different blank document

[BK]

Using Word 2000 and Office XP

I have a user who has created and saved his own memo template. Is there a
way to make that memo template be the default "new blank document"? Most of
the Word work he does is in that memo template. Should I name the memo
template normal.dot so that it opens when Word opens? But then what would
he do if he needs a different layout sometime that is not his template?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You can create a shortcut that opens Word with a blank document based on a
specific template (using the /t switch), but this would not affect the
function of the New button once Word was open.

 

[Jay Freedman]

Hi BK

Your last question points to why you shouldn't change normal.dot (and
even if you wanted to do that, you shouldn't do it by renaming a
different template).

Instead, keep the separate memo template. Then make a new desktop
shortcut icon that will open Word with a new document based on the
memo template, as follows.

Right-click a blank piece of desktop, select New, and click Shortcut.
The Create Shortcut wizard wants you to browse for the location of the
item, so go to "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\WINWORD.EXE"
or wherever Word is installed. Name the shortcut. Finish the wizard.

Right-click the shortcut and select Properties. In the Target box,
after the closing quote that follows EXE, type a space and add the /t
switch and the full path of the template, like this (note, no space
after the /t; replace "YourUserName" with the correct name; and all of
this should be on one line):

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\WINWORD.EXE" /t"C:\Documents
and Settings\YourUserName\Application
Data\Microsoft\Templates\Memo.dot"

You should also change the Start In box to point to your My Documents
folder.