Microsoft 365: Word Advanced (2023): Using Advanced Features

Name: Microsoft 365: Word Advanced (2023): Using Advanced Features
Author: Catherine Smith

Unleash the potential of your text with section formatting

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Course: On-Demand

Hello, my name is Catherine Smith, and in these lessons we will be learning how to use section formatting. We will learn how to create section breaks within a document, enabling us to create alternating headers and footers. We will apply those same section breaks in order to use multiple column layouts. We will be using System-controlled hyphenation, and we will learn to add line numbers to a document. We will also explore a feature called Word Art, which allows you to enhance text with a variety of artistic designs. Let's first take a closer look at section formatting. Let's begin with a blank document within the online version of Word. On the Home tab of the ribbon, you will see a number of formatting options. In Word, formatting occurs at three levels or categories. First, there is Character Formatting, which means certain features like bold, italic, underline, etc. apply to any number of characters you wish. Next is Paragraph Formatting, features like Alignment, Tab Settings, Indents, Always Apply to an entire paragraph. Now remember, a paragraph could be one line of text or many lines, but the Paragraph Formatting options will apply to the entire paragraph. Last, we have Section Formatting. Now, a section may be a part of a page, multiple pages, or virtually any amount of text the author needs it to represent. Within Word Online, I am limited in how I can configure and utilize advanced section formatting capabilities. In order to use the features we will be learning in this lesson, we will need to move the document into the Desktop app. Let's choose Editing and select Open in Desktop app. Once in the Desktop version of Word and remember, Microsoft requires a subscription for the Desktop version. We will create a few pages of randomly generated text by pressing an equal sign, the lower case letters, R-A-N-D, and open left parentheses, the number 20, a comma, the number 10, and a closed parentheses. We are asking for random text, 20 paragraphs each containing 10 sentences. Once I tap the Enter key, I should see 5 pages of randomly generated text. Now, let's scroll back to the top of the first page. We understand what a page break is. You may insert a page break anywhere you would like by simply placing the cursor at the position where you need the page to occur, the break to occur, and either choosing Insert, Page Break, or you may choose Layout, Breaks, and Choose Page Break. Those methods do the exact same thing. They cause a manually generated page break. You'll notice under Breaks, you have an area defined as Section Breaks. Next page, continuous, even an odd. Next page and continuous are used more often than the even and the odd options, which I will be explaining. For now, at the position of the cursor, let's choose the next page, Section Break. Initially, you're going to think, well, it's doing the same thing as the page break would have done, but there is something a little more going on. Now, in order to make the observation regarding which section of the document your cursor is positioned in, let's add something to our status area by right clicking and turning on these section information. You will then observe when the mouse is positioned or the cursor is positioned near the top of page 1, you should see in the status area, Section 1. When moving into page 2 and setting the cursor in place, you should see Section 2 appears. One other thing that would be helpful would be to go to the Home tab and turn on the Show Hide indicator buttons. A dot is a space. A paragraph mark marks the position of a paragraph break, and this small line is an indicator or a symbol representing my section break. That's how helpful. It shows me exactly where the document was split into two sections. I'm going to click on the position of the section break and hit the delete key to remove it. I'm back to my entire 5 pages being represented as one complete section. Again, positioned at the end of paragraph 2, using Layout, Breaks, I'm going to insert a continuous section break. You'll notice the page did not split. That's the difference. When I place my cursor above the symbol, I can clearly see I'm in Section 1. When I place my cursor below that marker, I can see I'm in Section 2. So, the next page section break creates a new section, while at the same time, creating a page break, I can see I'm in Section 2. So, the next page section break creates a new section, while at the same time creating a page break. The continuous section break created a new section, however did not create a page break. Let's discuss the odd and even. If you ever have a need to create a manuscript or a book and you are at the bottom of a page, you can wish for the next section to begin on an odd page. Think about a book. You end a chapter, the new chapter most often begins on the odd numbered page, which would be the right side. In those situations, you may choose to create a break at the odd page. So, for example, I'm going to remove this break marker so I don't have a section break any longer. I'm going to place the cursor toward the bottom of the page. I'm on page 1 and I'm going to insert a new section break at this position but I'm going to use an odd page break. So, I've got a section break, it's an odd page section break, the cursor when placed on page 1, the status area shows me I'm on page 1 and I'm in section 1. Once I advance to the next page and place the cursor, I'm in section 2 but now I'm in page on page 3. Page 2 does not exist. So, it forces my document to create a page break while forcing the next page to be either an odd or an even page. Again, think about a manuscript or a book. Stay tuned for the next lesson where I will show you how to use advanced capabilities with regard to headers and footers. Thanks for watching.

Advanced Provider : Catherine Smith 6 Lessons · 45m in English

Course Description

Microsoft Word offers a variety of advanced features for formatting the sections of a document. For example, advanced techniques within headers and footers, column layouts, margins, page orientation, and more are dependent upon the proper use of sections. Within Word, formatting occurs at three levels: character formatting, paragraph formatting, and section formatting. We’ll discuss how hyphenation can improve the general appearance of a document and where lines numbering can assist with specific situations. The popular Word Art feature allows users to create artistic areas of text within a document, using prebuilt design elements. Once a design template has been applied to text, the user will learn to enhance the design through custom formatting.

In these lessons, you will learn to use section formatting within a document. Once section formatting is properly understood, you will learn how to use advanced features within headers and footers, along with how to configure column formatting. You will also learn to use hyphenation settings and line numbering. Then you’ll be introduced to the Word Art feature within the Word desktop app.

What You'll Learn

Use section formatting within a Word document
Apply advanced features within headers and footers
Configure column formatting using multiple columns
Apply system-controlled hyphenation and configure line numbers
Enhance text using the Word Art feature in the Word desktop app

Key Takeaways

Word formatting occurs at three levels: character formatting, paragraph formatting, and section formatting.
Advanced techniques within headers and footers, column layouts, margins, and page orientation depend on the proper use of sections.
Hyphenation can improve the general appearance of a document, while line numbering can assist with specific situations.
The Word Art feature lets users create artistic areas of text using prebuilt design elements, which can be enhanced through custom formatting.
Understanding section formatting is the foundation for applying advanced headers, footers, and column features.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this course cover?

It covers section formatting within a Word document, advanced features within headers and footers, column formatting, hyphenation settings, line numbering, and the Word Art feature within the Word desktop app.

What are the learning objectives of this course?

The objectives are to understand how to use section formatting, demonstrate how to apply section formatting to headers, footers, and columns, and explain the benefits of adding Word Art to documents.

Which lessons are included in this course?

The lessons are Advanced Section Formatting, Advanced Headers and Footers, Using Multiple Columns, Using System Controlled Hyphenation, Configuring Line Numbers, and Using Word Art To Enhance Text.

What skills will I gain from this course?

This course focuses on document formatting skills, including the advanced section, header, footer, column, hyphenation, line numbering, and Word Art features in Microsoft Word.

Which application is this course based on?

It is based on the Microsoft Word desktop app, including its Word Art feature.