How To Create A New Microsoft Office WORD File

Open A New (Blank) Word Document - Type A Letter - Save The Letter As A .docx File

In the previous section I showed you how to open a microsoft word .docx file (word document), as well as how to use certain aspects of the OPEN file requester, and in this section I continue with file development by showing you how to create a bog standard letter and then save it using the SAVE AS file requester.

Although these foundation lessons are the boring basics, you must learn about file requesters and file formats for example if you want to succeed. If you need to know about folders and files in general, visit my FREE Windows 7 Computer Lessons website.

Create A New Document

Creating a new, blank, microsoft word document is very easy. There are two methods you can use to do this. With the first method you open microsoft word as normal - Click on the START Menu button of Windows, locate the MICROSOFT OFFICE folder, click on it to open it and then select the MICROSOFT WORD 2010 shortcut icon (menu-item) link. Doing so will then open a new, blank, microsoft word document called Document1 (Fig 1.1).

Fig 1.0  START Menu >> Find the MICROSOFT OFFICE folder >> Select MICROSOFT OFFICE WORD 2010




Fig 1.1  A new, blank, microsoft word document called Document1 has been created for you

With the second method microsoft word must already be open - To create a new, blank, document (with one or more documents already opened) simply click on the FILE Tab, select the NEW menu-item (Fig 1.2) and then choose what type of document you want to create (Fig 1.3). For this example just keep it simple by choosing (selecting) the BLANK DOCUMENT icon, if it is not already selected, and then click on the CREATE button to the bottom-right corner of it.

Fig 1.2  Click on the FILE Tab and then select the NEW menu-item




Fig 1.3  Select (click on) the BLANK DOCUMENT icon and then click on the CREATE button to continue

After clicking on the CREATE button a new, blank, document will be created (opened). It might be called Document1, Document2 or even Document3. It depends on the number of blank documents you already have opened - This is because each time a new, blank, document is created the document number is increased.

As you can now see; There is a slight difference between the two methods. Method one is quicker and easier, especially if you are opening word from the Windows taskbar, whereas method two offers more choice. With method two you can create more than just a blank document. You can create a document from a downable template for example on the microsoft office website.

Type A Letter  -  Use The ENTER / RETURN Key

So now that a new microsoft word document has been created you can begin typing a letter for example. Type some words and press the ENTER keyboard key each time you want to make a space (new line) between your words, sentences or paragraphs.

Fig 1.4  Type a letter - Press the ENTER (RETURN) keyboard key to make a new line

The ENTER keyboard key is also known as the RETURN keyboard key in some books and magazines for example. It is the old word of computing. Years ago when you pressed the RETURN keyboard key it would return (compute) a value/sum for example. In today's age though the word ENTER is used to mean enter or process information.

Fig 1.5  The ENTER / RETURN keyboard key

When typing information into an, online, Application Form for example you are entering information as opposed to returning it. However. When you press the ENTER keyboard key that application form's information is then processed (i.e. sent to a job/agency website), which can be termed as "information entered" or "information returned" (they sent the application form, you returned it with information). Hence why application forms still state "Return your application to....." and "Enter your details.....". In this example you are entering (typing in) some words, sentences and/or paragraphs.

Anyway! Regardless of what you are calling that key (I prefer ENTER), in microsoft word each time you press it a new line (new space/gap) will be created. This has two purposes. The first is to create a space (blank line/gap) between words, sentences and paragraphs and the second is to move the flashing cursor down by one line (to the next line).

Save Your Letter As A WORD Document (.docx File)

With a simple letter, like the one in Fig 1.4 above, the next step is to save that letter as a microsoft word document. And more precisely as a .docx file. This is done by clicking on the FILE Tab and selecting the SAVE AS menu-item, which then brings up the SAVE AS File Requester so that you can choose where to save that .docx file to (Fig 1.8).

Fig 1.6  Click on the SAVE AS menu-item to bring up the SAVE AS File Requester

By default (normal behaviour) microsoft word is set up to save a file (word document) in the .docx (word 2007 and 2010) file format. However. In some cases you might want to save a file (word document) in the .doc file format for example, perhaps because you are going to email it to a friend later who only has microsoft word 2003 installed on their computer and therefore can only view word documents in the .doc (word 97 - 2003) file format.

If this is the case for you, simply click on the WORD 97 - 2003 DOCUMENT sub-menu menu-item instead. Either way, which ever option you choose, the SAVE AS file requester will appear.

Fig 1.7  Click on the SAVE button to save the letter as a .docx formatted (structured) file

When the SAVE AS file requester appears (above) you could simply click on the SAVE button to save the letter (word document) as Dear John.docx in the .docx file format (file structure), but if you want to know more about the SAVE AS file requester settings, microsoft word and file names in general then read on.

