Tracking Documents With Headers and Footers

Using Headers and Footers to Track Documents If you’ve ever printed a document and then tried to find it on your hard drive at a later date, you’ll understand that it is easier said than done. Unless you’re really good at giving your Word files unique names – and remembering them, you’ve undoubtedly had to search through numerous folders on your hard drive, opening and closing files until you find the right one.

Finding the file you’re looking for doesn’t have to be this difficult: the AutoText feature in Word allows you to insert the filename and path in your document’s header or footer. This means that you can see the location of the document on your hard drive in one quick glance, so you can go directly to it.

Here’s how to insert the filename and path in your document’s header/footer:

1. Open the headers and footers for editing

2. On the Header and Footer toolbar, click Insert AutoText

3. On the drop down menu, select Filename and path

4. The filename and path will appear in the document. If the document hasn’t been saved yet, only Document followed by a number will appear

When you save, move, or rename your document, the AutoText will automatically update.