Creating Research Reports

[Anthony]

Hello,

I work for a research facility that has many engineers, chemists and project
managers. They are very well qualified in the scientific world but when it
comes to creating reports in MS Word (all versions from 98 to XP) that's a
different story. The problems occur when they think they got the report
done, they find out they need to modify it. It could be inserting another
page, inserting or moving graphics, etc... When they do that, the whole
document gets rearranged.

Is there a template or some articles, tips on creating reports in this
manner, so when any modifications are done, the whole document won't be
effected? Only what is being modified. I believe it's how they insert
graphics, charts, and normal text paragraphs when they first created the
report.

Why I'm asking this, is that they come for me to fix it, and I'm being
overwhelmed.

Thanks, Anthony

 

[Jay Freedman]

Hi, Anthony,

I'm not sure what you mean by "the whole document gets rearranged,"
but I suspect you mean that the formatting changes. This symptom and
its cure are discussed here:

http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Formatting/WholeDocumentReformatted.htm

If that isn't it, come back and describe -- in as much detail as
possible -- what the problem looks like.

 

[Anthony]

Hi Jay and thanks for the reply.

Yes you are right, it's the formatting, but the text is ok, it the positions
of the charts and graphics that gets rearranged when changed. So if one
pastes a new chart just below an existing one, the new pasted charts gets
put above the intended spot. Then some other pages will get all mixed up.
I guess what is needed is a way to glue the existing ones so the pasted
charts can be pasted cleanly. This is the best way I can describe it.

I read the URL and it's interesting, but most have MS Word 98. A few have
2000 and 2002.

Anthony

 

[Jay Freedman]

Hi, Anthony,

Graphics in Word can be either "floating" (draggable) or "in-line"
(stuck in one spot like a big character). Floating graphics do tend
to bounce around, especially when one is pasted near another and their
wrapping settings conflict. It's sort of like a game of bumper cars!

Try converting them to in-line (there's a choice on the Wrapping
button's dropdown from the Picture toolbar) and positioning them with
tabs and paragraph formatting -- Space Before/After, left or right
alignment, etc. That's a lot more stable.

 

[Anthony]

Thanks Jay I'll it a try.

Hi, Anthony,

Graphics in Word can be either "floating" (draggable) or "in-line"
(stuck in one spot like a big character). Floating graphics do tend
to bounce around, especially when one is pasted near another and their
wrapping settings conflict. It's sort of like a game of bumper cars!

Try converting them to in-line (there's a choice on the Wrapping
button's dropdown from the Picture toolbar) and positioning them with
tabs and paragraph formatting -- Space Before/After, left or right
alignment, etc. That's a lot more stable.