Im trying to see if my company can improve our current way of using
Word templates. I have asked questions and gotten answers, but yet Im
still not sure and I still have some questions.
My previous thread (Link1):
http://groups.google.com/group/micro...4810f923e82ade
Somebody else asked similar questions (Link2):
http://groups.google.com/group/micro...5c0795d7dcc100
Relationship between a Microsoft Word document and its template
(provided by a Word MVP)(Link3): http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/temp...ons/index.html

This is how we do it now: We use a domain and common network drives/
shares, so any employee can get the document they need. All templates
are placed in a special folder, and when a user logs on any machine
the content of that special folder is copied to the local place Word
uses to store templates. (This is done so every machine has the most
current templates).
Recap: We only inherit from a template ONCE, and only when a document
is created.
We mainly use Word 2003 now, but maybe we will upgrade to Word 2007.

I have two issues. Generating a general company template (T1) and a
documentation template (T2).
More templates will be added later if a solution is found and deemed
good.

a) Both T1 & T2 must carry the company's current header and footer.
That applies to older documents based the templates as well.
I was told, in Link1, that using a "INCLUDETEXT" field in the
templates could provide the header and footer if they were a separate
files. Meaning the content of the header would be written in one file
and the footer in another file. Then the templates would in the
header- & footer-section input the above field-type and type in the
names of the files to the header and footer.
It works fine, but there is no automatic update. Again, a Word MVP,
could give a solution. A macro called "AutoOpen" and placed in the
templates with the following code, will automatically update all
fields upon opening of a document based on T1 or T2.

Dim oStory As Range
For Each oStory In ActiveDocument.StoryRanges
oStory.Fields.Update
If oStory.StoryType <> wdMainTextStory Then
While Not (oStory.NextStoryRange Is Nothing)
Set oStory = oStory.NextStoryRange
oStory.Fields.Update
Wend
End If
Next oStory
Set oStory = Nothing

That also works fine. And with that the header-footer problem is
solved.

b) Next up is styles. Font type, size, header 1-6 etc.
This seems to be tricky matter. Documents inherit styles from the
template on creation, but it can also continue to apply styles by
checking a box in the document, not the template. And it MUST be done
manually for EACH document.
The checkbox, "Automatically update document styles", is located under
"Templates and Add-Ins" in the "Tools" tab on the ribbon.
As T1 & T2 require different styles settings, two templates must be
created.
I am fully aware that having that box checked may cause problems, but
as all our templates will be write-protected it shouldnt be a
problem.

c) Having created these two templates with automatic and easy style
changing features, there is a better way to keep just 1 copy of the
templates instead of copying them to every machine as we currently do
(see above) ?
Wouldnt it be possible to use our network drives as the location of
templates ?
And if possible, would it require work on every machine to make them
point to the network location instead of their local location ?

I remember Margaret Aldis writing this in Link2:
"Word has its own way of picking up templates which you should be able
to
use to your advantage. When a document is opened, Word looks first in
the User Templates directory and then in the Workgroup Templates
directory (according to the locations set up under File Location
options). If it fails to find a template of the right name there, then
it will look in the same directory as the document, then try to follow
the original path, and finally look under Program Files (I think
that's
the right order). So if you put your company templates on the network
and have everyone's Workgroup Templates location pointing at them, and
allow individual users to have local copies anywhere except in their
User Templates directory, then whenever they (or another user) open a
document created from a local copy while attached to the network it
will
be the network version that is opened and used to update styles
(sorry,
that's a bit longwinded, but I hope you can see how it works)."

d) Here I will assume any problem stated above has been fixed.
Our customers require documents with information, and we provide these
of course. Given this new automatic way of maintaining the latest
header, footer and styles - how would this effect the customer if we
just send them the .docm file ? What will be lost, if any, and if so,
can this be prevented from within Word ?
Or will it be much easier to convert the Word documents into PDF files
and send those instead ?

To recap: its my hope we can achieve a way to update the company style
with ease. Much like CSS can with HTML. CSS make changes that apply to
both old and new alike.

If something is not clear or needs clarification, please state so and
I will provide as good as possible.

