style sheet/ template compatible with Word 2000 and 2003

[Maria]

I'm creating some templates for my company. I'm not a Word expert.

So I'm worried about compatibility between 2000 and 2003 versions of Word.
If I create a style sheet in 2003, will people with Word 2000 have trouble
using the styles?

In general, does anyone have any advice about creating templates for
businesses? Some of these templates (where most of the styles will come in)
are for academically related reports and proposals. Do style sheets work well
for other users when creating a table of contents? I've only created a
couple of table of contents and they got really messy. Am I running a huge
risk trying to standardize this type of action?

Can style sheets work in Word as in Dreamweaver--like, can you export or
attach different style sheets?

Any and all advice would be much welcomed. I have a fear that I'm going to
run into trouble quickly when someone tries to use what I've created.

Thanks!

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Yes. Best advice on creating templates, in general, can be found at
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart2.htm.

Unless you are using something peculiar to Word 2003 like the special forms
of document protection in Word 2003, the templates should work fine. General
rule is to create using the earlier version and port into the later. That is
the easiest way to make things work.

There is no such thing as a "style sheet" in Word, at least not as it is in
other programs. There are templates that have styles. You can attach one
template to a document and only one at a time. You can pull styles into a
document by attaching a new template which may or may not do what you want.

The closest to a stylesheet I've found is a global template with macros to
install styles. It is klutzy but does what I need.
http://addbalance.com/word/stylesheet.htm

For creating a Table of Contents most easily, you want to have well
formatted heading styles (using the built-in heading styles but changing the
formatting). If you want automatic numbering, you'll need to properly set up
these styles to use numbering. The only way to do this is by exactly
following the instructions you'll find at: How to create numbered headings
or outline numbering in your Word document
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html. (For
bullets see http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/bullets/controlbullets.html, the
subject is related.)

For letterhead, take a look at: How to set up letterhead or some other
document where you want one header on the first page and a different header
on other pages. http://www.addbalance.com/word/headersfooters.htm This gives
step-by-step instructions. (It also has the following links)

Some other pages to look at:

Letterhead Tips and Instructions
http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/Letterhead.htm

Letterhead Textboxes and Styles tutorial
http://addbalance.com/word/download.htm#LetterheadTextboxesAndStylesTutorial

Template Basics
http://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/templates.htm

How to Create a Template - Part 2 - essential reading
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart2.htm

Word "Forms"
http://www.addbalance.com/word/wordwebresources.htm#Forms and

Word for Word Perfect Users
http://www.addbalance.com/word/wordperfect.htm if you are coming from a WP
environment (or even if you are not).

Tough as it is, I think you may want to start becoming a Word expert before
you do too much designing on the templates or you are likely to end up
redoing a lot of them. A great place to start is
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/concepts/introduction/index.html. You might
also want to check out http://addbalance.com/usersguide/index.htm.

Hope this helps,
--

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


--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
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.

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Aren't you glad you asked?

 

[Maria]

Thanks so much!

Yes. Best advice on creating templates, in general, can be found at
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart2.htm.

Unless you are using something peculiar to Word 2003 like the special forms
of document protection in Word 2003, the templates should work fine. General
rule is to create using the earlier version and port into the later. That is
the easiest way to make things work.

There is no such thing as a "style sheet" in Word, at least not as it is in
other programs. There are templates that have styles. You can attach one
template to a document and only one at a time. You can pull styles into a
document by attaching a new template which may or may not do what you want.

The closest to a stylesheet I've found is a global template with macros to
install styles. It is klutzy but does what I need.
http://addbalance.com/word/stylesheet.htm

For creating a Table of Contents most easily, you want to have well
formatted heading styles (using the built-in heading styles but changing the
formatting). If you want automatic numbering, you'll need to properly set up
these styles to use numbering. The only way to do this is by exactly
following the instructions you'll find at: How to create numbered headings
or outline numbering in your Word document
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html. (For
bullets see http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/bullets/controlbullets.html, the
subject is related.)

For letterhead, take a look at: How to set up letterhead or some other
document where you want one header on the first page and a different header
on other pages. http://www.addbalance.com/word/headersfooters.htm This gives
step-by-step instructions. (It also has the following links)

Some other pages to look at:

Letterhead Tips and Instructions
http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/Letterhead.htm

Letterhead Textboxes and Styles tutorial
http://addbalance.com/word/download.htm#LetterheadTextboxesAndStylesTutorial

Template Basics
http://www.addbalance.com/usersguide/templates.htm

How to Create a Template - Part 2 - essential reading
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart2.htm

Word "Forms"
http://www.addbalance.com/word/wordwebresources.htm#Forms and

Word for Word Perfect Users
http://www.addbalance.com/word/wordperfect.htm if you are coming from a WP
environment (or even if you are not).

Tough as it is, I think you may want to start becoming a Word expert before
you do too much designing on the templates or you are likely to end up
redoing a lot of them. A great place to start is
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/concepts/introduction/index.html. You might
also want to check out http://addbalance.com/usersguide/index.htm.

Hope this helps,
--

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


--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
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.

 

[Maria]

I just realized that your great and thorough answer needed more than a brief
"thanks". I really appreciated the advice.

 

[Charles Kenyon]

You are most welcome. I really like to encourage people using styles well
because it makes everything else so much easier.
--
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




--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
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.