#1
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Is there a way to modify multiple versions of a document simultaneously?
Hi, I produce reports for rental properties. I have report templates for 4 different job types. Each of those templates comes in a version for 4 different property sizes, so that's 16 templates in all.
The templates share many of the same elements - e.g. The pages for Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom etc, so every time I want to improve them I have to make that same change to 16 documents. Is there a way of linking these documents, or of creating document elements (e.g. the Kitchen page, the Bathroom page etc) that are used identically in multiple documents so you only have to make the change once? Hope I've explained clearly what I'm after, any help much appreciated. Thanks! |
#2
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Check out Building Blocks.
Automated Boilerplate Using Microsoft Word You probably want to use AutoText. (You can save your text as other types of building blocks if you want, the AutoText field will still work. Create an AutoText entry in a Global Template for each element. Then in your sixteen templates, substitute an AutoText field for the element. (You are using templates, not documents, right? If not, let us know.) When you want to change something, change the AutoText entry in the global template. The default name for building blocks is the text at the beginning. This is seldom a good choice for the name. Choose meaningful names that are unique in the first four characters to have them be the most useful. |
#3
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Thanks for the reply Charles, actually I have merely created documents, I've never worked with Word templates before. Do Building Blocks/Auto Text work only with actual blocks of text and text formatting, or could a building block be a table (which many of my document elements are based on)?
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#4
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AutoText can contain tables.
There are advantages to using templates rather than documents when you are preparing a new custom document. There is no chance of accidentally overwriting the template, you get a new document with all the content from the template. The AutoText fields update upon document creation from the template. That is not the case when you open an existing document. Building blocks (including AutoText) can hold multiple pages of text. |
#5
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OK great, sounds like the way to go. Thanks!
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#6
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I'm sorry. I just noticed that you are using Word 2008 on the Mac. I do not believe there are building blocks. However, I believe AutoText is still present.
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#7
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No probs I just got a Windows tablet anyway so I'll be getting 2013 or maybe 2016
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