Protecting Yourself with Undo and Redo
Many people are terrified of making a mistake using Office 2007, so they wind up never learning any features that could save them time. Any time you do anything in Office 2007, from deleting or modifying text to adding a picture or page, you can always immediately reverse - undo - your previous command by choosing the Undo command (Ctrl+Z) right away.
Armed with the Undo command, you can experiment freely with different commands. When things do not work the way you thought, press Ctrl+Z and undo your last changes.
If you wind up undoing a change and then suddenly realize you did not want to undo that change after all, you can redo a command you previously reversed. To redo a command that you had undone, choose the Redo command (Ctrl+Y).
To undo multiple commands, follow these steps:
- Click the downward-pointing arrow to the right of the Undo icon on the Quick Access toolbar. A pull-down menu appears of all the latest commands you have chosen.
- Highlight one or more commands on the Undo menu and click the last command you want to undo.
- (Optional) If you undo a command and suddenly want to redo it, choose the Redo command by choosing one of the following:
- Click the Redo icon on the Quick Access toolbar.
- Press Ctrl+Y.
You cannot undo all commands. If a command cannot be undone, Office 2007 displays a dialog box informing you of this fact to prevent you from wiping out valuable data.
Cut, Copy and Paste
Editing any file often means moving or copying data from one place to another. Understandably, three of the most common commands are the Cut, Copy, and Paste commands.
Both the Cut and Copy commands are most often used with the Paste command. However, the Cut command, without the Paste command, is essentially equivalent to deleting selected text or objects.
Using the Cut and Paste commands
The Cut and Paste commands essentially move text or pictures from one location to another, typically within the same file, but also from one file to another file. To use the Cut command, follow these steps:
- Select the text or objects you want to move and then choose the Cut command by clicking the Cut icon or pressing Ctrl+X. Office 2007 removes your selected item from your file.
- Move the cursor where you want to place the text or objects you selected in Step 1 and then choose the Paste command by clicking the Paste icon or pressing Ctrl+V. Office 2007 displays the cut items in the location you specified.
Using the Copy and Paste commands
The Copy and Paste commands copy text or pictures from one location to another location. To use the Copy command, follow these steps:
- Select the text or objects you want to copy and then choose the Copy command by clicking the Copy icon or pressing Ctrl+C. Your selected item remains in its original location.
- Move the cursor where you want to place the text or objects you selected in Step 1 and choose the Paste command by clicking the Paste icon or pressing Ctrl+V. Office 2007 displays the copied items in the location you specified.
Using the Paste command with the Office Clipboard
Each time you choose the Cut or Copy command, Office 2007 stores that selected data (text or pictures) on the Office Clipboard, which can hold up to 24 items. After you cut or copy items to the Office Clipboard, you can always retrieve them. If you turn off your computer or exit Office 2007, any items on the Office Clipboard are lost. To retrieve a cut or copied item from the Office Clipboard and paste it into a document, follow these steps:
- Click the Home tab and then click the Clipboard icon in the Clipboard group.
- Move the cursor to where you want to paste an item.
- Click an item displayed on the Office Clipboard. Office 2007 pastes your chosen item in your file.
Saving a File
Never trust that your computer, operating system, or Office 2007 will work when you need it. That is why you should save your file periodically while you are working: If you do not, and the power suddenly goes out, you will lose all the changes you made to your file since the last time you saved it. If the last time you saved a file was 20 minutes ago, you will lose all the changes you made in the past 20 minutes.
It is a good idea to save your file periodically, such as after you make a lot of changes to a file. To save a file, choose one of the following:
- Press Ctrl+S.
- Click the Save icon on the Quick Access toolbar.
The first time you save a file, Office 2007 asks you for a descriptive name. After you have saved a file at least once, you can choose the Save command, and Office 2007 will save your file without bothering you with a dialog box.
Printing a File
Despite all the promises of a paperless office, more people are printing and using paper than ever before. As a result, one of the most common commands you will use is the Print command.
To choose the Print command, press Ctrl+P or click the Print icon on the Quick Access toolbar.