MS Word part 2

Introduction to Line spacing

An important part of creating effective documents lies in the document design. As part of designing the document and making formatting decisions, you will need to know how to modify the spacing. In this lesson, you will learn how to modify line and paragraph spacing in various ways.

Modifying spacing

To format line spacing:

•       Select the text you want to format.

•       Click the Line spacing command in the Paragraph group on the Home tab.

•       Select a spacing option.

OR

•       Select Line Spacing Options. The Paragraph dialog box appears.

•       Use the Line spacing drop-down menu to select a spacing option.

•       Modify the before and after points to adjust line spacing as needed.

•       Click OK.

Paragraph spacing:-

Just as you can format spacing between lines in your document, you can choose spacing options between each paragraph. Typically, extra spaces are added between paragraphs, headings, or subheadings. Extra spacing between paragraphs adds emphasis and makes a document easier to read.

To format paragraph spacing

•       Click the Line spacing command on the Home tab.

•       Select Add Space Before Paragraph or Remove Space After Paragraph from the menu. If you don't see the option you want, click on Line Spacing Options to manually set the spacing (see below).

OR

•       Select Line Spacing Options. The Paragraph dialog box appears.

•       Change the Before and After points in the Paragraph section.

•       Click OK.

Line spacing is measured in lines or points, which is referred to as leading. When you reduce the leading, you automatically bring the lines of text closer together.

Increasing the leading will space the lines out, allowing for improved readability.

Modifying Page Layout:-

Introduction:-

You may find that the default page layout settings in Word are not sufficient for the document you wish to create, in which case you will want to modify those settings. In addition, you may want to change the page formatting depending on the document you are             creating.

In this lesson, you will learn how to change the page orientation, paper size, and page margins, as well as how to insert a break.

age layout and formatting To change page orientation:

•       Select the Page Layout tab.

•       Click the Orientation command in the Page Setup group.

•       Left-click either Portrait or Landscape to change the page orientation.

Landscape format means everything on the page is oriented horizontally, and portrait format means everything is oriented vertically.

To change the paper size:

•       Select the Page Layout tab.

•       Left-click the Size command, and a drop-down menu will appear. The current paper size is highlighted.

•       Left-click a size option to select it. The page size of the document changes.

To format page margins:

•       Select the Page Layout tab.

•       Click the Margins command. A menu of options appears. Normal is selected by default.

•       Left-click the predefined margin size you want.

OR

•       Select Custom Margins from the menu. The Page Setup dialog box appears.

•       Enter the desired margin size in the appropriate fields.

You can always access the Page Setup dialog box by clicking the small arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Page Setup group. The dialog box should look familiar to people who have used previous versions of Word.

To insert a break:

•       Place your insertion point where you want the break to appear.

•       Select the Page Layout tab.

•       Click the Breaks command. A menu appears.

•       Left-click a break option to select it. The break will appear in the document.

Why would you need to use a break? Each type of break serves a different purpose and will affect the document in different ways. Page breaks move text to a new page before reaching the end of a page, while section breaks create a barrier between parts of the document for formatting purposes. Column breaks split text in columns at a specific point. Practice using the various break styles to see how they affect the document.

Working with Pictures:- Introduction

Pictures can be added to Word documents and then formatted in various ways. The picture tools in Word 2007 make it easy to incorporate images into your documents and modify those images in innovative ways. 

In this lesson, you will learn how to insert a picture from your computer, change the picture style and shape, add a border, and crop and compress pictures.

To insert a picture:

•       Place your insertion point where you want the image to appear.

•       Select the Insert tab.

•       Click the Picture command in the Illustrations group. The Insert Picture dialog box appears.

•       Select the image file on your computer.

•       Click Insert, and it will appear in your document.

Left-click a corner sizing handle, and while holding down the mouse button resize the image. The image retains its proportions.

To wrap text around an image:

•       Select the image.

•       Select the Picture Tools Format tab.

•       Click the Text Wrapping command in the Arrange group.

•       Left-click a menu option to select it. In this example, we selected Tight.

•       Move the image around to see how the text wraps for each setting.

