On the View tab (first tab), at the top right, take the tick out of the checkbox "Field Codes". Click OK.

Paper Sizes / Margins:

Question: We all have “blond” moments and one gave rise to this query – why do two templates not line up on their left margins?

Answer: The paper sizes were different. One was A4 as expected and the other Letter paper (not expected). Changing the second one sorted the alignment out immediately.

Q: I downloaded the Redfern Label templates from your web site but they don’t work – as one goes down the sheet, they print progressively higher and higher relative to the actual labels, and the bottom row of labels is 20 – 25 mm too high!

A: Your printer is set to print to (US) Letter paper, which is 25 mm shorter than A4. The problem usually arises when Windows has been left with the default United States settings by a lazy (or ignorant) installer. Fix this as follows:

Click Start > Settings > Control Panel.
Double-click Regional Options.
Select the language as “English (South Africa)” (or your specific version of English) {not ”English (United States)” (the default)}.
Do not reboot the PC yet.
On the "Time" Tab, check that the format is the way you want it (use HH:mm for a 24-hour clock – Note the Capital "HH").
On the "Date" Tab, check that the formats are suitable (we suggest dd/mm/yyyy and d mmmm yyyy).
Click OK and restart the PC.
The default paper size will then automatically go to A4.
This change will also do useful things like causing the default dictionary to be English rather than American!

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