Hello to everyone.
I have a problem and would like to know whether there is a realistic and sensible solution available through word functionality that will help me to save time.

Every month, I have to construct a single word document with the same structure (in terms of pages, paragraphs, graphics, etc.) but the information for writing its constituent paragraphs comes from various other word files that I receive by e-mail each month.

Now, since I have to merge and modify information from 50 different files every month, and I'd like to avoid opening each one and copying and pasting their components, is there a way for me to automatically build this general word file?

To better explain the concept, let's make an example.
Assume I have to construct this final word document with the following structure:

- paragraph 1: The king of the Nord
xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
xxxxx
(picture)

- paragraph 2: The king of the south
xxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxx
xxxxx
(picture)

- paragraph X: ....


Every paragraph is pulled from other word documents that I receive via e-mail each month, and I'd like to avoid having to copy-paste them all to create the final word document.





Is there something that will automatically allow me to complete this task and save huge amount of time?


Thank you in advance to anyone who will be able to answer my request.

PS: I'm working with the 365-word version.

Tho component files would have to have the same name and be stored in the same location each month.
The parts to be captured would need to have a fixed bookmark name.

You would use an IncludeText field in your main document. Then:

1. Store all of the component documents in the proper folder.
2. Open your main document.
3. Update all the IncludeText fields.

There likely are other methods, but this is the one I would use.


You may also want to explore: Boiler - Insert a selection of documents by Graham Mayor, MVP

Do you have control of the content that is being emailed to you? You will need to have a robust method of 'tagging' the content being provided to you so that you can automate the retrieval of those components. If you can get good tagged input docs then you have a chance of automating the data compilation.

Charles' suggestion of tagging those input files with bookmarks is the 'correct' recommendation but in practice I would expect that your input providers will return documents with those bookmarks missing or the bookmarks won't contain the text you need. Because bookmarks are invisible and how they behave when people replace text in and around bookmarks you are going to need to check/repair each one to get good results with an includetext-based solution. In my mind, this is no better than the copy/paste method you already work with.

Instead, I would recommend putting Rich Text Content Controls into your source documents because those can be protected from deletion and CCs are more visible on screen for your content providers so they will find it easier to comply with your input requirements by putting the content INSIDE the marked places.

Using CCs to tag the input info doesn't lend itself to a simple method for compilation but that can then readily be automated with a macro or a workflow method.

__________________
Andrew Lockton
Chrysalis Design, Melbourne Australia