Initiating a New Search

Summary: If you've done a lot of searching, you know that it is possible for the current search to be messed up by whatever you previously searched for. This tip provides a few guidelines on how you can minimize the impact of those previous searches. (This tip works with Microsoft Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, and Word 2003.)

There are times when it is possible to really muck things up when searching for information. This usually happens when you have been searching for text and formatting, and you now want to search for something new. If you don't remember to reset all the search variables, you might never find what you are searching for. To overcome this problem, make sure you check the following:

Did you clear the formatting? If the No Formatting button is available on the Find tab of the Find and Replace dialog box, then you should click on it.
Did you clear the text in the Find What box? If not, do so, or at least replace it with text for which you want to search. Remember that there may be a space or some other non-printing character in the field. It is best to highlight the field and press the Del key.

If you still have problems finding what you want, the quickest solution is to exit Word, start the program again, reload the document, and search again.

Tip #20 applies to Microsoft Word versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Create and Merge! Using Word's mail merge tool you can quickly and easily combine data from a variety of data sources to create great individualized documents that incorporate your data in ways that you control. WordTips: Mail Merge Magic is an invaluable source for learning how to harness the full power of Word's mail merging capabilities.

Check out WordTips: Mail Merge Magic today!

Helpful Links

Newest Tips

Subscribe

RSS Feeds

Initiating a New Search