Microsoft is good, you can have my word!

Microsoft Word is known to be the most widely used word processor in the world. Just about anybody who has used a computer knows what Microsoft Word is. The question is whether you really know as much as you think you know about Microsoft word and that's what we've been told to investigate today. So I've got a lot of poking around to do in Microsoft Word, let's see what I can find out!

Findings:

1) Footnotes: A footnote is a note at the bottom of a page of text that refers to or explains a specific part in the text above. I've never had to use this function before but I was always curious about it. To insert a footnote you simply have to go to insert>footnote. Then you set the options to fit your needs best and there you have it!

2) Frames: Frames act like dividers in the document and help you separate different parts of your document. A function that I found a frame would be useful for is if you'd like your table of contents to be displayed on the side as a frame. To insert a frame into your document you simply click format>frames and from there you can choose what you would like to do with your frame.

3) Macros: A macro is a feature that allows you to record a series of actions made on Microsoft Word that you can save and have repeated just by running your macro! This makes things a lot easier, especially if this is a specific format you use for your work all the time, a macro would save you the time of having to set it up. To create a new macro you go to tools>macro>record new macro. After you have done that you assign your macro either to the keyboard or to the toolbar, depending on which you will be using to perform your actions. A small toolbar should pop up in the corner that has controls for stopping and pausing your macro. Once you're done press stop and save your macro!

4) Objects: I always noticed the insert object option on my toolbar whenever I was using Microsoft Word but I never realized what exactly it could do. I previously thought it was probably just the same as putting in a picture into the word document, however, it can do a lot more! This feature allows you to insert a file from another program such as WordPad right into your Microsoft Word document. Or you can create a new file using that program right that instant, working in your Microsoft Word window. You can insert powerpoint slides and MIDI files, the possibilities are pretty wide. Basically this option expands what exactly you can have present in your word document. To use this feature you go to insert>object.

5) Page Numbers: You can save the time of having to number all your pages using this feature, because Microsoft Word will do it for you! It's actually quite simple you go to insert>page numbers. Even though this does seem like a very obvious function that we should all be aware of, I just didn't bother trying to use it before. It can be useful if you're preparing something that requires page numbers and Microsoft Word will place the number where you want it on the pages.

6) Date and Time: This feature is accessible from insert> date and time. Though it is a quite simple feature, and you could easily type out the date yourself, I suppose this could come in handy if you were in a rush.

7) Theme: I wasn't quite sure if it was possible to have a theme for Microsoft Word but it is! You can have a theme for your document just like a Powerpoint slide. I'm not sure if this feature would be useful to the average person but it is something I didn't know. To apply a theme you go to format>theme and then choose the one you wish to use!

8) Paste Special: This is a feature that allows you to paste something in your document that is a bit out of the ordinary. Something other than just text or a picture. The most interesting thing I found about this feature was that you could insert HTML format into the document. You can also insert formatted and unformatted text and a whole variety of other things. To use this function you go to edit>paste special.

9) Captions: As you all know we often need to put captions below diagrams or pictures when using Microsoft Word. The caption feature is very helpful with this as it saves you the trouble of having to move the text around manually. I've passed by this function before but never tried using it, I think you may have more control if you performed this task manually, however. To add a caption, you first select what you would like to add the caption to then go to insert>caption and set it up from there.

10) Subscript and Superscript: Subscript and Superscript are the smaller characters that are placed above (superscript) or below (subscript) the normal leveled text. An example of superscript is the 'nd' in 2nd or the 'rd' in 3rd. Something similar would be used in the case of subscript but it may be numbers. I myself have always wondered how to do this manually and today I found out. To put something in subscript or superscript you can add the button to your formatting toolbar. If you don't already have the formatting toolbar displayed with your other toolbars go to tools>customize>toolbars and check the box for the formatting toolbar. After you have done that click the little arrow on the toolbar, which should open up a pull down menu. You click add or remove buttons on this and simply add the subscript and superscript buttons. Now whenever you want anything to be in subscript or superscript you click the button first and then type.