•       The Position button has predefined text wrapping settings. The Position button is to the left of the Text Wrapping button.

•       Click the Position button, and a drop-down list of text wrapping options will appear. Hover over an option to see what it does.

If you can’t get your text to wrap the way you wish, click the Text Wrapping command, and select More Layout Options from the menu. You can make more precise changes in the Advanced Layout dialog box that appears.

To crop an image:

•       Select the image.

•       Select the Format tab.

•       Click the Crop command. The black cropping handles appear.

•       Left-click and move a handle to crop an image.

•       Click the Crop command to deselect the crop tool.

Corner handles will crop the image proportionally.

To compress a picture:

•       Select the picture.

•       Select the Format tab.

•       Click the Compress Pictures command in the Adjust group. A dialog box appears.

•       Click the Options button to access the Compression Setting dialog box.

•       Choose the target output.

•       Change any of the default picture settings you wish.

•       Click OK in the Compression Settings dialog box.

•       Click OK in the Compress Pictures dialog box.

You need to monitor the file size of your images and documents that include images, especially if you send them via email. Cropping and resizing an image doesn’t decrease the image file size, but compression does.

Other picture tools

There are many other things you can do to modify a picture. From the Format tab, some of the other useful commands include:

•       Change Picture command: Selects a new picture from your computer.

•       Reset Picture command: Reverts to original image.

•       Brightness command: Adjusts the brightness of the image.

•       Color command: Adjusts the contrast of the image from light to dark.

•       Recolor command: Modifies the color in a variety of ways, including black and white, sepia, pink, and purple.

To change the shape of a picture:

•       Select the picture.

•       Select the Format tab.

•       Click the Picture Shape icon. A menu appears.

•       Left-click a shape to select it.

To apply a picture style:

•       Select the picture.

•       Select the Format tab.

•       Click the More drop-down arrow to display all of the picture styles.

•       Hover over a picture style to display a Live Preview of the style in the document.

•       Left-click a style to select it.

To add a border to a picture manually:

•       Select the picture.

•       Select the Format tab.

•       Left-click the Picture Border command, and select a color.

OR

•       Select Weight from the menu and choose a line weight.

Columns and Ordering:- Introduction:-

Two useful formatting features in Word are the columns and ordering commands. Columns are used in many types of documents but are most commonly used in newspapers, magazines, academic journals, and newsletters. Ordering is the process of layering two or more shapes so they appear in a certain way. For example, if you have two shapes that overlap and want one shape to appear on top, you will have to order the shapes.

In this lesson, you will learn how to insert columns into a document and order an image and a shape.

Inserting columns and ordering objects:-

To add columns to a document:-

•       Select the text you want to format.

•       Select the Page Layout tab.

•       Left-click the Columns command.

•       Select the number of columns you would like to insert.

Click the Show/Hide command on the Home tab to display the paragraph marks and breaks.

The Format Painter command allows you to easily format text to appear like other text in your document. Select the text that is formatted the way you want, click the Format Painter command on the Home tab, and select the text you want to change. The new text now appears modified.

To change the order of objects:

•       Right-click the object you wish to move. In this example, click the shape.

•       In the menu that appears, select Order.

•       Select a menu option that will arrange the item in the desired way. In this example, select Send Behind Text.

•       The text and image are now displayed layered on top of the shape.

Working with Headers and Footers:- Introduction:-

You can make your document look professional and polished by utilizing the header and footer sections. The header is a section of the document that appears in the top margin, while the footer is a section of the document that appears in the bottom margin. Headers and footers generally contain information such as page number, date, and document name. 

In this lesson, you will learn how to insert built-in and blank headers and footers.

To insert a header or footer:

•       Select the Insert tab.

•       Click either the Header or Footer command. A menu appears with a list of builtin options you can use.

•       Left-click one of the built-in options, and it will appear in the document.

OR

•       Left-click Blank to select it.

•       The Design tab with Header and Footer tools is active.

•       Type information into the header or footer.

To insert the date or time into a header or footer:

•       With the header or footer section active, click the Date & Time command.

