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Actions make it easier for you to complete common tasks from within your Office documents. For example, you might want to send an email message to a contact from your address book who is mentioned by name in a Word document. You can use an action to do that.

Tip: Actions were known as "Smart Tags" in versions of Office prior to Office 2010.

Choose the actions you want to use

  1. To activate an action, on the File tab, click Options, and then click Proofing.

  2. At the top of the Options box, click AutoCorrect Options, and click the Actions tab.

  3. If you haven't already, check the Enable additional actions in the right-click menu box.

    Activate Actions
  4. Under Available Actions, put a check mark next to each action you want your Office document to recognize, and then click OK.

  1. To activate an action, on the File tab, click Options, and then click Mail.

  2. At the top of the Options dialog box, click Editor Options.

  3. In the Editor Options dialog box, click AutoCorrect Options.

  4. Click the Actions tab in the AutoCorrect dialog box.

  5. If you haven't already, check the Enable additional actions in the right-click menu box.

    Activate Actions

Use actions as you work

As you work in your document, you can right-click the segment or value that serves as a trigger for the action. For example, as illustrated below, you can right-click an instance of .5 inch, point to Additional Actions, and a pop-up list of measurement options appears so you convert the measure to metric units.

Pick and additional action

Available actions

The following are actions that are built in to Office 2010 and newer versions:

  • Address (English): Support for Smart Tags in earlier versions of Office prior to Office 2010 only.

  • Date (XML): Allows you to schedule a meeting or see the contents of your Outlook calendar on a given date.

  • Financial Symbol (XML): Allows you to see information about a stock symbol.

  • Instant Messaging Contacts (English): Allows you to send an instant message to someone from within your Office document.

  • Measurement Converter: If your document originated in another country, you can insert this action to help you convert inches to centimeters on the fly.

  • Person Name (English): Allows you to see the Outlook contact information associated with a name.

  • Place (XML): Support for Smart Tags in earlier versions of Office prior to Office 2010 only.

  • Telephone Number (XML): Support for Smart Tags in earlier versions of Office prior to Office 2010 only.

  • Time (XML): Support for Smart Tags in earlier versions of Office prior to Office 2010 only.

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