Heres the situation: you have a list of items or names in MS Word that is in perfect condition. There are no typos and its exactly in the order you need it to be.

But of course, theres always a catch. You now realize you need the list in a table.

So, now what?

You could draw/insert a table and then copy and paste each item into a different row on the table.

Youre dreading that one, arent you? (I know I would!)

Next question: Is there a better way?

Of course there is! Why else would we be having this discussion?

Give this little trick a try the next time youre looking to make your already typed text into a table.

First, you should highlight the list.

In older versions of MS Word, you now need the Table menu, Convert submenu, Text to Table choice.

In Word 2007, youre looking for the Insert ribbon, Table button, Convert Text to Table choice.

The Convert Text to Table dialogue box will open, displaying your choices.

In the top section, you can set the table size. Word will try to guess what youll need based on the data youve highlighted, but you know what youre trying to create, so make the changes as necessary. I found that the number of rows was inaccessible to me. Word simply used the amount that matched my highlighted data.

The middle allows you to decide how the columns widths will be created. Should they all be the same width? Should Word AutoFit to the longest piece of data in the column? The AutoFit to window choice is for Web browsers and it will "automatically resize the table so that it fits within the window of a Web browser. When the window size of the Web browser changes, the table size automatically adjusts to fit within the window."

And finally, at the bottom, you need to tell Word how the data items are separated. That is, what separates each piece of data to tell Word when to start the next column.

For example, with the following list, I would choose the Other option and enter a space in the box to get each of the first and last names into their own columns.

Mickey Mouse
Donald Duck
Daisy Duck
Minnie Mouse

If I had set the number of columns to 4, I would have a table like this:

With the extra columns, I could enter extra data that pertains to each name.

Basically, to start, you must have some idea of what youre looking to create as the final product. Then you may have to do a little bit of trial and error to find exactly what you need. Also, if you havent already "made friends" with the Undo button (Ctrl + Z), I suggest you do during this experimentation process. But, once you get the hang of it, youll find it can be a true timesaver!

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Have you ever found yourself proofing an MS Word document, only to find that the text seems out of order?

Youre looking at the words and youre thinking, "Now, what happened here?"

You know you didnt type the text that way and yet, there it is. Your thoughts are all in a jumble.

Hmmm, was it a program glitch? A virus?

Fortunately, I can say, "No, probably not!"

Youre actually a victim of an accidental drag and drop.

Drag and drop?

Yep, thats what I said! Words default setting is to let you highlight text and then, while holding down the left mouse button, drag it through the document. When you release the mouse button, Word drops the text into the new position.

Or, if you need to duplicate text, you can use the same process while holding down the Ctrl key. That way, when you "drop" the text, Word will make a copy of what was highlighted and place it in the new location.

Okay, so enough of what the drag and drop can do. What if you dont want any part of it?

What do you do if youre constantly finding text out of place? Lets face it, when you like to click, click, click (and I know many people who do), accidents like these can happen quite frequently.

So, the question becomes: "Is there a way to turn off Words drag and drop feature?"

Im happy to report that yes, there is a way to turn the drag and drop feature off, completely removing the risk of accidentally misplacing text within your document.

If this sounds like a change you need to make and youre using an older version of Word, youll need to begin with the Tools menu, Options choice.

When the Options dialogue window opens, youre looking for the Edit tab.

At this point, you need to locate and uncheck the "Drag-and-drop text editing" option.

With that change made, click OK.

For those of you using Word 2007, dont feel left out. You too can control this option! Youre looking to start in the Office button list and then click the Word Options button.

You need the Advanced options, Editing Options section at the top of the list.

Uncheck "Allow text to be dragged and dropped" and then click OK.

When youre returned to your document, highlight some text and try to drag it. You should find that the highlight works the same as it always did, but you no longer get an arrow mouse pointer that allows you to drag it around your document.

If you cant drag, you certainly cant accidentally move the text all over the place!

Now, when something is moved, youve got to actually mean to move it. It will require the highlight, a cut (Ctrl + X) and then a paste (Ctrl + V). Theres no mistaking your intentions with that procedure, so from now on, the "how did that text get there?" problem should be minimized. Yes!

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Many of you may be aware of the Change Case text options in the Format menu of MS Word. This wonderful feature will allow you to take text and, in one quick swoop, change the case of every letter to match your needs.

From the Change Case options, you can make text all lower case, all upper case, sentence case, toggle case or title case.

Simply make your choice and click OK.

Its a nice feature and it works perfectly, but wouldnt you like an even quicker way?

Yeah, everybody always wants to get the job done a little bit faster. I know I do!

So, heres a quick keyboard version of the Change Case feature.

Highlight your text to be changed and hit Shift + F3.

Dont like the case format you get?

No problem. Hit Shift + F3 again.

Poof! The text will change again. (Still dont like it? Then keep up with the Shift + F3. It will just keep rotating through the Change Case options until you find the one you need).

Wait, theres more! Heres a bonus to the whole Change Case thing.

Theres actually two different types of all caps. That is, if you know how to tap into the other set, known as small caps.

"See the" was done in regular caps, whereas "difference" was done with small caps.

Next question: How do we get the small caps?

Thats a good question and fortunately, its easy to answer.

When youve got something that needs to be emphasized (but not screamed at the reader), youve got something thats a good candidate for the small caps format.

To change text to small caps, simply highlight the text to be changed and then press Shift+ Ctrl + K on your keyboard. This will take your lower case typing and turn it into small caps. If you hit the key combination again, it will return your text to lower case characters.

You can also combine this with the Shift + F3 options. The small caps will replace the lower case option in the rotation of formats.

Thats it. Just another way to get your point across, without over emphasizing!

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Do you frequently copy text from MS Word to Excel? Do you dislike the way it pastes into the cells, causing a nightmare when it comes to formatting your pages? Want a quick solution?

Then try pasting your text as a picture!

In older versions of Excel, youll need the Edit menu, Paste Special choice.

In Excel 2007, on the Home ribbon, click the down arrow on the Paste button and choose Paste Special from the bottom of the list.

No matter the version, you can then choose Picture from the list and click OK.

Your text will then be placed in the worksheet as a picture, floating over the cells, with the same resizing and relocating capabilities as any other picture.

Formatting problems be gone!

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Everyone has one. Its inevitable. Yes, we all have a preferred view in MS Word. Some of us like the Normal view and others use the Web Layout view on a daily basis.

If youre like me, you are a fan of the Print Layout view in Word. To me, that view is basically, "What you see is what you get," including the visibility of all the margins. I guess I just like to see each page as a representation of an actual piece of paper.

Well, regardless of your reason for preferring the Print Layout view, Im sure youve found times when it would be helpful to put the pages together. You know, to easily see the flow of the document and to know exactly how the text is flowing from page to page, without the visual disruption of the margins and spaces between the pages.

At this point, Im certain a few of you are thinking, "No problem. Its just a quick change in the View menu." Or, if youre aware of the View buttons in the bottom left corner of the program window, the change is just a quick click of the correct button.

But, wouldnt it be nice to have the luxury of altering the Print Layout Views behavior for this purpose, anytime you choose?

Yeah, I agree. Id still rather see this view and just find a way to temporarily remove the top and bottom margins so that I can see how its all coming together.

Fortunately, for anyone with this line of thinking, there is a one click way to alter the Print Layout view to meet those requirements.

What youre looking for is the Hide/Show White Space feature.

Take your mouse pointer and slowly run it over the gap between the "pages" of your document.

At some point, it should change to two inward pointing arrows and display this message: "Hide White Space" (Word 2007 says "Double Click to Hide White Space").

While you still have the double arrow, click to change this:

Into this:

Like magic, the document will change to display just a solid black line between the pages.

Notice that the top and bottom margins of the pages are no longer visible, which gives you a full and uninterrupted view of how the text is flowing from page to page.

Want your margins returned?

No problem! Simply run the mouse pointer slowly over the black dividing line until the pointer changes again and displays this message: "Show White Space." (This time, the cursor changes into a double arrow pointing outward).

One click here and your document is instantly returned to its original Print Layout view.

Isnt it nice to know that you have options?!

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