Multi-level lists -Is my understanding correct?

[NicB]

Hi

I’m trying to set up corporate templates, which I need the lay person to be able to use easily and quickly. I’ve started with a global template, which is to include all my styles, building blocks, macros and autotext, etc. and then from that I will build main templates for letters, reports, forms, etc. (then I need to build templates/documents with standard text in them – there are over 150 of them!). I need for these templates to all follow a similar pattern, in terms of styling, so that a person with very little knowledge of Word can apply the same knowledge to each document, regardless of the template it was built on.

I thought I was fairly knowledgeable on Word, having used it (and been the go-to person) for decades, but I am rapidly thinking otherwise as I delve through blogs and posts on here!

My issue is that across these 150 documents are different multi-level list styles (1 per document). All numbers are to be aligned to the left margin and the text is to start 1.27 (1”) in. (I will probably make the number 1 pt smaller that the text, as really it is only for reference purposes – the crucial bit for the reader to be able to see, is the heading and the body text.)

List Style 1
1.0 Heading 1 (Bold)
1.1 Heading 2 (Bold)
1.1.1 Body text
1.2 Heading 2
1.2.1 Body text

And so it continues. For this list, I have created a List Style and attached H1 to Level 1, H2 to Level 2, Body Text to Level 3 and (no style) for the remainder of the list, in case the report decides to throw in a Heading 4. This list is working well and when I press enter, it goes to the next number in the level, which is perfect for the lay person filling out these documents.

The issue becomes apparent when on some reports, the document headings are set up erratically and do not follow a set standard i.e.:

1.0 Heading 1


1.1 Body text
1.2 Body text
1.3 Heading 2
1.3.1 Body text
1.3.2 Heading 3
1.3.2.1 Body text

Even with reading Shauna’s article re outline numbering (several times over), I am still confused. Even though I clearly do not need all heading styles to be attached to a List Style (I’m saving H6 to H9 for Appendices), do I still need to attach them all? If so, how do I get around the fact that I would then need another list for the Body text? Am I meant to use a second multi-level list for the Body Text? I’ve read one article on here that implies I do, and that I need to effectively duplicate H1-H9 and make them non-bold, but link them to the bold versions. Then on top of that, have 9 levels of body text styles.

I’m so confused by this, I’m sorry. It feels that for the lay person, whose idea of using styles is highlighting text and clicking the bold button, it will be too much to cope with if they have so many different styles that they can’t figure out in which scenario to use them.

If someone was able to explain a solution, I would be extremely grateful.

Thank you in advance.

[Charles Kenyon]

This is a big topic and you've written a lengthy series of questions.


1. Assign a style for each level in your list. This can be a heading style. It can be a body-text style. Re-read Shawna's article.
Here is my chapter on numbering. Numbering in Microsoft Word

Use the links in that chapter that go to John McGhie's material.


2. Styles cannot be contained in global templates absent macros that implement them. Easier to use is probably [Quick] Style Sets.
See A Global StyleSheet in Microsoft Word? which predates style sets but works in the latest versions of Word. You can limit the styles that show in the Style Gallery for your templates and limit editing to only using those styles. This takes some planning.



3. This is my article on Understanding Styles in Microsoft Word. It does not address restricting editing to certain styles. It should and I hope to get around to it this winter.


4. Look at Templates in Microsoft Word and File New Variations in the Versions of Word. You will want your document templates in the Workgroup Templates folder. You may want to change the keyboard shortcut of Ctrl+N to use the classic File New dialog.


5. It sounds like you are working on a major project here. Consider customizing the ribbon using XML editing. See Customize the Ribbon (It doesn't take rocket science).

You can have a custom ribbon that gives quick access to all of your templates, dynamically, so that when you add or remove templates, the menus change. Here is a picture of the one used in my office.

