Locking fields in a document

When you update a field in a document, you tell Word to follow the instructions in the field and produce a new result. For instance, if you insert a DATE field into a memo template, you'll no longer need to type the date when you create a new memo--you can just update the field to return the current date.

If necessary, however, you can lock a field to keep Word from updating it. Just place the insertion point marker in the field you want to lock and press [Ctrl][F11]. While locking a field can be convenient, keep in mind that locked fields don't look any different from unlocked fields. The only way to tell whether a field is locked is to select it and press [F9] to update the field. If the field is locked, Word won't update it. To unlock a field, place the insertion point marker in the field and press [Ctrl][Shift][F11].