Trainees are expected to work efficiently and effectively, especially during particularly busy and stressful periods. I am assuming that you have a fairly solid understanding of Microsoft Word, so I have decided to only include a series of brief top tips that can really help during training contracts (note that some of the shortcuts mentioned may not work depending on the version of Microsoft Word that you are using).

Automatic cross-references

Automatic cross-references: clauses/paragraphs within legal documents tend to refer to other clauses/paragraphs. For instance, one clause may include an obligation (e.g. “Clause 14: one party must purchase a minimum of x number of products per year”), whilst another may include processes that must be followed when carrying out that obligation (e.g. “Clause 15: when making a purchase, the buyer must pay within y number of days using z method of payment”). The first clause may need to refer to the second clause, for instance “one party must purchase a minimum of x number of products per year, in accordance with clause 15”. Simply writing “clause 15” could be problematic, as the actual clause number may change if the position of that clause in the document later changes (e.g. if a new clause is inserted above it). To save you having to manually update all the references in your document each time the document changes, Microsoft Word has a function that lets you insert automatic cross-references. This function lets you input a special reference to a particular clause to which you want to refer (as opposed to simply a clause number), so that if that clause changes position in the document, references to that clause should automatically update to reflect its new position (e.g. an automatic cross-reference to “clause 15” would automatically change to “clause 16” if a new clause is inserted earlier in the document). For this reason, be sure to use automatic cross-references when working on documents! 

To insert automatic cross-references into a document in Microsoft Word, follow the following path: 

Insert > Cross-reference > Paragraph number > select the relevant clause/paragraph to which you want to refer and the cross-reference will appear. 

The reason these are called “automatic” cross-references is that the references should automatically update if clause/paragraph numbers change. However, you cannot fully rely on this happening. 

• Pressing F9 instructs all automatic cross-references to update, but you should also proofread the document to check that the references are correct (sometimes deleting a clause can result in error messages appearing in place of references that used to refer to that deleted clause). 
• Note that you can only use cross-references if the document has a numbering/lettering system in place (i.e. you cannot simply refer to a block of text).

Other useful functionalities 

Mail merge

• Mail merge is a useful tool if you are producing a large volume of certain documents and need to fill in uniform details from a spreadsheet covering, for instance, names, contact details or numerical values. Examples of documents that could be generated using Mail Merge include stock transfer forms and shareholder notifications.

Format painter

• The format painter tool is invaluable when it comes to quickly and accurately ensuring that formatting within documents (including contracts) is correct and consistent. I
• t enables you to copy the formatting of a particular section of a document (e.g. a heading, sentence, paragraph, bullet point or contractual clause), then easily apply this formatting to another section of the document. 
• For example, let’s say you have bullet points in a certain style at the start of a document (e.g. small black bullet points with 10 pt paragraph spacing between each, and font that is Times New Roman, size 12, coloured blue and in italics). If you can click anywhere within one of those bullet points, then click the format painter tool, any text you subsequently highlight will appear with identical formatting to the bullet point in which you originally clicked.

Templates

• Firms typically have their own house style templates embedded into Microsoft Office. Try to find a relevant template when producing a new document, especially when drafting letters, memos and notes of advice.

Moving rows/columns in a table

• It is likely you will have to reorder tables on numerous occasions throughout a training contract, especially when producing indexes and transaction bibles. To do this efficiently, select the row/column you want to move, then hold shift + alt + the up/down/left/right arrow (depending on where you want to move the row or column).

Table headings

• If you have a table that spans many pages, it may be best practice at your firm to ensure that the top row of the table (which typically includes the headings for each column) reappears at the top of each page. 
• To do this: highlight the top row > right click > table properties > click the “Row” tab > tick “Repeat as header row at the top of each page”.

Quick access toolbar

• Including all the buttons that you most frequently use on your quick access toolbar should save you time, as you will not have to constantly flick between ribbons/menu items. 
• To add buttons to your quick access toolbar (e.g. track changes, insert footnote etc.), right click the button on the main ribbon that you would like to appear in your quick access toolbar and click “add to quick access toolbar”. 
• You can move your quick access toolbar so it is positioned underneath the ribbon by clicking the end of the toolbar and selecting “show below the ribbon”.

Other useful shortcuts

• To select a whole paragraph, triple click the text; to select multiple paragraphs, click at the start of the first relevant paragraph, then hit ctrl + shift + down arrow.
• To select a sentence, ctrl + click anywhere in the sentence; to select a word, double click the word.
• To scroll to the top/end of document, hit ctrl + home/end; and, to move paragraphs, select a paragraph, hold shift + alt, then press the up/down arrow.