Project 1: Word Basics
Icon: Word 2002Icon: Word 2003 Smart Tags

 Title: Jan's Illustrated Computer Literacy 101
Another feature of Word 2002/2003 and other Office XP/2003 programs is Smart Tags. These are handy popup buttons with context-sensitive menus. They can even help you manage tasks that you might normally have to use a different program to do.

Text with Smart Tag indicator - dotted purple lineIn Word the indicator for a Smart Tag is a purple dotted underline. In the illustration at the right both the name and the street address have the purple dotted underline. There is a different Action menu for each.

Smart Tags Action menu for a name

Smart Tags Action menu for an address


Where you are:
JegsWorks > Lessons > Words

Before you start...

Project 1: Word Basics
   Interface To subtopics
       Views
       Navigating
       Toolbars
       Standard Bar
       Formatting Bar
       Status Bar
       Ruler
       Task Pane Icon: Word 2002Icon: Word 2003
       Smart Tags Icon: Word 2002Icon: Word 2003
    Getting StartedTo subtopics
    FormatTo subtopics
    ImagesTo subtopics
    Pre-PrintTo subtopics
    Manage Printing
    Summary
    Quiz
    ExercisesTo subtopics

Project 2: Auto ToolsTo subtopics

Project 3: BrochureTo subtopics

Project 4: ReportTo subtopics

    Search
    Glossary

Using Smart Tags

  • Move your mouse over the text underlined with purple dots to make the Smart Tags Actions button Button: Smart Tags Actions appear near the text.
  • Move the mouse over the Actions button and a down arrow appears. Button: Smart Tags Actions - arrow
  • Click on the arrow and a menu of possible actions appears. Cool!

Smart Tag and its Action options for an address

Other Buttons in Word

Word uses the same type of button and options menu for some of Word's own features. The exact options may vary depending on exactly what you just did.

  • Button: AutoCorrection Options AutoCorrect Options
    This button does not pop into view automatically when AutoCorrect makes a change. Here is an example of how it works:
     
    • In Word 2002, type a name with two initial capital letters, like "JAn"
    • AutoCorrect changes it to use only 1 initial capital, like "Jan". No button appears yet.
    • Move the mouse pointer over the corrected word.
    • The AutoCorrect Options button appears in its collapsed state, as a small blue box under the word.  Button: AutoCorrect Options - collapsed to blue box
    • Move the mouse pointer over the blue box and the full AutoCorrect Options button appears. Button: AutoCorrect Options - arrow
    • Button: AutoCorrect Options menuClick the arrow to see the menu of options.
       
  • Button: Paste Options Paste Options

Button: Paste Options menuThis button appears nearby when you paste anything into a Word document. Hover over the button and an arrow appears. Click on the arrow and a menu of options appears. The options can vary, depending on what you are pasting and what program it is from.

 

 

Custom Smart Tags

You are not limited to just the Smart Tags that come with the software. Programmers can write as many Smart Tags as they can think up.

Example 1: FedEx offers a Smart Tag that recognizes a FedEx tracking number or a name and offers several helpful actions, like Track Shipments  and  Find Dropoff Locations . These will open a web page on the FedEx site to get the information.

Smart Tag: MSNBCExample 2: MSNBC offers a Smart Tag that recognizes major cities and gives options to see the local weather, news, and sports. Again, these options open a web page at MSNBC with the information you chose.

For more: Microsoft creates new Smart Tags and has links to 3rd party smart tags:

Microsoft Smart TagsIcon: Off site web page

3rd Party Smart Tags Icon: Off site web page