Guide for working with Word and Designmode
 
MS Word uses formatting and character sets that are not always compatible with current web technologies. In order to ensure the best possible results when working with Word and Designmode please use the following best practices:
 
  1. Always start with a new template for your Evaluation Report. Never use an old Evaluation Report as a template for the a new Evaluation Report.
  2. We recommend keeping your formatting to a minimum in Word, then formatting your text in SpEd Forms.
    1. Use a single font and avoid highly styled (fancy) fonts.
    2. Use a single font size.
    3. Avoid bolding, underlining, italics or colors.  Apply that formatting in SpEd Forms.
  3. Always paste on to a blank line by pressing 'Enter' first (not Shift-Enter), then doing the paste operation.  Do not paste on existing lines that contain formatting or into cells in a table.
  4. Be sure to use the 'Paste from Word'  button in the toolbar.  Be sure to click inside the field where you want the text to go.
  5. If you want to copy/paste from a document in History, copy the text into Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac), then copy from Notepad or TextEdit back into SpEd Forms.
  6. We recommend turning off Word's Autoformat features:  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291473
 

Word 2002

  1. Start Word.
  2. On the Tools menu, click AutoCorrect Options.
  3. Click the AutoFormat As You Type tab.
  4. Under Replace as you type, Apply as you type, clear the Borders, Border lines, Tables and Automatically as you type check boxes. After you do this, you can format these items manually.
  5. Click OK.

Word 2007

  1. Start Word.
  2. Click the Microsoft Office Button Microsoft Office 2007 Button and then click Word Options.
  3. Click Proofing, and then click AutoCorrect Options.
  4. On the AutoCorrect tab, clear the check boxs for Borders, Border lines under Apply as you type. After you do this, you can format these items manually.
  5. Click OK two times.
  6.   If you paste in text and the cursor seems to jump around or information disappears, DO NOT SAVE the page.  Leave the page, without saving,  and follow these steps:
 
    1. Go back to the page.
    2. Select (highlight) All the text.
    3. Do an Edit / Copy.
    4. Use the 'Paste from Word' button to copy the text back in.
    5. Verify that the text looks ok and no data has been lost.
    6. Press 'Save'.
    7. Try your paste again.