Start with Repeating Data Using Document Properties Content Controls and Other Mapped Content Controls. Then look into the StyleRef Field.

This becomes a bit more when you want different headers/footers. Different first page will apply to both when selected for one. If what you want in headers/footers also appears in the body of your document, then the StyleRef field is your answer. The Document Property Content Controls lets changes in any place show up in all similar Content Controls.

Charles,

I tried your first suggestion with the Content Controls and IT WORKED!

Now I can keep the setting "Different First Page" for the header/footer, but only have staff edit the footer once.

Thank you so much!

You are welcome.

Well, you can use one of the document property content controls or another mapped content control and place it in both footers.

A basic question, though, is why you are having staff edit the footer, at all?
If the information they are placing there is appearing anywhere in the body of the document itself, you can use a StyleRef Field to replicate that in the header or footer.

That's a good point.

We have pretty general templates that are used in different departments, and for different projects. We need each template to represent the department and/or the project number & title on each page and specifically in the footer. I thought about sourcing the project title from elsewhere so nobody has to ever touch the footer, but sometimes the template doesn't have a space for that, so it is easier to keep them edit the footer. We are not a huge company so this isn't a huge problem.