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Normal.dot versus blank document template



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 14th, 2006, 11:57 AM posted to microsoft.public.word.formatting.longdocs
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Default Normal.dot versus blank document template

I have been involved in several discussions regarding this recently and
would like to try and clear this up. My firm hold the normal.dot (and
all other templates) in a central templates folder on our network.
Each user has a copy on their C drive which updates every day when they
log on. This means if the network crashes they can still work with
their template(s). Normal.dot contains all of our macros, styles,
autotexts etc. When I update I simply update the master version and
this is replicated to each pc. This means if a user's normal.dot gets
damaged it can be copied from the master, and if something goes wrong
with the master I can copy my (or someone else's c drive version).

This seems to work well but everything I read tells me we shouldn't use
normal.dot as our blank document - can anyone tell me a good reason
why we should change?

thanks

  #2  
Old March 14th, 2006, 01:23 PM posted to microsoft.public.word.formatting.longdocs
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Default Normal.dot versus blank document template

"everything I read tells me we shouldn't use normal.dot as our blank
document"

Can you give an example of something you've read that tells you this?
Normal.dot is the default "blank document", by definition. Perhaps you've
misunderstood suggestions about not putting stuff into the headers and
footers of normal.dot, eg to use it as the standard company letterhead or
similar (which is indeed good advice). But if you just want a plain blank
document, there's no need to complicate matters.


  #3  
Old March 14th, 2006, 02:01 PM posted to microsoft.public.word.formatting.longdocs
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Default Normal.dot versus blank document template

Hi Jacqueline:

I would say your firm has it close to exactly correct.

My only quibble would be that each time you copy Normal.dot in, you blow
away all of the users' carefully-created customisations :-) I doubt if that
would do much for staff morale -- most users passionately hate being treated
like that.

However, apart from destroying staff morale, "technically" your method is
exactly correct. The Normal template is designed and intended to be the
blank document, and to be used as such.

The method you are using is dramatically simpler to code, administer, and
maintain! And very reliable.

I don't know what you've been reading, but I think I would throw it in the
round file :-)

If your firm is a heavy user of macros and toolbars, you might "consider"
putting those in a global add-in. You can administer that exactly the same
way: put it on the network and copy it to the user's Word/Startup folder
each time you update it.

In your situation, there's no real benefit in doing this, other than the
fact that a global add-in is not subject to constant change by normal Word
usage, so it will last longer between "damages". It would also mean you did
not need to blow the user's customisations away every morning :-)

Hope this helps

On 14/3/06 9:57 PM, in article
, "Jacqueline"
wrote:

I have been involved in several discussions regarding this recently and
would like to try and clear this up. My firm hold the normal.dot (and
all other templates) in a central templates folder on our network.
Each user has a copy on their C drive which updates every day when they
log on. This means if the network crashes they can still work with
their template(s). Normal.dot contains all of our macros, styles,
autotexts etc. When I update I simply update the master version and
this is replicated to each pc. This means if a user's normal.dot gets
damaged it can be copied from the master, and if something goes wrong
with the master I can copy my (or someone else's c drive version).

This seems to work well but everything I read tells me we shouldn't use
normal.dot as our blank document - can anyone tell me a good reason
why we should change?

thanks


--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Consultant Technical Writer
Sydney, Australia +61 (0) 4 1209 1410

  #4  
Old March 14th, 2006, 02:33 PM posted to microsoft.public.word.formatting.longdocs
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Default Normal.dot versus blank document template


"Jacqueline" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have been involved in several discussions regarding this recently and
would like to try and clear this up. My firm hold the normal.dot (and
all other templates) in a central templates folder on our network.
Each user has a copy on their C drive which updates every day when they
log on. This means if the network crashes they can still work with
their template(s). Normal.dot contains all of our macros, styles,
autotexts etc. When I update I simply update the master version and
this is replicated to each pc. This means if a user's normal.dot gets
damaged it can be copied from the master, and if something goes wrong
with the master I can copy my (or someone else's c drive version).

This seems to work well but everything I read tells me we shouldn't use
normal.dot as our blank document - can anyone tell me a good reason
why we should change?


Hi Jacqueline

In addition to what John said, this article will also help you work out the
best approach for storing and distributing macros.

Distributing macros to other users
http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Macros...buteMacros.htm


--
Regards
Jonathan West - Word MVP
www.intelligentdocuments.co.uk
Please reply to the newsgroup
Keep your VBA code safe, sign the ClassicVB petition www.classicvb.org

  #5  
Old March 14th, 2006, 02:46 PM posted to microsoft.public.word.formatting.longdocs
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Posts: n/a
Default Normal.dot versus blank document template

A better method is more complex. The problem with your method is that it
will not allow for an individual to customize his or her own Word
configuration without becoming a Word expert. The method you describe is
better than having all users share a single file.

To me, a preferred method would be to have one or more global templates that
hold customizations other than styles and to put styles in document
templates in a workgroup templates folder. Styles should be different in
different uses. For instance, briefs, pleadings, and letters can all use
different formatting to serve the same purposes. When text is copied from
one of these to a different one it will assume the appropriate formatting.
For most routine work, I base a new document not on a blank page, but on a
document template that already has formatting and text appropriate to the
new document. I use the blank page primarily as a scratch pad.

It is also possible to have a global template other than normal.dot hold
styles, but this is not as simple.
http://addbalance.com/word/stylesheet.htm.

See http://addbalance.com/word/movetotemplate.htm for step-by-step
instructions on moving / sharing / copying / backing-up customizations
including AutoText, AutoCorrect, keyboard assignments, toolbars, macros,
etc.

