Workgroup templates and macros (2003/SP1)

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I need to make sets of templates available to coworkers as workgroup templates. Since different coworkers need different templates but also have some in common (ie, the sets intersect), I thought of including shortcuts to other folders in the workgroup templates folder. That way, each coworker could have a custom set of templates but I could still modify them from a single source.

The trouble is, once a template is moved out of the folder designated for workgroup templates, Word gets its back up about the macros in the template (security settings, warnings etc). It seems a shortcut isn’t enough to convince Word that a template belongs to the workgroup templates and is legit.

Does anyone know a way to make the workgroup templates available without macro warnings? I would rather not work with multiple copies or give users templates they don’t need.

Many thanks,
Erik

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You’ll probably have to get a digital certificate and sign the templates. Each user will have to confirm once that (s)he trusts the certificate, after that there will be no more macro warnings. Users could even set macro security to High.

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We have the same situation; a general set of templates for all and special templates for a few groups of users. We put all the general templates in the Workgroup templates folder and the specials in subfolders of the Workgroup templates folder. These subfolders are then visible as tabs in the dialog box New document. Through authorisations on the folder level users only see the general templates plus the templates in the tab/subfolder for which they are authorised. Windows/Word doesn’t show tabs for subfolders for which the user is not authorised.

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This seems like a good approach in general, but at my workplace the groups of users change regularly, and I don’t set the permissions myself, so the frequent revisions would be a hassle.

Thanks for the informative replies. I’m now leaning toward digital signature (as soon as I find out how to get one!).

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You can get digital signatures from companies such as VeriSign and Thawte.

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MS has three trusted locations that it will not get its back up macros; user profile, startup and workgroup templates. I have designated a network location for workgroup templates with folders to control security for each group using a particular template. That way I have a central location for updates or additions to these templates. To work on the templates I lower the macro security for my PC in the registry (hklmSoftwaremicrosoftoffice11security with a value of 1) then put changed templates in network location

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