How To Change Comment Color In Word 2016

If Microsoft Function had been a country, information technology would have been the 3rd most populous land in the world.1.2 billion people using a unmarried suite of apps is mind-boggling. And, they "speak" 107 languages!

But right at present, you and I are speaking in English and we are going to talk about the about pop tool in the Microsoft Office arsenal -- Microsoft Give-and-take 2016.

This document editor is used for writing a variety of documents. From a elementary application to the necessary resume. From a plain saucepan list to an office memo. Nosotros think we can work with Word. Just it is when we sit down down to write a serious professional report, nosotros discover an of import fact.

Professional report writing needs a dissimilar set of skills.

So, enquire yourself this -- can you make the spring from a single document to a lengthy report? Do you know all the Microsoft Word features that will aid manage this large scale document projection? Tin you lot collaborate on the work with other team members?

You may be a student, a small business owner, or an office worker...you volition demand to create a written report or a professionally formatted document of some kind. This MakeUseOf guide will help you update your techniques and sharpen your design approach.

In this guide:

Writing a Study -- Introduction | The Report Checklist

Useful Microsoft Discussion Tools -- Paste Special | Researcher | Freeze Parts of Your Certificate

References and Collaboration -- Index | Bibliographies | Cross-Referencing | Comments

Finalize Your report -- Signatures | Watermarks | Read Only | Print to PDF

The Next Stride -- Decision

Writing a Study

Report writing involves enquiry and then publishing the upshot of that analysis. In the professional world, the "look" or advent of what you publish is paramount. The eye-pleasing terminal issue could brighten your reputation and enhance your personal brand.

The steps beneath volition handhold you through the expert features in Microsoft Word 2016. Spend a lot of time on a plan. Starting time with these guidelines…

Microsoft Word 2016 - Guidelines for a Report

Step 1: Decide the Purpose

Before you begin the report, you must starting time know why you are writing information technology in the offset identify. Reports are of many kinds but they are either meant to inform or persuade. It can be meant for describing a technical process, sharing background information, or demonstrate progress on a projection.

Enquire yourself – What and Why. This will help you distill the purpose to the one main point and stick to it instead of rambling on with unnecessary details.

Stride 2: Identify Your Audition

The 2nd important consideration is to evaluate your audition. Will they exist able to empathise what y'all are talking about? Are there dissimilar levels of readers who volition read the report? The reader'south knowledge of the subject field will greatly influence the information that you need to include.

Decide on the primary audition and and so script the report at the adequate technical level. The secondary audience can be supported with supplemental information at the end of the report.

Step 3: Know Your Topic

You lot must know what you lot are talking nigh. So, research the topic, and include all the relevant data to evidence your point. Make certain that you come to a conclusion based on facts and not personal opinion. The information must be correct, current, and well-referenced.

Also use a multifariousness of resources such equally journals, paper articles, books, websites, brochures, raw information, almanac reports, and speeches to help support your point. Just don't stick to Wikipedia.

Stride four: Outline the Study

You have done the inquiry. There'southward a ton of information that is waiting to exist typed and printed. But wait! Don't drown before you lot enter the water. Prepare the final outline of the study which volition be the chart of waypoints to help you lot navigate from start to finish. The outline is the blueprint. It will give y'all a bird's heart view of the state and besides prove you lot where y'all need to fill in the details.

The construction of an idea report tin include the post-obit elements:

Title Page
Executive Summary
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Torso of the Report
Conclusion
Recommendations
Appendix
Bibliography and References

Microsoft Discussion's Certificate Outline is a powerful characteristic that tin help yous organize a document even before you offset filling it with research. Take advantage of brainstorming and mind-mapping templates also.

Step five: Write, Edit, Proofread, and Finish

One time y'all have structured your report, it is fourth dimension to fill up out the headers with content. I personally notice information technology best to tackle a footling bit of each department, and so bulk it up with information. Yous tin do that if you want, or finish each department every bit you lot go down the written report construction. Brand sure you focus on presenting your ideas and using supportive evidence rather than spelling and grammar starting time. Outline your argument and write a few sentences that cast your main ideas. If you find something worth quoting, quote it.

Once the bulk of your text is written, it is now time to read through it and make certain it flows well. Make certain you guide the reader's understanding with transition words such equally "This information shows…", "In other words…", "Similarly…" and practice highlight relevant and primal points.

