Practice Tip: <B>How AutoCorrect Can Help in Document Creation</b>

In the AutoCorrect dialog (Tools, AutoCorrect Options) there are options you should review as to whether they should be on/off in your environment. These options should be made in your firm's global Normal template (Normal.dot).

On the “AutoCorrect” Tab:

If Correct Two Initial Capitals, Capitalize first letter of sentences or Capitalize first letter of table cells options are used in your environment, it would be good to customize the “Exceptions” list. To add words that should not be automatically corrected, select the “Exceptions” button on the “AutoCorrect” tab. The AutoCorrect Exceptions dialog is divided into three tabs: First Letter, Initial Caps and Other Corrections. For any word that you do not want automatically capitalized at the beginning of a sentence or table cell, you should type it in the “First Letter” tab. For any word that SHOULD have the first two letters capitalized, type the exception in the list for Initial Caps. For any other word that you don't want to be automatically corrected, they should be placed in the “Other Corrections” tab.

The Automatically add words to list checkbox will automatically add words to the AutoCorrect exceptions list. To see how this works:

• Select “Correct Two Initial Capitals” checkbox in the AutoCorrect dialog box;
• Select the “Exceptions” button;
• Select “Automatically add words to list” on the Initial Caps tab;
• In a Word document, type in the Initial of your First Name followed by your Last Name (ex. FLast) and hit the SPACEBAR.

Word will automatically change the capitalization of your last name from upper case to lower case.

If you select the “Undo” option it will change back to the way it was typed (FLast).

Return to your AutoCorrect Exceptions dialog (Tools, AutoCorrect Options, Exceptions). In the Initial Caps tab, you should see (FLast).

Note: The words inserted in the exception list are saved in the AutoCorrect file (MSO1033.acl), not in your Normal template (Normal.dot).

Automatically use suggestions from the spelling checker. This option will automatically replace errors with words from the spelling checker dictionary as you type. Word will “replace” any misspelled word with a word from the AutoCorrect list or the spelling dictionary.

On the “AutoFormat as You Type” Tab:

Format beginning of list item like the one before it. This option will automatically repeat character formatting that you apply to the beginning of a list item. If you have a list item that begins with a heading that is “Underlined”, when you hit the “Enter” key the indentation will be the same and the “Underline” feature will automatically be turned on. Whatever keystroke is selected after the heading will toggle the underline off.

In the below example, after you hit the “Enter” key after the first line, the indentation and bullet symbol will be inserted as well as the “Underline” feature is automatically turned on. Your cursor will be at the insertion point ready to type. Typing the colon symbol after the second heading will automatically toggle the underline off.

First Heading: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Second Heading: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Set left and first indent with tabs and backspaces. This option increases and decreases left indents when you press the TAB and BACKSPACE keys. This option promotes direct formatting in your document and is, therefore, not recommended. The resulting indentation is not saved in a style, but rather applied as direct formatting over a style.

Define styles based on your formatting. This option creates new paragraph style based on the manual formatting you apply in your documents.

William Robertson is President of SoftWise Corporation, a company dedicated to enhancing the effectiveness of word processing for law firms and other professional service organizations. Soft-Wise's product line includes Innova5.0, an application for Word that standardizes and simplifies the document creation and production process and “Out-of-Sight,” a utility which enables safe and effective management of meta-data in all Microsoft Office documents. Mr. Robertson can be reached at 718-876-9776, ext. 224. For more information on SoftWise, please visit http://www.softwise.net/.

Last month we introduced you to AutoCorrect, a Microsoft Word feature that allows you to automatically detect and correct typos, capitalization errors and general misspellings as you type. We explained the differences between plain text and formatted text and how each is treated within AutoCorrect and also provided steps on how to add and remove AutoCorrect entries.

AutoCorrect was designed to enhance Word's ability to create stable and consistent documents. As beneficial as it may be, these automatic features can actually interfere with the creation of legal documents. The problem with AutoCorrect is that it does just that, it will AUTOMATICALLY correct words or formatting without the user being aware. This month's column provides additional tips on how to best use AutoCorrect to your advantage.

AutoCorrect Options

In the AutoCorrect dialog (Tools, AutoCorrect Options) there are options you should review as to whether they should be on/off in your environment. These options should be made in your firm's global Normal template (Normal.dot).

On the “AutoCorrect” Tab:

If Correct Two Initial Capitals, Capitalize first letter of sentences or Capitalize first letter of table cells options are used in your environment, it would be good to customize the “Exceptions” list. To add words that should not be automatically corrected, select the “Exceptions” button on the “AutoCorrect” tab. The AutoCorrect Exceptions dialog is divided into three tabs: First Letter, Initial Caps and Other Corrections. For any word that you do not want automatically capitalized at the beginning of a sentence or table cell, you should type it in the “First Letter” tab. For any word that SHOULD have the first two letters capitalized, type the exception in the list for Initial Caps. For any other word that you don't want to be automatically corrected, they should be placed in the “Other Corrections” tab.

The Automatically add words to list checkbox will automatically add words to the AutoCorrect exceptions list. To see how this works:

• Select “Correct Two Initial Capitals” checkbox in the AutoCorrect dialog box;
• Select the “Exceptions” button;
• Select “Automatically add words to list” on the Initial Caps tab;
• In a Word document, type in the Initial of your First Name followed by your Last Name (ex. FLast) and hit the SPACEBAR.

Word will automatically change the capitalization of your last name from upper case to lower case.

If you select the “Undo” option it will change back to the way it was typed (FLast).

Return to your AutoCorrect Exceptions dialog (Tools, AutoCorrect Options, Exceptions). In the Initial Caps tab, you should see (FLast).

Note: The words inserted in the exception list are saved in the AutoCorrect file (MSO1033.acl), not in your Normal template (Normal.dot).

Automatically use suggestions from the spelling checker. This option will automatically replace errors with words from the spelling checker dictionary as you type. Word will “replace” any misspelled word with a word from the AutoCorrect list or the spelling dictionary.

On the “AutoFormat as You Type” Tab:

Format beginning of list item like the one before it. This option will automatically repeat character formatting that you apply to the beginning of a list item. If you have a list item that begins with a heading that is “Underlined”, when you hit the “Enter” key the indentation will be the same and the “Underline” feature will automatically be turned on. Whatever keystroke is selected after the heading will toggle the underline off.

In the below example, after you hit the “Enter” key after the first line, the indentation and bullet symbol will be inserted as well as the “Underline” feature is automatically turned on. Your cursor will be at the insertion point ready to type. Typing the colon symbol after the second heading will automatically toggle the underline off.

First Heading: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Second Heading: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Set left and first indent with tabs and backspaces. This option increases and decreases left indents when you press the TAB and BACKSPACE keys. This option promotes direct formatting in your document and is, therefore, not recommended. The resulting indentation is not saved in a style, but rather applied as direct formatting over a style.

Define styles based on your formatting. This option creates new paragraph style based on the manual formatting you apply in your documents.

William Robertson is President of SoftWise Corporation, a company dedicated to enhancing the effectiveness of word processing for law firms and other professional service organizations. Soft-Wise's product line includes Innova5.0, an application for Word that standardizes and simplifies the document creation and production process and “Out-of-Sight,” a utility which enables safe and effective management of meta-data in all Microsoft Office documents. Mr. Robertson can be reached at 718-876-9776, ext. 224. For more information on SoftWise, please visit http://www.softwise.net/.