•       Select a date format in the dialog box that appears.

•       Click OK. The date and time now appear in the document.

Other header and footer options

There are many other header and footer options you can use to design these sections of

your document. From the Header and Footer Tools Design tab, you can see all of your design         options. 

Working with Tables:- Introduction:-

A table is a grid of cells arranged in rows and columns. Tables can be customized and are useful for various tasks such as presenting text information and numerical data. 

In this lesson, you will learn how to convert text to a table, apply table styles, format tables, and create blank tables.

Inserting and modifying tables:-

To convert existing text to a table:-          Select the text you wish to convert.

•       Select the Insert tab.

•       Click the Table command.

•       Select Convert Text to Table from the menu. A dialog box appears.

•       Choose one of the options in the Separate text at: section. This is how Word knows what text to put in each column.

•       Click OK. The text appears in a table.

To add a row above an existing row:

•       Place the insertion point in a row below the location where you wish to add a row.

•       Right-click the mouse. A menu appears.

•       Select Insert        Insert Rows Above.

A new row appears above the insertion point.

You can also add rows below the insertion point. Follow the same steps, but select Insert Rows Below from the menu.

To add a column:

•       Place the insertion point in a column adjacent to the location where you wish the new column to appear.

•       Right-click the mouse. A menu appears.

•       Select Insert  Insert Columns to the Left or Insert Columns to the Right. A new column appears.

To delete a row or column:

•       Select the row or column.

•       Right-click your mouse, and a menu appears.

•       Select Delete Columns or Delete Rows.

To apply a table style:

•       Select the table. A Table Tools Design tab now appears on the Ribbon.

•       Select the Design tab to access all of the Table Styles and Options.

•       Click through the various styles in the Table Styles section.

•       Left-click a style to select it. The table style will appear in the document.

You can modify which table styles are displayed. In the Table Styles Options, you can select and deselect various table options. For example, you can select Banded Rows, and only tables with banded rows will appear in the Tables Styles section.

Want to have a little more creative freedom when it comes to formatting your tables? You can manually change the table border or shading, change line weight, or erase part of the table.

To insert a blank table:

•       Place your insertion point in the document where you want the table to appear.

•       Select the Insert tab.

•       Click the Table command.

•       Drag your mouse over the diagram squares to select the number of columns and rows in the table.

•       Left-click your mouse, and the table appears in the document.

•       Enter text into the table.

Modify a table using the layout tab:-

When you select a table in Word 2007, Design and Layout tabs appear under Table Tools on the Ribbon. Using commands on the Layout tab, you can make a variety of modifications to the table, including:

•       Adding and deleting columns

•       Adding and deleting rows

•       Changing the cell size

•       Aligning cell text

•       Changing text direction

•       Merging and splitting cells

Using SmartArt Graphics:-

Introduction:-

SmartArt allows you to visually communicate information rather than simply using text. Illustrations can really make an impact in your document, and SmartArt makes using graphics especially easy.

In this lesson, you will learn how to insert a SmartArt graphic, change the color and effects of the illustration, and modify it in numerous ways.

SmartArt graphics:-

To insert a SmartArt illustration:

•       Place the insertion point in the document where you want the graphic to appear.

•       Select the Insert tab.

•       Select the SmartArt command in the Illustrations group. A dialog box appears.

•       Select a category on the left of the dialog box, and review the SmartArt graphics that appear in the center.

•       Left-click a graphic to select it.

•       Click OK.

To see more details about a graphic, left-click any image, and a larger version of the graphic and additional text details will appear on the right side of the dialog box.

To add text to a SmartArt graphic:

•       Select the graphic. The first text box is selected. If the task pane on the left of the graphic is visible, the insertion point appears in it. If the task pane is not visible, click the arrow to open the task pane.

•       Enter text into the task pane fields. The information will appear in the graphic.

OR

•       Click X to close the task pane.

•       Enter text into the first text box in the graphic.

•       Continue to enter text in the text box graphics.

Notice that the text you enter automatically resizes to fit inside the box.

