Re: Changing Normal.dot in Word

[Deborah Hemstreet <dvora -at- tech-challenged -dot- com>]

Hi Suzanne,

I cannot answer this question. However, if your templates can be stored 
on the Network, you could talk with the IT department to install 
Workgroup templates... I don't know where they are set up in Word 2007. 
In 200 and 2003 it is via the Options dialog box, File Locations tab.

I had this done, successfully, as a company where I was working. After 
initial resistance, employees found that clicking File, New and getting 
a properly branded template, be it letter, document, whatever, was worth 
the price in spending a few minutes to learn how to use Word properly.

No matter how you push the changes in Normal.dot to everyone in the 
company, if the document goes outside the company to a computer that 
does NOT have your company's version of Normal.dot installed on their 
computer, their styles will over-ride those of your company, should they 
have automatically update selected for the templates. Sometimes they 
over-ride anyway. In addition, Normal.dot is notorious for becoming 
corrupted. In fact, the most common fix for problems in Word is to 
simply deleted Normal.dot and then start over. Magically, Word begins to 
function "normally" again <no pun intended>.

You need to explain to your company that by using Workgroup templates, 
you will be able to create templates for ALL the needs of your company. 
In fact, this setting also impacts Excel and PowerPoint... so that if 
there is a specially branded PowerPoint format, or special Excel 
templates used, for example, in a design review... everything can be 
accessed quickly and easily by simply clicking File > New from Word, 
PowerPoint or Excel and opening the correct template.

I know this is not the answer you wanted to hear, but forcing use of 
Normal.dot and incorporating your company's branding there is risky 
business.

I hope this information is helpful.

Deborah
http://www.tech-challenged.com
http://www.mswordchallenged.com (under development)

On 02/08/2010 8:52 AM, Suzette Leeming wrote: