Do Footers have any *retrieval significance?* Because..

[Chad Harris]

MOS 03 & XP SP2 on box.

I notice in footers to legal docs like motions that they are long in that
they will have a motion title, style of a case, office address, and "page 1
of...". Obviously this is too many characters to be a practical name of the
document, so besides the anatomical fashion statement these footers make
that I like, do they have any functionaly *retrieval significance.*

I'm thinking they must put them there for more of a reason than just to
title the document because they've already done that in two places 1) the
coversheet and 2) up at the top.

Thanks very much,

Chad Harris

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

The text that has "retrieval significance" is the filename and path, which
helps them find the electronic file. The other stuff helps them locate the
paper files, I suppose.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

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[Margaret Aldis]

I can't tell you what particular 'retrieval' systems might be in use, but a
common way to handle some document management requirements is to use
document properties. There are built-in properties for Title, Subject and so
on, and these will show up as screen tips in Windows Explorer (so can be
seen before you open the file). You can also set up custom properties for
any other data about the document - identification number, version or
whatever. Some configuration control or content management systems will
interface with document properties, or there are various ways of collecting
the data from the user.

You can insert the value of such properties in headers and footers (and
elsewhere in the document, including cover page, document control page or
whatever) using fields - thus ensuring that the information remains correct
and consistent wherever it appears.

If you are seeing a rash of similarly formatted legal documents, it could
indeed be that there is a commonly used document management system or Word
add-on that is putting them there. Or it could just be a meme ;-)

 

[Chad Harris]

Thank you Margaret for the links and the interesting info. I wouldn't have
made the Explorer connection and very probably some experienced doc
managers who have to nandle lots of them day in day out are using some 3rd
party add-ins I should have remembered.

Chad Harris