To add a shape to a graphic:

•       Select the graphic. The SmartArt Tools Design and Format tabs appear on the Ribbon.

•       Select the Design tab.

•       Click the Add Shape command in the Graphics group.

•       Decide where you want the new shape to appear, and select one of the shapes nearby the desired location.

•       Select Add Shape Before or Add Shape After. If you wanted to add a superior or a subordinate, you could select the Above or Below options. 

To move shapes using the Promote or Demote commands:

•       Select the graphic. The SmartArt Tools Design and Format tabs appear on the Ribbon. Select the Design tab.

•       Select the shape you would like to move.

•       Click the Promote or Demote commands in the Create Graphic group.

The Promote and Demote commands allow you to move shapes and customize the graphic, rather than having to use the predefined default illustration.

To change the graphic style:

•       Select the graphic. The SmartArt Tools Design and Format tabs appear on the Ribbon.

•       Select the Design tab.

•       Left-click a style to select it.

Click the More arrow to see all of the style options. Hover over each to display a Live Preview of the style in your document.

To change the color scheme:

•       Select the graphic. The SmartArt Tools Design and Format tabs appear on the Ribbon.

•       Select the Design tab.

•       Click the Change Color command. A menu of color schemes appears.

•       Left-click an option to select it.

Explore the options in the Layout group if you would like to switch to another graphic but keep the existing text. Also, you can select the Format tab to access additional formatting options, including fill, text, and line color.

Some of the options will differ from graphic to graphic. Look carefully at the SmartArt Tools tabs, and explore the active commands.

Using Indents and Tabs:-

Introduction:-

A great way to draw attention to specific text is to indent it. There are several ways you can indent text in Word; however, it’s important to use these tools appropriately and indent correctly each time. This can save time and make the editing process go smoothly.

In this lesson, you will learn how to use the tab selector and the horizontal ruler to set tabs and indents, as well as how to use the increase and decrease indent commands.

Indents and tabs:-

To indent using the Tab key:

The most common way to indent is to use the Tab key. This method is best for indenting one line of text, rather than multiple lines.

•       Place the insertion point to the left of the text you wish to indent.

•       Press the Tab key. This indents the line 1/2 inch by default.

To use the indent commands:

Using the Tab key to indent multiple lines can make formatting difficult if you add or remove text later. Indenting multiple lines is best done using the Indent commands.

•       Select the text you wish to indent.

•       Click the Increase Indent command to increase the indent. The default is a 1/2 inch. You can press the command multiple times.

•       Click the Decrease Indent command to decrease the indent.

To modify the default indent settings:

•       Select the Page Layout tab.

•       Select the text you would like to modify.

•       Use the arrows or enter text in the fields to modify the Left and Right Indents.

The tab selector:-

The tab selector is above the vertical ruler on the left. Hover over the tab selector to see the name of the type of tab that is active.

The tab options are:

•       First Line Indent : Inserts the indent marker on the ruler, and indents the first line of text in a paragraph.

•       Hanging Indent : Inserts the hanging indent marker, and indents all lines other than the first line.

•       Left Tab : Moves text to the right as you type.

•       Center Tab : Centers text according to the tab.

•       Right Tab : Moves text to the left as you type.

•       Decimal Tab : Aligns decimal numbers using the decimal point.

•       Bar Tab : Draws a vertical line on the document.

To set a tab stop to indent the first line of text:

•       Click the tab selector until the First Line Indent icon is visible.

•       Left-click at any point on the horizontal ruler. The First Line Indent icon will appear.

•       Press the Enter key to start a new paragraph, and your insertion point will automatically indent to that point.

To move a tab stop once you have inserted it, left-click and drag the tab stop back and forth on the ruler.

You can set the Hanging Indent the same way; however, this tab stop changes all other lines in a paragraph.

To set the left, center, right, and decimal tab stops:

•       Click the tab selector until the tab stop you wish to use appears.

•       Left-click the location on the horizontal ruler where you want your text to appear.

•       Press the Tab key to reach the tab stop.

To use Find and Replace to replace existing text:

•       Click the Replace command on the Home tab. The Find and Replace dialog box appears.

