Microsoft Word’s Quick Parts feature allows you to create reusable blocks of text, images, tables, and other content to insert into your Word documents. This can save you a tremendous amount of time when creating documents that repeat common elements.
In this article, we’ll walk through how to use Quick Parts in Word to insert frequently used text as well as how to create your own custom Quick Parts.
What Are Quick Parts in Microsoft Word?
Quick Parts are pieces of content you can save in Word for easy reuse later. They allow you to quickly insert things like:
- Standard text you use often (e.g. addresses, signatures, disclaimers)
- Tables, images, and other design elements
- Document properties like title and author
- Fields for things like date, time, page count
The Quick Parts feature replaces and improves on Word’s old AutoText functionality. However, AutoText is still available within Quick Parts for backward compatibility.
How to Insert Existing Quick Parts
Inserting a ready-made Quick Part into your document is simple. Follow these steps:
- Place your cursor where you want the content inserted
- Go to the Insert tab
- Click Quick Parts > select the Quick Part you want
Alternatively, you can press Alt+F3 to open the Quick Parts menu and select one from there.
Insert Quick Parts
The Quick Parts menu allows you to filter and search to find what you need more easily.
Some default Quick Parts like the document title and author come from the document properties. You can access these directly with Quick Parts > Document Property.
How to Create New Quick Parts
You can also create custom Quick Parts from your own text selections. Here’s how:
- Select the text, table, image, etc. you want to save as a Quick Part
- Go to Insert > Quick Parts > Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery
- Give your Quick Part a name and description
- Select options like making it a separate paragraph
- Click OK
Your newly created Quick Part will now show under the Quick Parts menu for easy access later.
Create New Quick Part
Tips for Creating Effective Quick Parts
Here are some tips for creating Quick Parts that will save you the most time:
- Use a clear naming convention: Quick Parts are organized alphabetically, so prefix names with numbers or underscores if you want certain items sorted to the top
- Categorize: When saving a Quick Part, putting it in an appropriate category makes it easier to find later
- Include fields for variables: Use fields like [Date] or [ClientName] that populate dynamically each time the Quick Part is inserted
- Make them reusable: Avoid including specific names, dates, or other details that would limit reuse
- Add to templates: Save Quick Parts directly into Word templates to enable reuse across all documents based on those templates
How to Organize and Manage Quick Parts
Over time, you may accumulate a large library of Quick Parts. Word provides some tools to help you organize them and keep things tidy.
Under Insert > Quick Parts > Building Blocks Organizer, you can:
- Rename or re-categorize existing Quick Parts
- Delete Quick Parts you no longer need
- Modify Quick Part properties
- Organize Quick Parts into sub-galleries
Building Blocks Organizer
You can also control which custom Quick Parts are available in which templates.
Quick Parts Use Cases
Now that you know the basics of using Quick Parts in Word, let’s look at some of the most common use cases:
1. Signature Blocks
Adding your signature block to new documents is a perfect application for Quick Parts. Create it once, save as a Quick Part, and insert it at the bottom of letters, memos, etc. with two clicks.
2. Standard Text
Boilerplate text for things like disclaimers, instructions, addresses, and headers and footers can be reused across documents by making Quick Parts.
3. Templates
Quick Parts shine when used alongside Word templates. Add them directly to templates so they automatically populate new docs created from those templates.
4. Tables and Images
Formatting tables and images consistently is easier when you save them as Quick Parts to quickly drop into documents.
5. Document Properties
The title, author, company name, and other document properties can be inserted anywhere via Quick Parts. The values populate dynamically from what’s defined in the document.
Conclusion
Microsoft Word’s Quick Parts feature enables you to work faster and more efficiently by letting you reuse content across documents.
Now that you know how to leverage Quick Parts for frequently inserted text, images, tables, and other elements, you can streamline your document creation workflows.
A bit of upfront time invested in building a library of customized Quick Parts will reward you with greatly increased productivity over the long-term.
