Using Smart Tags in Microsoft Word

Smart tags allow you to save time and increase productivity by performing actions in Microsoft Word that you would normally have to do in other Microsoft Office applications.

Microsoft define smart tags as ¡°data recognized and labeled as a particular type. For example, a person's name or the name of a recent Microsoft Outlook e-mail message recipient is a type of data that can be recognized and labeled with a smart tag.¡±

In Microsoft Word, purple dotted lines beneath a word or phrase indicates a smart tag.

How to use Smart Tags

When Microsoft Word recognizes types of data, it marks it with a smart tag indicator it displays this as a purple dotted underline.

To view the actions you can take with a smart tag, move your mouse over the underlined text until the Smart Tag Actions button appears. You can then click the button to see a list of actions you can take.

When you save a document, Microsoft Word embeds the smart tags in the document so that they are available to the next person who opens it.

And, if you save a smart-tagged Microsoft Word document into a webpage, you ll be able to perform some tasks on the Web if you re using Microsoft Internet Explorer 5 or later.

Tip: You can also use smart tags in Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Excel.

How do Smart Tags Work

You can enable smart tags by selecting smart tag recognizers from a list (go to Tools > AutoCorrect Options command > Smart Tags tab).

Each smart tag recognizer identifies a type of data, such as name, date, or telephone number, and is designed to provide one or more actions for each data type.

When you type text into a new document, the smart tag looks for words that match the data types in the list. When the smart tag finds a match, it places a smart tag indicator i.e. the dotted purple line under the match and offers you the appropriate actions.

The actions you can take depend on the type of data that MS Word recognizes and labels with a smart tag.

For example, Microsoft Word recognizes the name "Bill Gates" as a "person name" smart tag. When it encounters this, it offers actions such as Open Contact, Schedule a Meeting, Add to Contacts, or Insert Address.

If you select Add to Contacts, you can add the name and address to your Outlook contact folder without having to copy the information, open Microsoft Outlook, and paste the information into a contact card.

At times you may see other buttons that appear as you work in your document. Both the AutoCorrect Options button and the Paste Options button enable you to perform actions without clicking a button on a toolbar or opening a dialog box.

You can only save smart tags in Microsoft Word or webpage format.

• On the Tools menu, select Macro

> Record New Macro.

• In the Macro name box, type a name for your new macro.

• In the Store macro in box, click the document in which you want to store the macro.

• In the Description box, enter a description for the macro.

• If you don't want to assign the macro to a toolbar, a menu, or shortcut keys, click OK to start recording the macro.
  
  Tip: To assign the macro to a toolbar, click Toolbars > Commands tab. In the Commands box, click the macro you are recording, and drag it to the toolbar you want to assign it to. Click Close to start recording the macro.

• Perform the action, or set of actions, you want to include in your macro, for example changing unformatted text into a specific font family and font size.
  
  Tip: When recording a macro, you can use the mouse to click commands and options, but not to select text. Use the keyboard to record these actions. For example, use F8 to select text and press END to move the cursor to the end of the line.
  
• To stop recording your macro, click Stop Recording.

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