On Sep 25, 3:20 pm, Kim <kims...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Im trying to see if my company can improve our current way of using
> Word templates. I have asked questions and gotten answers, but yet Im
> still not sure and I still have some questions.
> My previous thread (Link1):http://groups.google.com/group/micro...cmanagement/br...
> Somebody else asked similar questions (Link2):http://groups.google.com/group/micro...cmanagement/br...
> Relationship between a Microsoft Word document and its template
> (provided by a Word MVP)(Link3):http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/temp...ons/index.html
>
> This is how we do it now: We use a domain and common network drives/
> shares, so any employee can get the document they need. All templates
> are placed in a special folder, and when a user logs on any machine
> the content of that special folder is copied to the local place Word
> uses to store templates. (This is done so every machine has the most
> current templates).
> Recap: We only inherit from a template ONCE, and only when a document
> is created.
> We mainly use Word 2003 now, but maybe we will upgrade to Word 2007.
>
> I have two issues. Generating a general company template (T1) and a
> documentation template (T2).
> More templates will be added later if a solution is found and deemed
> good.
>
> a) Both T1 & T2 must carry the company's current header and footer.
> That applies to older documents based the templates as well.
> I was told, in Link1, that using a "INCLUDETEXT" field in the
> templates could provide the header and footer if they were a separate
> files. Meaning the content of the header would be written in one file
> and the footer in another file. Then the templates would in the
> header- & footer-section input the above field-type and type in the
> names of the files to the header and footer.
> It works fine, but there is no automatic update. Again, a Word MVP,
> could give a solution. A macro called "AutoOpen" and placed in the
> templates with the following code, will automatically update all
> fields upon opening of a document based on T1 or T2.
>
> Dim oStory As Range
> For Each oStory In ActiveDocument.StoryRanges
> oStory.Fields.Update
> If oStory.StoryType <> wdMainTextStory Then
> While Not (oStory.NextStoryRange Is Nothing)
> Set oStory = oStory.NextStoryRange
> oStory.Fields.Update
> Wend
> End If
> Next oStory
> Set oStory = Nothing
>
> That also works fine. And with that the header-footer problem is
> solved.
>
> b) Next up is styles. Font type, size, header 1-6 etc.
> This seems to be tricky matter. Documents inherit styles from the
> template on creation, but it can also continue to apply styles by
> checking a box in the document, not the template. And it MUST be done
> manually for EACH document.
> The checkbox, "Automatically update document styles", is located under
> "Templates and Add-Ins" in the "Tools" tab on the ribbon.
> As T1 & T2 require different styles settings, two templates must be
> created.
> I am fully aware that having that box checked may cause problems, but
> as all our templates will be write-protected it shouldnt be a
> problem.
>
> c) Having created these two templates with automatic and easy style
> changing features, there is a better way to keep just 1 copy of the
> templates instead of copying them to every machine as we currently do
> (see above) ?
> Wouldnt it be possible to use our network drives as the location of
> templates ?
> And if possible, would it require work on every machine to make them
> point to the network location instead of their local location ?
>
> I remember Margaret Aldis writing this in Link2:
> "Word has its own way of picking up templates which you should be able
> to
> use to your advantage. When a document is opened, Word looks first in
> the User Templates directory and then in the Workgroup Templates
> directory (according to the locations set up under File Location
> options). If it fails to find a template of the right name there, then
> it will look in the same directory as the document, then try to follow
> the original path, and finally look under Program Files (I think
> that's
> the right order). So if you put your company templates on the network
> and have everyone's Workgroup Templates location pointing at them, and
> allow individual users to have local copies anywhere except in their
> User Templates directory, then whenever they (or another user) open a
> document created from a local copy while attached to the network it
> will
> be the network version that is opened and used to update styles
> (sorry,
> that's a bit longwinded, but I hope you can see how it works)."
>
> d) Here I will assume any problem stated above has been fixed.
> Our customers require documents with information, and we provide these
> of course. Given this new automatic way of maintaining the latest
> header, footer and styles - how would this effect the customer if we
> just send them the .docm file ? What will be lost, if any, and if so,
> can this be prevented from within Word ?
> Or will it be much easier to convert the Word documents into PDF files
> and send those instead ?
>
> To recap: its my hope we can achieve a way to update the company style
> with ease. Much like CSS can with HTML. CSS make changes that apply to
> both old and new alike.
>
> If something is not clear or needs clarification, please state so and
> I will provide as good as possible.

Is the questions really that difficult to answer ?

You can use a login script to copy templates to each user's computer. For
the principles, see the article at
http://word.mvps.org/faqs/macrosvba/...buteMacros.htm.

For documents that should be sent to your customers, I'd definitely
recommend using PDF files.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


