Documents in a Templates folder (Word 2003 SP1)

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I have a question about this, if anyone knows the answer.

I know that if I save a document in a folder Word recognizes as a template folder, you can use the document like a template.

Does that mean a *new* document is created from the doc/temp? Or is it a simple copy of the doc/temp? Will documents created from such a document be subject to corruption?

Any light shone on this will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Kim

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If you create a new document from a template, it is not a straight copy. If the template contains macros, for example, they are not copied into the new document. They can be called from the document because of the reference to the template.

If you create a new document from a document, it is a straight copy. If the document contains macros, for example, they are copied into the new document.

In both cases, you have a new document. I don’t know if one or the other is more prone to corruption.

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Thanks Hans,

I know that when you create a document from a template, Word creates a new document container and pushes all the non-template-only stuff into it, such as text, and copies the styles over. I was wondering if creating a document from a document pretending to be a template (due to its location) would do the same thing (that is, create a new document container and transfer text over to it), or be a straight copy. I could see it going either way…

I’ve always been told that copying documents is more likely to create corruption (at least down the road a bit), and that creating a new document is the better way to go. You have undoubtedly answered my question — if you’re certain creating a document in the way I’ve described results in only a copy of the document. Does anyone know a way to test this? I was spectacularly unsuccessful finding anything in MSoft’s KB.

Kim

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Hi Kim,
I’ve been doing this for years and have no reason to believe it causes corruptions. On average I encounter about one corruption per year, usually on documents that many others have been working on.
Putting a document in the templates directory has the major advantage that you only need to maintain a minimum number of real templates. You create a document (I call it a “skeleton”) for each type of document with appropriate sample text eg plan, procedure, user guide, report etc but base it all on one set of styles contained in the real template.
Most places that I’ve set this up I’ve used 3 real templates – one with no heading numbers (for meeting minutes and checklists), one with heading 1 starting a new page (for large documents) and one with heading 1 not starting a new page (for 4-5 page docs).
Regards,
Judith

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Hi Judith,

I can see any number of advantages to this method. But the one thing you said that makes me pause was

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On average I encounter about one corruption per year, usually on documents that many others have been working on.

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I would like to use this method for many of my clients — who produce documents which are often heavily edited by many different people. So the issue of corruption is important to me. Based on your experience, I think I shall proceed — cautiously — and see what happens.

Much thanks,
Kim

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