MTips E-Zine

Newsletter for MT’s using MS Word

Vol 1 No 7 June 4, 2001

Laura Bryan Editor

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Table of Contents:

1. Feature Article: Blueprints: Building a Perfect Document Every Time Part III

2. QuickTakes-Keyboarding Tips: Jump Back!

3. Technical Advice: To the A drive.

4. Bloopers

5. Other Sites To See

Join us this Saturday

for the

Mesquite, Texas

(a suburb of Dallas)

Jam-packed day full of tips, tricks and inside information

to get you typing faster, working smarter!

Stop stressing! Learn how Word can work for you.

Class guaranteed* to make a difference in your speed and efficiency!

(Non-medical or Technology & Workplace)

Spaces limited so sign up now to reserve your place!

Only $90 for full day (9-5)

Hands-on seminar with computers

Call 1-877-320-1241 or see the web site for details:

Blueprints: Building a Perfect Document Every Time

Part III Your Own Blueprint

Now that you have seen templates at work (Newsletter No 5) and you have a little background on the Normal template (Newsletter No 6), you are ready to create your own templates. Templates are great timesavers, especially if you type for more than one doctor/account. For each template you create, you can add standard text, set your font and margins, never to worry with these items again! Transcription owners/managers can create template files to distribute to their transcriptionists to increase accuracy and consistency among typists working the same account. The template file can also include AutoText entries and macros for everyone to share.

To create a new template, go to File/New and select Create New Template in the bottom right corner. A new file will open that looks just like a document, but it will be a template file with the extension dot. Save this new template file and name it for the doctor. Open the Font dialogue box (CTL+D) and set your font characteristics. Select Default in the bottom left corner. Now, set your page margins and again select Default. Type in any text that will appear in all documents for this doctor or clinic such has headings (e.g. Subjective, Objective, Physical Examination) and subheadings (e.g. ROS). Now, close the template file. When you are ready to create a document based on this template, select File/New. Click on the template icon in the New dialogue box and click OK. A new document will open with all your standard text. Your font and margins will be set, and you are ready to type! Record a macro for opening a new document based on a template and assign a shortcut key for maximum efficiency.

Often, typists will simply open a boilerplate document each time they create a new report and use the Save As command. With this method, typists risk overwriting the boilerplate document by hitting Save instead of Save As. Template files avoid this risk. To change a template, you must open the actual template file to make changes.

QuickTakes-Keyboarding Tips

Does your doctor have a tendency to jump backwards in a report? Often my doctor will be dictating the Assessment when he suddenly remembers one more comment to add to the History. When he returns to the Assessment, I’m right there with him using Shift+F5. This shortcut key will return the cursor to the previous edit point. Press up to three times to toggle through the last three edits.

Don’t Miss This Exciting Workshop!

A Productivity Workshop

Saturday, June 23, 2001

7:30 am to 11:45 am

Riverside Community Hospital

Riverside, California

"Increasing Productivity Using Microsoft Word"

by

Laura Bryan

&

"Advances in Productivity Software"

Text Expansion Software

by

Chad Francisco

3.5 Non-Medical CEC’s

OEC Members $30 AAMT/Non-OEC $40 Non-Members $50

Advanced, paid reservations required

Postmark by June 15^th

Contact Marie Mendez, CMT

909-924-9424

Automating Routine Tasks

Last time, we created a simple backup routine for the Normal.dot and Custom.dic, storing them in a folder named "norms." In this issue, we will change the routine slightly to back up these files to the A drive.

Open Notepad (Start/Programs/Accessories/Notepad) and copy/paste the text below. Start with "@echo" and finish at "end."

For Word 97:

@echo

cd\

copy c:\progra~1\Common~1\micros~1\proof\custom.dic A:\ /y

copy c:\progra~1\Micros~1\Templa~1\normal.dot A:\ /y

rem finished copying files

;end

If you are using Office 2000:

@echo

cd\

copy c:\windows\applic~1\micros~1\proof\custom.dic A:\ /y

copy c:\windows\applic~1\micros~1\templa~1\normal.dot A:\ /y

rem finished copying files

;end

Save this Notepad file with the .bat extension. Be sure to change the "Save as type" to "All Files (*.*)" and then name the file "97backup.bat" or "2kbackup.bat" (depending on your version of Word). Save to your Desktop. You can drag this bat file to the Scheduled Tasks folder as before (see Newsletter No 6), or you can run this backup routine whenever you want. Place a floppy in the A drive and simply double-click the icon on your Desktop. The files will be copied to the floppy. If you use the same floppy each time you backup these files, it will overwrite the previous backup files. You can follow the above convention to back up other files also. Since this is a DOS routine, you must truncate file folder names to 8 characters (hence the folder named Microsoft Office becomes micros~1).

Bob’s PCWerks specializes in computer services for medical transcription. Services include custom built computers and servers, upgrades, repairs and digital voice systems. For more information, see

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A must-have reference for anyone using MS Word for Medical Transcription

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This Week’s Blooper:

Thanks to Debra, an MT student, for sharing her own blooper:

"The hair on his lower leg was shaved and a dress was applied."

He might prefer a dressing instead!

Other Sites to See:

Here’s a helpful site with a long web address--definitely one to copy/paste to your favorites list! (Note the blank spaces in this address are actually underscores.)

MTWerks is your resource for using MSWord for Medical Transcription.

*MTWerks 100% Satisfaction Guarantee

MTWerks guarantees all products and services. If you attend the seminar and are not satisfied with the information presented, you may request a refund of your seminar fee. Likewise, you may return the "Make It Your Own" Productivity Manual for a refund (excluding shipping costs) if you are not completely satisfied.

To learn more about MTWerks, see

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