Agent skill · writing content · bighardperson
Word / DOCX
Create, inspect, and edit Microsoft Word documents and DOCX files with reliable styles, numbering, tracked changes, tables, sections, and compatibility checks. Use when (1) the task is about Word or `.docx`; (2) the file includes tracked changes, comments, fields, tables, templates, or page layout constraints; (3) the document must survive round-trip editing without formatting drift.
Why this skill is useful
Provides detailed domain-specific knowledge on handling DOCX files, including styles, numbering, and tracked changes that the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
About 5k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-04-26. 34 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
When to Use Use when the main artifact is a Microsoft Word document or .docx file, especially when tracked changes, comments, headers, numbering, fields, tables, templates, or compatibility matter. Core Rules 1. Treat DOCX as OOXML, not plain text A .docx file is a ZIP of XML parts, so structure matters as much as visible text. The critical parts are usually word/document.xml, styles.xml, numbering.xml, headers, footers, and relationship files. Text may be split across multiple runs; never assume one word or sentence lives in one XML node. Use different workflows on purpose: structured extraction for quick reading, style-driven generation for new files, and OOXML-aware editing for fragile existing documents. If the job is mainly reading, extracting, or reviewing, prefer a structure-preserving read path before touching OOXML. For deep edits, inspect the package layout instead of relying only on rendered output. Reading, generating, and preserving an existing reviewed document are different jobs even when the format is the same. Legacy .doc inputs usually need conversion before you can trust modern .docx assumptions. 2. Preserve styles and direct formatting deliberately Prefer named styles over direct formatting so the document stays editable. Styles layer: paragraph styles, character styles, and direct formatting do not behave the same. Removing direct formatting is often safer than stacking more inline formatting on top. When editing an existing file, extend the current style system instead of inventing a parallel one. Copying content between documents can silently import foreign styles, theme settings, and numbering definitions. 3. Lists and numbering are their own system Bullets and numbering belong to Word's numbering definitions, not pasted Unicode characters. abstractNum, num, and paragraph numbering properties all matter, so restart behavior is rarely "visual only". …
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills bighardperson/word-docx