I have 13 properties with 13 different (but similar) sections of a manual
(ie... PR, AP, AR, HR, etc) that need to be updated. Each property has 13
different heads of departments that only need to look at their section of the
manual, therefore a Master Doc or linked files wouldn't work.
Does anyone have any idea of how to combine these docs, but yet keep them
separate so the depts. don't have to scroll thru an entire manual to get to
their section and I don't have to make 13 changes to 13 different manuals.
I'm considering creating a 'web page' that would link identical documents so
I'd only have 1 copy instead of 13. I'm even open to a spreadsheet or
database if it would work.
I hope this makes sense to someone as I've been racking my brain to figure
out something. I currently open and close 160 word docs each time a change
needs to be made... aaarrgggghhhh!!

Hi ?B?QmFyYg==?=,

I don't understand why linked files wouldn't work? I can imagine a set of
folders, one for each "head", containing only those files (or that one file)
s/he needs to change.

Then a "master" file, where these individual files are inserted with a link (to
those folders). When this is opened, the links are updated, and the current
information appears (can be printed).

If the information the "heads" are supposed to change is of limited scope (i.e.
a price or a list rather than entire paragraphs of text), and this is duplicated
across all the documents (properties?) for a department, you might look at using
something like Formfields, which are also bookmarks. In that way, the "head"
could enter the information once and it can be propagated to the other documents
via a link to the bookmark (Insert/File, click Range to specify the bookmark
name).

Which version of Word are we dealing with, BTW?

I have 13 properties with 13 different (but similar) sections of a manual
(ie... PR, AP, AR, HR, etc) that need to be updated. Each property has 13
different heads of departments that only need to look at their section of the
manual, therefore a Master Doc or linked files wouldn't work.
Does anyone have any idea of how to combine these docs, but yet keep them
separate so the depts. don't have to scroll thru an entire manual to get to
their section and I don't have to make 13 changes to 13 different manuals.
I'm considering creating a 'web page' that would link identical documents so
I'd only have 1 copy instead of 13. I'm even open to a spreadsheet or
database if it would work.


Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply
in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

Thanks Cindy...

When I created a "Master" file with link files embedded, each file showed up
as a 'hyperlink' instead of the actual file. I need it to show up as if it
was the actual document. Unfortunately I have to 'dummy proof' this so that
no one realizes that anything is different. My "heads" aren't up to speed on
anything fancy, but can open and close a document.

And yes, it is entire paragraphs that need to be changed, or sections of a
paragraph. For example, one property may change the way they do something in
PR and it needs to go to all properties, or at least the ones specified.

Also, that's another issue. If one property changes something, that doesn't
mean they ALL will be changed...

I'm running Word 2003.

I've come to the conclusion that one single file is a lot easier to 'handle'
than 13 separate ones, so have tried combining them and working with that as
a test. However, now I'm running into an issue of TOC's and Indexes. I need
one for each section, but Word creates a TOC and Index based on the ENTIRE
doc.

I'm sure this is all impossible to do, but I guess it's just wishful thinking.
Thanks again...Barb


"Cindy M -WordMVP-" wrote:

Hi ?B?QmFyYg==?=,

I don't understand why linked files wouldn't work? I can imagine a set of
folders, one for each "head", containing only those files (or that one file)
s/he needs to change.

Then a "master" file, where these individual files are inserted with a link (to
those folders). When this is opened, the links are updated, and the current
information appears (can be printed).

If the information the "heads" are supposed to change is of limited scope (i.e.
a price or a list rather than entire paragraphs of text), and this is duplicated
across all the documents (properties?) for a department, you might look at using
something like Formfields, which are also bookmarks. In that way, the "head"
could enter the information once and it can be propagated to the other documents
via a link to the bookmark (Insert/File, click Range to specify the bookmark
name).

Which version of Word are we dealing with, BTW?

I have 13 properties with 13 different (but similar) sections of a manual
(ie... PR, AP, AR, HR, etc) that need to be updated. Each property has 13
different heads of departments that only need to look at their section of the
manual, therefore a Master Doc or linked files wouldn't work.
Does anyone have any idea of how to combine these docs, but yet keep them
separate so the depts. don't have to scroll thru an entire manual to get to
their section and I don't have to make 13 changes to 13 different manuals.
I'm considering creating a 'web page' that would link identical documents so
I'd only have 1 copy instead of 13. I'm even open to a spreadsheet or
database if it would work.


Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply
in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

Hi Barb,

I'm running Word 2003.

And so is everyone else who's working on this? (This would give you more options
for protecting links.)

When I created a "Master" file with link files embedded, each file showed up
as a 'hyperlink' instead of the actual file

Right, you're talking about the Master Document feature. the file can be
expanded to show the entire document. But you don't need to use that.

Test Insert/File, clicking the little arrow next to the "Insert" button to
choose the option to link.

Now, open a document, select some text, Insert/Bookmark and assign a name. Save
and close. In the "main" document do Insert/File again, select that file, and
this time click the "range" button. Type in the bookmark name you assigned, then
Insert with a Link. You see that it picks up only the text you had selected,
rather than the entire document?

With Word 2003 it's possible to set up a separate document for each "head".
Bookmark the sections you need to "pull". Apply protection to everything else,
including the start/end points of the bookmarks. Now the "heads" (the picture
that calls up g) can freely edit, with no worries - but only in the designated
areas. What's more, they can SEE which areas these are. And in the protection
task pane they can quickly jump from one to the next.

I've come to the conclusion that one single file is a lot easier to 'handle'
than 13 separate ones, so have tried combining them and working with that as
a test. However, now I'm running into an issue of TOC's and Indexes. I need
one for each section, but Word creates a TOC and Index based on the ENTIRE
doc.

The outlined approach would let you work with a single file, that pulls the 13
other files together. In order to set up TOCs and Indexes you can use switches
in the TOC and Index fields (alt+F9 will toggle field codes on/off). Look up
"TOC field" and "Index field" in the Help. Take a close look at the list of
SWITCHES, that let you control how a TOC and an Index are generated. For
example, you can set bookmarks and generate a TOC only from what's contained in
a specific bookmark.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply
in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)