Finally, spend time to proofread, check for grammar and spelling, and double-check all relevant data and its logical menstruation. Information technology is all-time to exit at least one day to cheque and proofread your piece of work. Don't endeavour to edit it direct subsequently you lot think y'all take finished, equally you volition tend to miss read what yous accept written. Get some sleep, and proofread it the next solar day.

The Written report Checklist

Before y'all get and submit or paw in your written report that you take worked then hard on, make certain you have done the post-obit:

Completed the title folio with the Title, Your Name, Date, Who the written report is for, and a possible description of what the written report is nigh.
The contents page has appropriate headings and pages numbers are correct.
Brand sure the introduction covers key points, the telescopic of the written report, and the objective it wants to meet.
You lot have added captions above tables and below images/graphs.
Does the content of the written report present the information in a clear way, logical, factual, stay on topic, is to the indicate?
Does the conclusion land the results, restate main thought'southward, and does not include whatever new information?
Are the headings and sub headings conspicuously labeled?
Are quotes relevant, up-to-date, and correctly referenced?
Have you lot used folio breaks where advisable?

Now, let's launch Microsoft Word and take y'all through the features that will help piece together the draft of your study and present information technology equally a professional certificate.

Useful Microsoft Word Features for Written report Writing

Accept these as bite-sized tips and master them ane past one.

Microsoft Word is a big howitzer with many nuts and bolts. Allow'south focus on the key skill sets and the tools you will need to programme, prepare, and nowadays the professional person report. The Microsoft Word features we volition cover beneath are also productivity shortcuts that volition make your job easier.

Tip: Use Microsoft Word 2016'south "Tell Me" assistant to learn more nigh new features in the Office suite.

Let'southward starting time with three preliminary tools...

Use Paste Special

For nigh of u.s.a., when we need to copy text or an paradigm into Word, the CTRL+V shortcut does just fine. But sometimes we might want to paste the copied data into another format, such as Excel data as an image. With the Paste Special control you lot can discard or specify the format when you paste a flick, presentation information, table, or object from any other program into Word.

You will work a lot with Excel tables and charts in a professional person document.

If you lot merely copy what you want and click paste, yous volition notice that it volition insert the data every bit tables. But, if it is a big area of cells you want to paste, and you do not want to edit it, yous may desire to paste it as an prototype, with the extra option to edit it.

In Microsoft Excel: Select and highlight the cells that you want to copy > Press CTRL+C.

In Microsoft Discussion: Go to Home > Paste > Paste Special. Select Paste Special and from the dialog select Microsoft Role Excel Worksheet Object.

You tin can resize the information equally it was an image, and if you double click, you will be able to edit the values. You lot tin modify the table or chart and redesign information technology. And, if y'all update the data in the chart or table in Excel, you lot can automatically refresh the chart in Give-and-take.

Try the right-click context menu as well. The Paste Special carte du jour pops up:

Microsoft Word Paste Special Right-Click

There are more options to import data from Excel into Word. The Microsoft Function Back up page also describes them in detail.

Use the Researcher

Yes, there is Google and Wikipedia. Simply constantly switching from Word to your browser can hamper your productivity. Office 2016 brings in powerful research integration to this grunt work. The Researcher can not only help you detect content from inside Microsoft Give-and-take but also help you lot apace add citations. It uses the Bing Knowledge Graph to find the right content to back up your document.

Go to Ribbon > References tab and c Choose Researcher. A pane will open up on the right with the search options.

Blazon a keyword for the topic want to search for and press Enter.

The Results pane shows a listing of sources you can use in your certificate. Cull a topic to explore in particular.

Add the topic to your Microsoft Word document with a click on the plus sign on the top-right. You can also click the plus sign on whatever result to cite the source in your research document. The cite source helps you support your inquiry with web sources and books.

Every bit we will meet later, an annotated bibliography is i of the toughest parts of a certificate. The Researcher is an intelligent assistant who steps in.

Freeze Office of Your Word Document

Allow's have for granted that your professional report will exist a long and complex work. Y'all can split the Word window into two panes so that y'all can view two different parts of a certificate at the aforementioned fourth dimension. It is a valuable fourth dimension saver when yous want to copy and paste parts from one place to another or refer to i part of the certificate while working in another.

Go to Ribbon > View tab > Split.

To remove the dissever, click on Remove Split in the same tab.

The Windows grouping gives you several options to change the way you work with ii or more documents. The features are self-explanatory.

