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Using AutoText in Word 2007

AutoText can be a handy feature for when you have lots of boilerplate text to use in a project. It’s a lot like using Quick Parts, but AutoText can only be located on the Quick Access Toolbar, so it’s always visible with changing tabs (you could put a shortcut to Quick Parts on the Quick Access Toolbar, too). Using both Quick Parts and AutoText would give you a way to separate a variety of different boilerplate or objects. Here’s how to set up and use AutoText.

How to Add AutoText to the Quick Launch Toolbar

1. Click the Office button, then click Word Options.
2. Change the category in the left pane to Customize.
3. Change the Choose commands from: to Commands Not in the Ribbon.
4. Scroll in the list of command to AutoText (they’re alphabetical).
5. Single-click AutoText to select, click Add to put it on the Quick Access Toolbar.
6. Us the Up/Down options to position on the Quick Access Toolbar, if needed.
7. Click OK to be done.

Adding Text Entries to AutoText

1. Select text to be added. This can be a few words, multiple paragraphs, fields, graphics, tables or most anything.
2. Click the AutoText button, and then click Save Selection to AutoText Gallery (or push Alt + F3).
3. Type in a Name for the AutoText. You will either use this name to identify this AutoText in a list or to manually enter the AutoText by typing the name. The name can include letters, numbers, spaces and punctuation. The list of AutoText entries will display alphabetically, you can override that by starting AutoText names with spaces or punctuation.
4. TheGallery: box should show AutoText .
5. Adding a Category: will force the list of AutoText entries to be grouped by the category names. This would be good if you need AutoText entries organized by project or document type.
6. Description is just for your own reference.
7. Save in: Building Blocks.dotx basically means you’ll get the message about Building Blocks.dotx has changed, do you want to keep the changes when you exit out of Word. In order to keep the new AutoText entries, you would need to answer Yes.
8. Options: allows you to Insert content only (just as it was created), Insert content in its own paragraph (paragraph mark will be added to end of AutoText) or Insert content in its own page (page breaks will be added before and after the AutoText).
9. Click OK to finish.

Inserting AutoText Entries into a Document

Position cursor where text should be inserted.

Manually: Type the AutoText name, immediately push F3.

Mouse: Click the AutoText button, click the entry to insert or right-click on entry and choose where in the document to insert it.

Editing and Deleting AutoText Entries

• To edit the AutoText properties, like Name and Category, right-click it and choose Edit Properties.
  To change the AutoText content, recreate the AutoText. Insert it, change it, select it, save it through the AutoText button. You can give it the same name, Word will just ask if you want to redefine the entry, saying yes will overwrite the old entry.
• To delete an AutoText, right-click on it and choose Organize and Delete. This will take you to the Building Blocks organizer. Clicking the Gallery heading will group all the AutoText together and make it easier to find the entry you want. Single-click the entry then click the Delete button. Click Close to Finish.

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