Upgrading to Word 2010
Word 2010 User Interface
Word 2010 utilizes the improved Microsoft Office 2010 Fluent User Interface (typically referred to as “the ribbon”). This interface was introduced with the release of Office 2007 and is significantly different from the user interface of previous versions. As you work to create new documents or convert existing ones, new features will be found in almost every area. New terminology has been introduced representing the new features and new look.
The objective of the new interface is to make it a more intuitive method of working with documents. By default, the Title Bar displays the Word icon at the left, followed by the Quick Access Toolbar. The document name and application are now centered on the Title Bar, with the Minimize, Restore/Maximize, and Close application buttons positioned at the right end. Clicking the File Tab displays the new Backstage View which provides access to features previously found on the File Menu in 2003 and earlier versions and on the Office Button in 2007. In Word 2010 the Options menu is located on the File Tab. The Quick Launch Toolbar displays the Save, Undo and Repeat commands by default in Word 2010, but this can be easily customized to include all frequently used commands.
The Ribbon interface is located below the Title Bar. The Ribbon consists of Tabs where commands and tools are displayed. The Home Tab by default is active when Word 2010 is launched. The Home Tab displays groups for the most common commands used when creating or editing documents. Other 2010 tabs include Insert, Page Layout, References, Mailings, Review, and View. Clicking on a tab displays that tab's ribbon containing command buttons which are organized into groups. To locate commands not represented in a group, click the Dialog Box Launcher at the bottom right corner of the group. Additionally, contextual tabs can be displayed on the Ribbon to provide tools for specific features. For instance, if a chart is accessed in a document, a contextual tab, Chart Tools, displays providing ribbons for the Design, Format and Layout of the chart.
Word 2010 also provides galleries of thumbnails that give you a picture of choices available for a particular option. Hovering over a thumbnail in a gallery shows the effect of that choice on the document. This is called Live Preview.
File Format
The default file format for Word 2007 and Word 2010 is .docx. The XML format of Word, Excel and PowerPoint provides significant reduction in document size, improved data recovery for corrupt documents and the ability to use the files with external systems. The XML information is transportable and can be shared and reused easily.
Because of the file format difference, documents created with versions previous to Word 2007 (when the new .docx file format was introduced) can be accessed but the new features will not be available. The document name will appear on the Title Bar with [Compatibility Mode] displayed to its right. Documents can be worked on in Compatibility Mode or converted to the new file format using the Convert feature found on the File Tab on the Info page. The 2010 document can be saved to write over the existing document, or "saved-as" to save the document in the new XML format as a different file.
Documents created in Word 2007 and 2010 cannot be opened in previous versions of Word until the Compatibility Pack module has been installed. The Compatibility Pack is a free download from Microsoft Office Online.
Since older file formats of Word cannot support some of the new Word features, the Compatibility Checker has been provided. The Compatibility Checker provides a list of items in the document that may not appear the same or be fully editable if the document were opened in previous versions of Word. The Compatibility Checker is launched in a “save as” operation from one of the XML formats to an older file format, such as .doc or when the Run Compatibility Checker is accessed on the File Tab, Info page, Prepare for Sharing button.
New Features
Office Backstage View. The Office Backstage View is a new concept replacing the Office Button and provides a much more user-friendly environment. It helps users manage documents more efficiently. Click the File tab to access the Office Backstage View.
Recover earlier versions of a file in Office 2010. It is easier to recover a Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint 2010 file if you close your file without saving, or you want to review or return to an earlier version of the file you're already working in. As with earlier versions of Office, enabling AutoRecover will save versions while you are working in your file at the interval you select. Now, you can choose to keep the last autosaved version of a document so you can restore it the next time that you open the file. Also, while you are working in your file, you can access a listing of the autosaved files from Backstage View.
Protected View. Files from the Internet and from other potentially unsafe locations can contain viruses, worms, or other kinds of malware, that can harm your computer. To help protect your computer, files from these potentially unsafe locations are opened in Protected View. In Protected View, you can read a file and inspect its contents while reducing the risks that can occur. If you know the file is from a trustworthy source, and you want to edit, save, or print the file, you can exit Protected View. After you leave Protected View, the document becomes a trusted document.
Customizable Ribbon. Use customizations to personalize the ribbon the way that you want it. For example, you can create custom tabs and custom groups to contain your frequently used commands. Ribbon customization is specific to the Microsoft Office program you are working in at the time and does not apply across the Office programs. You can rename and change the order of the default tabs and groups that are built-into Microsoft Office 2010. However, you cannot rename the default commands, change the icons associated with these default commands, or change the order of these commands.
Screenshot. You can quickly and easily add a screenshot to your Word document to enhance the readability or capture information without leaving the program. This feature is available in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word. You can use it to take a picture of all or part of the windows open on your computer. These screenshots are easy to read in printed documents and on PowerPoint slides that you project. Screenshot is found on the Insert ribbon in the Illustrations group. Insert a screenshot of any program that is not minimized to the Taskbar. Click Screen Clipping to insert a picture of any part of the screen.
Background Removal Option. In Word 2010 you can simply remove the background of any image. After you insert a picture in your Word document, locate the Background Removal feature in the Adjust group on the Format ribbon of the Picture Tools contextual tab to remove its background.
Paste Preview. Word 2010 has made it easy for users to paste only the values or the formatting they need using the paste preview option. Click the bottom part of the Paste split button on the Home ribbon in the Clipboard group and hover over the Paste Options to view how the text will be pasted into the document.
Navigation Pane. The Navigation Pane enables you to view all of your document’s headings and pages in a clear, top-to-bottom format; locate and restructure content just by dragging headings; and find all instances of specific words, phrases, or items such as figures and tables. The Navigation Pane is found on the View ribbon in the Show group.
