Troubleshoot inserting frequently used text and graphics

• To turn on AutoComplete, point to AutoText on the Insert menu, click AutoText, and then select the Show AutoComplete suggestions check box.
• Make sure your AutoText entry name is four or more characters long. If it's not, you need to rename the AutoText entry.
• You must type enough characters (at least the first four characters) to uniquely identify the AutoText entry name. For example, if there are entries named "company logo" and "company address," type company a to see the AutoComplete tip for the company address.
• Your AutoText entry may contain graphics only. Try typing the entry name and then pressing F3.
• In order to see an AutoComplete tip for person names and e-mail addresses, you must use Microsoft Word as your default e-mail editor. Then you must first send e-mail to a person so that you can see an AutoComplete tip for the person's name or e-mail address when you type it in a document. If you do not type the person's name or e-mail address in a document for some time after sending the e-mail, the name and address will automatically be removed from the AutoText list. The name and e-mail address will be added to the list after you e-mail the person again.

• The paragraph containing the insertion point might have a different style applied. When Microsoft Word displays AutoText entries on the AutoText menu (Insert command) or on the AutoText toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.), the list includes only the entries linked to the style (style: A combination of formatting characteristics, such as font, font size, and indentation, that you name and store as a set. When you apply a style, all of the formatting instructions in that style are applied at one time.) of the paragraph that contains the insertion point or selection. To see a complete list of AutoText entries, point to AutoText on the Insert menu, click AutoText, and then look in the Enter AutoText entries here list.
• The paragraph containing the insertion point might be in a different language. If you have turned on automatic language detection, the entries in the lists on the AutoText menu and the AutoText toolbar correspond to the language of the text that your insertion point is positioned in, while the entries listed on the AutoText tab in the AutoCorrect dialog box (Insert menu, point to AutoText, and then click AutoText) reflect the Normal template (Normal template: A global template that you can use for any type of document. You can modify this template to change the default document formatting or content.). For example, if you are typing French in the English version of Microsoft Word, the AutoText entries that appear on the menu and on the toolbar list will be in French, but the ones on the AutoText tab will be in English.

To insert AutoText entries in the language you're typing in, use the AutoText menu (point to AutoText on the Insert menu) or the AutoText toolbar. To insert AutoText entries in the language version of Word that you are using, use the AutoText tab in the AutoCorrect dialog box.

• Also note that if you insert an AutoText field by using the Field Options dialog box (Insert menu, Field command), the Field Options dialog box, like the AutoText tab in the AutoCorrect dialog box, reflects the language version of Word that you are using, not the language you are typing in.
• The AutoText entry might be stored with a template other than the Normal template. If you stored AutoText entries in the Normal template — or in a template loaded for global use — the entries are available to all documents. If you stored AutoText entries in any other template, the entries are available only to documents based on that template.

To make sure you're using the correct template, click Templates and Add-Ins on the Tools menu, and then click the Templates tab. The current template's name appears in the Document template box. If necessary, copy the AutoText entries you want into the current template.

Security  Because AutoText entries are stored in files, do not use AutoText entries to store sensitive data in files that you distribute.

First, store the AutoText entries in a template (template: A file or files that contain the structure and tools for shaping such elements as the style and page layout of finished files. For example, Word templates can shape a single document, and FrontPage templates can shape an entire Web site.) and distribute the template to the members of your workgroup. Then, your co-workers can create documents based on the template. Or they can use the Organizer to copy the AutoText entries into their Normal templates (Normal template: A global template that you can use for any type of document. You can modify this template to change the default document formatting or content.). To use the Organizer, click Templates and Add-Ins on the Tools menu, click Organizer, and then click the AutoText tab.

 Note   Do not distribute your Normal template; it will overwrite any existing AutoText entries stored in your co-workers' Normal templates.

Security  Because AutoText entries are stored in files, do not use AutoText entries to store sensitive data in files that you distribute.

Your access to the document or template (template: A file or files that contain the structure and tools for shaping such elements as the style and page layout of finished files. For example, Word templates can shape a single document, and FrontPage templates can shape an entire Web site.) to which you want to copy AutoText entries might be restricted in one of the following ways:

• Protected except for comments (comment: A note or annotation that an author or reviewer adds to a document. Microsoft Word displays the comment in a balloon in the margin of the document or in the Reviewing Pane.) or tracked changes (tracked change: A mark that shows where a deletion, insertion, or other editing change has been made in a document.). To remove protection, click Unprotect Document on the Tools menu, and then click Stop Protection in the Document Protection task pane. If the document is protected with a password (password: A sequence of characters needed to access computer systems, files, and Internet services. Strong passwords combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.), you must know the password before you can remove protection from the document.
• Protected with a password to modify. You can open the document or template, but you can't save changes to it without the password.
• Protected as a read-only file. You can open the document or template, but if you change it, you need to give it a different file name to be able to save it.
• Limited to users with network privileges. If the document or template you're trying to access is on a network, you might not have the user privileges necessary to save changes to it.

• If you have turned on automatic language detection, the entries in the lists on the AutoText menu (point to AutoText on the Insert menu) and the AutoText toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.) correspond to the language of the text that your insertion point is positioned in. In contrast, the entries listed on the AutoText tab in the AutoCorrect dialog box (Insert menu, point to AutoText, and then click AutoText) reflect the Normal template (Normal template: A global template that you can use for any type of document. You can modify this template to change the default document formatting or content.).

For example, if you are typing French in the English version of Microsoft Word, the AutoText entries that appear on the submenu and on the toolbar list will be in French, but the ones on the AutoText tab in the AutoCorrect dialog box will be in English.

To insert AutoText entries in the language you're typing in, use the AutoText menu or the AutoText toolbar. To insert AutoText entries in the language version of Word that you are using, use the AutoText tab.

• Also note that if you insert an AutoText field by using the Field Options dialog box (Insert menu, Field command), the Field Options dialog box, like the AutoText tab, reflects the language version of Word that you are using, not the language you are typing in.

• You can use an AutoText entry to insert a specific bookmark in only one place in a document. If you store text that contains a bookmark (bookmark: A location or selection of text in a file that you name for reference purposes. Bookmarks identify a location within your file that you can later refer or link to.) as an AutoText entry, Microsoft Word stores the bookmark with the entry. If you insert the AutoText entry more than once in a document, Word removes the bookmark from the previous entry and attaches it to the most recent entry.

The e-mail signature is no longer available on the AutoText menu. For information about creating an e-mail signature, look in Microsoft Word Help for e-mail signatures.