The  File  Name  And  File  Name  Extension

Also by default, each word document you save takes its file name from the first line of your text (letter) regardless of which file format (i.e. .docx or .html) and which file type (i.e. word document or web page) you will be using to save your word document in.

In this example the FILE NAME edit box, of the SAVE AS file requester, is filled with the wording: Dear John.docx to denote that my word document (letter) is going to be saved as a .docx formatted file, which is a word document file type (word document type of file), with the file name of Dear John.

If you do not like the default file name that microsoft word has chosen for your document you can change it by clicking inside the FILE NAME edit box. If you then delete the whole file name, including the file name extension (i.e. .docx), do not worry about adding the file name extension back to your new file name because microsoft office will automatically do this for you.

Fig 1.8  This file (word document) will still be saved as Letter.docx even without typing in .docx

So regardless if you type Letter or Letter.docx as your new file name, the word document (letter) will still be saved as Letter.docx. This is because microsoft word automatically adds the file name extension to a file name IF the file name extension is missing from the file name.

The  SAVE AS TYPE  Setting  And  File  Format

The SAVE AS TYPE drop-down allows you to change the file type (type of file) setting. For example. You could save the letter (word document) as an Adobe PDF file (.pdf file), as a Web Page (.html file) or as a Microsoft Word file (i.e. .docx or .doc) amongst others; but either way, the saved file will still contain the letter (its words). The file format (internal file structure) will change though depending on the file type you choose, but you should not concern yourself with file format at this stage.

Fig 1.9  Change the SAVE AS TYPE setting, if need be, to a different type of file

When you are happy with the file name (i.e. Letter) and the file type (i.e. WORD 97 -2003 DOCUMENT) click on the SAVE button. In this example the word document (letter) would be saved as a file called Letter.doc that is in the .doc file format. Its file type is a word document that can be opened on any computer that is running microsoft office 97 through to microsoft office 2003.

File  Types  And  File  Formats

Just so that you are clear with the Jargon! I will now clarify FILE TYPE and FILE FORMAT for you.

FILE TYPE is a Type Of File. Meaning, you can save a word document's contents (i.e. a Letter's or C.V's wording) as a web page file (i.e. as a .htm, .html or .mht file), as an Adobe PDF File (.pdf file), as a Microsoft Works file (.wps file) or as a Microsoft Word file (i.e. .doc or .docx file) for example.

If someone asks you "What type of music do you like?" you might answer "Classical, Jazz and Pop Music". And the same goes for microsoft word. "What type of files do you use?". "I only use Microsoft Word files and PDF files, but never Microsoft Works files".

FILE FORMAT is completely different to FILE TYPE.  FORMAT FORMAT is the internal structure of a file - How the file is created/saved, how it stores content (i.e. words and pictures), how it stores paragraph information and so on.

.doc and .docx files are both microsoft word files and are therefore of the same FILE TYPE (they are both word document type of files), but they differ in their FILE FORMAT. Their internal structures are different. So different that microsoft word 2003 for example cannot open, and read the content of, a word 2007 (and 2010) .docx formatted file.

To put this into perspective - "What TYPE of music do you like?". "I like Classical". "What FILE FORMAT would you like me to send you the Beethoven soundtrack in?". "Please send it in the .mp3 file format". "Don't send it in the .rp file format because I don't have RealPlayer installed on my computer".

Although both .mp3 and .rp are audio file formats that can both contain the Beethoven music, the beethoven.rp file is useless to anyone who does not have the RealPlayer media player software installed on their computer. This is because their standard audio player software will not be able to open and interpret the format (internal data structure) of the beethoven.rp file. It might be able to read the sound data (actual musical notes) but not data (information) about the composer/author and how long the audio soundtrack is for example.

The same applies to microsoft word 2003 and 2007. Someone might say "Don't send the word document in the .docx file format because I don't have word 2007 (or 2010) installed". These scenarios have all come about because software companies are not agreeing on one file format. They all think they can structure a file's data to optimum performance in a shorter and/or better way than their rival(s). Hence why file converters are in big demand, which is a pain in the neck for you and me (the consumer).

Not only has someone got an old word 2003 for example but now they have to convert .docx formatted files, sent to them in an email for example, into .doc formatted files or upgrade their copy of microsoft office (very expensive).

File  Name  Characters

When naming files you can use Letters, Numbers, Spaces and some Punctuation Marks. These next characters are generally reserved for Windows 7's (and therefore Microsoft Office's) use and cannot be used as part of your file name.   \  /  :  *  ?  "  <  >  |

For more information about FILE TYPE, FILE FORMAT and FILE NAME you might want to read the Folders & Files section of the Yoingco website.