Learning Objectives

  • Generate and update an automatic Table of Contents from Heading styles
  • Insert footnotes/endnotes and figure captions / Table of Figures
  • Manage APA citations and an automated bibliography
  • Run a letter mail merge with a recipient list
  • Create a custom paragraph style (Model Lab Test Set B skill)

Recipient sample: client_list.csv

1) Automatic Table of Contents

  1. Apply Heading 1 / Heading 2 styles to section titles (do not fake headings with bold alone).
  2. Place the cursor on the TOC page.
  3. References → Table of Contents → Automatic Table 1 or 2.
  4. After edits: right-click TOC → Update Field → Update entire table.

Lab-test pattern: insert a page break before the title, put TOC on the blank first page.

2) Footnotes and Endnotes

  1. Cursor after the word needing a note → References → Insert Footnote.
  2. Type the note text (definitions, clarifications, sources).
  3. Use Endnote when notes should collect at the document end.

3) Captions and Table of Figures

  1. Select a figure/table → References → Insert Caption.
  2. Label: Figure or Table; position below figures / above tables as instructed.
  3. References → Insert Table of Figures on a front-matter page.
  4. Update fields before submission.

4) Citations and Bibliography (APA)

  1. References → Style → APA.
  2. Manage Sources → New (author, title, year, publisher).
  3. Insert Citation at the relevant sentence.
  4. At the end: Bibliography → Insert Bibliography.

Example sources from the course reference list:

  • Lambert, J. & Frye, C. (2022). Microsoft Office Step by Step. Microsoft Press.
  • Habraken, J. (2021). Microsoft Office Inside Out. Microsoft Press.

5) Mail Merge (Letters)

  1. Mailings → Start Mail Merge → Letters (or Step-by-Step Wizard).
  2. Select Recipients → Type a New List or Use Existing List (Excel/CSV).
  3. Insert merge fields: «First_Name», «Last_Name», «City».
  4. Example body: Dear «First_Name» «Last_Name», You are invited to the seminar in «City».
  5. Preview Results → Finish & Merge → Edit Individual Documents.
  6. Save main document and merged output separately.

6) Custom Styles (exam-ready)

  1. Home → Styles pane → Create a Style (or Modify).
  2. Example MyBodyStyle: based on Normal; Arial 11 pt; 1.5 line spacing; first-line indent 1 cm.
  3. Apply to body paragraphs under new Heading 1 sections so the TOC picks up structure.

Practice Task

Produce a 6-page mini-report with:

  • 3-level TOC
  • 3 footnotes
  • 5 citations + bibliography
  • 3 captioned figures + Table of Figures
  • Mail merge template linked to at least 3 recipients
  • One custom body style applied to two sections

Step-by-Step Lab Exercise: Mail Merge Invitations

Goal: produce personalised seminar invitations for three guests.

  1. In Excel (or a Word table), create the recipient list and save it as guests.xlsx:

    First_Name Last_Name City
    Sita Sharma Pokhara
    Ram Thapa Butwal
    Anita Gurung Kathmandu
  2. In Word: Mailings → Start Mail Merge → Letters.
  3. Select Recipients → Use an Existing List → choose guests.xlsx → select the sheet.

  4. Type the letter, inserting fields with Insert Merge Field:

    Dear «First_Name» «Last_Name», You are warmly invited to our Digital Skills Seminar for participants from «City».

  5. Click Preview Results and use the arrows to view each letter.
  6. Finish & Merge → Edit Individual Documents → All.

Expected result: a new document with three letters, the first beginning “Dear Sita Sharma” and mentioning Pokhara.

Quick check: table of contents

Apply Heading 1 to three section titles and Heading 2 to two subsections, then insert an automatic table of contents. Expected: 5 entries with page numbers. Add a new Heading 1, then Update Table → Update entire table → 6 entries.

Common Errors and Fixes

Problem Likely cause Fix
Heading missing from the table of contents Heading typed in bold instead of using a Heading style Apply Heading 1/2 styles, then update the TOC
TOC page numbers are wrong TOC not updated after edits Right-click TOC → Update Field → Update entire table
Merge shows «First_Name» instead of names Preview Results is off Click Preview Results
Merge list is empty Wrong sheet selected or header row missing Check the first row contains column names and reselect the list
Bibliography is missing a source Source cited without being saved in Manage Sources Add the source in Manage Sources, then update the bibliography

Key Takeaways

  • Automatic TOCs depend on Heading styles; update them after editing.
  • Captions feed the Table of Figures; citations feed the bibliography.
  • Mail merge combines one main document with a recipient list.
  • Custom styles keep formatting consistent and save time.

Exam-Style Questions

Viva (short answer)

  1. What must you do before inserting an automatic table of contents?
  2. Distinguish between a footnote and an endnote.
  3. What are the three main components of a mail merge?
  4. How do you insert a citation in APA style?
  5. What is a Table of Figures?

Lab test tasks

  1. Create a five-page report with three levels of headings and an automatic table of contents on the first page.
  2. Insert three footnotes, two captioned figures, and a Table of Figures.
  3. Add four sources in APA style, cite them in the text, and insert a bibliography.
  4. Create a mail merge letter for five recipients from an Excel list and produce the merged documents.

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