ICDL Documents (ICDL) common mistakes
ICDL Documents · Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
Typing text inside the header area or a text box when the candidate intended to add body text, so the new text repeats on every page or floats out of the normal text flow.
The insertion point landed in a header, footer, or floating text box because the candidate double-clicked near the top margin or clicked an existing object, and the header/footer boundary is only faintly indicated on screen.
What to do instead
Click in the middle of the body text area before typing, confirm the header/footer tab or boundary line is absent, and use the header/footer close command to return to the main document body.
Pressing Enter repeatedly to push text onto a new page or to create vertical space, instead of inserting a page break or adjusting paragraph spacing.
Enter is the most familiar key and the difference between a soft paragraph mark and a hard page break is not visible unless formatting marks are shown.
What to do instead
Use the page break command (or the keyboard shortcut for a manual page break) to start a new page, and use paragraph spacing before/after settings to create vertical gaps.
Applying bold, larger font, or a heading style by manually formatting each heading, so the document cannot generate an automatic table of contents or consistent navigation.
Manual character formatting looks identical on screen to a real heading style, so the candidate sees no immediate problem and does not realise styles are needed.
What to do instead
Apply the built-in heading styles from the styles gallery to headings, reserving direct formatting only for emphasis within body text.
Using the spacebar or Tab key to align columns of text or numbers so the layout shifts when font or margins change.
Spaces and tabs give instant visual alignment in the current view, and the candidate does not test how the content behaves after edits.
What to do instead
Use a table, tab stops set at specific positions, or paragraph indents to align content so it stays aligned when text changes.
Inserting an image or table and leaving it at full size so it overflows the margin, pushes text awkwardly, or splits across pages.
The object is inserted at its native dimensions and the candidate does not check the resulting layout or set wrapping behaviour.
What to do instead
Resize the object proportionally to fit within the margins, set an appropriate text-wrapping option, and set table rows not to break across pages where appropriate.
Saving in the default format when a specific format was requested, or overwriting the original file instead of creating a copy or PDF.
The save command retains the previous format or filename, and the format dropdown in the save dialog is easy to overlook.
What to do instead
Use Save As (or Export) and explicitly select the required file type and a new filename before confirming, then verify the file extension.
Leaving spelling and grammar issues unresolved or accepting 'ignore all' so genuine errors remain, or missing that the proofing language is set incorrectly.
The candidate dismisses underline flags quickly to clear the screen, and proofing language may default to a language different from the document text.
What to do instead
Review each flagged item individually, correct or add to dictionary deliberately, and set the proofing language to match the document before running the spelling and grammar check.
Creating a table of contents or cross-reference manually by typing page numbers rather than generating a field that updates.
Typing the entries appears faster and the candidate does not link headings to styles, so the automatic feature seems unavailable.
What to do instead
Apply heading styles first, then insert an automatic table of contents and use the update field command after edits change pagination.
Changing page orientation, margins, or paper size for only part of the document without inserting section breaks, so the whole document changes.
Page setup applies to the whole document by default unless a section break exists, and the 'apply to' option is easy to miss.
What to do instead
Insert a section break before the pages that need different layout, then apply the page setup change to 'this section only'.
Using Find and Replace carelessly with 'replace all' so unintended matches are changed, or failing to use it at all to correct repeated terms.
Replace all acts immediately across the document and the candidate does not review matches or use whole-word and case options.
What to do instead
Preview matches with Find Next before replacing, enable whole-word or case-matching options where needed, and replace individually or review results after replace all.