To scroll both documents at the aforementioned time, click Synchronous Scrolling in the Window group on the View tab. Yous can as well click on View Side by side to put two parts of the document side by side to each other.

Tip: Use Divide View to display two different layouts – for example, Print and Outline. Ready the split. Then, click in the pane that you desire to alter, and so select a different layout on the View tab.

Work on the Layout & Pattern

The presentation of a report is what gets someone to read a study in the offset place, and that is why it is crucial that your report is well presented. If y'all had the pick of 4 reports to read, what volition you choose?

A hand written study.
A document printed in blackness and white.
A report printed on normal A4 paper in color.
A report printed in color, with a catchy title page, neatly bounded, and slick?

You volition pick upward the 4th report because it will pull you towards it by the visual advent alone.

The front cover is not the but reason. A well-designed written report is easier to read. It is also easier to scan when y'all don't have time to read. That is why you need to spend some time on your headers and footers, and the different styles and themes. In short – the formatting of every element in the report.

Formatting may seem similar a difficult task, but it is a fun exercise that will exercise all your creative muscles. The central takeaways will be the skills you can apply to anything in Microsoft Function going frontward. And the time you will relieve with all the productivity tips learned here.

Microsoft Discussion 2016 has a wealthy set of features. These are only some of the ways that your report design tin stand out from the remainder and be professional. So, let'due south break down the layout and pattern skills.

This section volition cover these features step-past-step:

First with a Cover Page
Brand a Table of Contents
Create Your Header and Footer
Add Page Numbers

(Format the Content)

Selection the Right Fonts
Fashion the Paragraphs
Command Page Breaks
Employ Styles and Themes
Captions
Apply Quick Parts
Decorate with Page Borders

1. Start With a Cover Page

The first folio is the offset point of contact with your reader. Information technology is also your opportunity to brand a favorable impression. Don't let your lack of artistic skills be an excuse because Word takes upwardly the job with its in-built gallery of title pages. All you lot have to practice is ally ane to the theme of the report.

Microsoft Word 2016 offers you xvi pre-formatted templates and iii more than on Office.com.

Go to Insert > Pages Group > Embrace Page.

The embrace folio appears at the beginning of the certificate by default.

As in that location are just 16 "official" templates on offer, you may find that all your other peers have the same comprehend page. So, why not customize it, and make information technology a chip more than unique.

Y'all can design a championship page (or cover folio) in Microsoft Give-and-take that can exist an original in the stack. Salve it every bit a template or easily alter the pattern on the wing.

2. Brand a Table of Contents

Casual readers scan. Good readers scan first and and so dive deep. A table of contents provides the waypoints that aid both. When it is a long and complicated document, wouldn't you lot rather check the lay of the land before you caput to the section that interests you?

Consider a Table of Contents (TOC) if your document is more than than 10 pages long. You should first brand sure yous don't need to rearrange whatsoever pages in your document before creating the TOC.

In Microsoft Word, yous don't have to write the unabridged TOC by manus. At that place'due south a Table of Contents automatic tool under the References tab which takes your outline and designs it for you. Also, y'all can easily go along it updated when you desire to modify something.

There are likewise templates yous can download and fit information technology around the nature of the content. For instance, a TOC for a thesis volition look different from that of a visitor'south annual report.

We take a complete tutorial on how to create a tabular array of contents folio in Word.

The gist of it is this:

Create the outline and utilise heading styles to organize the bureaucracy. Apply the automatic TOC tool to the heading styles. Word 2016 searches for those headings and so inserts the table of contents into your certificate. And so you can automatically update your TOC if yous brand changes in your document.

For more hands-on control, you can likewise employ the Manual Table of Contents style. Give-and-take inserts placeholder text and you have to insert and format each content in the list.

iii. Create Your Header and Footer

Headers and Footers are important in reports every bit the main purpose is to provide information about the report on every folio. They are the mutual display areas for folio numbers. The header of the document should comprise the title of the written report, and maybe the proper noun of who created it. The title of the current section is helpful.

The footer, on the other hand, should include the page numbers, date of publication, and other authoritative information that is required. Practice note that some mode guides have special guidelines for headers and footers.

Let's kickoff with the header in your document and give information technology a unique look.

Select Insert, and then select either Header or Footer from the group. The built-in gallery shows y'all several options yous can choose from.

