If you are keeping Word open, this should be happening. But you can change
the default directory in which Word opens by modifying the path for
"Documents" on the File Locations tab of Tools | Options.

Also, if you have Word 2002 or 2003, you may want to add frequently used
folders to the Places Bar in the File Open/Save dialog; see
http://www.gmayor.com/customize_the_word_places_bar.htm

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.

"Sharon" wrote in message
...
For me to get to my documents, I have to go through this long process of
getting onto the network, then into the "Patent" directory, then to . . .
then to the . . . When I have to open one document, then the next document
(in the same folder), I have to go through the same process. What I would
like to do is once I open a folder, the next time I go to the Open Window,
it
will default to that directory until I change it manually.
--
S