# MS word and digitized content
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 30, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932 "2013-07-30T18:53:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/1 "2013-07-30T18:53:56Z")
I have searched for this and did not find the answer. My Dell xt3, with digital input in the tablet. I would like to be able to add arrows and simple drawings to MS word or excel documents. Can this be done, and how is it done.
---
### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/2 "2013-07-30T18:58:56Z")
Aside from those you can insert through Insert / Shapes?
---
### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/3 "2013-07-30T19:02:34Z")
MS Word has a tool called WordArt. You can also insert graphics into Word documents. The hardware platform is irrelevant.
Is this what you are asking?
---
### Author:  [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/4 "2013-07-30T19:09:41Z")
As far as I know, MS Word does not support drawing directly into documents. OneNote does, and is included on most tablet pcs. It can save to DOC and DOCX format (as well as PDF and its own native format ONE) but I am unsure how the resulting file turns out as I’ve never tried and can’t at the moment. I assume OneNote turns all the scribbles and drawings into JPGs and then embeds them into the DOC - the only way DOC files can understand drawings. The resulting DOC will probably look a lot like you wanted it to, since it’s all MS products.
The only other way I know of is to draw into MS Paint (or other art program), save the picture as a JPG or PNG, and then insert that picture into a word document, using text boxes to dynamically lay it out if necessary. A pain.
---
### Author:  [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2013, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/5 "2013-07-30T20:06:27Z")
> [@dauerbach](#):
>
> I would like to be able to add arrows and simple drawings to MS word or excel documents.
Depends on how simple the drawings are. Several fonts - notably “Wingdings 3” - have a wide variety of arrows to choose from.
---
### Author:  [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/6 "2013-07-30T20:34:34Z")
The tool you want is **Microsoft Ink** , and should be available on your device. I am sure it allows annotations in [Word](http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/powerpoint-help/about-ink-features-in-office-HP001033204.aspx).
---
### Author:  [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)
#### Post date: [July 30, 2013, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/7 "2013-07-30T22:36:28Z")
Yes, the Microsoft code word for digitizer tablet entry is “ink.” You can use it in either a content mode (adding diagrams to the document’s content) or annotation mode (markup for things like proofreading, that’s stored separately from the content).
---
### Author:  [@the\_O](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_O)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/8 "2013-07-31T01:37:17Z")
OneNote is what you’re looking for, at least as far as saving in DOC format. And OneNote is a helluva program anyways.
---
### Author:  [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2013, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/9 "2013-07-31T13:24:53Z")
Yes, I did want to input it directly. And onenote sounds exactly what I was looking for. I will definitely check out ink as well, but from the answers so far OneNote sounds like it will be easier.
---
### Author:  [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2013, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/10 "2013-07-31T13:32:47Z")
OneNote is for filing notes and documents for your own reference. It’s fantastic four this type of use. You can easily add handwritten annotations.
However it’s not designed for editing documents for distribution. If that’s what you are doing, I think it’s better to stick to Word.
---
### Author:  [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2013, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/11 "2013-07-31T14:04:08Z")
Most of Word’s problems start when you get very far from the core job of lining up words neatly. It is NOT a general publishing, layout or design tool except in the hashish dreams of MS’s marketing department.
---
### Author:  [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/12 "2013-07-31T16:07:34Z")
So exactly what I want to do is come up with notes to pass out to my class that are typed, but with some hand drawn stuff for emphasis. Could I do this in OneNote and then print it out?
---
### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2013, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/13 "2013-07-31T17:31:35Z")
> [@scr4](#):
>
> It’s fantastic four this type of use.
Yes, it’s exactly the Thing you need.
---
### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/14 "2013-07-31T17:58:24Z")
I use ink in Word on my Wacom tablet and it’s great for taking a document, like a meeting agenda, that someone else sends me, and then marking up with my notes during a meeting. I do the same thing with PowerPoint.
> [@dauerbach](#):
>
> So exactly what I want to do is come up with notes to pass out to my class that are typed, but with some hand drawn stuff for emphasis. Could I do this in OneNote and then print it out?
OneNote is exactly designed for this.
---
### Author:  [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)
#### Post date: [July 31, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/15 "2013-07-31T18:24:57Z")
Very glad I asked. Should this be included in my Office 2010 or will I need to purchase it separately (asked so I will no what to expect when I get home).
---
### Author:  [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-word-and-digitized-content/664932/16 "2013-08-01T03:21:44Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#):
>
> Yes, it’s exactly the Thing you need.
😃
> [@dauerbach](#):
>
> Very glad I asked. Should this be included in my Office 2010 or will I need to purchase it separately (asked so I will no what to expect when I get home).
It depends on your [edition](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_2010#Editions).