MS-WORD ( Microsoft Word )

Sometimes called Winword, MS Word, or Word, Microsoft Word is a word

processor published by Microsoft. It is one of the office productivity applications
included in the Microsoft Office suite. Originally developed by Charles Simonyi
and Richard Brodie in 1983.

Microsoft Word is available for Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, Android, and Apple
iOS. It can also run on the Linux operating system .

What is Microsoft Word?

Microsoft Word is an element of Microsoft Office which helps with the creation, editing,
and formatting of documents. It includes facilities for spell and grammar checking, as
well as text formatting. You can also include photos, tables, and charts in your
documents. It's popular for letters, reports, and resumes.

Word allows many people to work on a document together, keeping track of changes. It
provides templates to make document creation easier. It is commonly utilised by users,
organisations, and schools because of its ease of use and multiple useful features.

What are the features of Microsoft Word?

The following are the key features on Microsoft Word that contribute to its widespread
popularity: -

a) User-friendly interface: Microsoft Word has an easy-to-use layout, making it simple

to find tools and options. You can quickly access important functions through the menu.

b) Formatting: Word's formatting is powerful, allowing you to change fonts, sizes,

colours, and other features to make the documents stand out.

c) Templates: Word also includes ready-made templates for many kinds of documents,
saving your time and giving the work a professional look from beginning to end.
d) Graphics and media integration: Users can effortlessly insert images, shapes, charts,
and other media elements into their documents. This feature is beneficial for adding
visual appeal and enhancing the overall presentation.

e) Collaboration and sharing: Microsoft Word allows for seamless collaboration

among users. Multiple people can work on the same document simultaneously. This
makes it ideal for team projects and group editing. MS Word also supports real-time co-
authoring.

f) Review and Commenting: The Track Changes and Comment features enable easy
reviewing and editing of documents. Users can leave comments and suggestions,
allowing for effective communication and revision.

g) Spelling and Grammar Checks: Microsoft Word has a tool to check spelling and
grammar. It helps users find and fix mistakes in their documents, ensuring they look
polished and error-free.

h) Page layout and design: Users can adjust how their pages look by changing
margins, orientation, and adding headers and footers. This helps create documents that
look professional and consistent.

i) Table of Contents and Navigation: MS Word allows users to create a table of

contents for lengthy documents. They can use headings to navigate easily through the
content. This feature enhances document organisation and accessibility.

j) Mail Merge: This helpful tool lets users customise multiple documents, like letters
and labels, with individual details for each recipient, saving time.

k) AutoCorrect and AutoText: Word automatically fixes spelling mistakes and creates
shortcuts for commonly used phrases, making writing smoother and faster for users.

l) Word Count and Statistics: MS Word provides a word count tool that helps users
track the length of their documents. Additionally, it offers statistics on reading time and
sentence count.

m) Language translation: Microsoft Word includes language translation features,

allowing users to translate their documents into different languages.

n) Compatibility and cloud integration: Microsoft Word allows you to save your
documents in a range of formats, ensuring that they can be opened on other devices. It
also connects to cloud-based storage providers, allowing you to access documents from
anywhere with an internet connection.
o) Storage: You can keep your documents stored safely, so you can access them
whenever you need.

p) Object Linking and Embedding (OLE): OLE is a technology that facilitates the
exchange of information between software programs regarding various types of objects.
These objects can range from graphs and equations to video clips, audio clips, images,
and more.

q) Page Break: Easily define where pages end for printing, ensuring smooth transitions
between sections.

r) Search and Replace: Quickly find and swap specific words throughout your
document using find and replace in Microsoft Word.

Microsoft Word uses : -

As a versatile word processing software, Microsoft Word finds applications across
various domains and serves diverse user needs. Let’s explore some of the common use :

a) Document creation and editing: Microsoft Word is mainly used to make and
change various types of documents. It's helpful for tasks like writing essays, letters, or
reports, offering an easy way to write, review, and improve written content.

b) Academic assignments: For students and educators, Microsoft Word is an essential

tool for academic assignments, research papers, and presentations. Its formatting
options, headers, footers, and referencing tools help organise and professionally present
academic work.

c) Business reports and correspondence: In the corporate world, Microsoft Word is

commonly used for craft business reports, memos, proposals, and other official
documents. Its collaboration features to enable seamless teamwork and real-time
editing among colleagues.

d) Resume and CV creation: Job seekers rely on Microsoft Word to create eye-catching
and well-structured resumes and curriculum vitae (CV). The software's templates and
formatting options help applicants present their qualifications effectively.