The header and footer infinite is inserted in your document with placeholder text or table. The Header & Footer Tools opens on the Ribbon for other formatting piece of work similar the appointment, time, or picture.

Enter your text and then select Close Header and Footer.

You can first with a bare header and footer. If you accept the design skills, use the Header & Footer Tools to pattern your own. Master the header and footer space if you desire to create custom letterheads for your organization. You can utilise brand elements similar company or system logos at the peak and neatly formatted footnotes at the lesser

Let'due south endeavor with and alter i of the inbuilt headers. I selected Facet from the gallery.

The final look took ii minutes to put together with elementary text effects and an icon sourced from the Microsoft Office icon gallery.

The header and footer are in identify. But, how practise y'all know where yous are in the document? Insert folio numbers as the next important signpost.

4. Add Folio Numbers

Page numbers wait best in the footer (dissimilar in the header as in the image higher up). Y'all can add a basic page number from theInsert > Page Number button on the Ribbon. You tin can also add it from the Pattern tab that appears when you add the header and the footer.

You accept a lot of command over folio numbers. Choose from a broad range of number formats and customize them to your needs. In this example, we are adding the number to the footer, but you lot can put them at the top or even at the margins. In this example, I accept placed the page number at the bottom left. But, I would similar to change the default look and the format.

For example: Using a "Page X of 30" makes for a better indicator on a long document.

Select the page number. Become to Insert > Quick Parts. From the drop-downwardly menu, select Field. Y'all can besides reach the Field dialog from the Header and Footer Design tab.

Choose NumPages from the long list of field names. From the box on the correct, y'all tin pick a specific format. I selected the usual 1, ii, 3. ClickOK, and the number of the number of pages will appear. Now all you accept to practice is add together your text such as Page Ten of Xxx, and modify the look of the numbers with the usual text formatting tools available from the Home tab.

Information technology now looks like this:

Design the look on whatever page number in your document and Word updates all the remaining automatically. Page numbers are the about common elements in a footer, only it tin too hold any other data like the header. From the options in the Insert grouping, y'all tin add the date and time, document info, pictures, and more than to your header or footer.

Next, we're heading into formatting the content.

The visual draw of your professional report comes together with the "adornment" you apply to the content. Formatting is also an essential step for a document that flows well. So, you must focus a lot of energy on picking the right font, paragraph space, and the colors.

Don't worry. Fifty-fifty, the artistically challenged will find this function like shooting fish in a barrel because Microsoft Discussion comes packaged with default themes and visual styles. Let'southward start with the most bones element of a document.

5. Pick and Style the Correct Font

Your choice of font in a professional Word written report not simply determines how the text stands out but too how it is printed. You desire both for maximum bear upon.

Y'all can apply a typeface (i.e. the visual await of the font) to either an entire document or to specific parts of a document. All font choices are bachelor from the Domicile tab. Go to Home > Font.

The default font in Microsoft Discussion 2016 is Calibri. Look beyond that every bit you have lots of others to choose from. If you cull Times New Roman, y'all may be considered lazy, if yous choose Windings, well… I don't retrieve I demand to explain that. And so brand sure you choose a font that is piece of cake to read and suits the study. To play it condom, pick from one of these professional person-looking Google fonts; they're available for complimentary.

Tip: Baskerville and Georgia are good alternatives to the over-used Times New Roman

Try unlike font pairing for the torso text and Headings (and Subheadings). Several websites like FontJoy and TypeWolf will help you experiment with font pairings. You tin download and use custom fonts too. But remember the pollex-rule -- never utilize more than iii different typefaces in a document.

For that extra bit of pizazz, try a drib cap to enhance your text.

half dozen. Manner the Paragraphs

If you want to accept your lines double spaced, or unmarried spaced, y'all need to change the format of the paragraphs. By changing the spacing, you tin make a document easier to read or give the impression that it is longer and that yous have put more than work into it.

To modify the paragraph for the whole certificate, it is all-time that yous select each block of text; otherwise, if you are using headers in your report, they volition change also. Another ameliorate option is if you customize the particular manner you are using to format the paragraph.

To do this, get to Home > Styles. Right click on the style you lot want to change and select Alter. Click on Format > Paragraph which is at the bottom of the dialog box. Now, change the spacing, indentation, and alignment for the paragraph. Click OK to close the dialogs.

When you want to alter a smaller portion of the document, select what you want to change. Right click on the highlighted text and select Paragraph. The same dialog box every bit above will announced.