•       Enter text in the Find field that you wish to locate in your document.

•       Enter text in the Replace field that will replace the text in the Find box.

•       Click OK. The change is made in the document.

You can also use the Find command to locate specific information in a document. For example, if you are working with a 20-page report, it would be time consuming to search the document for a specific topic. You can use the Find command to locate all instances of a word or phrase in the document. This is a great way to save time when working with longer documents.

Applying Styles and Themes:-

Introduction:-

Styles and themes are powerful tools in Word that can help you create professional looking documents easily. A style is a predefined combination of font style, color, and size of text that can be applied to selected text. A theme is a set of formatting choices that can be applied to an entire document and includes theme colors, fonts, and effects. 

In this lesson, you will learn how to apply, modify, and create a style; use style sets; apply a document theme; and create a custom theme.

Styles and themes:-

To select a style:-

•       Select the text to format. In this example, the title is selected.

•       In the Style group on the Home tab, hover over each style to see a live preview in the document. Click theMore drop-down arrow to see additional styles.

•       Left-click a style to select it. Now the selected text appears formatted in the style.

You can also use styles to create a table of contents for your document. To learn how, review our article on How to Create a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word.

To modify a style:-

•       Select the text in the style you want to change. In this example, we are changing AdWorks Agency, which has the Title style applied.

•       Locate the style in the Styles group.

•       Right-click the style, and a menu appears.

•       Left-click Modify, and the Modify Style dialog box appears.

•       Change any of the formatting.

•       Click OK to apply the modifications to the style.

To create a new style:

•       Click the arrow in the bottom right corner of the Styles group. This opens the Styles task pane.

•       Click the New Style button at the bottom, and a dialog box appears.

•       Enter a name for the style, and make all of the formatting decisions.

•       Select the button beside New Document based on this template so the style will be available to use in all of your documents.

•       Click OK. The new style will appear in the list.

To apply a style set:-

•       Click the Change Styles command on the Ribbon.

•       Select Style Set from the menu that appears.

•       Left-click a style set to select it. The change is reflected in the entire document.

Style sets include a combination of title, heading, and paragraph styles. Style sets allow you to format all of the elements of your document at once, rather than formatting your title and headings separately.

For quick changes, you can modify the colors and fonts of a style set from the Change Styles command; however, the themes feature is more comprehensive and easy to use.

To Apply a theme:-

•       Select the Page Layout tab.

•       Click the Themes command.

•       Hover your pointer over a theme to see it displayed in the document.

•       Left-click a theme to select it.

A document theme is a set of formatting choices that includes font styles, sizes, and colors for different parts of the document, as well as a set of theme effects such as lines and fill effects.

To create a custom theme:-

•       Open the document you'd like to format.

•       Select the Page Layout tab.

•       Click the Colors command.

•       Select Create New Theme Colors. A dialog box appears.

•       Use the drop-down menus to change the colors for each part of the document.

•       Enter a name for the theme color.

•       Click Save.

•       Click the Fonts command.

•       Select Create New Theme Fonts. A dialog box appears.

•       Use the drop-down menus to change the fonts in the dialog box.

•       Enter a name for theme font.

•       Click Save.

•       Click the Effects command, and select an option from the drop-down menu.

•       Click the Themes command.

•       Select Save Current Theme. A dialog box appears.

•       Enter a theme name, and click Save. Now the theme is available to use with other documents.

You cannot apply a theme to a document without applying styles first. Themes look for and replace the formats of each of the styles.

Using Mail Merge:- Introduction:-

Mail Merge is a useful tool that will allow you to easily produce multiple letters, labels, envelopes, and more using information stored in a list, database, or spreadsheet. In this lesson, you will learn how to use the Mail Merge Wizard to create a data source and a form letter, and explore other wizard features. Additionally, you will learn how to use the Ribbon commands to access mail merge tools outside of the wizard.

To use Mail Merge:

•       Select the Mailings on the Ribbon.

•       Select the Start Mail Merge command.

•       Select Step by Step Mail Merge Wizard.

