OpenOffice: Create a list of abbreviations - how it works

If you write a long work with OpenOffice, you often need a list of abbreviations. We show you how to do this in this article.

Create a list of abbreviations in OpenOffice

There are various options that you can use to create a list of abbreviations in OpenOffice. However, if you use the Office database Base, you can later use the abbreviation list in other texts. You can also sort the entries quickly and easily:

1. Select the database symbol in the OpenOffice Writer menu ribbon. Alternatively, press the [F4] key.
2. Right-click on "Tables".
3. In the context menu you choose "Edit database file".
4. In the "Database" area, click on "Tables" and then in the "Tasks" area on the option "Create table in design view".
5. Then enter the appropriate column headings under "Field name", such as "Abbreviation" and "Meaning".
6. With "Field type" you decide for the entry "Text". The specified length of 50 characters should suffice for the "abbreviations". In the case of "meaning" you can increase the value to 100 characters as a precaution.
7. Finally save the table under the name "List of abbreviations".
8. You can now insert and use the list of abbreviations in all OpenOffice tools.

Read on the next page how to insert cross references in OpenOffice. This article is based on OpenOffice 4.1.1.