Make Your Documents and Databases Easier to Find

You can find files more quickly if you use file properties, such as the title, subject, author’s name, project name, and keywords to narrow your search. Using these properties as search criteria allows you to specify which files are displayed in the Open dialog box. Office applications automatically supply some properties for you, such as file size and the date the file was created.

Set properties for new files   When you create a document, click Properties (File menu), and then, on the Summary tab, type the information you want to search by.

For example, suppose you’re working on a project called Encore and you want to set the subject property to make these files easier to find. Open each file in the project, click Properties, and, on the Summary tab, type the name Encore in the Subject box. To display all the files related to Encore, co-workers can click the Open Office Document button on the Windows Start menu and then type Encore in the Text or property box.

Create custom properties   If you want additional properties to search by, you can create your own custom properties by clicking the Custom tab in the Properties dialog box.

Need more precise search criteria?   In the Open dialog box, click the Advanced button.

Reuse advanced search criteria   You may want to search for files more than once by using the same advanced search criteria. To save an advanced search, click the Save Search button in the Advanced Find dialog box. To repeat a search, click the Commands and Settings button in the Open dialog box, click Saved Searches, and then click the name of the search you want.

Next Steps

To	See
Format Word documents	Make Your Word Document Look Great
Format worksheets	Make Your Microsoft Excel Worksheet Look Great
Format charts	Customize the Look of a Chart
Use a Word wizard or template to write a business letter	Write a Business Letter
Use PowerPoint presentation templates	Customize the Appearance of Your Presentation
Use the PowerPoint AutoContent Wizard	Create Your First PowerPoint Presentation
Use the Office Binder and Binder templates	Use Office Applications Together
Use the Microsoft Access Database Wizard to create a database	Track Your Business Contacts in Microsoft Access