The Mail Merge task pane appears and will guide you through the six main steps to complete a mail merge. You will have many decisions to make during the process. The following is an example of how to create a form letter and merge the letter with a data list. 

Steps 1-3:-

•       Choose the type of document you wish to create. In this example, select Letters.

•       Click Next: Starting document to move to Step 2.

•       Select Use the current document.

•       Click Next: Select recipients to move to Step 3.

•       Select the Type a new list button.

•       Click Create to create a data source. The New Address List dialog box appears. o             Click Customize in the dialog box. The Customize Address List dialog box appears.

o            Select any field you do not need, and click Delete. o   Click Yes to confirm that you wish to delete the field. o   Continue to delete any unnecessary fields. o Click Add. The Add Field dialog box appears. o          Enter the new field name. o            Click OK. o     Continue to add any fields necessary. o   Click OK to close the Customize Address List dialog box.

To customize the new address list:

•       Enter the necessary data in the New Address List dialog box.

•       Click New Entry to enter another record.

•       Click Close when you have entered all of your data records.

•       Enter the file name you wish to save the data list as.

•       Choose the location where you wish to save the file.

•       Click Save. The Mail Merge Recipients dialog box appears and displays all of the data records in the list.

•       Confirm the data list is correct, and click OK.

•       Click Next: Write your letter to move to Step 4.

Steps 4-6

•       Write a letter in the current Word document, or use an open existing document.

To insert recipient data from the list:

Place the insertion point in the document where you wish the information to appear.

•       Select Address block, Greeting line, or Electronic postage from the task pane. A dialog box with options will appear based on your selection.

OR

•       Select More Items. The Insert Merge Field dialog box will appear.

•       Select the field you would like to insert in the document.

•       Click Insert. Notice that a placeholder appears where information from the data record will eventually appear.

•       Repeat these steps each time you need to enter information from your data record.

•       Click Next: Preview your letters in the task pane once you have completed your letter.

•       Preview the letters to make sure the information from the data record appears correctly in the letter.

•       Click Next: Complete the merge.

•       Click Print to print the letters.

•       Click All.

•       Click OK in the Merge to Printer dialog box.

•       Click OK to send the letters to the printer.

The Mail Merge Wizard allows you to complete the mail merge process in a variety of ways. The best way to learn how to use the different functions in Mail Merge is to try to develop several of the different documents—letters, labels, and envelopes—using the different types of data sources.

New Features in Word 2007:-

What’s new in Word 2007? Simply put: a lot. Previous versions of Word looked similar and operated in many of the same ways. They had menus, toolbars, task panes, and a familiarfeeling design. In Word 2007, all of these things have been replaced with a new navigation system and many new features that are designed to make accomplishing tasks and producing professional-looking documents easier than ever.

Take a look at some of the new features you’ll find in Word 2007:

The Ribbon system: Cascading menu options and the many toolbars have been replaced by the tabbed Ribbon system. The tabs contain the same commands as the menus in earlier versions; however, related command buttons are organized together in groups, which often makes it easier to accomplish tasks in fewer steps. Also, the tabs, groups, and command buttons change as you take on various tasks—revealing what you need, when you need it.

This may seem overwhelming at first, but it is extremely useful and makes using all of the tools of this complex word processing software intuitive.

Quick Styles: Earlier versions of Word include Styles, but in Word 2007 these are extremely easy to access and use. Quick Styles are combinations of formatting and heading options that are displayed in the Styles gallery on the Home tab. You can choose a Quick Styles group from the Style gallery that formats your text in a cohesive and attractive manner.

Themes: Themes, like Styles, are a tool you can use to produce professional-looking documents without having to be a professional designer. A theme is a set of formatting choices that includes colors, heading and body text fonts, and theme effects like lines and fill effects. When used in conjunction, Styles and Themes are powerful tools to producing powerful documents.

Live Preview: Have you ever spent time selecting text and trying font style after style to see which you prefer? You’ll never do this again with Word 2007. Live Preview is a feature new to the 2007 Office suite that allows you to see changes in your document before you actually select an item. Confused? Don’t be. It’s actually quite simple and clever.

