Use a table in appendix to determine content of main document?

[MattMurray]

Hi,

I was wondering if it were possible for me to use a table or some sort of text box in an appendix to a Word doc, to determine what sections are shown in the main document? For example, I have sub-sections in my document of c 150 words each, but I don't always need to display each of them. So instead of deleting and adding sections in every time I'd like to just select the ones I need so they automatically display. Is that possible? Sorry if this is a basic question but I can't seem to work it out from google search.

Thanks



Matt

[kilroyscarnival]

Originally Posted by MattMurray

Hi,

I was wondering if it were possible for me to use a table or some sort of text box in an appendix to a Word doc, to determine what sections are shown in the main document? For example, I have sub-sections in my document of c 150 words each, but I don't always need to display each of them. So instead of deleting and adding sections in every time I'd like to just select the ones I need so they automatically display. Is that possible? Sorry if this is a basic question but I can't seem to work it out from google search.

Thanks

Matt

I'm not sure how a table would control this. A macro to insert each section? Could be done.

I think you could accomplish this in a few different ways, but the easiest might be to create a master document that has every single section and subsection in it. Make sure your sections and subsections have proper heading styles, and the sections, if numbered, have auto-numbering, so that if you remove section 5.2, the next one down becomes 5.2, etc.

Then, when you start, use View/Navigation Pane (check box) and use the pane down the left hand side to delete out the sections you don't want. You can also drag them around the pane if you need to rearrange them.

Another approach would be to start from blank and import various separate documents into one, or to use Quick Parts. It's probably going to depend on how many sections there really are, and what feels easier. For the engineering documents I edit, usually we start with one of several master templates, then customize by removing what isn't relevant for that report.

Ann

[Charles Kenyon]

Ann,


Be careful using the term "Master Document."

Master Documents "Feature" in Microsoft Word

[kilroyscarnival]

Originally Posted by Charles Kenyon

Ann,


Be careful using the term "Master Document."

Master Documents "Feature" in Microsoft Word

Yeah, makes sense. I didn't mean "Master Document" in that sense. "Template" has the same weight; not necessarily a template in the Word file sense, but a starting point for the document.

To my thinking, deleting is faster than adding, but it all depends on the document.