Word crashing upon re-use of a template

[Guest]

We use a template form developed in Word 2000 to indicate nursing actions
needed for a given client. The template contains over 200 Form Fields. Some
are Text or Drop-Down Form Fields, but most are Check Box Form Fields which
run a macro on exit that turns the “Xes†red. Form Fields are embedded
within a series of tables set side-by-side in a two-column format for most of
the form so that the user can fill out the left-hand side of the page before
moving onto the right-hand side. Once the template is filled out, the
finished document is saved under the client’s name.

The template works great the first time it is used. However, when the
clinical information needs to be updated the previously-saved form for that
client is opened, renamed with “Save As†and the changes made. Within less
than a minute, the screen flickers momentarily, and then the entire Word
program crashes, losing all data changed to that point. Using a brand new
template for each update is an option, but it means having to re-enter all
the duplicate information – name, address, phone, diagnosis, allergies, etc.,
rather than just changing the date and moving on to the clinical data.

I’d appreciate any ideas as to why this is happening and how it might be
prevented.

JenWren

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You should not be using a form document as a "template." Instead create a
real template (*.dot file) and create new documents based on that instead.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

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[Guest]

Terminology misunderstanding, perhaps. The template I am using is a *.dot
file, but it makes extenisve use of Form Fields -- Text Form Fields,
Drop-Down Form Fields, and (primarily) Check Box Form Fields.