Envelope template/style not sticking

[dpenny]

In Word 2013, Win 7, I cannot seem to get a modified envelope style to stick. By that I mean after Ive modified the frame and para, after saving etc I come back to same doc or a new one and my settings for the frame are 50% gone, some did stick. In particular the para indent of 2" keeps returning even though I set it to zero.

All I want is

1. a wide frame that stays fixed
2. a height that adjusts to whatever text I put into address
3. as bold & big a font as will fit into the fixed width.

For all envelopes.

[Charles Kenyon]

First, you can create an envelope template and use that. If you want to use the envelope feature, you need to modify the style in the template used for your document. That may be the normal template, but it may be a custom letterhead template.

Change Envelope Layout

[dpenny]

by "envelope template" I assume you mean the style named "envelope address"
and I have modified this style (I guess that's what you mean by "envelope feature")but
1. even thought it looks right in the frame, in the envelope address window it does not
2. the modifications to style are not there when I come back (to same or new doc).

[Charles Kenyon]

By template I mean a special kind of document saved by Word as a template.
http://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/templates.htm

Are you currently using a document rather than a template?
Is it set to update styles from the template? Making Sure Styles Do Not Update Automatically

[dpenny]

ahh that template... I am not creating or doing anything special with dot dotx dotm on purpose.

I always start with a plain doc, type 3,4,5 lines of address and save the docx with a unique name. Might have 40-60 of these now. Then when I want an envelope I open the docx, highlight the 3,4,5 lines, go to mailings>envelops and eventually print.

I'm sick and tired of modifying the dialog every time my lines are too long or too many. I want one address style to be permanent default that will handle whatever I throw at it (well almost).

So I am trying to alter the default Envelope Style, but as I said I cannot seem to get my alterations 1) to stick each time I reopen Word, and 2) to take effect. I get bigger bolder fonts OK, but they run off the bottom of envelop cause the frame is not positioned correctly.

[Charles Kenyon]

First, long ago I became frustrated with envelopes in Word because I wanted to be able to have multiple return addresses. I created envelope templates that looked the way I wanted and which have MacroButton Field prompts for me to fill in for the addressee. If I wanted to keep an envelope I would simply save the envelope created from the template in a folder labeled envelopes with a document name showing the addressee. In other words, I bypassed the Word envelope function.

I currently have a macro attached to my QAT which creates a new document based on the envelope template.

I do not know where that 2" indent comes from. It is not part of the style setting for Envelope Address in the normal template. That style is changed by the use of the envelope button and is apparently hard-wired into Word. The frame is created to be horizontally centered on the page with a 2" indent inside the frame. I suspect it is designed that way so that it will work on smaller envelopes, but I certainly understand your not liking it. I believe this is a bug and it has been there since at least Word 2010.

If you download the Envelope tutorial at the bottom of the tutorials on my downloads page, it has a sample envelope template. Although that template is dated in that it contains an obsolete POSTNET barcode, it otherwise works fine. You could adapt it to your use. At least it would let you see what I mean by an envelope template. Although it contains macros, you can use it without them being active or allowed to run. You can change the frame used in the template to suit your needs.

To record a macro that uses your template, save the template in your Custom Office Templates folder. It should be saved there by default when you save as a template. Start recording the macro and create a new document based on the template. Stop recording. You can save an icon for the macro on your QAT.

The functions of the Envelope Wizard discussed in the tutorial have been supplanted by the mailings tab button.

[Charles Kenyon]

I've cross-posted this on the Microsoft Answers site to get more feedback and potentially bring it to Microsoft's attention.
https://www.msofficeforums.com/word/...-sticking.html

Here are screenshots of the EnvelopeAddress style in a document before and after using the Envelope button to insert an envelope in a document. The before settings (blue) were from the normal template which was the basis for the new document; the after settings (red) were after insertion of the envelope.

[gmayor]

Answered in the linked message http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/o...=1452610052158

[Charles Kenyon]

Not answered to my satisfaction, but it may be enough for dpenny.
Graham's post does show how to change the frame location. Following his instructions, I have managed to do that consistently.

[dpenny]

Not answered to my satisfaction either.

I've done JS, CSS, html, 1-2000 lines of VBA for Excel and I just don't get the back & forth of adding a section to my doc to contain all the envelope BS, then modifying, then saving back to doc or dotx, then re-opening and trying again.

If I add to my doc, now I've got two areas/sections in doc with the address info

What a MESS.

Given that MS stuck it right up there in ribbon for 000's of users to get at.

I've downloaded Kenyons zip (notice I refuse to use the word "template"), and will look at it later today.

[BobbieH999]

I am trying to change the default fonts for creating envelopes. I keep changing the font for each, the adressee and the return address. For each change I hit the 'make default' button - get the warning message that it will change all my documents going forward (which is what I want) - hit enter. But the very next envelope I try to create goes back to the old default fonts. Any help here? I'm getting really frustrated, especially when I'm sending 10 or more letters in a row to different addresses.
Thanks.

[dpenny]

I forget EXACTLY what I did, but I DO KNOW that I could never use the
Mailings>Envelope tabs and get the changes to stick. I could alter the frame used to hold address text, but could not make it stick after shutting Word down. My goal was to have more lines in address, and more text per line. I gave up.

I am on Word2013.

But one of the posts had me create a template, and then save in a regular docx file. I then change the name/address/font, etc........ and save as another docx file. It works OK, but I NEVER use the Mailings>Envelope tabs, they suck.

His use of the word "template" is quite misleading, cause, it has nothing to do with a
dot or dotx file.

HTH

[gmayor]

The thing to bear in mind with the envelopes function is that it employs the Envelope Address and Envelope Return styles from the template the current document is created from. If you have these sttles in your document template and your normal template, the document template definitions will take precedence.

The basic principles are covered at http://www.gmayor.com/changing_envelope_layout.htm which was mentioned earlier in the thread. This works for all versions up to and including Word 2016, although the illustrations are mainly from Word 2010.

Having made the changes ensure that the document template is saved or you will be back to square one next time.

If all else fails, use a template - see http://www.gmayor.com/Envelope_Label_Add_In.htm which comes with a pre-prepared #10 envelope template.