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If you have not spent much time reviewing the options and settings in Word, that is unfortunate because you can really customize Word to your own personal preferences and work situation.

This blog will share some examples of the things you can do with options and settings. Perhaps these “gold nuggets” will encourage you to explore other options and settings that might be helpful to you.

Speech Recognition (dictate and read aloud)

Speech Recognition is using your voice to control the computer, without needing a keyboard or mouse. Older versions of Office included speech recognition but this feature is now a part of Windows. These instructions are for Word 2016 and Windows 10.

To get started, plug in your microphone (if not internal) or headset and then go to Start > Windows System > Control Panel > Speech Recognition.

First, complete the Microphone Set-up Wizard. Next, walk through the Speech Tutorial to learn voice commands. Then, train your PC to recognize your voice. Print the Speech Reference Card; it is a helpful resource, especially when you are first getting started and need help with the commands. Finally, start Speech Recognition.

A small window will appear when Speech Recognition is open.

Some common commands:

• To turn on listening mode, say, “Start listening”.
• To turn off listening mode, say, “Stop listening”.

Once listening mode is activated, begin dictating by just talking. You will want to refer to the Speech Reference Card for commands to navigate, add punctuation, delete characters and words, and insert paragraphs and tabs, etc.

If Speech Recognition is “minimized”, it will appear in the system tray of your taskbar. You may right-click the icon to get a list of options.

You can also use the Text to Speech feature to hear selected text read aloud in Microsoft Word.

1. To do this, you will want to add a button to your Quick Access toolbar.
2. Click the drop-down button and choose “More Commands“.
3. On the resulting window, change the setting for “Choose commands from” to “All Commands“. Locate “Speak” and then click “Add” to move to the right pane.
4. Finally, select some text and then click the new button.

Send Outlined Text in Word to PowerPoint (create slides on the fly)

If you have an outline of your content already created in Word, did you know you could quickly and easily create a basic PowerPoint with the click of a simple button?

1. To do this, you will want to add a button to your Quick Access toolbar.

NOTE: Follow the same instructions as above and locate the “Send to PowerPoint” button.

2. Next, click the View tab and then select the Outline view.
3. Once in the Outline view, make all major headings Level 1. Each Level 1 heading becomes a slide. Make all other text Level 2 or 3. These will become the bullet points on the slides. See the example below.

ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS: If you are in PowerPoint, you could go to Insert > New Slide > Slides from Outline and locate the Word document formatted as an outline (be sure to change the file type to “All Files“). In addition, you could also just try opening the Word document formatted as an outline from within PowerPoint (be sure to change the file type to “All Files“).

Recover Unsaved Documents

If Word unexpectedly closes before you get a chance to save your most recent changes, Document Recovery automatically displays the next time you open Word and helps you get your file back.

However, did you know you can also go to File > Info > Manage Documents > Recover Unsaved Documents?

Files not saved are stored in a system folder titled “UnsavedFiles“.

Sum a List of Typed Values Quickly

Are you looking for a nice quick and easy way to add values in a Word document, without resorting to a table and using a formula?

For example:

5
+5

5 + 5 =

1. To do this, you will want to add a button to your Quick Access toolbar.

NOTE: Follow the same instructions mentioned earlier in this document and locate the “Calculate” button.

2. Once you highlight the numbers and click the new button, Word will display the sum in the Status bar, similar to Excel.

Check for Issues: Hidden Properties, Accessibility, & Compatibility

To do this, go to File > Info > Check for Issues.

The Document Inspector reviews a document and search for personal information hidden to you. This includes information about the computer used to create the document, your own personal information, custom XML data, and hidden text or text elements.

The Accessibility Checker finds accessibility issues in your Word documents. The tool generates a report of issues that could make your content difficult for people with disabilities to understand. Accessibility Checker also explains why you should fix these issues and how to fix them.

The Compatibility Checker checks the compatibility between your Word version and older versions of Word. This is especially helpful if you know that someone else may be using an older version to open your file. You will be able to see non-supported features in your file.

Remember you can also get to a whole bunch of options for Word by going to the File tab and choosing “Options“.

For more information about these and similar options and settings, take a Word Class from Centriq. For course descriptions and dates, see our website at https://centriq.com/corporate/class-schedule/?q=Word.

This is the final blog article in a four-part Word series. Be sure to attend a FREE Word Lunch and Learn on Wednesday, January 10. We will feature live demonstrations of all of the items covered during this Word blog series. If you would like to attend, CLICK HERE to register.

In addition, if you would like more information about Word or other training classes available, contact a Centriq Training Advisor online or at 913.322.7062 for assistance.