Word won't spellcheck/grammer check properly anymore?

I have been unable to find anything about this.

I dictate reports, which are typed by an assistant in word. I then open them and edit them.

For some reason, when I open/edit, then spellcheck the files typed by someone else, the spellchecker won't work. I will click on the "abc" button, and nothing comes up. Then the report goes to a manager, and he finds spelling errors. It's embarrasing, but it's not like I didn't try to find them!

I know I shouldn't rely on the spellchecker, but it should still work.

The funny part is, I can open the document, select all, copy the text to a blank new document, and THEN it works.

I happen to be running office 97, whereas my typist has office 2000, if that makes any difference.

 

the spellcheck works fine if I type something, like when I am editing.

For instance, proper names like "Mr. Jenkins" are a problem, because these are things that are automatically not in the spellchecker. Theoretically, "Jenkins" should be considered mispelt when I open the file. Yet, if I open the file and IMMEDIATELY click on spellcheck, it will always perfect. Only the sections I edit/change seem to get spellchecked.

So, if I open a file with "Mr. Jenkins" all through it, and one is spelt "Mr. Jekins" by accident, neither come up, UNLESS I phycially notice the mispelled on, correct it to be "Jenkins ", then ALL of the Jenkins in the report now have red lines underneath indicating they are mispelled.

 

Do you have all the updates for your Word 97?

 

Don't know if I have all the updates. How would I know? (I've never updated 97 before, didn't know there were updates for it).

Wait, just went to the microsoft website and they don't support updates for version 97. I can manually download them though. I wonder if there are any known issues with the updates? I will try some and see if it helps.

Well, I did all the available updates and I still have the same problem.

 

I just spoke with my typist and she said that if she spell checks it on her side, then it somehow stores that information, and when I open the file, it thinks it has already been spell checked, and only checks any edits I make.

Is there a way to stop this (other than her spell checking it before saving it?)

 

Try this in WORD97
Tools - Options - Spelling & Grammar
See / click on Check Document
What is it .. ?

If this works, possible someone could provide a shortcut to this option.

 

That works! Thanks! It ignores what she previously spell checked.

The reason I need to have the spell check enabled is because, due to dictation, sometimes things sound like one thing (especially proper names and company names) but the typist has no way to know the correct spelling. Yet, when they spell check, whether it is right or wrong, my computer ignores it.

A good recent example. I dicated a company with the name M-Tech in it, and it was typed as Emtech. (usually I spell it, but forgot). The spell checker should catch Emtech so that I can make sure it is right.

I have limited time to review these reports (if I go over, I don't get paid) so I need my spell check to work.

So....is there a way to take the "Check Document" button out of the tools/options and put it on my toolbar you think?

 

Glad the solution worked for you raingirlIT.
I was hoping to find a shortcut value / button in "All commands" for "Check Document" but no luck. So I used PeteC suggestion and created a macro / button. Works fine (first time use of a macro). My only question is their a way to shorten the button name? I called it SpellRecheck, but Word adds Normal.NewMacros. in front of the name, so my toolbar button name is Normal.NewMacros.SpellRecheck

 

Thanks Pete, works like a charm.

 

Thank you! I don't have a lot of experience with recording macros, but I got it to work.

Thanks for all the help!