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February 2/7/25 Tech Tips

  • Writer: Zoe Davis
    Zoe Davis
  • Feb 6
  • 4 min read

This week we will be discussing Microsoft Word features to use! Find out what features you can use more efficiently and effectively.


Quick Parts

Working with documents that require a high level of consistency and precision can be irritating and tedious. Microsoft Word's Quick Parts feature can be invaluable. Quick Parts allows users to create and save reusable pieces of content—such as standard legal clauses, signature blocks, and boilerplate text—that can be quickly inserted into any document. This not only saves time but also ensures accuracy and uniformity across multiple documents. By using Quick Parts, users can streamline the process of drafting contracts, pleadings, and other legal documents, enabling them to focus more on the substantive aspects of their work. Additionally, it helps maintain a professional and polished appearance for all legal documentation. See the steps below to create and use Quick Parts.


Creating Quick Parts

  1. Open the Document

  2. Select the Content: Highlight the text, image, or other element you want to save.

  3. Open Quick Parts: Go to the "Insert" tab on the Ribbon.

  4. Save Selection to Quick Parts Gallery: Click "Quick Parts" in the Text group, then select "Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery."

  5. Create New Building Block: In the Create New Building Block dialog box, give your Quick Part a name, and description.

  6. Save: Click "OK" to save your Quick Part.


Using Quick Parts

  1. Position Cursor: Place your cursor where you want to insert the Quick Part.

  2. Open Quick Parts: Go to the "Insert" tab on the Ribbon.

  3. Select Quick Part: Click on "Quick Parts" in the Text group, then choose the Quick Part you want to insert from the gallery.


AutoText: Quick Parts

AutoText is a specific type of Quick Part in Microsoft Word that allows you to save and quickly insert snippets of text that you use frequently. It's particularly useful for inserting standard phrases, headers, footers, or any block of text that you often need in your documents. All you have to do is start typing the saved phrase and hit enter for it to be inserted. Here's how you can create and use AutoText entries:


Creating AutoText

  1. Open the Document

  2. Select the Text: Highlight the text you want to save.

  3. Open Quick Parts: Go to the "Insert" tab on the Ribbon.

  4. Select Auto Text

  5. Select Save Selection to Autotext Gallery


Using AutoText

Type the Name or Opening Line: Start typing the name of your AutoText entry or the first few words.

Press Enter: when the AutoText tooltip appears to insert the text.


Mark as Final

Marking a document as final in Microsoft Word is a great way to indicate that the document is complete and should not be edited further. When a document is marked as final, it becomes read-only, which means that other users who open the document will see a notification that the document is final and read-only. This helps prevent unintentional edits and maintains the document's integrity. Here are the steps to do this:

  1. Open the Document

  2. Go to the File Tab: Click on the "File" tab in the upper-left corner of the window.

  3. Select Info

  4. Click Protect Document: Under the "Protect Document" section, click on "Mark as Final".

  5. Confirm the Action: A dialog box will appear, confirming that the document will be marked as final. Click "OK" to proceed.

  6. Save the Document: Save your document to apply the final mark.


Restricting Edits

Restricting edits in a Word document is crucial for several reasons. First, it maintains document integrity, ensuring that the content remains unchanged, which is vital for official or legally binding documents. This helps prevent unauthorized alterations and errors that can occur in technical documents, manuals, and reports. Second, it helps in compliance and security by maintaining confidentiality and adhering to data protection regulations. Additionally, in collaborative projects, restricting edits helps manage contributions, ensuring only designated individuals can make changes. Lastly, it aids in version control, maintaining a consistent version of the document and avoiding confusion caused by multiple versions with untracked changes. See the steps below on how to restrict editing:

  1. Open the Document

  2. Go to the Review Tab: Click on the "Review" tab in the Ribbon at the top of the screen.

  3. Click on "Restrict Editing."

  4. Editing Restrictions: In the Restrict Editing pane that appears on the right, check the box under "Editing restrictions" and select the type of restrictions you want to apply.

  5. Exceptions: If you want to allow specific users to edit certain parts of the document, click on the "Exceptions (optional)" link, select the parts of the document, and specify the users who can edit those parts.

  6. Start Enforcement: Click on the "Yes, Start Enforcing Protection" button at the bottom of the pane.

  7. Set a Password: Optionally, you can set a password to prevent others from turning off the protection. Enter a password and confirm it.


I hope you have found these tech tips helpful! Please feel free to share these tips out or contact us with questions or comments.


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