Introduction
If you are using Microsoft Word for your business operations, you need to understand the essentials of formatting and creating a word document. After reading this article, you will ably format your word documents like a PRO.
What is word document formatting?
It is how a document is laid out on a page, the way it looks, and its visual organization. Word document formatting addresses elements like font size, margins, spacing, columns, alignment, lists, indentation, font selection, and presentation (in terms of bolding or italicizing)
Once you’ve correctly formatted your Word document, it becomes correct, consistent, and easy to read and understand by your target audience.
How to Format Word Documents in MS-Office 2019
- Attach and format text in your Word document
- Select the text you want to format in your Microsoft Office Word document. To select one word in the document, double-click on it. If you’re going to choose one line of text, click to its left side.
- Select an option to adjust the font, font size, font color, or bold the text, italicize and underline it.
- How to do copy formatting
- Select the text in the document with the formatting you want to copy.
- Click on Format Painter on the home tab. Select the text in the document you want to copy the formatting to. Always double-click Format Painter whenever you want to copy the formatting in more than one location.
- Create a numbered or bulleted list in your word document
To begin a numbered list in your Word document, type 1, a period like this: (.), hit the space bar, and type some text. Press Enter. MS-Office Word will automatically begin a numbered list.
To form a bulleted list, type * and hit the space bar before your text to make Word create a bulleted list.
If you want to complete your list, press Enter until you notice the numbers or bullets turn off.
How you can create a list from existing text
- Select the text you want to appear in the form of a list.
- Go to the home tab, choose the bullets icon or Go to the home tab and choose the numbering icon.
You can find various bullet styles and numbering formats by clicking the down arrow next to Bullets or Numbering.
- Adjust the line spacing in your Word document
- Select Design and then choose Paragraph Spacing.
- Hover your cursor over every option to see a preview before selecting the option you want.
If you want a single spacing, select No Paragraph Space.
Change the line spacing for a section of your word document.
- Select the paragraphs you want to adjust.
- Select the Home Tab, then Line and Paragraph Spacing, and choose the spacing you desire.
- Apply styles in your Word document
- Select the text you want to format. When you put your cursor in a paragraph, the style is applied to the entire paragraph. If you select a particular text, only the selected text is formatted.
- On your Home Tab, point to a style to preview it and go for what you want. In case you don’t see the style you want, click on the More button to expand the gallery.
- Select a style.
- How to apply themes in your Word document
- Quickly format your whole word document and give it a modern, professional look by applying a theme to it.
- Select Design and Themes.
- Point your cursor to a theme to preview how it will look in your Word document.
- Select your preferred theme.
- Quickly format your whole word document and give it a modern, professional look by applying a theme to it.
Adjust the theme colors
- Select Design and then Colors.
- Point to any color with the cursor to preview how it will look in your document.
- Select your preferred color scheme.
Change the theme fonts
- Select Design and then Fonts.
- Point to a font you want to preview how it will appear in your word document.
- Select a font that you want.
- How to create Microsoft business forms templates
- Display the “Developer” Tab. The tools you need to add form controls to your Microsoft word business forms templates are present in the “Developer” section, hidden by default. Click on “File” to display this “Developer” tab. Now, click “Options.”
- Under the “Options” section, do the following:
- Select the “Customize Ribbon,” which is visible in the left-hand sidebar.
- In the Tabs area displayed on the right, tick the box next to the “Developer” tab, then press “OK.”
- Under the “Options” section, do the following:
- Opening the form template to base your form on. Make sure that you begin with a form to minimize time wastage.
- Display the “Developer” Tab. The tools you need to add form controls to your Microsoft word business forms templates are present in the “Developer” section, hidden by default. Click on “File” to display this “Developer” tab. Now, click “Options.”
Choosing your form template
– Go into the “File” section, click the “New” button.
– In the “Search online templates box,” enter the type of form template you want to create and then press on “Enter.”
– Click on the template you find suitable for your form and click on “Create.”
Choosing a blank template
- Go into the “File” section and then the “New” tool, and select “Blank document.”
- Add Form Controls
- Go into the “Developer” section. Here, you will find a collection of form control fields under the “Controls” group. The following are the summarized form controls:
- Date Picker: It is a control responsible for bringing up a mini-calendar that you can select a date from.
- Dropdown or Combo Selection Control. Preferences can be included in this control from which you can choose from.
- Plain Text Content Control. This control does not allow you to format the text you input in this text area.
- Rich Text Content Control. This lets you format the text typed in this text area.
- Go into the “Developer” section. Here, you will find a collection of form control fields under the “Controls” group. The following are the summarized form controls:
If you want to add a form control to the template, click on the document’s area where you want to put the control and click on the icon symbolizing this control you want to add.
To quickly modify the default placeholder on the control, select “Design Mode.” Additionally, to alter the control properties, select “Properties.”
- Setting restrictions or editing protection to your template.
If you want to limit other users from editing your template, do the following;
- Click on the Developer tab.”
- Select “Restrict Editing.”
- In the “Restrict Editing” sidebar, which you can view on the right, tick the box under “Editing restrictions” and then adjust the dropdown to “Filling in Forms.”
- Press on “Yes.” Start Enforcing Protection.”
Conclusion
Formatting word documents is a huge step to make your information reader-friendly and engaging. Use it to create high-quality business documents that you will be proud to display.
