Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Using TC Fields for Notes.
There are many times you may need to keep a "list" of editing work that needs to be done on a document. Keeping such a list manually, particularly in regards to a long document, can be difficult. Usually I put some sort of textual key in the document for which I can later search to find the location of where work needs to be done. For instance, I may put the text ***HERE in the document, knowing that I can search for that and find the exact spot that needs work.
There is another approach that can be taken, however. This involves the use of the TC field, which is normally used to mark Table of Contents entries. You can also use these fields to indicate places where work needs to be done. This works because you can place anything within the TC field, and what you enter ends up in the TOC. This makes them a natural for creating notes to yourself. For example, you could use any of the following TC fields within your document:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: 
{tc "send this tc tip to Allen Wyatt for WordTips"}
{tc "check this formula for accuracy"}
{tc "rewrite this paragraph before it leaves your desk"}
The potential uses are virtually endless. Later, when you are ready to do your editing work, you simply generate a TOC at the beginning of your document. The entries dutifully end up there, and since the page numbers are hyperlinks, double-clicking the page numbers will take you to the spot where you need to work.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1400) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Using TC Fields for Notes.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
One of the many uses for Word is to create forms that can be easily filled in by other people. This is made possible by ...
Discover MoreAutomatically putting today's date at the top of a report is easy. Putting a different date, automatically, can be more ...
Discover MoreWhen you use the FILENAME field in a document, it can include the full path name that leads to your file. This might be ...
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 © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments