Converting a Word document to PDF is an essential Word skill, especially if you’re dealing with courts that require e-filing. Make that frequent task a one-click operation by adding Publish as PDF to your Quick Access Toolbar.
Customize Your Toolbar to Quickly PDF a Word Document
Re-saving a Word document to PDF usually involves several steps
Clicking on the File tab, choosing Save As, selecting the PDF file type, etc. Adding the Publish as PDF command to the Quick Access Toolbar condenses these multiple steps into a single click.
The Quick Access Toolbar by default sits above the Ribbon in Microsoft Word and in other Microsoft Office applications. In versions 2010 and above, you can add and rearrange commands on this handy toolbar by clicking the downward-facing arrow on the end.
The Publish as PDF command isn’t in the short list available here, so click “More Commands” to access the full list. That’ll take you to the Word Options dialog box. Here, under Choose commands from, choose either All Commands or File tab. Either of those lists will contain the Publish as PDF command.
To add Publish as PDF to your Quick Access Toolbar
Click the Add button in the middle. You can re-order commands on the Quick Access Toolbar using these up-and-down arrows on the right. Click OK to save your changes.
From here on out, all you have to do to save your current document as a PDF is click this button. Word automatically invokes File > Save As and chooses the PDF file type for you.
If your court requires your documents to be PDF/A compliant
Click Options in the Publish as PDF dialog box and check that box. Click Publish to save your document as a PDF.
By the way, this doesn’t just work in Word. You can add Publish as PDF to the Quick Access Toolbar in any Microsoft Office application except Outlook. So take a moment to customize the Quick Access Toolbar and make this daily task just a little bit easier.
Click here to read Deborah’s Microsoft Office tips.
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