.doc files (read only) vs. .dot template file

[Phrank]

Word 2003. What is the befefit of using a .dot template file over a
..doc file that's been set to Read Only? With the .dot file, in order
for the users to maintain the original filename, they need to right
click on the template file in Explorer and select Save As to save it
to a specific location with the given filename. Otherwise, if they
open it, it opens as Document 1, and when they Save As, they have to
physically change the name, and they type in their own filename. We
need them all to use the exact same name all the time. With the .doc
file set to Read Only, they are forced to Save As, and the filename is
only changed if they physically change it. Yes, this is a silly thing
that the users should just do, but they don't. So I'm wondering what
the difference is between the two. Thanks.

 

[Guest]

The purpose of a template is to have a basic starting document premade for a
specific purpose. If you send several memos a day, having a template with
your standard header information means you don't have to put the same info in
every time you create a memo. You create a template as a starting document
when you create that same type of document over and over and want to decrease
redundancy in your work load. You create it AS a template BECAUSE it
automatically opens a new document that must be given a name and location to
save. Most of the time you want to give each of those files a unique
filename or specific location and with a template, you are much less likely
to mess up your original file so that it is still readily available for the
next time you need it.
To address your problem specifically, there are several ways to have a
template fill the save filename text box with desired text instead of default
document1 or doc1. The easiest is to have the text you want to use as the
filename entered as the first text in the body of the document. Word will
automatically fill in the filename box with text from the first row, up to
the first punctuation it runs into. If you title your document Memorandum in
the first paragraph, for example, the filename box will auto fill with
Memorandum. (It will still say document 1, etc, in the title bar until it is
saved.) You can also change the Title of a template in the Document
properties from the file menu (in 2003 - for '07; Office button, prepare,
properties) and when creating a new document based on that template the title
property will be inserted as the suggested filename.
Hope this helps your understanding a little... feel free to ask me to do a
better job if necessary!

 

[Terry Farrell]

From you 'explanation', it sounds as though you are not using the templates
correctly. The templates should be placed in a folder on a central server
called say Workgroup Templates. Then in Word under Tools, Options, File
Locations, the Workgroup Templates path should be entered to point to the
server folder (use UNC path, \\servername\\foldername...).

Now when the users use the File, New dialog, they will see the template(s)
and double-click will open a new (unnamed) document from the template.

When they press SAVE, the SaveAs dialog will open for them to add a
filename. If they always save to a folder on the server, then the path for
Documents in Tools, Options, File Locations should be set to that server
folder and the documents will be saved there by default.

 

[Phrank]

Hi Terry,

Thanks for responding. Actually, that is how we are using it, and the
users are saving the files to the correct locations (they SaveAs and
drill down in Explorer to the correct project number on which they are
working). The minor problem is with the actual filename. As you
mention, when they open the template, the file opens as an unnamed
document, and when they SaveAs, they have to add the filename. We
would like this filename to be the exact same, no matter which project
number people are working on. One would think this would be a simple
matter of telling people to make it a certain name, but people are SO
creative! So, that's what brought me back to the .doc file set to
Read Only. If we have copies of the document in the Workgroup
Templates folder, and these copies are set to a Read Only attribute,
then the users are forced to SaveAs when they save it, and they can
drill down to the correct project number, but the defaulted filename
in the SaveAs dialogue box remains the same as the original document,
so all they have to do is click OK. This works, but is there a
difference in the .doc file and the .dot file that we are not aware of
that will cause problems down the road? Thanks!

Frank

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

I think if you enter your preferred filename under Title in the
Properties of the .dot file, then *that* will come up as the filename
when they go to save the document created from the .dot file.

 

[Terry Farrell]

Thanks Daiya: I was thinking that the Properties setting should be brought
across.

Terry

 

[Phrank]

Thanks! It does still open as a Document 1, but when I click SaveAs,
the default filename is already there like I want. Thanks very much!

 

[Terry Farrell]

I am pleased it works, but not sure if it is logical behaviour though <g>

Terry