Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier 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: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier 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 (5883) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Using TC Fields for Notes.
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2018-05-31 16:16:26
Ellie
Is there any way to copy the TOC and paste it as formatted editable text (or to convert it to editable text)? To make drafting, revising and editing easier, I would like to make notes and highlight parts of the TOC that would not change or update with the document. Thanks!
2016-10-05 10:32:03
Sam
I can't get this to work in Word 2016. I like using endnotes for this purpose.
2016-10-05 09:43:03
Eileen
Wouldn't comments work, too?
2013-08-13 16:32:22
Murray
What a great idea. Thanks
2013-08-10 09:26:11
Jessica
Similarly, we use a paragraph style called TBD to collect similar items. We create a TOC based on that style at the end of the doc, so the authors can check it but skip printing that page when we distribute to the reviewers. yes, our reviewers work on printed copies.
2013-08-10 06:49:06
Bruce
Great tip. This one I will use. Thanks.
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