Make selected file path a hyperlink

Office programs convert URLs into hyperlinks very easily, like with a space after the address. But they don't do this if the address is to a file path. I send file paths to colleagues in e-mails, Word documents, and Excel files frequently, so I wanted to make it easy to convert the text of a file path into a hyperlink to the file or folder. The quickest built-in way to do this is select the file path and use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + C, Ctrl + K, Ctrl +V, Enter. But now I've created a macro, so it's a click (or a single keyboard shortcut, if you like) away.

Get your Table of Authorities to sort things right

When gathering all the statutory codes and other enumerated authorities marked for a table of authorities, Microsoft Word sorts these character by character. That means, for instance, that 42 U.S.C. § 1983 is listed before 42 U.S.C. § 2. The computer sorts all the 1s in that first numerical group together first, then all the 2s, and so on. Only after it reaches the end of the list does it move on to the next digit (e.g., the 9 in 1983). Fortunately, there’s an easy fix to this. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to implement with Microsoft Word’s built-in features. But a very simple macro will take care of that.

Word: Update all fields

I found a simple macro to update all fields with a single click.

Adjusting Outlook's default new message with styles, templates, and signatures

I had a heck of a time figuring out how to ensure Outlook always started with a format I liked. It turns out this is more complicated than anyone would imagine. But once I explain it, you should be able to make your changes in about ten minutes. You'll be able to click new message and just start typing without making any formatting adjustments. (Sorry this is so long and has no pictures. If I didn't have a day job, I would add screenshots.)