Rutledge 2004

Word - Take Control of Automatic Features

Most Automatic changes can be undone by immediately clicking the Backspace key

Examples

• AutoNumbering
• AutoBullets
• Dashes to Lines

You can also turn off the button on the toolbar by clicking it. Note that the number button is on in the image below. Click it to turn it off.

Read below for using Menu items to control automatic changes.

Auto Correct

Go to the Tools menu, click Auto Correct, and the Auto Correct tab.
(These same dialogue boxes can be accessed from the Format menu, AutoFormat, options)

An item you may want to uncheck is Capitalize first letter of sentences.

You can add items to be automatically corrected here by typing in the Replace: and With: boxes.

Go to the Tools menu, click Auto Correct, and the Auto Format as You Type tab.

The items you may want to uncheck are Automatic bulleted lists and Automatic numbered lists.

If Borders is on, when you type 3 or more dashes and hit enter, you will get a solid line. Click Backspace to get the 3 dashes. Or you can deselect Borders to not get that automatic change.
(More information on Automatic Lines)

In the situation below, AutoComplete can be more of a problem than a help.

 A teacher emailed -
Sometimes Word will complete a phrase for me in a way I don't want it to.  For example if I type "office," it will suggest "Office of Admissions."  If "office" is the last word before I hit enter, it will automatically fill it in as "Office of Admissions."

The solution:

• Go to Tools, AutoCorrect, and click the Auto Text tab.

• Deselect the Show AutoComplete tip for AutoText and dates box.

More on Numbers & Bullets

You can control additional items in Numbering by going to the Format menu, Bullets and Numbering

On the Numbers tab, you can Restart the Numbering, Changing the style, etc.

You can also use the Increase Indent and Decrease Indent buttons to change levels in Numbering or Bullets. (Example below)