MS Word - Lesson 1: Start with Microsoft Word 2007

The following guide provides a clear overview of Microsoft Word 2007, with the most relevant background, details, and practical takeaways.

Word 2007 Layout Screen

Figure 1: Screen Layout

Menus of Word 2007

When you start to learn Word 2007, notice some new points in the menu bar. There are 3 features you should remember when working in Word 2007: Microsoft Office Button, Quick Access Toolbar, and Ribbon. These features contain many of the same functions as in the previous version of Word. These functions are stated immediately below:

Microsoft Office Button

Figure 2: Microsoft Office Button

The Microsoft Office Button performs many of the same functions as the File menu of earlier versions of Word. This button allows you to create a new document ( New ), open an existing document ( Open ), save ( Save ) or save with a file name ( Save as ), print ( Print ), Send (via good email). Fax), publish (publish) or Close.

Ribbon

Figure 3: Ribbon

Ribbon is the area above the document. It has 7 tabs: Home, Insert, Page Layout, References, Mailings, Review, View contains many new and old features of Word. Each tab is split into groups. A group is a set of features designed to perform functions you use in developing or editing Word documents. Common features are displayed on the Ribbon, to see additional features in each group, click the arrow at the bottom right of that group.

Figure 4: Example features in the Paragraph group

Each tab contains the following tools:

• Home: Clipboard, Fonts, Paragraph, Styles, and Editing.
• Insert: Pages, Tables, Illustrations, Links, Header & Footer, Text, and Symbols.
• Page Layout: Themes, Page Setup, Page Background, Paragraph, Arrange.
• References: Table of Contents, Footnote, Citation & Bibliography, Captions, Index, and Table of Authorities.
• Mailings: Create, Start Mail Merge, Write & Insert Fields, Preview Results, Finish.
• Review: Proofing, Comments, Tracking, Changes, Compare, Protect.
• View: Document Views, Show / Hide, Zoom, Window, Macros.

Quick Access Toolbar

Figure 5: Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is a custom toolbar that contains the commands you want to use. You can place the Quick Access toolbar at the top or bottom of the Ribbon. To change the location of the Quick Access Toolbar, click the arrow at the end of the toolbar and select Show Below the Ribbon.

Figure 6: Change the location of Customize Quick Access Toolbar

You can also add items to the Quick Access toolbar. Right-click any item in the Office Button or Ribbon and select Add to Quick Access Toolbar and a shortcut will be added to the Quick Access Toolbar.

Figure 7: Adding tools to the Quick Access Toolbar

Next article: MS Word - Lesson 2: Working with Documents