4.2. Original documents (manuscripts)

Manuscript text preparation and word processing are linked to various IT procedures that are recommended to optimise the preparation of texts for publication.

Manuscripts have been produced in electronic format (Word, PDF, HTML, etc.) since the end of the 1990s. Text preparation and word processing are closely linked to the use of well-defined IT procedures (macros, spell-check programs, etc.). This section describes the procedures recommended to optimise the word processing of texts for publication, which can simply be in addition to the traditional work of preparing a text (linguistic preparation).

These recommendations are focused on the processing of files in Word format, since Word is the standard tool for inputting original documents in the European Union institutions. The basic principles described below can easily be adapted to any other software on the market.