Transform how you work with text using free AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini and Meta AI. In this guide, you’ll learn how to rearrange lists, convert tables to paragraphs, resort text alphabetically and reformat steps in seconds, all with simple prompts instead of tedious manual editing. Whether you’re working in Word, Excel or another Office app, these time-saving AI text tricks save time and
Use any of the general purpose AI sites for these tricks. We used ChatGPT this time but the free versions of Copilot, Gemini or Meta AI will do the same or very similar things.
This is just one of our series about simple and time-saving things that AI can do for you which work for any version of Office – Microsoft 365, Office 2024, Office 2021, Office 2019 or earlier. Mostly with free AI services available to anyone.
You can do these things manually but it’s time-consuming and, frankly, boring. The advantage of using AI is greater with even longer lists than our examples.
List to paragraph
One AI trick is rearranging or grouping lists. Turn a list into a paragraph or vice-versa. The Monty Python team provided the cheese list.
“convert this list into a single paragraph “
Change the sort
Ask for the list, however it’s formatted, to be reordered.
“change to alphabetical order”
Grouping a list
Or grouped in different ways.
“move into groups based on the country of origin”
(notice that AI correctly picked the one fictional “fermented curd” in the list).
Table to paragraph or list
Here’s a list made by ChatGPT which made a table because the prompt didn’t say which format was wanted.
Don’t want a table? No problem, ask AI to change how the results are presented. You can ask for more than one format at a time:
Change this table into two different formats:
– a single paragraph with the city name then code in ( ) brackets.
– a bullet list with the code first, then city and finally country.
Changing Step by step or numbered lists
Some numbered or ‘step by step’ instructions can be reformatted in a flash. Convert between a single paragraph, numbered steps and more.
In some of my tests, the AI changed the wording a little. If you don’t want that, just say so “without changing the text”.
“Change this into numbered steps without changing the text:”
It doesn’t have to be a numbered list ““Change this into numbered point, still in a single paragraph without changing the text.”
Add more, text or even emoji
“Change this into numbered steps without changing the text. Add an appropriate emoji at the end of each step”
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