Creating & Managing Documents

The handbook file must exist on disk before anyone adds uniform rules or open-day tables. Save As creates a new file on disk with the name, folder, and format you choose — used the first time you save a document.

Dr. Helen Marsh dictated the welcome paragraph over the phone. James Okonkwo needs a saved NorthgateHandbook.docx before typing a single word. Typing the whole handbook then clicking Save without choosing a folder is risky — Word may save to an unexpected location and the title bar still shows Document1 until Save As completes.

From the start screen: open Word and click Blank document.

If a document is already open: click File tab → New → Blank document.

A fresh page appears. The status bar shows Page 1. This is the first page parents see when NorthgateHandbook.docx opens on a laptop in the foyer — for now, plain text is fine. Later lessons centre the title, enlarge the font to 24 pt, and insert the school logo with Insert tab → Pictures.

Click in the document and type:

Northgate Academy Student Handbook

Press Enter twice. Type a subtitle:

A guide for students and families

Leave the text unformatted for now — formatting lessons come next. Add one line below the subtitle:

Updated for Saturday 14 March 2026

That date reminds you why every chapter must stay accurate before print.

First save — use Save As:

• 1Click File tab.
• 2Click Save As.
• 3Choose Browse (or a folder such as Documents).
• 4Type the file name: NorthgateHandbook.docx.
• 5Confirm **Word Document (*.docx)** as the type.
• 6Click Save.

Later saves: press Ctrl+S (Windows) or Cmd+S (Mac), or click Save on the Quick Access Toolbar. Save As again only when you want a copy with a new name — for example NorthgateHandbookDraft.docx. If Save is greyed out, you have not saved once yet — use File → Save As first.

After Save As, the title bar must show NorthgateHandbook.docx — not Document1. Example: open NorthgateHandbook.docx, click File → Save As, name the copy NorthgateHandbookDraft.docx, and click Save. Continue editing the draft — the original stays safe until you overwrite it on purpose. Use a draft when Dr. Helen Marsh asks for large behaviour-policy rewrites.

At this stage the cover is plain text — that is correct. The important outcome is a named file on disk that every later lesson can open. James Okonkwo checks File → Open → Recent the next morning and sees NorthgateHandbook.docx pinned at the top.

When the title bar reads NorthgateHandbook.docx, you are ready for the editing and formatting lessons. Save again with Ctrl+S before closing Word — AutoRecover helps after crashes, but deliberate Save after every meaningful edit is the habit that protects the handbook.

The handbook lives on disk — staff must reopen the same file each day until open day. AutoRecover is Word's backup feature that saves temporary copies on a timer. After a crash, Word may offer recovered versions on restart — but it is not a substitute for Ctrl+S.

Northgate scenario: Word closed during a power cut — AutoRecover offers a copy of NorthgateHandbook.docx with yesterday's uniform edits intact. Watch out for: clicking Don't Save when closing Word after a long editing session.

In this lesson you will learn opening NorthgateHandbook.docx again, saving safely, and recovering after a crash.

You will also reopen from File → Open → Recent and save a named backup copy.

• 1Click File tab.
• 2Click Open.
• 3Click Recent to see NorthgateHandbook.docx if you saved it recently.
• 4Or click Browse and navigate to the folder where you saved it.
• 5Double-click NorthgateHandbook.docx.

The title bar shows the file name. The welcome text you typed should appear. File tab → Open → Recent lists files by date — hover NorthgateHandbook.docx and click the pin icon to keep it at the top during handbook season.

Pinning NorthgateHandbook.docx means James Okonkwo rarely needs Browse during the weeks before open day. Recent shows the last files you opened on this PC — not on other computers unless you use cloud sync.

If the file does not appear in Recent, use Browse and navigate to Documents or the shared drive where you saved at first Save As. The path you chose on day one is the path you must remember.

Microsoft 365 may show AutoSave when the file is on OneDrive. Toggle it on only if your school stores files in the cloud.

AutoRecover saves a backup copy on a timer. AutoRecover intervals can be several minutes apart — you may lose recent typing if you never press Ctrl+S. Save after every meaningful edit. Use File → Options → Save to shorten AutoRecover minutes if your IT policy allows.

If Word crashes: reopen Word, look for a Document Recovery pane or Recovered files on the start screen, open the recovered copy and compare it to your last saved version, then save immediately after recovery.

• 1Press Ctrl+S / Cmd+S.
• 2Click File → Close (or the X on the document window).

If you close without saving, Word asks whether to save changes. Click Save unless you mean to discard edits. Never trust AutoRecover instead of Save — deliberate saves are the primary protection.

Before Dr. Helen Marsh reviews the behaviour chapter, James Okonkwo copies NorthgateHandbook.docx to a USB drive using File → Save As → NorthgateHandbookBackup.docx.

AutoRecover helps after crashes; deliberate backups help when someone accepts the wrong Track Changes. Keep at least one dated backup outside the main folder before major reviews.