7. Control Page Breaks

A folio suspension -- by its very name -- splits a continuous cake of text across two pages. Page breaks are important structural elements for long documents. Discussion automatically inserts a page break at the cease of the page. But in a long document, you lot can place page breaks where you want them.

To insert a transmission page break, clickInsert >Page Intermission. (Keyboard shortcut: CTRL + Enter)

A folio break looks like this when y'all click on the Prove/Hibernate command in the Paragraph group.

But what if you want to keep a bunch of lines together on a page or column and not take them split because of a page suspension? The layout is in your control. Click the tiny pointer you see in the bottom right of the Paragraph group.

In theParagraph box, click Line and Folio Breaks. Select from these four pagination options:

Widow/Orphan control places at to the lowest degree two lines of a paragraph at the top or lesser of a page.
Keep with next prevents breaks between paragraphs you want to stay together.
Go along lines together prevents page breaks in the middle of paragraphs.
Page suspension earlier adds a page break before a specific paragraph.

We've also shown how to remove folio breaks when necessary.

eight. Use Styles and Themes

Styles and themes are mayhap two of the more underused features in Microsoft Word. Just I think yous should use them at every opportunity to save a lot of time.

Merely what is the difference between a theme and a mode? Microsoft says:

Themes provide a quick way to change the overall color and fonts. If you lot want to alter text formatting chop-chop, Word Styles are the most constructive tools.

Then, equally themes control the general expect with colour, effects, and fonts – first with a good theme for your document get-go. Then, use Styles to dig into the specific portions you want to change the appearance for.

For Themes: Become to the Design tab. Pick a theme from the gallery. You can see previews of what the color combination is similar.

For Styles: Select the part of the text yous want to modify. Get to the Styles grouping on the Home tab. You can come across previews of what they wait like. Cull the Style that is suitable for your content. For case, choose a heading style for the headings in your document. Or, a particular style for any quotes. You lot can as well alter an existing manner and create new styles from scratch.

9. Captions

Every flick, chart, or illustration needs a caption to conspicuously describe it. It is a single line of text, normally located below a graphic. Captions are too an of import reference when yous need to mention them in another place. Many documents omit this small detail.

Information technology is easy to add a caption. Right-click the illustration you want to add a explanation to. Select Add Explanation.

In the dialog box, add your caption text and configure the remaining options. Captions tin exist automatically referenced in Word.

10. Utilize Quick Parts

Professional documents can get repetitive. This is why you should start using Quick Parts for boilerplate content you reuse all the time. For instance, let'southward say there is a contract clause you include with every document. Or, some introductory information. Instead of repeated copy-paste, save them equally Quick Parts and re-utilise them again and over again.

Quick Parts is besides a type of building block. You tin can run across the gallery of all reusable blocks of content in the Edifice Cake Organizer.

Salve and reuse your ain Quick Parts in two steps:

Select the phrase, sentence, or other portion of your document that you want to save to the gallery.
Become to Insert > Text group > Quick Parts > Salve Selection to Quick Part Gallery. Alter the proper noun and add a description if you like. Click OK.

Just every bit easily, y'all tin can re-use the saved snippet of content.

Place your cursor where you want to insert a option from the Quick Parts Gallery. Get to Insert > Text group > Quick Parts. So click the sentence, phrase, or other saved selection you want to reuse.

You will find three other categories in the Quick Parts menu.

AutoText: Discussion 2016 has retained the old AutoText feature. It works like Quick Parts for any block of text that you utilize a great deal. Example: A annotation you want to use with every document.

Document Property: A set of constant properties that you can include with every document. Example: Company name or author.

Fields: These are predefined elements that update automatically. Example: Date, fourth dimension, page numbers etc.

Think, entries for document property tin sometimes include information you wouldn't want to share with everyone. Then, keep a close center on these fields and remove the hidden personal data whenever required.

eleven. Decorate With Page Borders

Page borders await good not only on flyers and invitations. If done right, they can add a bear upon of class to a document. A variety of line styles and widths and fine art borders are available from the Design carte du jour on the Ribbon.

Go to Design > Page Borders.

In the Borders and Shading box, utilize the Page Edge tab to design your border.

The settings are self-explanatory. Try Shadow or 3-D with the right colors to add a subtle just elegant border. The Fine art styles with their clip-art borders might be too garish for professional documents.

