Creating a Word Template

[Sarrina]

Good Morning.

This is probably a stupid question - but for some reason, I can't seem to
troubleshoot my way out of it (and it's probably an easy fix that I'm
overlooking...)

I had created a report/book for a few users. Not quite template material,
but I am now finding time to revisit it to make things easier for the user.
So...I'm revamping the template to add new features, explanations/comments,
drop down lists, references, and last but not least - the area of my trouble:
a data form.

Since several fields repeats itself throughout the entire report (e.g.
SiteName is entered @ 30 times throughout), I figure a data form would be the
easiest to draw out a few things from the user...right?

Well...here's my downfall:

Everytime I link the document for the data form to the main document - it
doesn't seem to recognize the fields and picks up the full document and I get
the "field and record deliminator" box. Seems that no matter what I do - I
can't get past this bump.

Help!

TIA,
Sarr

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Using a data form is a mailmerge function not a vba (visual basic for
applications) problem.

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MailMerge/CreateAMailMerge.htm and
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MailMerge/CreateADataSource.htm may help. Note
that the data form must be located where everyone using your template can
find it.

On the other hand, if you simply want to repeat what is entered once
elsewhere in a document, you don't want a mailmerge or a data form, you want
to repeat data.

From the FAQ

19. How can I enter something once in a document and have it repeat
elsewhere?
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/Repeating_Data.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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This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies
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from my ignorance and your wisdom.

 

[Sarrina]

First: Apologies for the misdirected post. I haven't been on here for awhile
and everything got changed around a lot.

Second: Thanks for the info.

[reference of "report" means the template; reference of "book" means end
product]

Though I am very familiar with merge documents and referencing fields...my
goal is to still have the initial information drawn from the user prior to
the user going through the report. The report is pretty complex as it is and
there is no completing it with a click of a button. Each report has to be
customized for each site once they order the book. But each report has the
basic information (e.g. Site name, address, phone #'s, owner names, etc.
etc.). However, the first time each field appears varies on different pages
(template is 52 pages - book can be anywhere from 52-60 pages).

I'm still new to VBA (I learned on the fly for a complex Excel workbook, but
haven't used it yet with Word), so I am open to incorporating VBA if
necessary. I'm trying to avoid that only because the users have different
OSs (newer) than mine.

What would be the best way to accomplish my goal?

TIA,
~Sarr

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

I think that you should be using a userform to get the data from the user

See the article "How to create a Userform" at:

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Userforms/CreateAUserForm.htm


--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

First: Apologies for the misdirected post. I haven't been on here for
awhile
and everything got changed around a lot.

Second: Thanks for the info.

[reference of "report" means the template; reference of "book" means end
product]

Though I am very familiar with merge documents and referencing fields...my
goal is to still have the initial information drawn from the user prior to
the user going through the report. The report is pretty complex as it is
and
there is no completing it with a click of a button. Each report has to be
customized for each site once they order the book. But each report has
the
basic information (e.g. Site name, address, phone #'s, owner names, etc.
etc.). However, the first time each field appears varies on different
pages
(template is 52 pages - book can be anywhere from 52-60 pages).

I'm still new to VBA (I learned on the fly for a complex Excel workbook,
but
haven't used it yet with Word), so I am open to incorporating VBA if
necessary. I'm trying to avoid that only because the users have different
OSs (newer) than mine.

What would be the best way to accomplish my goal?

TIA,
~Sarr

Using a data form is a mailmerge function not a vba (visual basic for
applications) problem.

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MailMerge/CreateAMailMerge.htm and
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MailMerge/CreateADataSource.htm may help. Note
that the data form must be located where everyone using your template can
find it.

On the other hand, if you simply want to repeat what is entered once
elsewhere in a document, you don't want a mailmerge or a data form, you
want
to repeat data.

From the FAQ

19. How can I enter something once in a document and have it repeat
elsewhere?
http://gregmaxey.mvps.org/Repeating_Data.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


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