Getting a Change and Comment Count by Author

Track Changes can be a great tool when you have multiple editors working on a document. If you want to know the names of the editors and how many changes each editor made, then you'll need to resort to using a macro to discover the stats.

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(Thanks to Ken Endacott for contributing to this tip.)

Changing Spacing Between Table Cells

Need to adjust the space between individual cells in a table? Word gives you a good deal of control over this spacing, as discussed in this tip.

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How Much Time Do You Spend Proofreading?

Do you need more time in your working week? You can cut the amount of time you spend checking your text for typos and inconsistencies by using PerfectIt. It finds mistakes that no spelling or grammar checker will find. And it checks your documents directly from Microsoft Word! To get a free 14-day trial, visit the PerfectIt website!

Selecting a Graphic that is Behind Text

Position a graphic so that it is "behind" your text, and it may seem like you can no longer select the graphic. Here's how you can get to that graphic, even if it is obscured by your text.

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Using Overtype Mode

When you type information into a document, what you type normally is inserted just the left of the insertion point. Word includes another editing mode that replaces existing text with whatever you type. This tip describes what overtype mode is and how it works.

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Accepting All Formatting Changes

Tired of wading through a bunch of formatting changes when you have Track Changes turned on? Here's how to accept all those formatting changes so you can get to the other, more substantive changes.

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Hiding Macros

Don't want a particular macro to be visible in the Macros dialog box? Once you understand the criteria that Word uses when determining which macros to display, you can use this understanding to your benefit. This tip examines three ways you can keep your macros out of the dialog box.

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This section is for those having problems making Word behave. If Word is giving you fits, feel free to submit your own Help Wanted question.

If you have a solution for the problems below, click the link after the problem to send us your answer. (All responses become the sole property of Sharon Parq Associates, Inc., and can be used in any way deemed appropriate.) If your response is used in a future issue, you will be credited for your contribution to the answer.

Missing Lines in Draft View

I have Word set to open documents in Draft view, using a macro that I have used for years. Recently, when I open documents, the top five lines do not show, even if I scroll up and down. The only way I can get them to show is to (1) select Page Layout view and (2) then select Draft view. I use Draft view for all my editing, and I sometimes open hundreds of documents in a day, so this development is a problem. I'm looking for ideas on what might have caused this change and how to fix it.
—Daniel Mears (provide an answer for this Help Wanted question)