ScriptSmart - Frequently Asked Questions

What is Script Smart?
Script Smart is a collection of templates for Microsoft Word which automatically format your script to industry specifications as you type. Several layouts are available depending on which version of Script Smart you are using.

Do I have to use Script Smart with my submissions to the BBC?
No. Script Smart is there only to help you format your scripts correctly. Use of Script Smart or any other formatting software is not a prerequisite for submission to BBC writersroom.

How do I install Script Smart?
Detailed instructions for installation are contained within the Script Smart Read Me document. Some later versions require you to have the free WinZip expander program installed on your computer. For Mac versions, you will need Stuffit.

How do I use Script Smart?
You need to run Microsoft Word in order to use the Script Smart template.

What version of Script Smart should I use?
Script Smart is a template for use with Microsoft Word. Which version you use will depend on which version of Word you are running.
• Microsoft Word 7/95 - Script Smart 97 or Script Smart Plus
• Microsoft Word 2000 - Script Smart Gold
• Microsoft Word 2001 (for Macs) - Script Smart Gold

Will Script Smart run on my computer?
Script Smart is currently unavailable on computers running Windows Vista, Macintosh OSX, or Linux. Unfortunately, at this time we don't have the resources to create new versions of Script Smart for these systems.

I have Microsoft Works. Can I still use Script Smart?
Unfortunately not. Microsoft Works is often mistaken for Microsoft Word. Script Smart is a template for Word and can only be used with that program.

I've downloaded Script Smart but cannot find it in my templates folder.
The default location for template folders differs between operating systems and versions of Word. The Script Smart Read Me document has instructions and links to help you find your template folder.

Script Smart appears as a completely blank document.
You may have opened the template (*.dot) file rather than creating a new document (*.doc) file from it. You can find out more about the difference between templates and documents from the Script Smart Read Me document.

I get a message saying Word has disabled the macros.
This is a safety precaution to do with your Macro Security Settings, of which there are usually three levels. Word applies the setting to any documents downloaded from the internet which contain macros. Reset Word's Macro Security Settings to "Medium" or "Low". You may need to restart Word or reinstall Script Smart afterwards for the change to take effect.

How do I know what the script formats will look like?
Examples of script formats can be seen on our script format page and in our script archive.

Every time I close Script Smart Gold (Windows) I get an "illegal operation" or other error message.
The Script Smart templates have been fully tested on the various Microsoft Word versions for the Windows 98, 98SE, 2000, and XP platforms with no close-down problems. Any problems are likely to be associated with Microsoft Word itself as Script Smart is not a standalone program. It may be that your Microsoft Word installation or Windows operating system is conflicting with another program.

Why do the Mac versions not have Help files?
Script Smart was originally designed for Microsoft Windows. While it is relatively simple to do a Mac conversion from a Windows template, creating supporting help files takes a lot longer, and time and facilities are very limited. However, extensive help tips appear in Word's status bar in both Windows and Mac versions to help the user navigate through the various functions availables.

Script Smart is a complete mystery to me!
Script Smart is designed to be as simple to use as possible. However, like all other software, it does require a certain degree of working knowledge of computers and word-processing software (in this case, Microsoft Word). Ultimately, Script Smart is not a standalone program, so the more comfortable you are working with Word, the simpler Script Smart will become.