Microsoft Word has a hidden feature that most people probably don’t know about: a way to collect text on the clipboard from multiple locations, and then paste it all at once into your document.
The Help Desk Geek blog details how this feature works: you start by selecting a block of text, and then use Ctrl+F3 to copy it to the “Spike”. Once you’ve selected a number of entries this way, you can then paste the combined set of copied text back into the document with the Ctrl+Shift+F3 shortcut key combination, or by typing the word “spike” and hitting F3.
This trick actually uses Microsoft Word’s Quick Parts feature, which we’ve covered before, but this entry is automatically created behind the scenes. It’s a useful trick that could come in handy the next time you’re reformatting a long document.
Use the Spike to Copy and Paste Text in Word [Help Desk Geek]
Jon
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 10:08 AMyou should probably clarify that it is not ‘copy and paste’ but rather ‘cut and paste’
The Help Desk Geek article spells it out:
NOTE: When you use the Spike, you are cutting or removing text from its original location, NOT copying text.
alex
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 11:38 AM@Jon. You can make it copy by undoing after each Ctrl+F3 (use Ctrl+z). This undoes the cut but keeps the text in the spike.
alex
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 11:41 AMPS: Nice tip. This is why I keep coming back to Lifehacker — every now and then there is a really useful tip that I can use every to improve my work.