Ever tried to add clarity or beautify a Word document by adding different-sized headers, different colours or fonts, or perhaps even throwing in some graphics? Can’t quite work out how to get the formatting to look the same or line up correctly?

Applying formatting in Word can be finnicky. Admit it – we’ve all loved to hate applying formatting in a Word document at least once in our lives. Before you’re just about ready to throw your computer out the window, try using the Format Painter tool.

Using this tool, you can quickly duplicate the same font size, style, colour and other text effects. You can also copy and paste paragraph-level formatting options, such as numbered and bulleted lists, spacing, alignment, indentation, shading and borders – think of it as copying and pasting for formatting.   

 

 

 

Why use this tip?

This tip is perfect for:

 

  • Polished pleadings and briefs: Quickly ensure consistent formatting across legal documents, from headers to bullet points so deadlines are less stressful.
  • Save time on edits: Avoid repetitive manual formatting adjustments by duplicating styles in one click.
  • Professional appearance: Present documents that are clear, organised and visually aligned, impressing colleagues and clients alike.
  • Reduce errors: Maintain accuracy in formatting for compliance with court or firm standards.
  • Simplify collaboration: Easily align formatting across team-edited documents to avoid inconsistencies.

How to get started

  1. Select the text or graphic that has the formatting that you want to copy.
  2. Select Format Painter icon in the top-lefthand corner of your screen (it looks like a paintbrush). 
  3. Select a selection of text or graphics to apply the same formatting. Note: This only works once.

TIP: To change the format of multiple selections in your document just double-click Format Painter and hit ESC when you want to stop formatting.

 

Is your team interested in learning more document management and workflow tips so it can save time and optimise client services? Then eDiscovery Collab’s education series is for you. Contact us today about booking complimentary training on the Microsoft suite, RelativityOne, Nuix Discover and more.