Format Copied Text the Way You Wish

I receive electronic documents in various formats. When I use text from one of these source documents, I have to reformat the text to conform to the specifications of the document I am working on. Here's how I make sure that text copied from other documents conforms to my document style:

 
1.            In the source document, select and copy the text you want to use.

2.            In the destination document, create a blank paragraph and apply any formatting, such as font size, columns, or bullets that you want to apply to the pasted text.

3.            On the Edit menu, click Paste Special, click Unformatted Text, and then click OK.

The pasted text generally follows the formatting you specified for the blank paragraph.

Editor's Note: When copying or moving text in Microsoft Word version 2002, a Paste Options smart tag will appear just below your pasted selection. If you want to copy or move text without transferring its formatting, click the smart tag button and choose Match Destination Formatting or Keep Text Only from the drop-down menu. Alternatively, if you want the text to retain its original format, select the Keep Source Formatting option. You can also use the Apply Style or Formatting option to apply a style or create a new style for the pasted text.