Reusing content in multiple documents

[Deb]

Hi. Does anyone know if Word 2000 has a solution for
content reuse? We need to build 28 variations of a process
which will result in 28 documents. At least 60 percent of
the content can be reused but we only want to update once
source. Can Word manage this task? I looked at using the
Master document feature but am not sure that's my
solution. Thanks!

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP - DELETE UPPERCASE CHARACT]

Word's Master Document feature is NOT what you want. Rather, have a
document in which you have the base information and in the other documents,
use an INCLUDETEXT field.

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Hope this helps
Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Charles Kenyon]

You could base your documents on a common template and put the content to be
shared in various AutoText entries in the template. Then use AutoText fields
to insert the information in your documents. Updates to the AutoText in the
template will flow through to your documents so long as you have a mechanism
for updating the fields when the documents are opened. An AutoOpen macro
that updates AutoText fields would work.

Note that for this to work, your documents will need to stay attached to the
template.
--

Charles Kenyon

See the MVP FAQ: <URL: http://www.mvps.org/word/> which is awesome!
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from my ignorance and your wisdom.

"Master Document" is a term of art in Word referring to a "feature" that not
only doesn't work but also destroys documents. The consensus (with the
limited exception of Steve Hudson) among those offering advice on these
newsgroups is that using the Master Document feature is a sure way to
destroy your document. It can destroy parts of your document that you are
not even working on! I think John McGhie said it succinctly when he said
that there are two kinds of Master Documents: Those that are corrupt and
those that will be corrupt soon. See <URL:
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/General/WhyMasterDocsCorrupt.htm> for more
information on what goes wrong, and <URL:
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/General/RecoverMasterDocs.htm> for ideas on
how to salvage what you can.