"Kim" wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Sep 25, 3:20 pm, Kim <kims...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Im trying to see if my company can improve our current way of using
>> Word templates. I have asked questions and gotten answers, but yet Im
>> still not sure and I still have some questions.
>> My previous thread
>> (Link1):http://groups.google.com/group/micro...cmanagement/br...
>> Somebody else asked similar questions
>> (Link2):http://groups.google.com/group/micro...cmanagement/br...
>> Relationship between a Microsoft Word document and its template
>> (provided by a Word
>> MVP)(Link3):http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/temp...ons/index.html
>>
>> This is how we do it now: We use a domain and common network drives/
>> shares, so any employee can get the document they need. All templates
>> are placed in a special folder, and when a user logs on any machine
>> the content of that special folder is copied to the local place Word
>> uses to store templates. (This is done so every machine has the most
>> current templates).
>> Recap: We only inherit from a template ONCE, and only when a document
>> is created.
>> We mainly use Word 2003 now, but maybe we will upgrade to Word 2007.
>>
>> I have two issues. Generating a general company template (T1) and a
>> documentation template (T2).
>> More templates will be added later if a solution is found and deemed
>> good.
>>
>> a) Both T1 & T2 must carry the company's current header and footer.
>> That applies to older documents based the templates as well.
>> I was told, in Link1, that using a "INCLUDETEXT" field in the
>> templates could provide the header and footer if they were a separate
>> files. Meaning the content of the header would be written in one file
>> and the footer in another file. Then the templates would in the
>> header- & footer-section input the above field-type and type in the
>> names of the files to the header and footer.
>> It works fine, but there is no automatic update. Again, a Word MVP,
>> could give a solution. A macro called "AutoOpen" and placed in the
>> templates with the following code, will automatically update all
>> fields upon opening of a document based on T1 or T2.
>>
>> Dim oStory As Range
>> For Each oStory In ActiveDocument.StoryRanges
>> oStory.Fields.Update
>> If oStory.StoryType <> wdMainTextStory Then
>> While Not (oStory.NextStoryRange Is Nothing)
>> Set oStory = oStory.NextStoryRange
>> oStory.Fields.Update
>> Wend
>> End If
>> Next oStory
>> Set oStory = Nothing
>>
>> That also works fine. And with that the header-footer problem is
>> solved.
>>
>> b) Next up is styles. Font type, size, header 1-6 etc.
>> This seems to be tricky matter. Documents inherit styles from the
>> template on creation, but it can also continue to apply styles by
>> checking a box in the document, not the template. And it MUST be done
>> manually for EACH document.
>> The checkbox, "Automatically update document styles", is located under
>> "Templates and Add-Ins" in the "Tools" tab on the ribbon.
>> As T1 & T2 require different styles settings, two templates must be
>> created.
>> I am fully aware that having that box checked may cause problems, but
>> as all our templates will be write-protected it shouldnt be a
>> problem.
>>
>> c) Having created these two templates with automatic and easy style
>> changing features, there is a better way to keep just 1 copy of the
>> templates instead of copying them to every machine as we currently do
>> (see above) ?
>> Wouldnt it be possible to use our network drives as the location of
>> templates ?
>> And if possible, would it require work on every machine to make them
>> point to the network location instead of their local location ?
>>
>> I remember Margaret Aldis writing this in Link2:
>> "Word has its own way of picking up templates which you should be able
>> to
>> use to your advantage. When a document is opened, Word looks first in
>> the User Templates directory and then in the Workgroup Templates
>> directory (according to the locations set up under File Location
>> options). If it fails to find a template of the right name there, then
>> it will look in the same directory as the document, then try to follow
>> the original path, and finally look under Program Files (I think
>> that's
>> the right order). So if you put your company templates on the network
>> and have everyone's Workgroup Templates location pointing at them, and
>> allow individual users to have local copies anywhere except in their
>> User Templates directory, then whenever they (or another user) open a
>> document created from a local copy while attached to the network it
>> will
>> be the network version that is opened and used to update styles
>> (sorry,
>> that's a bit longwinded, but I hope you can see how it works)."
>>
>> d) Here I will assume any problem stated above has been fixed.
>> Our customers require documents with information, and we provide these
>> of course. Given this new automatic way of maintaining the latest
>> header, footer and styles - how would this effect the customer if we
>> just send them the .docm file ? What will be lost, if any, and if so,
>> can this be prevented from within Word ?
>> Or will it be much easier to convert the Word documents into PDF files
>> and send those instead ?
>>
>> To recap: its my hope we can achieve a way to update the company style
>> with ease. Much like CSS can with HTML. CSS make changes that apply to
>> both old and new alike.
>>
>> If something is not clear or needs clarification, please state so and
>> I will provide as good as possible.
>
> Is the questions really that difficult to answer ?
>

