What you want to do may be able to be done. It will depend on the ability of a macro to determine what it is that gets copied. Headers and footers are stored in section marks. There is one at the end of every document, but may be more in the middle. Sections / Headers and Footers in Microsoft Word (Ribbon Versions) If everything is one section, it should be relatively easy. That is not my forte' though.

However, I would suggest a paradigm shift for your new templates: use modular components stored in one or two locations. Build your templates using those components in a way that lets them be updated automatically by changes in the base.

I would suggest AutoText entries holding your letterhead, etc. Store those in a Global Template.

Then use an AutoText field to put the components into the templates. Finally, put an AutoNew macro in the templates to either lock or unlink the AutoText fields. Next time, you will need to only change the AutoText entries. All of the templates will update automatically when they are used to create new documents.
Automated Boilerplate Using Microsoft Word

I use something a bit more complex, in that I have a single document that contains parts marked by bookmarks. An AutoNew macro in each template calls them into the new document at a bookmarked location in the template. AutoText is easier but I had this set up before I realized that.



For documents based on my letterhead template, an Autonew macro tests the new document's template's name against a document variable that contains the name of the template that has the up-to-date material. If the document is based on any template other than that base one, the material is copied from the base one into the new document, replacing existing headers, footers, and styles. Because of the styles, I think that is a bit better than AutoText, but not a great deal better.

The only issues I see, in general, are offline use and decentralized use. These documents are medical policies and procedures, medical protocols, operations guidelines, etc.

Most will only receive the PDF version of the finished product; not the original Word.

That said, is it safe to assume that, in the creation of the PDF from the master document, all relevant sections are saved in and not linked to the final document? Does that even make sense? (I am fairly comfortable in Word, and office in general; but by no means an expert)

I am going now to check out the reference made. Thanks!!

Jason

This should not be a problem. Again, if AutoText fields are used, those fields should be automatically unlinked by a macro. Thus, the actual content will be in the documuments but the field will be in the template. The global template should be copied/updated to each user's Word Startup Folder as a part of the network login procedure.

For this, you do not even need to unlink or lock the AutoText fields, when the PDF is made, it will contain your content. That PDF should be your local archival copy, though, not the Word file unless the fields are unlinked.

If you use AutoText and the AutoText field, the content of the field will be linked to the AutoText container unless and until you break that link. This is not reflected in PDF versions, which would contain the content.

If you use a macro to copy components from a source template, those components become part of the new document.