KenyonFormsDocumentationSmall.png

6. You can also use custom QAT entries in your templates. Modifying the QAT in Microsoft Word

7. I am a great believer is using Global Templates. I use more than 10 with discrete purposes. One contains the Ribbon modifications with associated macros and QAT modifications. Another contains other QAT modifications and some keyboard shortcuts. The one with my numbering styles can be found here: Outline Heading Styles Global Stylesheet

Bottom line, you will need a great user manual and user training. You can't do it all in Word.

[Charles Kenyon]

One other note.



You cannot create a normal template. Only Word can create a fully-functional normal template. You can modify the normal template created by Word. Such modification should never include any text or images. How to Open the Normal Template


You should not try to force your users to use a particular normal template. You can change the template used by default to open new documents. Easy New Document Template Package

[NicB]

Hi Charles

Thank you for all the information - it will be a huge resource to me - thank you. It is certainly turning into a much bigger project than anticipated at first. Sorry, yes of course, I did know about styles in global templates - it was the style sets I wanted to add to them, along with macros, building blocks, etc.

I had also considered adding buttons to either the QAT or looking at modifying the ribbon - I found that snippet out last week and came to the conclusion that it looked fairly straightforward to do.

Could I ask one further question of you. If you were to start a project like this, how would you go about planning it. Would the best course of action be to start? Have you ever come across a planner or the such like that breaks the tasks down?

Thank you so much for your assistance - it is hugely helpful.

Nicola

[Charles Kenyon]

I have not seen such a plan.

If I were to do it I would first look at the document templates and try to divide them by function, perhaps putting them in separate sub-folders. To the extent possible, I would base them on the same template(s).

Then I would look at building blocks and macros. How would they be related to one another. Ones that work together should be in the same global template. I like to modularize my global templates so that they do not get overwhelming. I can work on one at a time. If any QAT modifications are being used, they should be stored in the same global template that contains macros or building blocks related to them.

Style Sets:
Note that Style Sets consist of only the styles in the Quick Styles Gallery.

You can pick those before you save a style set.

For the ribbon modification, I worked with Greg Maxey to set up the dynamic ribbon menus. I would recommend seeing if he would consult with you on it. It will save you a lot of time. Here is my favorite book on the subject.
RibbonX: Customizing the Office Ribbon by Robert Martin, Ken Puls, and Teresa Hennig


Do not use the interface's method of customizing the ribbon; use XML. The interface method is limited, it is very difficult to transfer to other users. It is OK for an individual user, but not for an enterprise. This was not, for me, a minor undertaking.



AutoText
To me, a dinosaur I guess, Auto Text remains the key building block. I use AutoText to hold key data about my office, names, addresses, phone numbers. I use AutoText fields in many of my templates that pull those in from one global template. That way, I can update all of my templates by making changes in one file.


You will want a training document/manual.


Many of my global templates are written as help files for the functions in that template. Take a look at my MacroButton Prompt Add-In and Random Text Add-In for examples of how this works. Each has a Help button that creates a new document based on the template to explain things. If I modify a function, I change the text in the global template.

Keep in mind, I am a lawyer, not an IT pro.

[NicB]

Hi Charles

Thank you again - the information and guidance you've provided will help no end. Its is good to know that I was on a similar thought process, in terms of where to start. I think it is definitely going to be a mammoth project and not one that I can research, learn and complete within two weeks, without evading sleep!

I have already learnt quite a bit from your site - thank you for sharing your knowledge. I also invested time in reading Word 2016 In Depth by Faithe Wempen, which gave a good overview of those areas of Word that I had not needed to use previously. Disappointingly though, the one reason I purchased the book - to get a better understanding of multi-level lists, did not give me the answers that I needed. Although, I appreciate it is very difficult to cover every use case. I have found lots of explanations on here and I think (deep breathe and fingers crossed), I think I am making headway in understanding the reasoning behind it. I feel that everything else won't split my head in two in quite the same manner!

As for your comment re being a Lawyer, rather than an IT Consultant. That's perfect, as you speak from an end-user's viewpoint.

I can't thank you enough for your insight.

All the very best.

[Charles Kenyon]

Best understanding of MultiLevel lists is John McGhie's work, I believe. That was mentioned in my first post.