matching styles between internal and external documents

[RPMitchal]

Word 2003

Dear Gurus:

I have set up a series of documents based upon a specific template.
However, on many occasions it becomes necessary for our Contract Specialists
to incorporate (cut and paste or copy) external documents into our internal
documents.

I have used several of the Built-In styles within the document template and
quite regularly, we are presented with external documents wherein the
originators/authors have used some of these same Built-In styles, however
with different font/paragraph characteristics.

Needless to say, when these documents are incorporated into our internal
documents, the results can be somewhat surprising.

Having read through many of the posts in this regard and visited various
offered links, I have come to find out that one of the suggested methods is
to copy the contents of the external document and use the *Paste Special |
Unformatted Text* feature of the edit menu to *paste* the contents into our
internal documents.

This process seems to work rather well, although the *pasted* information
does have to be re-formatted based upon the template styles of our internal
documents. However, I have found that this process does not *play well* with
table layouts, which are more likely than not, resident within these external
documents.

Would any of you good people have a suggestion as to a better approach in
these situations? It would certainly be appreciated.

Thanks so much in advance – Rod

 

[Klaus Linke]

I have used several of the Built-In styles within the document template

and
quite regularly, we are presented with external documents wherein the
originators/authors have used some of these same Built-In styles, however
with different font/paragraph characteristics.

Needless to say, when these documents are incorporated into our internal
documents, the results can be somewhat surprising.

Not really, no. After pasting, the paragraphs should look just like any
other paragraph in that style in that document.
If they don't, the formatting in the source document from which you copied
wasn't really done with styles, but with manual formatting.
That's unfortunately all too common.

Often, styles have been applied, but manual formatting was applied on top of
that.
If that is the case, it could be easier to remove the manual formatting
after you paste (Ctrl+Q to remove manual paragraph formatting, Ctrl+Spacebar
to remove manual font formatting, as you likely know), than to "Paste
Special" as unformatted text and re-format everything.

re tables:
In addition to removing manual font formatting and manual paragraph
formatting, you may want to apply the Normal paragraph style to the whole
table after you paste it (Ctrl+N).
You could then apply table styles to give the tables a consistent look...
especially if they are not too complex and all look the same, or fall into
just a few different types.

Klaus

 

[RPMitchal]

Hello Klaus:

I believe that I inadvertently mislead you with my initial question. You
are completely correct... the styled paragraphs and characters from the
external document do indeed take on the characteristics of the styles for the
internal document.

However, an example of what I mean is as follows:

I have used the built in style "Heading 1" to resemble the following:

SECTION 1: BLAH, BLAH, BLAH [Upper Case and Bolded]

Whereas the author of the external document may have used the same built-in
style; "Heading 1" in the external document to resemble an entirely different
set of characteristics... perhaps a paragraph that is [Centered, Italicized
and Underlined].

So of course, when the external document is imported into the internal
document, the "Heading 1" style of the external document takes on the
characteristics of the "Heading 1" style of the internal document, resulting
in a completely different look for the imported portions of the external
document which now reside within the internal document.

Whew! I certainly hope that I have done a better job of explaining my
dilemma this time around. I have to say that sometimes formulating the
question can be a difficult undertaking.

Thanks Again - Rod

 

[Stefan Blom]

Create a set of unique styles (with the desired formatting) in the source
document, and apply them to text; then you can copy and paste that text
without losing the formatting.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

Hello Klaus:

I believe that I inadvertently mislead you with my initial question. You
are completely correct... the styled paragraphs and characters from the
external document do indeed take on the characteristics of the styles for
the
internal document.

However, an example of what I mean is as follows:

I have used the built in style "Heading 1" to resemble the following:

SECTION 1: BLAH, BLAH, BLAH [Upper Case and Bolded]

Whereas the author of the external document may have used the same
built-in
style; "Heading 1" in the external document to resemble an entirely
different
set of characteristics... perhaps a paragraph that is [Centered,
Italicized
and Underlined].

So of course, when the external document is imported into the internal
document, the "Heading 1" style of the external document takes on the
characteristics of the "Heading 1" style of the internal document,
resulting
in a completely different look for the imported portions of the external
document which now reside within the internal document.

Whew! I certainly hope that I have done a better job of explaining my
dilemma this time around. I have to say that sometimes formulating the
question can be a difficult undertaking.

Thanks Again - Rod

Not really, no. After pasting, the paragraphs should look just like any
other paragraph in that style in that document.
If they don't, the formatting in the source document from which you
copied
wasn't really done with styles, but with manual formatting.
That's unfortunately all too common.

Often, styles have been applied, but manual formatting was applied on top
of
that.
If that is the case, it could be easier to remove the manual formatting
after you paste (Ctrl+Q to remove manual paragraph formatting,
Ctrl+Spacebar
to remove manual font formatting, as you likely know), than to "Paste
Special" as unformatted text and re-format everything.

re tables:
In addition to removing manual font formatting and manual paragraph
formatting, you may want to apply the Normal paragraph style to the whole
table after you paste it (Ctrl+N).
You could then apply table styles to give the tables a consistent look...
especially if they are not too complex and all look the same, or fall
into
just a few different types.

