In an ever-growing technical world, we are getting specific words for technical items. These are usually part “true” word and part just letters. i.e. iPad or eCommerce. When we use the spell checker to locate our typos these technical words are flagged as wrong spelling. So how do we avoid this and make sure that the item is spelt and capitalised correctly every time?
We need a custom dictionary, all of our own. Hey! wait Microsoft has that already within MS Office. It is amazing what you don’t know until someone tells you.
Creating an entry in a custom dictionary
- The first step I would say is to create a list that you will be updating as time goes on with all the new and improved technical words in your world.
- Next to get them into the dictionary select the [File tab]
- From the list select [Options] at the bottom
- From the list select [Proofing]
- Select [Custom Dictionaries…. Button]
This dialog box appears 
You can see that there are three different dictionaries listed we are going to add items to the [CUSTOM.DIC]
- Make sure you select it
- Select the [Edit Word List… button]
The word I am going to add to this dictionary is iPaaS. This is a technical word that comes up regularly and spell checker does not understand what it is. When I click on the red wavy line to check it and change it to be correct, the result at present is this. 
I have a choice of three that are not what is needed.
So you are in the Edit Word List dialog box that looks like this. 
- Type the iPaaS in the first area
- Select the [Add button]
- Select the [OK buttons] three times
Type in a wrongly spelt or capitalised iPaaS
You are presented with a red wavy line under the word to be able to select the correct spelling. 
I mentioned the list of new technical terms. Please don’t go mad with typing in thousands all at once. You shouldn’t, you’ll get so bored of doing it, and then you will not have time to do your real work. Just enter a few every day. In the knowledge that soon, you’ll have most of the terms correctly input and available to use.
There is one great thing here, all Microsoft applications use the same custom dictionary across the suite. You will not have to create the same entries in the other applications.
