Tab Sections in Word like Sheets in Excel for flexibility

[QSRB]

Editing Sections in Word can be a nightmare. I often use Sections within
large documents to change headers/footers and to put in differing drop-down
frames that sit over information schedules typed into the main body of text.
With word-processing, these can be copied and adapted time and again for
years. Sometimes, when trying to edit, move or modify Sections, information
such as frames will disappear or the ghosts of information from years ago
will re-appear. Word will then get twitchy and difficult and sometimes
converting a new page Section break to a continuous Section break with no
purpose is the only way out of a worsening situation.

What would be really useful is for Word to have Sections under control with
identification along the screen foot similar to Sheets in Excel. Sections
could be moved, edited, deleted or copied safely in the same way that Excel
Sheets are handled. When moving Sections, for example, a pop-up could ask if
any headers or footers need to retain or break their links. Editing effects
would be limited to the Section unless allowed to be replicated in linked
sections. Deleting a Section would not set off an horrific chain rection
amongst linked Sections. The document would be more stable and managable when
editing.

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[Terry Farrell]

In many cases, creating a new section just to change the HorFs may be
avoided by using the StyleRef field. For example, if you want running
section/chapter titles to appear in the Header, using the StyleRef field
referencing the section/chapter title style obviates the need for a section
break. Similarly, using the Contents Controls may also obviate the need for
section breaks.

But I would also point out that using a document as the base for a new
document repeatedly will eventually build up serious complexity leading to
corruption. That is why it is best practice to create templates and open a
new document based on the template. Oft repeated text should be stored as
AutoText (Building Blocks) either with the template or in a global template
somewhere. Often when a document gets over complex, it is possible to clean
it up somewhat using the Open and Repair option or by copy all but the final
paragraph mark into a new blank document. However, the latter solution does
kill the H&Fs needing them to be recreated (which may not be a bad thing if
that is causing some problems. Another solution is to use SaveAs and choose
HTML or RAFT as the format: close the document and then reopen it and use
SaveAs to revert back to docx format.

 

[QSRB]

Thanks, Terry, and point taken about resurrecting and re-using old files.
However, the principle remains that using various headers for drop down grids
in pricing documents is extremely useful (for example, Preliminaries files in
Bills of Quantities in the UK) but manipulating lots of Sections could be
made so much more flexible with tabs. Couldn't MS find it in its heart to
look at providing a solution?

 

[Terry Farrell]

I won't disagree with you. I've tried to get MS to look into making Section
Breaks more resilient to accidental deletion (a bane for normal users that
won't display non-printing characters). Combining these ideas would solve
many problems.

Terry

PS RAFT format was the spell checker unwontedly changing RTF!