Klaus

 

[RPMitchal]

Hello Stefan - once again you've come to my rescue. Your explanation was so
damnably logical - it's no wonder I didn't think of it myself!

Thanks so very much - Rod

Create a set of unique styles (with the desired formatting) in the source
document, and apply them to text; then you can copy and paste that text
without losing the formatting.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

Hello Klaus:

I believe that I inadvertently mislead you with my initial question. You
are completely correct... the styled paragraphs and characters from the
external document do indeed take on the characteristics of the styles for
the
internal document.

However, an example of what I mean is as follows:

I have used the built in style "Heading 1" to resemble the following:

SECTION 1: BLAH, BLAH, BLAH [Upper Case and Bolded]

Whereas the author of the external document may have used the same
built-in
style; "Heading 1" in the external document to resemble an entirely
different
set of characteristics... perhaps a paragraph that is [Centered,
Italicized
and Underlined].

So of course, when the external document is imported into the internal
document, the "Heading 1" style of the external document takes on the
characteristics of the "Heading 1" style of the internal document,
resulting
in a completely different look for the imported portions of the external
document which now reside within the internal document.

Whew! I certainly hope that I have done a better job of explaining my
dilemma this time around. I have to say that sometimes formulating the
question can be a difficult undertaking.

Thanks Again - Rod

I have used several of the Built-In styles within the document template
and
quite regularly, we are presented with external documents wherein the
originators/authors have used some of these same Built-In styles,
however
with different font/paragraph characteristics.

Needless to say, when these documents are incorporated into our
internal
documents, the results can be somewhat surprising.

Not really, no. After pasting, the paragraphs should look just like any
other paragraph in that style in that document.
If they don't, the formatting in the source document from which you
copied
wasn't really done with styles, but with manual formatting.
That's unfortunately all too common.

Often, styles have been applied, but manual formatting was applied on top
of
that.
If that is the case, it could be easier to remove the manual formatting
after you paste (Ctrl+Q to remove manual paragraph formatting,
Ctrl+Spacebar
to remove manual font formatting, as you likely know), than to "Paste
Special" as unformatted text and re-format everything.

re tables:
In addition to removing manual font formatting and manual paragraph
formatting, you may want to apply the Normal paragraph style to the whole
table after you paste it (Ctrl+N).
You could then apply table styles to give the tables a consistent look...
especially if they are not too complex and all look the same, or fall
into
just a few different types.

Klaus

 

[Stefan Blom]

You are welcome--and thank you for the feedback.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

Hello Stefan - once again you've come to my rescue. Your explanation was
so
damnably logical - it's no wonder I didn't think of it myself!

Thanks so very much - Rod

Create a set of unique styles (with the desired formatting) in the source
document, and apply them to text; then you can copy and paste that text
without losing the formatting.

--
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP


in message

Hello Klaus:

I believe that I inadvertently mislead you with my initial question.
You
are completely correct... the styled paragraphs and characters from the
external document do indeed take on the characteristics of the styles
for
the
internal document.

However, an example of what I mean is as follows:

I have used the built in style "Heading 1" to resemble the following:

SECTION 1: BLAH, BLAH, BLAH [Upper Case and Bolded]

Whereas the author of the external document may have used the same
built-in
style; "Heading 1" in the external document to resemble an entirely
different
set of characteristics... perhaps a paragraph that is [Centered,
Italicized
and Underlined].

So of course, when the external document is imported into the internal
document, the "Heading 1" style of the external document takes on the
characteristics of the "Heading 1" style of the internal document,
resulting
in a completely different look for the imported portions of the
external
document which now reside within the internal document.

Whew! I certainly hope that I have done a better job of explaining my
dilemma this time around. I have to say that sometimes formulating the
question can be a difficult undertaking.

Thanks Again - Rod

:

I have used several of the Built-In styles within the document
template
and
quite regularly, we are presented with external documents wherein
the
originators/authors have used some of these same Built-In styles,
however
with different font/paragraph characteristics.

Needless to say, when these documents are incorporated into our
internal
documents, the results can be somewhat surprising.

Not really, no. After pasting, the paragraphs should look just like
any
other paragraph in that style in that document.
If they don't, the formatting in the source document from which you
copied
wasn't really done with styles, but with manual formatting.
That's unfortunately all too common.

Often, styles have been applied, but manual formatting was applied on
top
of
that.
If that is the case, it could be easier to remove the manual
formatting
after you paste (Ctrl+Q to remove manual paragraph formatting,
Ctrl+Spacebar
to remove manual font formatting, as you likely know), than to "Paste
Special" as unformatted text and re-format everything.

re tables:
In addition to removing manual font formatting and manual paragraph
formatting, you may want to apply the Normal paragraph style to the
whole
table after you paste it (Ctrl+N).
You could then apply table styles to give the tables a consistent
look...
especially if they are not too complex and all look the same, or fall
into
just a few different types.

Klaus