On Sep 27, 8:31 am, Kim <kims...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sep 25, 3:20 pm, Kim <kims...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Im trying to see if my company can improve our current way of using
> > Word templates. I have asked questions and gotten answers, but yet Im
> > still not sure and I still have some questions.
> > My previous thread (Link1):http://groups.google.com/group/micro...cmanagement/br...
> > Somebody else asked similar questions (Link2):http://groups.google.com/group/micro...cmanagement/br...
> > Relationship between a Microsoft Word document and its template
> > (provided by a Word MVP)(Link3):http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/temp...ons/index.html
>
> > This is how we do it now: We use a domain and common network drives/
> > shares, so any employee can get the document they need. All templates
> > are placed in a special folder, and when a user logs on any machine
> > the content of that special folder is copied to the local place Word
> > uses to store templates. (This is done so every machine has the most
> > current templates).
> > Recap: We only inherit from a template ONCE, and only when a document
> > is created.
> > We mainly use Word 2003 now, but maybe we will upgrade to Word 2007.
>
> > I have two issues. Generating a general company template (T1) and a
> > documentation template (T2).
> > More templates will be added later if a solution is found and deemed
> > good.
>
> > a) Both T1 & T2 must carry the company's current header and footer.
> > That applies to older documents based the templates as well.
> > I was told, in Link1, that using a "INCLUDETEXT" field in the
> > templates could provide the header and footer if they were a separate
> > files. Meaning the content of the header would be written in one file
> > and the footer in another file. Then the templates would in the
> > header- & footer-section input the above field-type and type in the
> > names of the files to the header and footer.
> > It works fine, but there is no automatic update. Again, a Word MVP,
> > could give a solution. A macro called "AutoOpen" and placed in the
> > templates with the following code, will automatically update all
> > fields upon opening of a document based on T1 or T2.
>
> > Dim oStory As Range
> > For Each oStory In ActiveDocument.StoryRanges
> > oStory.Fields.Update
> > If oStory.StoryType <> wdMainTextStory Then
> > While Not (oStory.NextStoryRange Is Nothing)
> > Set oStory = oStory.NextStoryRange
> > oStory.Fields.Update
> > Wend
> > End If
> > Next oStory
> > Set oStory = Nothing
>
> > That also works fine. And with that the header-footer problem is
> > solved.
>
> > b) Next up is styles. Font type, size, header 1-6 etc.
> > This seems to be tricky matter. Documents inherit styles from the
> > template on creation, but it can also continue to apply styles by
> > checking a box in the document, not the template. And it MUST be done
> > manually for EACH document.
> > The checkbox, "Automatically update document styles", is located under
> > "Templates and Add-Ins" in the "Tools" tab on the ribbon.
> > As T1 & T2 require different styles settings, two templates must be
> > created.
> > I am fully aware that having that box checked may cause problems, but
> > as all our templates will be write-protected it shouldnt be a
> > problem.
>
> > c) Having created these two templates with automatic and easy style
> > changing features, there is a better way to keep just 1 copy of the
> > templates instead of copying them to every machine as we currently do
> > (see above) ?
> > Wouldnt it be possible to use our network drives as the location of
> > templates ?
> > And if possible, would it require work on every machine to make them
> > point to the network location instead of their local location ?
>
> > I remember Margaret Aldis writing this in Link2:
> > "Word has its own way of picking up templates which you should be able
> > to
> > use to your advantage. When a document is opened, Word looks first in
> > the User Templates directory and then in the Workgroup Templates
> > directory (according to the locations set up under File Location
> > options). If it fails to find a template of the right name there, then
> > it will look in the same directory as the document, then try to follow
> > the original path, and finally look under Program Files (I think
> > that's
> > the right order). So if you put your company templates on the network
> > and have everyone's Workgroup Templates location pointing at them, and
> > allow individual users to have local copies anywhere except in their
> > User Templates directory, then whenever they (or another user) open a
> > document created from a local copy while attached to the network it
> > will
> > be the network version that is opened and used to update styles
> > (sorry,
> > that's a bit longwinded, but I hope you can see how it works)."
>
> > d) Here I will assume any problem stated above has been fixed.
> > Our customers require documents with information, and we provide these
> > of course. Given this new automatic way of maintaining the latest
> > header, footer and styles - how would this effect the customer if we
> > just send them the .docm file ? What will be lost, if any, and if so,
> > can this be prevented from within Word ?
> > Or will it be much easier to convert the Word documents into PDF files
> > and send those instead ?
>
> > To recap: its my hope we can achieve a way to update the company style
> > with ease. Much like CSS can with HTML. CSS make changes that apply to
> > both old and new alike.
>
> > If something is not clear or needs clarification, please state so and
> > I will provide as good as possible.
>
> Is the questions really that difficult to answer ?

Nobody at all ?

Final cry for help.

Hi Kim

Kim wrote:
[snip]
> Is the questions really that difficult to answer ?

obviously! :-)

IMHO, the amount of real documents that _should_ reflect the Company's
CI _and_ update with it is supposed to be slim, hopefully non-existent.

Templates, yes, that's an other matter entirely. For content, you have
got advice on using INCLUDETEXT fields. Or maybe AUTOTEXT fields. It's
_very_ hard to get a working solution for a future unknown change in CI,
though. Styles is easy: you propagate them to your templates, and you're
done.

Depending on the expected frequency of such changes, you can develop
more or less sophisticated solutions, ranging from manual updates by a
skilled Office worker, or some code.

So, what was the question?

Greetings
Robert
--
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