How to Update Field Codes in Word

Field codes can help create useful solutions in a documents.

Field codes in Microsoft Word can help create templates with user-selectable lists, pop-up menus or dropdown menus. Field codes can create document summary sheets, perform calculations and insert information from database and spreadsheet files. Word can display the information in the field according to formats set in the field codes. The field codes update the information in the field according to the instructions native to the software or according to extra codes inserted inside the fields called switches.

Instructions

1. Place your cursor where you want a field. Press "Ctrl" and "F9" to create a pair of brackets with a gray area between them and the insertion point inside the gray area. Type a code such as "Date" to create a date entry, "Time" to show the current time or "Filename" to return the name of the file of the document. Press "F9" to make the field show the current date or file name.

2. Right click on the field and select "Update Field" to force the field to show its current value. The value will remain the same until you update it again or until you close and reopen the document.

3. Press "Ctrl" and "P" to bring up the "Print" menu. Click on "Options" at the bottom left of the menu. Check the "Update Fields" box. This will instruct Word to update all fields right before printing.

Tips & Warnings

• Insert switches to manage the behavior of the codes. For example, insert the switch "\!" to lock the field so that it won't automatically update.

References

• G Mayor: Formatting Word Field Codes
• Office Articles: Merge Field Formatting in Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office: Insert and Format Field Codes

Resources

• MSDN: Word Fields: Part I