Easier date entry in Excel
Have a bunch of dates to type into Excel but hate having to use “/” or “-” to separate month, day and year? Here’s a simple formula for converting an eight-digit data entry into a properly-formatted date.
Want your next raise? You’ll have to test for it
Here’s a new (but not entirely unexepected) development: law firms basing annual staff raises on tech test scores. How would you fare?
How to keep Track Changes from broadcasting your confidential data
Track Changes is a great feature, but if you don’t know where the pitfalls are, you could wind up in serious trouble. Here are a few things you should watch out for.
How one Legal Office Guru reader is using my SEQ autonumbering technique
I’m always gratified when a solution I’ve come up with (and published) is helping people in the “real world”. One reader shows how he uses my SEQ technique so his whole office can autonumber discovery requests easily.
Reader Question: Getting changes to the Normal template to “stick”
In response to a prior post, one reader expressed one of her biggest frustrations with the Normal template: it’s hard to get changes to “stick” permanently. If you’re tired of continually resetting margins, fonts and paragraph spacing, here’s help.
Why using Microsoft Word’s Normal template is like matching socks
If every document you draft starts with either a completely blank page or the last version of whatever you’re drafting, you’re missing out on the power of custom templates. Click the title above to see the essential elements of a custom pleading template, plus find out what digging in your sock drawer has in common with working in Microsoft Word.
Why lawyers need to start using stopwatches
If you’re anything like the typical lawyer, your document creation process could stand some improvements. Here’s an eye-opening experiment you can do with your smartphone to show you where your inefficiencies lie.
The 4 Biggest Time-Saving Microsoft Word Features You’re Probably Not Using
Want to do things faster in Microsoft Word? These four time-saving features are where you will get the most bang for your buck. Learning these will shave time off daily repetitive tasks, making you more efficient (and maybe even helping you get out of the office earlier!). Click the link below to find out more about how these features can make you more efficient.
7 Ways To Screw Up A Table of Authorities
Microsoft Word’s Table of Authorities feature isn’t exactly known for its user-friendliness. Nobody’s ever said the word “automagically” about it. And more than one enterprising software vendor has found a lucrative niche making an easier-to-use interface for TOAs. I’ve had to use this feature myself on several occasions recently, and I’ve rediscovered seven ways you can easily (and thoroughly) screw up a Table of Authorities. Do yourself a favor and click through to learn from my mistakes!
Reader Question: How to get footnote citations to show up in Table of Authorities
A reader contacted me recently with a real puzzler: What to do when a citation in a footnote doesn’t get picked up in the Table of Authorities. If you’re having this problem, there’s a solution. Click through for the details.
Easy-to-read file folder labels for trial exhibits using Mail Merge
The last thing you need to be doing during a trial is frantically searching for the right exhibit. Laying your hands on the correct document becomes a whole lot easier when they’re in file folders marked with clear, easy-to-read labels. Here’s how to use Microsoft Word’s Mail Merge feature to transform your exhibit list into a set of labels with the exhibit number in large spot-it-from-across-the-room print.
How to recycle your [legal] briefs safely
What sort of evil stuff lurks in that text you just pasted over from your last magnum opus? And how’s it going to undermine your next court filing? Click the link below to find out how to safely copy text from one legal brief to another.
Keeping Word Commands at Your Fingertips
Tired of searching for frequently-used Microsoft Word features? Sick of clicking multiple times through dialog boxes to set tabs, etc.? Here are three ways to put any Microsoft Word feature or command within easy, one-click reach.
How to create numbered headings using Styles
Once again, my pain is your gain. I get frustrated enough to go nosing around in Styles looking for a way to automatically number headings, and now I’m showing you step-by-step how to do it. Click the link for the fully-illustrated tutorial.
In praise of text expansion (or, how to keep from typing the same thing 100 times)
If you find yourself stuck typing “Brief in Support of American Amalgamated Consolidated Widget Corporation’s Second Amended Motion for Leave of Court to Conduct On-site Inspection” for the umpteenth time, let me show you how to get out of all that repetitive typing. It’s a concept called “text expansion”, and you don’t even need extra software to do it. Click the link below to learn how to use this feature in Microsoft Word.
Reader Question: How to embed the current paragraph number in your text
If you’ve ever had to type “#. Defendant denies the allegations of Paragraph # of Plaintiff’s Complaint” over and over again, you’ll appreciate this reader’s dilemma. Watch me demonstrate how an intelligent use of a little-known field in Microsoft Word can let you embed the current paragraph number within the actual paragraph text so you’re not stuck going back and fixing them as you add/delete paragraphs during the editing process. Click the link below to view the video.
Reader Question: Copying WordPerfect footnotes to Microsoft Word
You know how I’m always telling you that the best way to get your old WordPerfect text into a new Microsoft Word document is to just copy it over? Well, that’s not always the case. Sometimes Microsoft Word doesn’t “translate” WordPerfect text into just the right Microsoft Word equivalent. A reader pointed out that doing a straight copy of WordPerfect footnotes into Word makes the numbering sequence go all wonky. Click the title above to find out how to copy those footnotes so you don’t spend forever fixing them. (Oh, and look at the very bottom of the tutorial. You’ll see a section that says “Members Only” which contains a link to a downloadable pdf version. If you don’t see the link, go to https://legalofficeguru.com/login and put in your user id [your email address] and password.)
Why hanging indents are beautiful things
I used to be afraid to do hanging indents. (Silly, right?) But now I use them with confidence, and I’ve found they’re really handy. Click the link below to find out how I overcame my fear and the quick and easy way to fix hanging indents when they go wrong.
Printing Envelopes and Labels, Part 2: Labels
In a very belated follow-up to my post on how to create and format envelopes in Microsoft Word, here’s a post on how to create and format labels. Both originate from the Mailings tab in versions 2007 and 2010 of Word or from the Tools menu of versions 2002 and 2003 – not exactly the easiest places to find! I’ve included instructions for both the ribbon and non-ribbon versions of Word for those who haven’t upgraded to the latest release. Click the link below to see the full illustrated tutorial.
Reader Question: Cannot custom flag emails
Occasionally, my tutorial instructions don’t work for some users. Sometimes, it’s because I left something out. But at other times, it turns out there’s a wrinkle somewhere that I’ve never run across. Like, for this one reader, who can’t get my instructions on how to flag emails for follow-up to work right. Fortunately, there’s (1) a logical explanation and (2) a pretty good workaround. Click the link below to find out the why and the how.
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