Use the iv corner buttons in the Preview window to select the sides of the folio to describe borders. Click these buttons to remove or add borders, as you wish.

Place the cursor on the showtime page of a document if you lot want to put a edge around only the first page. You tin can too put borders around certain pages in a section. Place the cursor in the section — either in the first folio of that section or in a subsequent page.

References and Collaboration

A Discussion report can seem like an unmanageable chore. Information technology's like organizing a million piles of hay into neat little stacks. The idea is to know precisely which stack has the pivot you lot are looking for. These features are meant to make it easier.

1. Create an Index

When writing large documents such every bit a report that contains a lot of information, a contents folio may non exist enough. An Alphabetize should appear at the end of the document, with page numbers to keywords and information in the report. Create an index to help the reader reference the right information with simply the page number.

Make an alphabetize if your document has more than twenty pages. Microsoft Word 2016 doesn't permit the process overwhelm you. It basically has two parts:

Select the words or data you want to include in the index.
Identify the index at the right place in your certificate.

You tin scroll through the finished certificate and marking the words or phrases you want to include in the index or marking them as you go along. Either mode, select the text y'all'd like to use equally an index entry or click where y'all want to insert the entry.

one. ClickReferences >Mark Entry.

2. Edit the text in theMark Index Entry dialog box. You can also add together a sub-entry which further defines the main discussion you used in the index. You can add together multiple levels and each appears indented nether the main entry.

iii. Under Options, you can too create a cantankerous-reference to another main entry. A reader can utilise this to refer related information elsewhere in the same document.

4. Utilise the Page number format to make up one's mind on the appearance of the page numbers in the index.

5. ClickMark to marker the index entry. To mark this text everywhere it shows up in the document, clickMarker All.

6. Repeat the process for all the words and phrases you want to include in the index.

You have at present built your index. Insert it at the right identify towards the end of the certificate.

1. Click on the page where you want to insert the index.

2. Click References > Insert Index.

3. The Index dialog box is displayed. Here you tin can choose to format the text entries, folio numbers, tabs, and leader characters.

4. Choose the advent from the unlike formats in the list and check the Preview window on the right. Remember, the Preview window doesn't testify you lot actual index. It is just a "simulation" of how it will look similar.

5. Click OK. Your Index is at present ready.

Sometimes, you may need to add together more than entries to the alphabetize after yous have inserted it on the page. Mark the entry and go to References > Update index to include the new mentions.

Also, add a heading for the index because Discussion doesn't do it automatically.

2. Creating Bibliographies

Your document is near done. Now, you need to credit all the other research work and ideas which you lot have referenced in your document. It'southward time for a bibliography.

A company study might not need a bibliography but an academic paper isn't finished without one. The bibliography is one of the most painstaking jobs in an bookish report. You need to have all your citations in order before you sit down to frame the bibliography. Besides, decide on the citation style (typically MLA, APA, or Chicago-mode) as per the guidelines of your subject.

Don't hesitate to take advantage of third-party citation and bibliography generators for amalgam this department.

But, Microsoft Discussion 2016 has a consummate toolset to make this process equally painless as possible. So, get to the signal in the document where you would like to place the bibliography. It'southward good if y'all have at least ane citation to include, just even if yous don't, Word 2016 lets y'all use a placeholder citation and fill in the sources afterwards.

Click References > Bibliography.

Word offers a few bibliography styles that differ only in their heading names. Cull the appropriate style and and so insert citations from the push button in the Citations & Bibliography group.

The bibliography tool has a few steps to it. For the sake of brevity, I will direct yous to the excellent Microsoft Office help page which is a stride-by-step guide.

Some bookish papers will inquire you to create an annotated bibliography. Information technology is a more fleshed out version of a bibliography with a list of citations to journals, books, articles, and other documents followed by a brief paragraph. The paragraph is a clarification of the source and how it supports your paper.

three. Cross-Referencing

You can use a cross-reference to assistance the reader navigate through a long document. At any point in a document, you tin can tell the reader to refer back to a heading, page number, prototype, chart, footnote, endnote, and paragraph. A cantankerous-reference link is a not bad fashion to connect related data together. The reader just has to click on the link to go that snippet of information.

Here'south how y'all begin:

i. Select the identify for the cross-reference and blazon the text that tells the reader well-nigh it. For case: "Refer to Nautical chart 3 for future trends."

