Generally

This page provides information about using RTF files in Utah's rulemaking process. For general questions about RTF, contact Microsoft.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q1: Can I use Microsoft Word to prepare rule text?
• Q2: What do I need to do when formatting my rule text?
• Q3: What formatting features may I NOT use?
• Q4: Word inserts formatting automatically into my rule text. How do I stop this from happening?
• Q5: I miss WordPerfect's "Reveal Codes" feature. Does Word have anything like it?
• Q6: I still have questions. Whom may I contact?

Q1: Can I use Microsoft Word to prepare rule text?

A: Yes. You may use Microsoft Word (Word) to prepare the rule text. This has been an option since September 2001. However, the text must be saved in RTF format.

Q2: What do I need to do when formatting my rule text?

A: The Division has NOT altered the text formatting requirements for rules. Text must be formatted as simply as possible to facilitate distribution to a wide range of consumers. Information about formatting is available in the Rulewriting Manual. Contact the Division if you have questions or to schedule training.

Q3: What formatting features may I NOT use?

A: Rulewriters may NOT use any of the following word-processing features when preparing rule text:

• styles;
• redlining ("Tracking Changes");
• tables;
• sections;
• field codes;
• headers and footers;
• pagination codes;
• hard page breaks;
• footnotes or endnotes;
• special characters (fraction characters, section symbol, trademark symbol, registered trademark symbol, copyright symbol, etc.),
• outlining;
• automatically-generated indented paragraphs;
• automatically-generated paragraph numbers;
• automatically-generated numbered lists.

Using these features will result in text, formatting, amendments, or any combination of these being lost or altered. The bottom line--use of these features, at best, may delay your rule's publication and subsequent effective date, and at worst, may make your rule read differently than you intended.

 

Q4: Word inserts formatting automatically into my rule text. How do I stop this from happening?

Microsoft Word 2003 or earlier

A: In order to use Word (2003 or earlier) to prepare rule text, you must change the default Word settings. If the automatic formatting features of Word are not turned off, your rule text will not appear in the required format and it may be returned to you, possibly delaying the rule's publication in the Bulletin and its potential effective date.

To change the default Word settings:

1. Open Word.

2. From the "Tools" menu, select "AutoCorrect".

3. From the "AutoCorrect" tab, UNCHECK the "Replace text as you type" check box.

Alternatively, you may scroll down the list and delete the entries for: "(r)", "(c)", "(tm)", and "..." These symbols are not permitted in rules. Word usually inserts them in places you never intended, like replacing a paragraph designation.

4. From the "AutoFormat As You Type" tab, UNCHECK the following options:

• Under the "Apply as you type" section, UNCHECK: "Headings", "Borders", "Tables", "Automatic bulleted lists", and "Automatic numbered lists".
• Under the "Replace as you type" section, UNCHECK: "Straight quotes with smart quotes", "Ordinals (1st) with superscript", "Fractions with fraction character", and "Symbol characters with symbols".
• Under the "Automatically as you type" section, UNCHECK: "Format beginning of list item like the one before it", and "Define styles based on your formatting".

5. From the "AutoFormat" tab, UNCHECK the following options:

• Under the "Apply" section, UNCHECK: "Headings", "Lists", "Automatic bulleted lists", and "Other paragraphs".
• Under the "Replace" section, UNCHECK: "Straight quotes with smart quotes", "Ordinals (1st) with superscript", "Fractions with fraction character", and "Symbol characters with symbols".
• Under the "Preserve" section, UNCHECK "Styles".
• Under the "Always AutoFormat" section, UNCHECK "Plain text WordMail documents".

6. Click the "OK" button.

7. Verify that "Tracking Changes" is turned off. Tracking Changes is the redlining feature in Word. It inserts codes into a document that cannot be read by all word processors.

At the bottom of the Word screen in the status bar, Word displays different modes. If "TRK" appears in gray letters, Tracking Changes is off. If TRK appears in black letters, double click TRK to turn off Track Changes.

8. Finally, by default, Word indents paragraphs by setting an intial indent if the user presses the tab or backspace key. In rule text, a paragraph must begin with a tab character. To disable Word's default setting, from the "Tools" menu, select "Options..."

Click the "Edit" tab and uncheck the "Tabs and backspace set left indent" box.

Microsoft Word 2007

As with Word 2003 (or earlier), in order to use Word 2007 to prepare rule text, you must change the default Word settings. If the automatic formatting features of Word are not turned off, your rule text will not appear in the required format and it may be returned to you, possibly delaying the rule's publication in the Bulletin and its potential effective date.

To change the default Word 2007 settings:

1. Open Word.

2. Click the "Office Button" in the upper left-hand corner of your Word window.

3. Click the "Word Options" button.

4. On the "Word Options" dialog box, select "Proofing", and then click the "AutoCorrect Options..." button.

5. On the "AutoCorrect" tab, UNCHECK the "Replace text as you type" check box.

6. From the "AutoFormat As You Type" tab, UNCHECK all of the options.

7. From the "AutoFormat" tab, UNCHECK all of the options.

8. Click the "OK" button.

9. Verify that "Tracking Changes" is turned off. Tracking Changes is the redlining feature in Word. It inserts codes into a document that cannot be read by all word processors.

From the "Review" ribbon, verify that "Track Changes" is *not* highlighted (orange).

If the "Track Changes" icon looks as it does below, click it again so that the button changes back to the standard blue color.

Q5: I miss WordPerfect's "Reveal Codes" feature. Does Word have anything like it?

Microsoft Word 2003 (or earlier)

A: Microsoft Word does not have a "Reveal Codes" option that is identical to WordPerfect's. However, Word does allow you to see some formatting features. To show these features, go to the "Tools" menu, select "Options".

From the "View" tab, check the box next to "All" under the "Formatting marks" section. Click the "OK" button. This will allow you to see spaces and some of the formatting features in the document.We recommend that you do this.

Microsoft Word 2007

1. Open Word.

2. Click the "Office Button" in the upper left-hand corner of your Word window.

3. Click the "Word Options" button, and select "Display".

4. Check the "Show all formatting marks" check box. Again, we recommend that you do this.

5. Click "OK".

Q6: I still have questions. Whom may I contact?

A: For questions about preparing rule text, please contact the Division of Administrative Rules.

Page Last Updated: November 28, 2012