Keeping AutoCorrect entries updated between 2 computers

[Conan Kelly]

I have 2 computers in a home network (workgroup network):

1. Win XP Pro w/ Office XP Pro suite
2. Win XP MCE 2005 x/ Office 2003 Pro suite

Is there any way that I can set up the programs on both machines so that a
change on one (such as a new entry into the AutoCorrect file) will affect the
programs on the other machine without using additional or expensive software
separate from Windows or MS Office?

OFF SUBJECT: I would like to be able to do this same thing with Outlook.

Any help (even if it is just pointing to a website that might help) would be
greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Conan Kelly

 

[Shauna Kelly]

Hi Conan

I don't think you'll be able to achieve this with AutoCorrect entries.

To achieve what you want, you would need Computer A to use files available
on Computer B. If Computer B was, for some reason, not available (eg it was
being re-booted, or the network had failed) then Word wouldn't know what to
do. It might give up and store the information on Computer A, but if it did,
you would then have the problem of needing to merge the two lots of entries
to make them available to Computer B.

In any case, some AutoCorrect entries are stored in normal.dot. And it is
*never* a good idea to share a normal.dot (see
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811468).

The following may help you to set up a routine for copying things from one
machine to another:
What files do I need to back up?
http://www.mvps.org/word/FAQs/General/FilesToBackup.htm

For information about synchronizing Outlook, see http://www.slipstick.com/.

Hope this helps.

Shauna Kelly. Microsoft MVP.
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word

 

[Charles Kenyon]

Also, you could use the utility from
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/ExportAutocorrect.htm for copying.

You could use AutoText instead of AutoCorrect. That can be stored in a
global template other than normal.dot and shared. See
http://addbalance.com/word/movetotemplate.htm for step-by-step instructions
on moving / sharing / copying / backing-up customizations including
AutoText, AutoCorrect, keyboard assignments, toolbars, macros, etc.