2. Get to Insert > Cross-reference.

3. In theReference blazon box, click the drop-down listing to select what you want to link to.

iv. The options in the Insert Reference to drop-down volition change according to your selection above.

v. In the For Which field, go through the choices and tell Discussion the exact data to link to.

six. Bank check the Insert every bit hyperlink box to create the hyperlink for the referenced information.

7. Click on Insert to include the cantankerous-reference in the document.

Remember, our mention of captions? Yous can make cross-references to equations, figures, graphs, and tables if you used captions below them.

Word cannot create a cross-reference for something that does not exist. Discussion will let you know most these errors and also update the cantankerous-references automatically when you change the page number or text of the referenced particular.

A professional report can be a solitary job or y'all can take the help of a team to prepare the showtime draft. The humble Comment is one of the most underused tools of a Give-and-take document. It is displayed as a rectangular colored balloon in the margin or in the Reviewing Pane.

You can use comments as small "stickies" or self-notes. Leave little notes to yourself in the margins equally yous write, edit, and revise your way through a report or a manuscript. Exist artistic – add together extra links to other resources, use them for tips and pointers, link to different parts of a document, or set up a feedback link for your readers. And when you lot finalize, you tin easily remove all comments in Word.

Microsoft Word 2016 is also an enhanced collaborative writing tool. Comments play a huge part in communicating feedback beyond a team. Here'south how the comment system works...

1. Highlight the text you want to add a comment to or click at the end of a text block.

ii. Go to Insert > Annotate. Type your annotate in the box. The comments announced in the markup area on the correct. The Print Layout view is usually the best way to see the comments aslope the text.

3. Get to the Review tab and see more options for comments. This tab as well shows all the controls for tracking changes and comments in a collaborative certificate. Utilize the Markup options to display or hide the comments. For instance: No Markup will hide the comments and the markup area on the right.

Finalize Your Report

Once the bulk of your written report is completed and saved, it is time to finalize your report. When I say finalize, I don't hateful proofread it. That should be washed besides. Now, you have to take the security measures to protect the report from unauthorized changes and plagiarism.

These security measures will give an actress level of authenticity to your electronic file before you share it.

This section will cover:

Signatures
Insert watermarks
Make the document 'read merely'
Password protect your document
Impress your document to PDF

1. Signatures

You tin can add together text signature for a personal touch to the report. But a unproblematic text signature does not need any hallmark. A digital signature is the better manner to protect your certificate from unauthorized access. A digital signature confirms that the certificate came from the signer and hasn't been tampered in whatsoever way.

Let'southward create a signature line in Microsoft Discussion 2016.

In the certificate, place your cursor where you want to create a signature line.

i. Go to Insert > Textgroup > Signature Line and clickMicrosoft Role Signature Line.

ii. The Signature Setup dialog box is displayed. Make full the fields every bit indicated. If you are sending the document to someone else for signing, add instructions for the signer in the field reserved for it (Instructions to the signer). The signer can also add give the purpose for the signing if the Allow the signer to add comments in the Sign dialog box is checked.

iii. Click on OK and the document will now display a placeholder for the signature.

Enter a signature:

When you need to sign a document with a digital signature, go to the signature line and correct-click on it.

Y'all will be prompted to sign with a digital ID. If you don't have one, Microsoft will tell you to get 1 from a signature service partner.

If you don't have a digital ID, you tin simply insert a textual representation of a signature line. You can utilise a written signature or an epitome that doesn't require hallmark.

two. Insert Watermarks

A Microsoft Discussion watermark is a "imitation" but still useful visual indicator for the status of the certificate. For instance, yous tin can use a watermark that says "Drafts" to differentiate information technology from the concluding version of the certificate. Or, use the watermark to suggest the document is "Copyrighted" or "Confidential".

The "Draft" mark is the nigh common. But, Microsoft Word gives you several other watermarks to choose from.

i. Go to Design > Page Background and cullWatermark. The Watermark button will be enabled in the Print view only.

2. Yous can cull a picture or a text watermark from the gallery. Both horizontal and diagonal versions are available. The dialog box gives you all the customization options for the final look of the watermark. Endeavour different fonts, layouts, sizes, and colors.

3. You can type your ain text in the Text field to create your custom watermark.

four. ChooseOK to utilise the watermark to your document. Word automatically applies the watermark to every page except the title page.

three. Make Documents "Read Just"

A professional report by its nature should non demand to exist edited by its readers. Converting the document to a PDF is one manner. Merely, you can also apply a few more restrictions in Microsoft Give-and-take and forestall accidental modification or omission of any kind.

