Installing templates on network drive

[Linda Pierce]

Hello,

I installed a number of templates on the network drive of a corporate client
and then changed the File Location for User Templates on each computer to
that network drive. Since the normal.dot template moved to the network
drive, this appears to present some problems. For example, if one user
changes his toolbar options, there is a prompt when exiting Word, "Do you
want to change the global template normal.dot?" (or something to that
effect). If he says yes, he is told he cannot do that, presumably because
other users are using normal.dot template at that time.

So, I'm wondering do I need to keep the file location for User Templates on
the C: drive and specify the network drive for the Workgroup Templates? And
if so, do the Workgroup Templates show up in the same templates menu as the
user templates? Also, can you create different tabs for Workgroup Templates
like you can do for User Templates?

Many thanks for any help.
--
Linda Breen Pierce
Attorney at Law
PO Box 4136
Carmel, CA 93921
(831) 626-8486

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Normal.dot should never be shared; see “You cannot share the Normal.dot file
among multiple users in Word”
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811468, so yes, you need to keep User
Templates on each user's HD and use Workgroup Templates for shared templates
(which should not include Normal.dot).

 

[Charles Kenyon]

You want the shared templates to be workgroup templates. Normal.dot should
never be shared.

Often what works for sharing templates on a network is to make local copies
of the shared files through the login process. As a part of the login
script, a local copy (update) is made of workgroup templates and Add-In
templates. This has a couple of advantages. The first is that laptop users
have remote access to the shared resources. Another is that you can update
files without kicking everyone off from Word.

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


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