Corrupted Styles in Tables

[JFK]

We work with very large documents which are compiled by many authors. We
utilize Word 2003 and OS XP. Here is the problem:

It is almost always with the tables that get currupted (i.e., our styles do
not behave right in the table) when one or more of the following has occurred:

Authors have used track changes
Authors have Word 2007
Authors have copied things from multiple documents

Even when we paste the document into a fresh template, it occurs and we
spend lots of time reformatting tables (i.e., we strip out styles, clear
everything in a different document, then bring the tables in again) We also
see styles getting corrupted (i.e., especially the style Caption, table text,
etc.) by Word automatically defaulting to auto-numbering or auto bullets.

What is happening and how can we fix it?

 

[Peter A]

We work with very large documents which are compiled by many authors. We
utilize Word 2003 and OS XP. Here is the problem:

It is almost always with the tables that get currupted (i.e., our styles do
not behave right in the table) when one or more of the following has occurred:

Authors have used track changes
Authors have Word 2007
Authors have copied things from multiple documents

Even when we paste the document into a fresh template, it occurs and we
spend lots of time reformatting tables (i.e., we strip out styles, clear
everything in a different document, then bring the tables in again) We also
see styles getting corrupted (i.e., especially the style Caption, table text,
etc.) by Word automatically defaulting to auto-numbering or auto bullets.

What is happening and how can we fix it?

You probably can't fix it. This is just the way Word is. The more
different users edit a doc, the more chances of problems. If they use
different versions of Word and/or different operating systems, it gets
worse. Track changes on large documents is another cause of problems.
These things can be minimized by creating your templates and styles
correctly and by setting certain Word options properly, but it sounds
like it's too late for these things.