Why are some documents so hard to work with?  Fonts keep changing when you delete something, headers or footers disappear, paragraphs won't place right on the page, and your hair pulling is starting to make a serious mess on your desk! You start to feel like there are gremlins on the pages, and that may not be so far fetched!  For example, if you're working with a document that has had multiple authors, or that has had bits and pieces cut and pasted from other sources, there could be formatting problems.  This is because there are many different skill levels and style/work preferences and every cut/paste from a different source bring in not just the text, but the formatting, styles and other hidden issues.

 

The biggest offenders seem to be automatic numbering and bullets.  Especially when there are multiple level numbering or bullet styles involved.  Some documents can have so many formatting issues, it is actually faster to select the entire document (ctrl/a) and select the 'clear formatting' selection from the styles drop-down list on the formatting toolbar.  That is an extreme measure when there are just too many conflicting formats and styles.

 

With numbering and bullets, I used to select the numbering, select Format/Bullets and Numbering, and adjust the settings the way I needed them.  The corrections would automatically apply to the numbering or bullet area I was working with, but what if a couple of pages later, there were numbered paragraphs, and they had been copy/pasted from another source, and the corrections didn't seem to make a dent in them?

 

Enter the sometimes 'magic' format painter!  I still select the first instance of the numbering or bullet and adjust as needed, but now I use my favorite method for quickly fixing numbering or bullet formatting issues - the format painter.

 

Method #1: The Format Painter

Using the format painter to fix numbering or bullets is as easy as selecting the number or bullet item on the page (you will see the grey 'field' color, indicating you have selected automated number or bullet) and then applying it to the next area that needs fixing.  I select the first level numbering or bullet on the page, double click the format painter icon (click only once if you are correcting only one area, double click to apply the format to more than one area) and then click on the applicable numbered areas of the document.  If I have multiple level numbering or bullets, I still select level one, then when I've format painted all the numbers (format painting instantly corrects margins and other aspects to match the settings you need), I simply select the level 2 areas, and click the 'Increase Indent' Icon on the formatting toolbar.  This work process allows me to quickly tame exceptionally wild numbering or bullet issues.

 

 

Method #2: Ctrl/Y

 

My second favorite quick fix is Ctrl/Y.  Simply said, Ctrl/Y remembers the last thing you did, whether it is something that was typed, a style that was applied, a picture format such as size or layout, or any keystroke combination.  The reason it is so helpful is this method allows me to focus on one aspect of a formatting repair, and also allows me to use the keyboard for tasks where it is faster to work without lifting fingers from the keyboard.  I might resize a graphic, for example, then scroll through the document and find other graphics I may want to match the size.  Instead of grabbing the picture, choosing format/picture and typing the size, I can simply select it and press Ctrl/Y.

  I like being able to concentrate on one issue, scroll through the document and Ctrl/Y fix it, then, since Ctrl/Y only remembers the last thing you did, once you�ve completed the first task, you can go back to the beginning of the document, find the second issue, correct it, then scroll through and Ctrl/Y fix the other instances.

 

Of course, this being said, it is very much a matter of work preference, complexity of the document issues, and repetitive nature of the corrections that determine work processes and solutions.  Is this a one document/one time fix or will there be many documents which will require the same formatting corrections?  While most things can be corrected with visual basic solutions, sometimes it is faster to just go through the document and make the changes than to write or find the code and apply the corrections.  If it's a one-time fix to a document, or there is no comfort level with a visual basic solution, the fixes described here should help.  However, if this is a fix that will be very common to many documents, a visual basic solution may be in order.

 

Method #3: Find & Replace

Digging into the deeper settings of Find & Replace, we find high speed, heavy duty problem solving capabilities.  For example, Find & Replace font colors, size, type.  Find all instances of Times New Roman 12 Point Red/Bold and replace with Arial 11 Point Blue/Italic/Bold.  Does your document contain cut/pastes from other authors that do not know Word automatically wraps text, and instead there is a hard return at the end of each line?  What happens if you change the margins?  Ouch!!  Find and replace hard returns with a space.  I usually attempt this with a couple of paragraphs at a time till I get the feel for the author's typing/layout style.

 

Additional 'Fixer-Up'� Tools:

 

Paste Options Button

Need to copy/paste from another document and don't want to bring in the bad?  Ever notice the little clipboard/ drop down arrow that appears when you paste something?  Try selecting the drop down arrow beside the clipboard, and you will see several choices:

 

Keep Source Formatting (retains formatting from original document)

Match Destination Formatting (matches the formatting in the paragraph you're pasting into)

Keep Text Only (removes all formatting)

 

Paste Special

Allows pasting unformatted text, or pasting something as a picture, or any number of other options that may be helpful.

 

Format Paragraph

 

Paragraph format is a window to sometimes unexplainable paragraph behavior, such as widow/orphan control being on or off. If you cannot quickly find the cause of a problem in a paragraph, select the offending area and choose Format/Paragraph.  Often-times you can quickly spot the problem.

These tools can all be very helpful in solving formatting puzzles!