Office XP Basics

Save and Save As

Introduction

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

  • Operate Save and Save As in Office XP programs

How to save a file

When working on an important file, you will want to save your work.

When saving a file for the first time:
  • Choose File Save from the menu bar (Ctrl+S).
  • The Save As dialog box appears.

OR

  • Click the Save button Save button on the Standard toolbar.
  • The Save As dialog box appears.

OR

  • Choose File Save As from the menu bar.
  • The Save As dialog box appears.

Word 2002's Save As dialog box

How to save a file

Before you click the Save button in the Save As dialog box, first name your file. Choosing a short descriptive name will help you remember what each file contains.

To name your file:
  • Once the Save As dialog box is open, the current file name appears highlighted , ready for you to change it.
  • Type a short descriptive name in the File name box . File names can include spaces and capital letters.
  • If you do not choose a file name, Office XP programs will assign a file name for you. By default, it assigns the first line of text in your document. If you save a blank document, the file will be saved as Doc1.

Word 2002's Save As dialog box

How to save a file

After you name your file, choose a file location . This will keep your files orderly and easy to find. My Documents is the default file location in Office XP.

To save a file in My Documents:
  • Make sure My Documents is the current file location by making sure the left column and Save in drop-down box state My Documents.
  • Click the Save button.

Word 2002's Save As dialog box

To save a file to an alternative location:
  • To save the file on your desktop, click the Desktop button on the left side of the Save As dialog box.

OR

  • Click the down arrow to open the Save in drop-down list box.
  • Double-click to choose another location from the list.
  • Click the Save button.
To save a file in a folder within a folder:
  • Folders can exist within folders. For example, the My Documents folder contains several default folders.
  • Once you've chosen an initial file location such as My Documents, you can double-click a folder icon such as My Music to save the file in that folder.
  • Click the Save button.

The difference between Save and Save As

Save
When saving a file for the first time , it doesn't matter if you choose to save it using Save or Save As . Both commands open the Save As dialog box.

After you save your work for the first time, you must continue to save in order to prevent lost work .

To do this, choose File Save (Ctrl+S) or click the Save button. Save button The Save As dialog box will not open again . To prevent lost work, always save before closing your file.

Save As
Save As lets you save an existing file under a new name , allowing you to create a new file. For example, let's suppose you intend to edit or revise a file but want to keep the original. Rather than start from scratch, use Save As to save it under a new name, then edit the new file while leaving the original untouched.

To save an existing file under a new name and create a new file:
  • With the existing file open , choose File Save As from the menu bar.
  • The Save As dialog box appears.
  • Type a new name for your file in the file name box.
  • Click Save .

Challenge!

  • Open Word 2002.
  • Type "I just learned how to save a file."
  • Save your file using one of the methods mentioned in this lesson.
  • With the Save As dialog box open, name your document Save1.
  • Save the file on the desktop.
  • After "I just learned how to save a file" type "I just learned how to use Save As."
  • Choose File Save As.
  • Rename the file Save 2.
  • Save Save2 to the desktop.
  • Close both files.
  • Close or minimize Word 2002.
  • Return to the desktop. You should notice two file icons, Save1 and Save2, on your desktop.