Create an Abbreviation with PhraseExpress

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Select a Hotkey for New Phrases

Instead of typing the same long word or phrase over and over, create a PhraseExpress abbreviation for it. Here is my path of least resistance for creating an abbreviation that will expand into the whole word as soon as you type it.

Select a Hotkey for new phrases. A "phrase" is anything word or string of words for which you want a self-expanding abbreviation.

Begin by opening the Settings window of PhraseExpress. You can right-click on the PhraseExpress icon in the System Tray (lower right corner in Windows 7) and choose Settings.

To select a Hotkey:

  1. Click: Tools
  2. Click: Settings
  3. Click: Hotkeys
  4. Select a keystroke combination. I like Alt-Windows-V.

The V reminds me of the Paste key in Windows. Using Alt-Windows-V, I am able to create a word or phrase that I can instantly "paste" into any document, Email or other text.

The Alt and Windows keys are right next to each other and not used for Hotkeys in other programs.

Select a Hotkey for New Phrases

Select a word for which you want an abbreviation.

Select the word by double-clicking it.

Select a word for which you want an abbreviation.

Press the New Phrase Hotkey

Press Alt-Window-V or the Hotkey you have set for new phrases.

The New Phrase window appears with your word or phrase highlighted.

Set the Prefix to Any and the Postfix to None. These settings will cause the abbreviation you choose to be expanded immediately after you type it.

Press the New Phrase Hotkey

Choose an Autotext for the word or phrase.

In this example,
;tech
is entered as the Autotext.
By starting with a semicolon, you guarantee that you will not accidentally type the Autotext in the course of typing normal words. No normal word begins with a semicolon.
Press OK.

Enter the Autotext for the word or phrase.

Use the Autotext

Now, when you type ;tech this Autotext or abbreviation will expand into the word technology.

PhraseExpress has a wealth of other time-saving features and settings, but this brief step-by-step guide gets you started with the most important aspect of PhraseExpress, creating and using Autotexts.

I have reviewed many text expansion programs over the years and have found that PhraseExpress is the best of the breed. It has been diligently updated for each new version of Microsoft Windows and has worked smoothly with all the many other programs I use.

Wells H. Anderson
Active Practice LLC
952.922.1727 / 800.575.0007
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