e) Creative writing and publishing: Writers and authors use Microsoft Word to craft
novels, short stories, poems, and other creative pieces. The ability to organise content,
use various fonts, and add images fosters creativity and enhances the overall writing
experience.
f) Collaborative work: Microsoft Word's collaboration features enable multiple users to
work on the same document. This use case is particularly beneficial for group projects,
brainstorming sessions, and remote collaboration.

g) Creating newsletters and news articles: Journalists and media professionals use
Microsoft Word to compose newsletters and news articles. MS Word’s spell checker and
grammar tools ensure accuracy and professionalism.

h) Editing and reviewing: Microsoft Word is often used to proofread and editing
content. The "Track Changes" feature allows editors and reviewers to suggest edits,
making the revision process more efficient.

i) Legal documentation: In law, Microsoft Word is used to write legal documents like
contracts and court papers, ensuring accuracy and professionalism in the legal process.

j) Transcription and dictation: Microsoft Word can turn what you say into written text,
making it easier to type up spoken words.

How to use Microsoft Word effectively?

Microsoft Word is straightforward and efficient, empowering users to create, edit easily,
and format documents. Follow these steps to get started on how to use Microsoft Word.
a) Opening Microsoft Word: Launch Microsoft Word from your desktop or Start Menu.
Alternatively, access it through the Microsoft Office suite.

b) Creating a new document: Click “Blank Document” to start a new project or choose
from available templates for various document types.

c) Typing and editing text: Begin typing your content in the document. Use basic
editing commands like copy, cut, and paste for content manipulation.

d) Formatting text: Highlight the text to apply formatting options such as font style,
size, colour, and alignment using the formatting toolbar.

e) Inserting images and media: Click on "Insert" to add images, shapes, charts, and
other media to enhance your document.

f) Page Layout and Design: Adjust page layout using the "Page Layout" tab. Set
margins and orientation, and add headers or footers.

g) Saving documents: Save your work often by clicking "File" then "Save." Name your
file and choose where to save it.

h) Collaboration and sharing: Collaborate by clicking “Share” to work on the same

document with others in real-time.

i) Reviewing and editing: Use the "Review" tab to make changes, leave comments, and
check for mistakes.

j) Printing documents: Print your document by clicking "File" then "Print" to see a
preview and print it.

Creating A New Document

Once Word is open, you might see a new, blank document right away. If not,
select File from the top left corner, then click New.

You’ll see various templates again. For most purposes, starting with a blank document is
best.

Click on Blank document to get started. This will open up a new document where we
can begin typing and formatting.
Pay attention to the ribbon at the top of the screen. This is where you’ll find tools for
formatting text, inserting images, and more. The Home tab offers basic formatting tools
like fonts, text size, and color.

Editing a new document :-

To make changes to a document, in the upper-right corner, select Edit
Document > Edit.

If someone else created the document, they might not allow editing. You can go
to File > Save as, save it with another name, and edit the new document. Or you can
ask the document owner to enable editing.

You can do these simple tasks in Reading view:

▪ View and add comments

▪ Share a document so you can work together with other people at the same time

▪ Download a copy

▪ Print

Add and format text :-

1. Place the cursor where you want in your document, and type some text.

2. On the Home tab, select an option:

▪ Font - font, font size, bold, italics, underline, highlight, and color

▪ Paragraph - bullets, numbering, alignment, line, and paragraph spacing

▪ Styles - headings, titles, subtitles

Insert a picture

▪ Select Insert > Picture.

Insert a table

▪ Select Insert > Table and then select the table size you want.
Auto text and auto correct : -
Go to File > Options > Proofing and select AutoCorrect Options.

On the AutoCorrect tab, select or clear Replace text as you type.

Spelling and Grammer tools :-
Fix spelling and grammar as you work

1. Right-click text with a squiggly line or a double underline underneath.

2. Select the correct spelling from the list of suggestions.

Check your entire file

1. Select Review > Spelling & Grammar or press F7.

2. In the Editor pane, select the correct spelling from the list of suggestions.

3. Select Change All to fix every time this word appears in your file.

Or you can select:

▪ Add to Dictionary: If you’d like Office to remember this spelling across all
apps in the future.

Page formatting :-
To format a Word document, follow these steps:

1. Open your document in Word.

 2. Highlight the text you want to format.

3. Choose a font style and size.

4. Align your text.

5. Set your margins.

6. Add headers and footers.

7. Preview and adjust as needed.

How to Create a Bookmark :-

When reading a physical book, we often place bookmarks before closing the book.
Later, these bookmarks help us locate the page we were reading.

