Template vs. Document: Any Difference

[faceman28208]

Is there any internal difference between a template and a document---
other than the file extension?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Yes. There are some things that can be saved in a template that cannot be
saved in a document (these include AutoText entries). Moreover, a template
created as a template from scratch can inherit from the template it is based
on (AutoText, macros, custom and customized toolbars and menus, shortcut
keys, etc.), whereas a document saved as a template will not inherit from
its template.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[Terry Farrell]

And to add to Suzanne's reply...

"Once a template, always a template." So you cannot change a template into a
document by simply renaming the extension. You have to open a new document
based on the template or it remains a template regardless of its extension.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

And it used to be that you couldn't even use Save As to save a template as a
document, but in recent versions you can.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[thepcer]

I don't understand what this means: "a template created as a template [huh?] from scratch can inherit from the template it is based on" -- something that's created from scratch is not based on anything

Anyways, what's the difference between starting with an existing document (not a template) that you change and save under a new name vs. starting with a template? Based on your answer, the only difference appears to be that the template can contain customized program setting (AutoText, macros, custom and customized toolbars and menus, shortcut keys, etc.). If so, is a template just a way to disseminate customized setting to another user's Word program?

Yes. There are some things that can be saved in a template that cannot be
saved in a document (these include AutoText entries). Moreover, a template
created as a template from scratch can inherit from the template it is based
on (AutoText, macros, custom and customized toolbars and menus, shortcut
keys, etc.), whereas a document saved as a template will not inherit from
its template.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1f39d374-4593-4e4f-9f9a-6ddc12e57d3c@y33g2000prg.googlegroups.com...
> Is there any internal difference between a template and a document---
> other than the file extension?
>