can i write headlines on side of text in a word document?

[grant writer]

i want to write a summary phrase of a few words next to each paragraph in a
word document. i can't figure out how to write (or insert a text box) outside
of the margins. is it possible, and if so how? thank you

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

See http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/MarginalText.htm

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

You could do it using a text box... but the wrapping style needs to be set
to the drawing layer. "In front of text" seems to work well for this sort of
thing. Right-click the edge of the text box and choose Format Textbox. Then,
in the Layout tab, set the wrapping style to In front of text. This will
allow you to drag the textbox into the margin area.

If you *always* want to be able to drag text boxes, then choose Tools -
Options - Edit, and set Insert/Paste pictures as: to In front of text (or
perhaps one of the other option better suits your everyday needs). In Word
2007, the setting is found in Word Options - Advanced - Cut, copy, and paste
section.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

A frame is much more suitable for this purpose because it can be
incorporated in a paragraph style, making insertion as easy as applying the
style; see http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/MarginalText.htm

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

I'm not sure I agree that frames are more suitable. Textboxes can be
inserted using AutoText entries, when needed. I find textboxes much more
flexible, more predictable, and less cryptic than frames... and certainly
easier to get to in recent versions of Word.

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Author of the Word 2007 Bible
Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
Web: http://www.herbtyson.com

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

But headings in text boxes won't be seen by the TOC or for cross-references
in versions before Word 2007. Frames are relatively easy to access in
versions through Word 2003, since Insert Frame is still on the Forms toolbar
(and easy enough to add to any toolbar); Word 2007 does make it a bit harder
to find.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

That reason for eschewing text boxes is history in Word 2007. Headings in
text boxes *do* show up in the TOC in Word 2007, and text box material is
available for cross references.

Aside from that, from my reading, the subject line notwithstanding, OP
doesn't want side headings. OP wants "to write a summary phrase of a few
words next to each paragraph", so presumably, the TOC isn't an issue.

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Author of the Word 2007 Bible
Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
Web: http://www.herbtyson.com

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If you will read carefully, I wrote, "But headings in text boxes won't be
seen by the TOC or for cross-references in versions *before Word 2007.*" The
fact that the problem is "history in Word 2007" is irrelevant if you are not
using Word 2007 or if the documents you produce must be backward-compatible.

I'll concede your point that the OP doesn't seem to want to use this for
headings. I still maintain that it is far easier to apply a style that
positions a frame exactly where you want it (the same place every time,
formatted just as required) than to insert a text box and format it. Even if
you save the text box as an AutoText entry or building block, it is quite
likely to be unpredictable.

However, chacun à son goût, different strokes for different folks,
tomaytoes/tomahtoes, etc.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

Ah. I missed the "before Word 2007".

I've been using text boxes associated with AutoText (building blocks, in
Word 2007) for quite a while, and they've never been unpredictable at all
as long as the positioning is set correctly--the same requirement as when
using frames. But, I've always disliked frames, so I'm probably biased
against them. Perhaps the way they've been marginalized in later versions of
Word has supported me in my bias.

--
Herb Tyson MS MVP
Author of the Word 2007 Bible
Blog: http://word2007bible.herbtyson.com
Web: http://www.herbtyson.com

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I've always been rather fond of frames, probably at least in part because
until recently I worked almost exclusively in Normal view (where you can see
the content of frames but not text boxes). Because they don't have as many
wrapping options as text boxes, they're somewhat less complicated (and of
course less versatile), and they behave a lot like ordinary text in many
ways, using borders rather than lines, for example.

An advantage of borders is that you can have a partial border (or mixed
borders) on a frame, whereas the outline on a text box (in Word, at least)
is all or nothing. This can be handy if you want, say, a floating paragraph
with a fancy border just on the right (separating it from the text). Yes,
you could apply the border to the text inside a text box, but that limit the
formatting of the text (no different indents).

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

 

[Robert M. Franz (RMF)]

Hello Herb

I've been using text boxes associated with AutoText (building blocks, in
Word 2007) for quite a while, and they've never been unpredictable at
all as long as the positioning is set correctly--the same requirement as
when using frames. But, I've always disliked frames, so I'm probably
biased against them. Perhaps the way they've been marginalized in later
versions of Word has supported me in my bias.

their biggest benefit, IMHO, is their "stylability." Get me that with
textboxes and I'm your man!

Greetinx
Robert

 

[Stefan Blom]

Hello Herb


their biggest benefit, IMHO, is their "stylability." Get me that with
textboxes and I'm your man!

I agree; it is certainly useful that you can add frame formatting to a
paragraph style.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP