Re: Single sourcing and cross-references between different MS Word Files?

["Mike Starr" <mikestarr-techwr-l -at- writestarr -dot- com>]

See notes below as well.

1. Okay, I've not used cross-file linkage of information in a number of 
years but one method is to open the source document, copy the desired 
content, then go to the target document and choose the Edit>>Paste Special 
menu item. On the Paste Special dialog box, choose the Paste Link option 
button on the left side and choose the Formatted Text (RTF) item in the As 
list then click the Ok button. You now have a direct link to text from the 
source document. If the text in the source document is changed, the text in 
the target document will be changed when the cross-reference is updated 
(usually when the document is opened or printed but if all else fails, when 
you click the cursor in the relevant text and press the F9 key).

2. You can do cross-references to bookmarked text items within a single 
document (re-use content from one place in the document in multiple places 
in the document)  First you need to bookmark the desired text. Highlight the 
desired text then go to the Insert>>Bookmark menu item. Enter an appropriate 
bookmark name in the Bookmark Name field (note, an existing bookmark may be 
preselected in this field; make sure you use a different name unless you 
want to revise an existing bookmark) and click the Add button. Bookmark 
names cannot contain spaces or special characters and have a limited length. 
Now go to the place in the document where you want to use the bookmarked 
text and click the cursor in the appropriate spot. Choose the Insert>>Cross 
reference menu item. On the Cross-reference dialog box, choose Bookmark with 
the Reference Type drop-down list box, choose Bookmark Text with the Insert 
Reference To drop-down list box, check (enable) the Insert As Hyperlink 
checkbox, choose the bookmark name you created earlier and click the Insert 
button.

You can do cross-references to heading text (text formatted with Word's 
**default** heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.). Go to the place in 
the document where you want to use the bookmarked text and click the cursor 
in the appropriate spot. Choose the Insert>>Cross reference menu item. On 
the Cross-reference dialog box, choose Heading with the Reference Type 
drop-down list box, choose Heading Text with the Insert Reference To 
drop-down list box, check (enable) the Insert As Hyperlink checkbox, scroll 
down the list of headings in your document and choose the heading you want 
to use and click the Insert button.

There are multiple options in the Cross-reference dialog box; these are the 
ones I use on a daily basis and I haven't explored the other options too 
much. One option that can be valuable is the Page Number option on the 
Insert Reference To drop-down list box.

Notes:

A) If you're going to use extensive amounts of cross-references I'd 
recommend going to the Tools>>Options menu item, View tab and selecting the 
Always item with the Field Shading drop-down list box, then checking 
(enabling) the Bookmarks checkbox in the Show group of items. That way 
cross-references are highlighted (with gray background shading) on the 
target page (but not in print) and bookmarks are indicated (by a gray 
[bracket] at the start and end)  in the source document so you're aware of 
where they are and what they contain.

B) Cross-references can get hosed if you're not careful when you move text 
within the source document. I've learned over the years how to move text 
without causing problems. I'm not including that here (I'm late for 
breakfast with friends) but will reveal secrets to those interested.

C) Procedures in this email were written using interface elements from Word 
2000; may vary somewhat in later versions of word but should be enough to 
give you the basic procedures.

D) This ought to be enough to get you started. I generally develop my 
manuals as single documents so I haven't explored cross-document 
references/linkage but there may be other ways to go about it that I haven't 
taken the time to learn. Bear in mind that this is advanced usage that's 
probably not covered in most third-party reference books; they're used by 
very few Word users. However, the secret to learning how to do some of this 
stuff is to play with it (in a non-critical backup document).

Best regards,

Mike Starr
--
Mike Starr                            WriteStarr Information Services
Technical Writer   -   Online Help Developer   -    Website developer
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Phone: (262) 694-1028 - Tollfree: (877) 892-1028 - Fax:(262) 697-6334
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----- Original Message -----
From: "SB " <sylvia -dot- braunstein -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Sent: Sunday, June 10, 2007 10:03 AM
Subject: Single sourcing and cross-references between different MS Word 
Files?

> Hi,
>
> 1. I was told that you could actually do single sourcing i.e., in the 
> sense
> of using the same contents repetitively in different MS Word files.
> 2. I was also told that you could cross-reference to bookmarks (or
> references) embedded in different MS Word files (not to external files).
>
> I am using MS Word 2003/Windows XP pro.
>
> So? What is the secret? Anybody?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Sylvia 

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