The AutoText feature has been available in Word for quite some time. Beginning with Word 2000, if you choose AutoText from the Insert menu, you can see a series of submenu choices that appear to categorize all the AutoText entries available to you. At first glance, these categories may seem a bit strange, and you might wonder how you can add your own categories.
Word comes with some built-in categories that are designed for the built-in AutoText entries in Word. If you want to create your own categories, simply make sure that the text you add as an AutoText entry is formatted with a style that matches the name of the category you want. Sound confusing? Perhaps an example will help.
Let's suppose you have some text that is formatted with a paragraph style called "My Paragraph." If you create an AutoText entry from that text, it will end up listed in a category called My Paragraph. Likewise, an AutoText entry originally formatted with the Header style would end up in a category called Header.
The upshot of this is that if you don't use styles, you can't organize your AutoText entries into categories. This is because the default style (Normal) is typically used as a starting point for most people doing explicit formatting. When you add the text as an AutoText entry, you guessed it—it goes into a category called Normal.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (485) applies to Microsoft Word 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!
AutoText is a great feature in Word; it helps you put together documents quickly. If you need to delete multiple AutoText ...
Discover MoreAutoText entries can make your writing more productive, if used effectively. Because of this, it can be advantageous for ...
Discover MoreIn some instances, Word may actually refuse to save any of your AutoText entries in the Normal.dot template. There are a ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments