formatting documents created earlier

[Guest]

I have taken several documents that was created earlier w/ different versions
of word. Currently using Word 2002. Inserted these old documents that are
policy's for a company into a single document by inserting the files into the
new document.
I 'm having trouble with the formatting of the documents. I'm going page by
page and formatting the old documents to how i want them to be now. Every
time I try to use the tab ruler at top the system freezes and the bullets
don't want to work correctly.

Is this a common problem with formatting old documents into a new documents.
I was first going to use the "master documents " procedure and was told that
this procedure was bad to corrupt files.

I need a answer quick.
Do I need to have patience and continue to try and format these documents.

 

[Robert M. Franz (RMF)]

Hi Debbie

I have taken several documents that was created earlier w/ different versions
of word. Currently using Word 2002. Inserted these old documents that are
policy's for a company into a single document by inserting the files into the
new document.
I 'm having trouble with the formatting of the documents. I'm going page by
page and formatting the old documents to how i want them to be now. Every
time I try to use the tab ruler at top the system freezes and the bullets
don't want to work correctly.

Something is definitely wrong then, either with the document or with
your installation. If you only observe such behaviour with this large
document, chances are it's the former. All sorts can happen when you
copy stuff into other documents (especially to bulleted/numbered
paragraphs if they haven't been handled with care in the original
document/templates.

Is this a common problem with formatting old documents into a new documents.
I was first going to use the "master documents " procedure and was told that
this procedure was bad to corrupt files.

If used without a Masters Degree in Word, they can create great havoc
(and or not necessary in your case to begin with).

I need a answer quick.
Do I need to have patience and continue to try and format these documents.

What I would do:

1. Make sure that you are starting with a good state in your new
document (read: create a new document based on your (company's) template
for the kind of document you are supposed to end up with).

2. Copy the contents of the first document (section-wise without section
breaks) into the new document step-by-step, and by use of Edit | Paste
Special: Text only.

3. After you copied, apply the necessary styles.

4. Repeat step 2-3 for every other document.

HTH
Robert