File with some locked content and some editable content

[MJM_PA]

Is it possible to create a word document that has some text locked while
other text is editable? Specifically, our attorneys want to create a
standard contract language. Business units would receive the file and be
able to put in the contact information and name of the company with whom they
are partnering; but not be able to change any of the contractual language.

I considered a Word template with all of the rote text in it, but anyone can
just go edit the template. I'd be concerned that modifying NTFS permissions
on the .DOT would cause problems with the resulting .DOC. I also wondered
about using office rights management, but that seems to be more useful for
EDIT or READ ONLY, but not "something in between."

Any ideas?

 

[MJM_PA]

PS: We're an Office 2003 shop right now

 

[Harlan Grove]

PS: We're an Office 2003 shop right now


Yes.

....

First, .DOT file permissions aren't inherited by .DOC files created
from it. If you want the .DOT file to be read-only, the BEST way is to
set NTFS user/group permissions to make it so.

One common way to do this is to use ASK fields to prompt users to
enter information that'd very between documents, and use REF fields to
display those ASK fields where needed in the document. You'd also need
a Document_New event handler macro in the template's ThisDocument
class module to prompt the user to enter all the ASK fields when they
first open the template. Something like

Private Sub Document_New()
Me.Content.Fields.Update
End Sub

should suffice. Protect the document by running the menu command Tools

Protect Document..., save it as a .DOT template file, and set

that .DOT file's NTFS permissions to read-only for its intended users.
They won't be able to change anything other than the ASK fields in
the .DOC files produced from the .DOT file, and they won't be able to
modify the .DOT file at all.

 

[Beth Melton]

A common method is to use Word form fields for the editable data. However
there are some drawbacks to this method, mainly you need to use a macro to
provide spell check.

Since you are using Word 2003, the Restrict Formatting and Editing task pane
may have what you are looking for. Go to Tools/Protect Document. Then on the
task pane, in Step 2, select No Changes (Read Only). Then for those areas
that can be edited, select them and mark them as an Exception. After the
protection is enforced, only the areas you marked as exceptions can be
modified.

Another method, if this is a standardized contract, is to create a protected
document and use a UserForm to collect the data from the user and populate
the document. This method provides the most control and enables the data to
be validated.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/

 

[Beth Melton]

I think these days it's more common to use Fill-In fields as opposed to Ask
fields. Mainly because they are easier to create, you insert them where you
want to see the data, and they automatically prompt when you create a new
document based on the template without the requirement of a macro.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Co-author of Word 2007 Inside Out:
http://www.microsoft.com/MSPress/books/9801.aspx#AboutTheBook

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/