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How to generate random sample paragraphs using Microsoft Word

There are many web tools out there to generate random “lorem ipsum” filler content, but you can do the same thing using Microsoft Word. Simply:

  1. Type =RAND(5) on a line
  2. Hit enter

Instantly, the formula is replaced with five paragraphs of sample content. Replace 5 in the formula with the number of paragraphs you wish you to generate.

See a video demonstration here:

Video demonstration on YouTube

Shoutout to Jaime Velez for telling me about this for the first time. Game-changer!

Want additional tools for different types of sample content? Try the following:

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How to delete all comments from a Word doc at once

If you’re collaborating with others on a Word doc, you may reach the end of your revisions and be left with many comments in the document you’d like to remove for the final version. Rather than delete each comment one-by-one, you can simply delete all comments in the document at once in just three clicks.

  1. Click on the Review tab from the top menu
  2. Click the arrow under Delete (in the Comments group)
  3. Choose Delete All Comments in Document
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Microsoft Word Online Follow-ups feature to be replaced with Comments

The Follow-ups feature in Word Online will be replaced with Comments effective Mar 1, 2021. Comments can be used to notify others and assign tasks by using @mentions.

This was announced via the Message center earlier this month.

What will happen to my existing Follow-ups?

These will be converted to Comments automatically.

How do I use Comments in Word Online?

You can right-click text and select New Comment to create a comment.

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You can use an @mention to notify someone in your organization. Once @mentioned, you can check a box to also assign that user a task.

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The assigned user then receives an email with a snippet of the task’s context and link to full document. The user can choose to respond to the comment without leaving the email by expanding Add a comment, or they can click Go to comment to go to the full document.

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To resolve the task, the user needs to Go to comment and can then check the task off in the original comment’s header as shown below.

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