So I have a Word template which includes a 2-row table where a signature should appear. On the top-left cell, there is a blank area to sign. In the bottom-left cell, it includes a Shift-Enter and a merge field where a signature title will appear.

If I open the template everything looks fine (I have show paragraph marks on).

If I instead double-click the template name in File Explorer to open a new document based on the template, I get a long series of underlines ("_" 's) where you would put a signature line, just before the Shift-Enter code. The underlines are a bit too long for the table column, so it wraps to the next line, which throws everything off.

This signature line used to appear by design, then I decided to take it out of the template, which I did. Can't figure out why it is missing from the template, but appears in the new document based on the template.

Any ideas? Thanks...

NOTE: Please ignore info next to my name above, I have Windows 10 and Office 2016. Just figured out how to change that, but it didn't refresh for this post. Can't figure out how to change "Novice" to a more experienced status.

Please see the attached snips of the template and new document.

Attached Images

	Template.png (4.6 KB, 13 views)
	Document.png (4.7 KB, 13 views)

• How to attach a file in this forum.
• Why a sample file is important for troubleshooting. How to do it.

My guess is that you have two templates with the same name. If you use the two methods you described to open the template, is the Attached Template path the same in both cases?

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Andrew Lockton
Chrysalis Design, Melbourne Australia

Thanks for the reply, but that's not it. If I find the template with file explorer, I can right-click and choose "Open" to view/edit the template.

Otherwise, I can either double-click or right-click and choose "New" to create a blank document based on the template.

Either way, I'm only dealing with a single template.

In that case you may have a macro in it that runs on AutoNew. Can you post the template here so someone can look at what is happening with your template?

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Andrew Lockton
Chrysalis Design, Melbourne Australia

Thanks, don't think that's it. It's a .dotx. Doesn't it need to be a .dotm to have macros?

Attached Files

CertificateAndThankYouLetter.dotx (20.5 KB, 5 views)

You are right, it is not a macro.

Your template is a mailmerge document and the content in question is a merge field which tells Word to include the underline before the merged text in the event of the field NOT being blank.
MERGEFIELD SigTitle1 \b "___________________________"

Did you put the \b switch in the field or did you inherit this from someone?

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Andrew Lockton
Chrysalis Design, Melbourne Australia

Wow, good catch Andrew! I did inherit this template, but don't remember if those underlines were programmed into the field or if I put them in and then forgot. Either way, it seems strange that they appear when I open a new document from the template, because the field is empty at that point. I thought the before/after text only appeared when the field had a value after merging. Perhaps they appear always until you do the mailmerge, then get removed if the field has no value? Anyway, thanks for the catch!

I would be putting a bottom border on the table cell where these fields sit and removing the underline characters switch. This will give you a permanent bottom line regardless of the field contents but it will be a lot simpler and result in a more consistent look.

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Andrew Lockton
Chrysalis Design, Melbourne Australia

Thanks Andrew. I would do that also, except customer doesn't want the underlines anymore. Thanks for all your help!