Network Word Preferences

[David Wysocki]

I work with a law office that maintain all of their documents in case
folders on a shared drive. They are using OS X with the latest version of
Word with the latest updates installed on each machine as well as on the
server. The staff accesses individual docs across the network; print, save
changes, etc. all from the server. Unfortunately this has lead to issues
with maintaining document preferences. Is there a way to 'lock down' the
preferences on the server so that they cannot be mistakenly changed by users
who are unfamiliar with network usage? I would like to have them do their
work locally and save to the shared drive but they have their system setup
this way and want to maintain their workflow as established.

Thanks if anybody can help solve this issue.

David Wysocki

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word]]

Hi David:

In a word, "No".

Generally, it is not a good idea to try to "control" users of any Office
software product. The good ones you want to keep will get annoyed and
leave. The bad ones will find a way around you vary quickly.

It's far more productive, I find, to put your effort into setting up your
templates and macros so that "the right way" to do things is also the "easy
way". Obviously, you have to put a bit more time into understanding exactly
the job the users are trying to do and the way that they want to work. But
when you succeed, users automatically do the right thing because they want
to, which leads to you getting an almost perfect result that lasts.

In this case, I would make a macro that simply prompts for the properties
you want on the first Save of each editing session. Make sure the defaults
are sensible: compute them where you can, and the users will be happy and so
will you.

The ability to lock-down a document is not really available in Word yet.
The beginnings are there in Word 2003 on the PC, but not on the Mac. The
Longhorn version on the PC will contain much more ability in this regard,
but whether that will come to the Mac or not I have no idea.

Hope this helps

I work with a law office that maintain all of their documents in case
folders on a shared drive. They are using OS X with the latest version of
Word with the latest updates installed on each machine as well as on the
server. The staff accesses individual docs across the network; print, save
changes, etc. all from the server. Unfortunately this has lead to issues
with maintaining document preferences. Is there a way to 'lock down' the
preferences on the server so that they cannot be mistakenly changed by users
who are unfamiliar with network usage? I would like to have them do their
work locally and save to the shared drive but they have their system setup
this way and want to maintain their workflow as established.

Thanks if anybody can help solve this issue.

David Wysocki

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John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. GMT + 10 Hrs
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]