I have used a number of applications for writing – various Microsoft applications, Adobe Framemaker, Notepad, Atlassian Confluence, Mediawiki,Sharepoint, HTML Help, PegHelp, EmEditor and Various custom-built Learning Management Systems and Content Management Systems.
The most common tool I’ve used across multiple organisations is Microsoft Word. For this reason, I’ve listed some of my favourite tips and tricks:
- Clipboard – Ctrl+CC to copy multiple different snippets to the Clipboard
- Format Painter – Double-click the Format Painter (paintbrush icon) option to apply the selected format to multiple parts of your document
- Compare – Use the Compare function under the Review tab to compare multiple versions of the same document
- Word Count – always handy for assignments
- Quick Access – Customise the Quick Access bar to include your most commonly used commands including Undo, Redo, Crop, Save, and so on
- Templates – Microsoft Word comes with a number of built-in templates, available from the File » New menu option. If you can’t find what you are looking for, search online for free templates
- Table of Contents – Table of Contents is automatically generated based on your heading levels. Don’t forget to press F9 and update the entire table of contents every time you update your document!
- Track Changes – a great tool when you are doing collaborative editing