For more on the different kinds of templates, tabs on the file new dialog,
and locations of templates folders see
http://addbalance.com/usersguide/templates.htm.
--

Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.



"Jacqueline" wrote in message
oups.com...
I have been involved in several discussions regarding this recently and
would like to try and clear this up. My firm hold the normal.dot (and
all other templates) in a central templates folder on our network.
Each user has a copy on their C drive which updates every day when they
log on. This means if the network crashes they can still work with
their template(s). Normal.dot contains all of our macros, styles,
autotexts etc. When I update I simply update the master version and
this is replicated to each pc. This means if a user's normal.dot gets
damaged it can be copied from the master, and if something goes wrong
with the master I can copy my (or someone else's c drive version).

This seems to work well but everything I read tells me we shouldn't use
normal.dot as our blank document - can anyone tell me a good reason
why we should change?

thanks



  #6  
Old March 14th, 2006, 03:24 PM posted to microsoft.public.word.formatting.longdocs
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Normal.dot versus blank document template

Thanks to all of you who replied - very reassuring! At present we
prefer to control all add-ins etc so we create any required auto-texts,
macros etc and then make them availabe to users. It means our IT dept
has to maintain these things but we are happy with that. all of our
'proforma' documents are templats and each have their own styles so
users can use styles other than our standard house style when required.

  #7  
Old March 14th, 2006, 03:27 PM posted to microsoft.public.word.formatting.longdocs
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Normal.dot versus blank document template

Previous firms I've worked with worked with two templates (blank and
normal) and during a VBA training course yesterday the trainer
recommended this. I then looked at previous posts on here and found
suggestions for both methods. Perhaps as you say I have misunderstood
these posts and the blank document template has contained 'add-ins' or
similar.

  #8  
Old March 14th, 2006, 03:27 PM posted to microsoft.public.word.formatting.longdocs
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Normal.dot versus blank document template

Previous firms I've worked with worked with two templates (blank and
normal) and during a VBA training course yesterday the trainer
recommended this. I then looked at previous posts on here and found
suggestions for both methods. Perhaps as you say I have misunderstood
these posts and the blank document template has contained 'add-ins' or
similar.

  #9  
Old March 14th, 2006, 04:37 PM posted to microsoft.public.word.formatting.longdocs
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Normal.dot versus blank document template

... most users passionately hate being treated like that....

Seconded.

If your, or any other IT department, tried to overwrite my Normal.dot I
would build my own process to make sure I got it back. I have been fighting
this total failure of IT departments to understand users since the days of
mainframes - they couldn't impose central control over designed-in user
customization facilities then and they can't do it now - and trying to do so
shows ignorance and arrogance.

--
Enjoy,
Tony

"John McGhie [MVP - Word and Word Macintosh]" wrote in
message ...
Hi Jacqueline:

I would say your firm has it close to exactly correct.

My only quibble would be that each time you copy Normal.dot in, you blow
away all of the users' carefully-created customisations :-) I doubt if

that
would do much for staff morale -- most users passionately hate being

treated
like that.

However, apart from destroying staff morale, "technically" your method is
exactly correct. The Normal template is designed and intended to be the
blank document, and to be used as such.

The method you are using is dramatically simpler to code, administer, and
maintain! And very reliable.

I don't know what you've been reading, but I think I would throw it in the
round file :-)

If your firm is a heavy user of macros and toolbars, you might "consider"
putting those in a global add-in. You can administer that exactly the

same
way: put it on the network and copy it to the user's Word/Startup folder
each time you update it.

In your situation, there's no real benefit in doing this, other than the
fact that a global add-in is not subject to constant change by normal Word
usage, so it will last longer between "damages". It would also mean you

did
not need to blow the user's customisations away every morning :-)

Hope this helps

On 14/3/06 9:57 PM, in article
, "Jacqueline"
wrote:

I have been involved in several discussions regarding this recently and
would like to try and clear this up. My firm hold the normal.dot (and
all other templates) in a central templates folder on our network.
Each user has a copy on their C drive which updates every day when they
log on. This means if the network crashes they can still work with
their template(s). Normal.dot contains all of our macros, styles,
autotexts etc. When I update I simply update the master version and
this is replicated to each pc. This means if a user's normal.dot gets
damaged it can be copied from the master, and if something goes wrong
with the master I can copy my (or someone else's c drive version).

This seems to work well but everything I read tells me we shouldn't use
normal.dot as our blank document - can anyone tell me a good reason
why we should change?

thanks


--

Please reply to the newsgroup to maintain the thread. Please do not email
me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie
Microsoft MVP, Word and Word for Macintosh. Consultant Technical Writer
Sydney, Australia +61 (0) 4 1209 1410



  #10  
Old March 14th, 2006, 05:01 PM posted to microsoft.public.word.formatting.longdocs
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Normal.dot versus blank document template

Again, this does not need to be done through normal.dot. It is perhaps
marginally easier for your IT people to do it the way I suggest but the
ordinary user should not have to learn how to create an Add-In to save their
own AutoText or macros globally. We regularly get people here who can't
understand why their customizations keep disappearing, and it turns out that
it is their IT departments at work.

Where I've worked, the purpose of the IT department was to make it easier
for the front-line workers to use their computers to get their jobs done,
not to strip those computers of the ability to do that.
--
Charles Kenyon

Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word

Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of
Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide

See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome!
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn
from my ignorance and your wisdom.


"Jacqueline" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thanks to all of you who replied - very reassuring! At present we
prefer to control all add-ins etc so we create any required auto-texts,
macros etc and then make them availabe to users. It means our IT dept
has to maintain these things but we are happy with that. all of our
'proforma' documents are templats and each have their own styles so
users can use styles other than our standard house style when required.



 




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