Word has many productivity features hidden within its menu system. One that I frequently use is AutoText. The feature is like having an assistant behind the scenes say, "I think you've been here before and would you like to use your previous text?" This feature can reduce the time is takes to create documents and present a consistent message.

AutoText allows you to type one word in lieu of a whole paragraph or two in Microsoft Word. For instance, there are several paragraphs I routinely use in letters such as the opening or closing paragraphs. Rather than doing a copy and paste from another document, I create an AutoText entry with a descriptive name. Then when I need to use that paragraph, I start typing the assigned AutoText name and Word takes care of the rest.

I suspect if you reviewed your recent documents, you'll notice there are sections you favor. There are countless examples when you think about it such as customized letters, resumes, disclaimers, contracts and so on.

To use Auto Text in Microsoft Word,

1. Highlight the text you would like to re-use.

2. Press Alt + F3. The Create AutoText dialog will appear.

3. Provide a name for the AutoText entry. The name should represent the passage, but not be a common word.

4. Click OK.

To use the AutoText entry, type the assigned name where you would like the new text. Once Microsoft matches your typing to an AutoText entry, it will display the first line in a pop up box. If you want to use the entry, press F3. Word will fill in the document with whatever text you have associated with the AutoText entry.

Additional Resources

• View 3-Minute Flash Tutorial
• Creating AutoText Submenus in Microsoft Word