Make AutoCorrect & AutoFormat Work for You, Not Against You
Applies to: Office 2007
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Word 2007’s AutoCorrect and AutoFormat functionality is designed to ensure consistency—whether by correcting common typos or lessening the number of keystrokes required to insert typographic symbols or consistently formatted phrases. If you find these automatic features slow you down, take the time to configure or remove the terms and entries that don’t work for you.
- Select the Office Button > Word Options button > Proofing > then the AutoCorrect Options button.
- Once the AutoCorrect dialogue box is open, tabs permit changes to various settings—AutoCorrect, AutoFormat, Math AutoCorrect, AutoFormat As You Type and configuration of Smart Tags options. This dialogue and features along each of its tabs extend unique and interesting applications that can work for, not against, you. For example, common phrase replacements ensure the accuracy of frequently-used words, names or phrases.
Common Phrase Replacements
You can easily set-up Replace text as you type phrases for long client names, office locations, address information and more. Here is just one example:
- Select the Office Button > Word Options button > Proofing > then the AutoCorrect Options button.
- Navigate to the AutoCorrect tab on the dialogue box.
- Scroll to the Replace text as you type section in the dialogue box.
- For example, Enter "Mi" in the Replace box, and enter "Microsystems" company name in the With box.
- Select Add, and OK.
- Each time you type "Mi" in your document, "Microsystems" will automatically replace "Mi."
Tip: It is also possible to store AutoCorrect entries with formatting, for example, "Microsystems" might be stored, then inserted, with bolding, or an applied character style.
To remove a Replace text as you type reference for example:
- Select the "Mi" and "Microsystems" line and choose delete, then OK.
NOTE: All non-formatted AutoCorrect entries are stored in .acl files within each user’s profile on the machine. You will find them in the following location: C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Office. All formatted AutoCorrect entries are stored in the Normal.dot template file, located by default in C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates. For complete details on relocating both formatted and unformatted AutoCorrect entries from one machine to another, refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base article #926927.
