Saving not losing

By Senior Net Warkworth

We’ve all done it at one time or another … you need to create a new file in Word that’s pretty much identical to another one, so you open the first file, make the changes and then save it. In that very, very short time while you watch the file being saved, you are struck speechless with the horrible realisation that you have just saved the new information over the old.

You have two choices, live without the file or recreate the file. You can’t replace the original file but there is a way of making sure you don’t do it again.

There is an option in Word to open the original file in a way that ensures you can’t just hit the Save button and lose the first version completely!

In Word 2003 click on File >Open  In Word 2007 click on the Office button and Click on Open
Select the file you want to open but don’t click on open yet.  Instead, use the down arrow next to the Open button to display a short list of ways to open the file. Notice the Open Read-Only and Open as Copy choices? These are the key to saving yourself a big headache.

Choosing Read-Only means that the file absolutely cannot be saved over the original. To save changes you’ll be forced to start in the Save As dialog box and give it a new name.

The Open as Copy option automatically tacks on the phrase Copy (1) to the file name. Obviously, you might want to name it something a bit more meaningful. On the other hand, if you do forget to rename it, you’re covered.

Change the way you open the document and the frustrations of lost data in original files can be a thing of the past.

Published May 2011