Common questions about Word Count usually focus on counting rules, count scope, and result differences; this FAQ includes 3 frequent questions and a glossary.
FAQ
What is the difference between Words and Characters in Word Count?
- Open the document and go to Tools → Review → Word Count.
- Check the Words and Characters items in the panel.
- Words is used for Chinese characters plus English words, while Characters counts all characters.
- If a submission rule mentions length, confirm whether it asks for words or characters before you submit.
Are footnotes and endnotes included in the count?
- Open the Word Count panel.
- Check the Include text boxes, footnotes, and endnotes option.
- When it is turned on, those contents are included in the result. When it is turned off, the result changes accordingly.
- Before final submission, review the current setting again if the counting scope matters.
Why can the result change before and after I save the document?
- Confirm whether the document content changed before or after saving.
- Check whether the counting scope option was changed.
- If the document text, spaces, footnotes, or text boxes changed, the count result changes as well.
- For a final check, reopen the Word Count panel after the document is finalized.
Glossary
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Words | The combined result used to measure document length, including Chinese characters and English words. |
| Characters (including spaces) | The total number of characters in the document, with spaces included. |
| Characters (excluding spaces) | The total number of characters in the document, without spaces. |
| Footnotes and endnotes | Supplementary notes attached to the main text that can be included or excluded depending on the current count setting. |