cross reference paragraphs for changes?

[That70sHeidi]

A coworker asked me about this and I'm not sure what to tell her. We're using
2007.

She has a very long file with multiple sections (not in the Word sense of
Section Break, however). Often she'll copy entire paragraphs from one part to
another within the same document. However, if one piece of data changes, say,
a Figure number or a cost estimate, she wanted it to be able to find all
references and update those automatically.

She said Excel has something similar between pages, and apparently our CADD
guys can do this in their software. I asked about using Search and Replace
but she said sometimes the wording changes just a little and renders S&R
useless.

Any ideas of how this could work?

 

[Graham Mayor]

What would probably work is to copy the text then edit > paste special >
html format > as a link at the other place(s). Any changes made in the
source text will be automatically reflected in the linked text. However if
there are auto-numbered figure captions or (say) footnotes in the copied
text the numbers of those captions or footnotes will not be duplicated.

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

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[DeanH]

See http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/Repeating_Data.htm .
I tend to use bookmarks, then when the original data changes these are
reflected through out the document with a Ctrl+a, F9.
Hope this helps
DeanH

 

[That70sHeidi]

Very interesting! However, when I was trying it out, if you paste an entire
paragraph that way, change it by removing a line or two, change the original
and then update, it will revert your linked text back to the original,
removing that paragraphs specific changes and overlying the original
paragraphs new changes.

She'll have to be careful which bits she wants to use as a link... I will
talk to her about it and see if this would work for her.

thanks!

 

[That70sHeidi]

I think bookmarks might be a little less useful for her, it seems these copy
issues are made on the fly, but the OLE Link you have on that site is
helpful, thanks!!

 

[Graham Mayor]

The idea is to leave the linked text alone and make changes in the original.
You could also investigate includetext, autotext and autocorrect?

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com

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