You can do the same in an MS Word document.

In fact, you can place several bookmarks to point to specific paragraphs, objects, or
images.

Step by Step Instructions to create a bookmark in MS Word

• Add a Bookmark

• Go to a Bookmark from the Bookmark Dialog Box

• Go to a Bookmark from the Go To Dialog Box

• Link to a Bookmark

• Make Bookmarks Visible

• Delete a Bookmark

Add a Bookmark

Add one or more bookmarks to your document.

Step #1: Open a Word document

Open an existing Word document.

Navigate to the location where you want the bookmark.

Select the paragraph, heading, object, or image where you want your bookmark.

For this example, we will select a heading.

Step #2: Open the Bookmark Dialog Box

Click on the Insert tab in the top menu bar to change the ribbon.

In the section Links, click on the Bookmark icon.

This opens the Bookmark dialog box.

Step #3: Add a Name for the Bookmark

Under Bookmark name:, enter a suitable name for the bookmark.

Click on the Add button to add the name to the list.

Note: Use Step #3 to add as many bookmarks as you want. But name them
appropriately.

Click on the Close button at the bottom to close the dialog box.

Although nothing is visible, Word has added a bookmark to the selected text.

How to use Mail Merge in MS Word?

Many day-to-day applications require similar documents containing similar text to be
sent to a number of persons. These documents also have a typical common layout.
Invitation letters sent to guests have a more-or-less common content and layout. Only
the names of the recipients are different in these letters. One obvious way to generate
such letters is to type all of them individually, putting the same amount of effort again
and again. Another solution could be to copy the same block of text again and again
onto the new letters. The names and addresses etc., which are different from each letter,
can be entered separately in the documents. Though this method saves a lot of effort, it
still requires proper caution. There should be a way where these kinds of documents can
be prepared automatically. This task can be easily automated if we use the mail merge
feature of a word processor. So, it is time we learnt the mail-merge feature of the word.

Components of mail merge:

The three main components of the merging process are the main document, the
data source, and the merged document.

1. The main document contains the main body of your letter, field names, and
merges instructions. The basic information within the main document remains
equivalent.

2. The data source (or Recipients’ list) stores the knowledge that changes for every
document. This information is inserted in the main document one by one. An
 example of the data source is a name and address list from which the program
gets what you want to include in the main document.

3. The merged document contains the main text from the main document and data
from a data source.

Steps for mail merger:

Step 1:

• Open MS Word and click on the command sequence: Mailings tab → Start mail
merge group → Select recipients button → Type new List.

A dialog namely “New Address List” will pop up(as shown in the below image).
Type here the desired data under the given headings. To add a new record, click
on the “New Entry” button at the bottom of the dialog and click OK when you are
done.
• Step 2: Prepare Master Letter

The second step is to prepare our master letter for use in the mail merge. Before
we enter all the letter text we’d like to link this Word file to our list of names.

Create a blank word document.

Click Mailings tab → Start Mail Merge group → Start Mail Merge → Letters
command.
Then click the Mailings tab → Start Mail Merge group → Select Recipients button
→ Use Existing List command.

Now we can start typing the letter.

Now we would like to add the name and address and other details for the people
on the list.
 Mailings tab→ Write & Insert Field group → Insert Merge Field button.

• A pop-down will appear showing all the table headings, so choose Title and press
the spacebar to create a space.

• Then do this again and choose FirstName, followed by a space (i.e., press only
spacebar key and no other key); then choose LastName but this time press the
Enter key to create a new line. Then repeat the steps to choose the Address field,
and press enter key.
 Step 3:

• Before we actually carry out the merge, we must first preview what the merged
letters will look like.

• Mailings tab→ Preview Results group → Preview Results button

• Once we are happy with the preview, you can carry out the actual mail merge.

• To do this you click the Mailings tab → Finish group → Finish & Merge button
and choose Edit Individual Documents.
• In the Merge to New Document panel, click All to create a separate letter for each
person on the Names list. Word then creates a fresh document with as many
pages as there are names on your list, and every page contains a wonderfully
merged letter with all the correct individuals’ details.

We can save this with an appropriate name, such as ABC.docx

Printing :-
1. Select File > Print.
2. To preview each page, select the forward and backward arrows at the bottom of
the page.

If the text is too small to read, use the zoom slider at the bottom of the page to
enlarge it.

3. Choose the number of copies, and any other options you want, and select
the Print button.