We use a subcontract document that is restricted allowing users only to fill in certain areas. The areas are rich text content control boxes. I am hoping there is a way to run a macro or something which will unlock the document, run spell check, then re lock the document. Also, is there a way to allow users to change formatting only within the rich text content control boxes?

I have attached the unrestricted document for reference. Any help or suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Attached Files

Long Form Subcontract.docx (54.4 KB, 13 views)

There is very little in your document that should ever need a spell-check and most of that would either not reveal any spelling errors (e.g. amounts) or would be liable to contains words not found in a spell-check dictionary (e.g. names), so I'm not sure what benefit you'd gain from a spell-check macro. In any event, if you use the 'no changes' editing restrictions (with exceptions marked) instead of the 'filling in forms' editing restrictions, the normal spell-check and formatting functions remain accessible.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

IN the area that says scope of work, our project managers actually type in the subcontractor's scope of work. This is sometimes multiple pages long and does often require spell check. I would like for them to be able to do that. Right now they are typing the scope in a separate word doc, running spell check, then pasting it in the scope section of the contract.

See Paul's suggestion that you use "No changes" instead of filling in forms restriction. Set exceptions where you want people able to type.

"Filling in forms" should really be labeled "filling in legacy forms."
Making Forms with Microsoft Word

Except that the same "Filling in forms" restrictions work equally well with content controls...

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Thank you for the correction.

Except, as we see from the current question, why would one want to do so?

I still use far more legacy forms than ones with content controls, but that is because I am lazy, as in, if it ain't broke, why fix it?

Perhaphs because it gives access to rich text, picture, combo box & date picker controls that you don't get with formfields.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Yes, I understand the advantages of content controls, but then why use the "filling in forms" method of restricting editing?

For the same reason you'd use formfields - to prevent other areas of the document being edited. Applying 'filling in forms' protection is a lot simpler than going through a document and marking each and every content control as a no-change exception.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]