Microsoft Word Features That Can Elevate Your Contract Drafting

As a legal professional, you know that drafting contracts can be a complex and time-consuming process. Fortunately, Microsoft Word offers a variety of unique features that can help streamline the process and improve the accuracy and professionalism of your final document.

Here are some of the Microsoft Word features you can use when drafting contracts.

1. Quick Parts

Use Quick Parts to save frequently used elements, such as a signature block or a confidentiality notice, as reusable content that can be easily inserted into your document.

1. Open your draft in MS Word.
2. Select the text you want to use as a template.
3. Click Insert > Quick Parts > Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery.
4. Open a new document.
5. Click Insert > Quick Parts, then select the saved template.

2. Password Protection

Use Password Protection to protect your contract from unauthorized access. You can set a password to open the document or to restrict editing and formatting.

1. Go to the Review tab in MS Word.
2. Click Restrict Editing.
3. Select the "Allow only this type of editing in the document" check box.
4. Click "No changes (Read only)".
5. Select the part of the document where you want to allow changes.
6. Under Exceptions, select who to give access to. Include your own name if you want to be able to edit that part, and separate each name with a semicolon.
7. Under Start enforcement, click "Yes, Start Enforcing Protection".

3. Compare Documents

Use the Compare Documents feature to compare two versions of a contract and highlight the differences between them.

1. Open MS Word.
2. Go to Review.
3. Click Compare, then upload both documents to be compared.

4. Combining Documents

The Combine Documents feature lets you merge two or more documents into a single document. This is useful when you need to merge multiple drafts of a contract.

1. Go to the Review tab in MS Word.
2. Click Compare > Combine Documents.
3. Attach both documents.
4. Edit the author name.

5. Document Map

Use the Document Map to navigate your document quickly and easily. This feature lets you see an overview of your document's headings and subheadings.

1. Open your document in Microsoft Word.
2. Click the View tab at the top of the screen.
3. In the Show section of the toolbar, check the Navigation Pane box. The Navigation Pane appears on the left side of the screen.
4. Click the Headings tab in the Navigation Pane. The Document Map appears, showing a hierarchical view of your headings and subheadings.
5. To navigate to a specific section, click the corresponding heading or subheading. Your cursor jumps to that section.

To collapse or expand a heading, click the arrow next to it. To customize the Document Map, click Options in the Navigation Pane, where you can show or hide certain heading types, adjust its size, and more.

6. SmartArt

Use SmartArt to create diagrams and flowcharts that visually represent complex information. This is especially helpful when there are a lot of things being discussed and negotiated in one contract.

7. Cross-References

Use Cross-References to link to other sections of your document or to external sources. This is particularly useful when referencing specific clauses or legal statutes.

1. Place your cursor where you want to create the cross-reference.
2. Click the References tab at the top of the screen.
3. In the Captions section of the toolbar, click the Cross-Reference button.
4. In the Cross-Reference dialog box, select the type of reference you want to create, such as a heading or a numbered item.
5. Select the item you want to refer to in the "For Which Field" dropdown. This could be a heading, footnote, endnote, bookmark, or other reference within your document.
6. Select the format you want to use, such as a page number or heading text.
7. Click Insert to add the cross-reference to your document.

8. Watermarks

Use Watermarks to add a visible or invisible image or text to your document that indicates its status, such as "Draft" or "Confidential."

1. Click the Design tab at the top of the screen.
2. In the Page Background section of the toolbar, click Watermark.
3. In the drop-down menu, select the type of watermark you want to add. You can choose from a variety of built-in watermarks, including text, picture, and custom watermarks.
4. Click Apply to add the watermark to your document.

The Takeaway

These are just a few of the Microsoft Word features that can help when drafting contracts. By using them, you can save time, reduce errors, and ensure that your contract is professional and well-organized.