There are three ways to protect a document.

First -- Make your certificate "read only".

This ensures that your document can only be read or copied. It won't prevent anyone from copying the file and making changes to the copy.

1. Go to the File tab > Info> Protect Document>Mark as Final.

2. When readers open up a certificate, a bar on acme will prompt readers to treat this document as read only. But, they can click on "Edit Anyway" to open the document in Edit fashion.

Second -- Password Protect Your Document.

Protect your document from unwanted edits with a countersign barrier.

i. Under Protect Document, choose Encrypt with Countersign. Type a password and click OK.

two. In theConfirm Password box, type the password again, and and so clickOK. The document will open up with the reader prompted for a password.

Microsoft uses the AES (Avant-garde Encryption Standard), 128-bit key length, SHA1 (a cryptographic hashing algorithm which generates an almost unique 160-bit fundamental to supervene upon the plaintext), and CBC (naught block chaining) to give a hacker a well-deserved headache.

Third -- Restrict Editing.

This control feature helps you as the author decide which parts of the document others tin can edit and which will be locked out. Call back of it as the bouncer who lets the VIPs in simply otherwise bars the door for the common folk.

1. Go to Review >Restrict Editing.

2. UnderEditing restrictions, checkAllow only this type of editing in the document, and make certain the listing saysNo changes (Read but).

No changes (Read simply) is the default restriction type. For a unlike brake level for the document, click the menu and select from Tracked changes, Comments, or Filling in forms.

three. To gratuitous some sections from the editing occludent, select the sections for editing without restrictions. To select more one area, click CTRL while selecting the area using the mouse.

iv. You can check Everyone nether Exceptions (optional) in the Restrict Editing panel. Or, click More users… and permit only specific users to modify the sections. The allowable areas will be marked with square brackets.

v. ClickYes, Beginning Enforcing Protection.

Now, blazon a unique password in the box that opens. You have to type it once more to confirm it.

The password is optional. But it ensures that no i can only clickStop Protection and edit the document. If you are still paranoid, go ahead and encrypt your Microsoft Discussion document equally we did in the 2d process above.

4. Print Your Report to PDF

The Portable Document Format comes with many advantages. Not least is its cross-platform compatibility beyond all computers. Your document is ready and now y'all need to share information technology or ship it across to be printed. Many professional reports -- for instance, a legal document -- need to retain the format as intended.

Relieve or convert a copy to PDF. Microsoft Word 2016 does not demand any third-political party add-ins.

Go to File >Export >Create PDF/XPS.

Remember, your Word document may incorporate sensitive information that you lot do non desire to be included in the PDF. Remove it before you publish to PDF. In thePublish as PDF or XPS window, chooseOptions. So selectCertificate and clearDocument backdrop. Set whatsoever other options you want and chooseOK.

Browse to where you want to salve the file and click on Publish.

The Next Step...

You are close to the finishing line. The study is ready to exist handed over to your readers. Merely there's i final job left.

Turn the pages and make sure (once again) that your report is reader-friendly. Arroyo information technology with the centre of the reader. Have y'all organized your thoughts and written persuasively? Does the information flow well with the charts and illustrations? Can they skim through and find the information quickly? Is the text readable? Use the readability score to gauge the readability level of your documents as a final step.

You likewise might have noticed nosotros didn't embrace some aspects of Microsoft Word. For example, Microsoft Word Tables are an important tool for data display. Or, the power of lists in data direction.

Microsoft Word is more than a quarter of a century old, and packed with piddling features. At MakeUseOf, we have covered every nook and cranny of this animate being. So, do employ our resources to learn more about this software for free. Each new feature of Microsoft Discussion learned will make your life easier.

Make Your Report Polish

As author Nathaniel Hawthorne said,

Like shooting fish in a barrel reading is damn hard writing

Isn't this true for professional report writing too? After all, if given a choice, no ane may desire to read it. Writing a business organisation report and using it to communicate are two dissimilar things. Microsoft Word is just a tool -- it'due south your chore to engage.

For some alternatives, check out the all-time online discussion processors. And for more assistance with professional person writing, take a look at how to repent in an email and mean information technology.

What are the best practices for writing professional business reports? Tell us in the comments.

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