Weekly Computer Tip # 215
7 December 2007

match destination formatting (Microsoft Office)

Here's the last weekly tip for 2007. I'm taking a short break, but will be back with a vengeance in 2008. (With Office 2007 - rather than 2003 - tips.)

This last tip is about one of the most undervalued button in Microsoft Office ... the Paste Options button. (The other one is the format painter; see http://www.roem.co.uk/tip_90.html.) The Paste Options button lets you specify how Microsoft pastes information, which is great if you gather text from various documents and/or programs. For instance, you might want to apply the formatting that is in effect in your Word document to the text you are pasting in from Internet Explorer.

Here's how:

1. Paste your text as normal.
2. Click on the Paste Options button that appears below the pasted text. (It looks like the standard Paste button on the toolbar.)
3. Select the Match Destination Formatting option.

Wished Microsoft had chosen "Match Destination Formatting" as the default option, rather than "Keep Source Formatting"? Well, in Word 2007 and Outlook 2007 you can change your default paste. Simply click on the Set Default Paste option at the bottom of the list of Paste Options, select your favourite settings and jump up and down with joy.

That's it for this year. All that remains is to wish those of you who celebrate Christmas a wonderful Festive Season. I'll be back in 2008 with more tricks, tips and shortcuts, specifically geared towards Office 2007 users.

Until next year.

PS I’m committed to sharing the best of what I know with others so please don’t keep me a secret. If you enjoyed today’s tip, please forward it to anyone you feel may benefit. Alternatively, feel free to reprint it (with full copyright and subscription information) in your newsletters and message boards.

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