atw: Re: Word templates--how clever?

Hi Stuart (B),
Word 2003 can be an occasionally frustrating but often very rewarding and always remarkably capable tool for the tasks that you propose.
Getting folk to fill in the document properties metadata (Summary and Custom tabs) with all the basic information needed in the document, then having Word update all the fields for this that you have placed strategically throughout the document (record a macro assigned to a tool bar button that does a File> Print Preview, Edit > select all and F9 for update fields, saying yes to update the TOC) can easily get things started.
(For example: you could record macros on buttons, labelled one to 10 if you like, with user instructions in a removable, floating text box on the front page, to walk them through what they need to do. Where the object is creating a form, the final macro button could then lock the doc and activate some form fields, for example.)
Just, whatever you do, have them print to PDF for further distribution and publication.
Distributing Word files for publication can be a messy business, with every doc displaying differently on every PC, even on ostensibly identical ones - depending on installed fonts, Normal template changes and default printer driver resolution and page settings.
But, once you get the hang of it, Word 2003 plus (although the last Word BASIC Word "7" for Windows 95 was fabulous, which made the first Visual BASIC Word "97" even more of a dreadful disappointment) you will be startled by the power of the beast, provided you heed the stability precautions I mentioned on atw the other day. (Manual saves, no background printing, make frequent ZIP file backups - after closing Word down so files are not locked and temp files don't get included in the ZIP, close and reopen Word twice a day, and the like.)
Within reason, feel free to contact me off list if (and as) you have any woes and I will help if I can. 

Regards,

Michael


Michael Granat
Write Ideas
www.writeideas.com.au
mailto:writeideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

20 Years of Write Ideas!


At 21:03 30/11/2007, you wrote:


Hi all -

I'm setting up templates in MS Word 2003 for a series of business
documents. The idea to have each template contain some instructions,
sample headings, boilerplate text, empty tables, and so on. Authors
will use the template to create a draft document, type away, then
send the finished draft to me or my accomplice to be spruced up and
published. The documents will range from one-pagers to 200-page-plus
monsters.

The authors are developers and business analyst types.

Having avoided Word for many years, I've been quite impressed with
how many seemingly useful features it has for this sort of thing:
- document properties
- fill-in fields
- form controls (GUI-style check boxes, option buttons, etc.)
- formatting restrictions (no manual formatting; authors can only
apply specified styles)

I've also put a bit of effort into setting up list and heading styles
in the approved fashion (per http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/ and
http://www.word.mvps.org/).

My question is, are all these features stable both individually and
in combination, or do I need to tread very carefully? Am I just
making a maintenance headache for myself or are these features
genuinely ready for business use.

I'm aware of all the problems in past versions to do with master docs
and outline lists. I'm really just interested in whether these newer
template features all work together fairly reliably in Word 2003.

Any general advice? Jump in? Run screaming?

Thanks all

Stuart


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21:26

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