Paste format allows you to apply the direct formatting from one paragraph of a document to another. On its face, “paste format” appears to be a functional alternative to using styles. It solves the consistency problem with direct formatting instead of styles. Is this a simple solution to the other frustrations with styles? No!
While paste format does leave you with two consistently formatted paragraphs, it does not make managing the document easier in the future:
- The formatting of the two paragraphs are not linked; changing one paragraph will not affect the other;
- it does not make it easier to apply those characteristics to other paragraphs in the future;
- it does not have any of the other features of styles that make working with Word easier.
If you are being tempted with paste format, give styles a go. Of course if you are using a properly styled document, just apply the appropriate style… but if you were already using styles, paste format would have no temptation. But even with a poorly styled document, using styles are an effective alternative to Paste Format – simply create a new style from the paragraph you want to copy the formatting from, then apply that style to the second paragraph. This is not best practice, but it is preferable to paste format. Now you have started, consider styling the rest of the document.