In the example below, I want to change the font style of the text, but I’m not sure which style I like. First, I select the text. Then I select the font style drop-down box. As I move my cursor over the name of the font style, the change is reflected in my actual document. I can preview what my document will look like before actually making a selection from the drop-down list. You can use the Live Preview feature to see how font styles, sizes, colors, themes, document styles, and more will appear.

Powerful graphics tools: There's a saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. If that’s true, then your images are all the more powerful with Word 2007. In this version, you can easily access many new picture effects and use SmartArt to add a professional touch to your documents.

Companies often release new versions of old products that don’t live up to the hype, but Word 2007 does. You can accomplish many tasks in fewer steps and produce professional-quality documents with relative ease. The new interface can be intimidating, but if you spend a little time touring the new software and creating a document, you’ll find that it is time well spent.

Word 2007 Illustrations – Worth More Than a Thousand Words:-

There is an old saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Well, what I’d like to know is how much is a Word 2007 SmartArt graphic worth? The answer is simple. A lot. When it comes to impressing your boss and producing documents that wow people, the software you must use becomes invaluable, especially if it helps you communicate your message to your audience. This is where the Word 2007 illustration features come in.

Packed with traditional and new features, Word 2007 is a powerful tool you can use to create effective documents. The Illustrations group includes five commands that will allow you to use images in your documents to help you communicate information that must be represented visually.

Let’s take a look at the five commands and how you might be able to use them in your next document.

Pictures

Like previous versions, Word 2007 allows you to insert pictures stored on your computer into your documents. This is a pretty straightforward feature, but Microsoft added some impressive features to the Picture command in this latest version of Word. For starters, you can do a lot more than simply insert a picture. You can make a variety of formatting changes to the picture, including changing the shape, adding a border, modifying effects, and applying a predefined style. From one location you can now switch, compress, crop, and modify the image settings. Everything is accessible from a new Format tab that allows you to quickly make a simple image look spectacular.

Clip                                                                                                                                         art

At this point, you might be wondering, “What’s so great about clip art?” In Word 2007, you have the ability to search clip art files on your local computer and on Microsoft Office Online and modify the clip art image using picture editing tools. Like that image of a school bus but want it to be circular, not square? No problem. Want tree clip art but would rather it be in black and white than in color? It's easy to change. Word 2007 gives you the tools and presents them in a way that is simple to use.

Shapes

Shapes, shapes, and more shapes! The Word 2007 Shapes menu is packed with lines, arrows, callouts, squares, and much more. The difference between this and previous versions is that you no longer have to be content with plain-old two-dimensional shapes. Want to make the arrow pop off the page? Add a 3D effect. Want to make it more realistic? Change the shading on the 3D arrow to replicate specific lighting conditions. You can also add shadows and change the shape style, fill color, outline color, gradient, and depth, among other things. You can take a shape illustration and really make it pop off of the page using these new shape features.

SmartArt

The SmartArt feature is new in Word 2007, and it has already gotten a lot of praise from people using the software. You can easily create business diagrams such as process, radial, and organization charts; hierarchy diagrams; and lists that display textual information in an easy-to-read format. SmartArt illustrations represent the information in a visual format and add shape, color, and emphasis to your text. Confused as to what type of diagram you need? With SmartArt illustrations, you can easily try different styles. Live Preview displays how the diagram will appear before you choose one, which allows you to see your options in your document.

Charts

Charts are a great way to present numerical data in an easy-to-read format, and with the Word 2007 Chart command organizing and displaying your information is simple. There are many types of charts, including line, pie, column, and surface. Depending on your data, it may be more suited for one type of chart vs. another one. The great thing with Word is that it is easy to see how your information will appear—and even easier to switch to a different chart option if needed.

The illustrations in Word provide you with the ability to really make an impact—without needing to take a design course to learn how to create professional-looking graphics. Take some time to explore these five commands, and see how you might be able to use Word illustrations in your personal and professional documents. If you use these tools appropriately, a picture can be worth more than a thousand words with Word 2007.

That all about Microsoft Word! Hope it is informative for you!