The global template, NORMAL.DOTM is already open as an add-in prog

[JeremyH]

The global template, NORMAL.DOTM is already open as an add-in program.

This message always appears whenever I open Word 2007. What is happening
and how can I stop it happening?

The following also happens if Outlook 2007 is open...

Clicking OK brings up a File In Use dialogue box stating;
"NormalEmail.dotm is locked for editing by 'username'.
Do you want to:
Open a Read Only copy
Create a local copy and merge your changes later
Receive notification when the original copy is available"

Once again, what is happening and how do I stop it happening?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Do you have a copy of (or shortcut to) Normal.dotm in Word's Startup folder?

 

[JeremyH]

Yes, I do. I deleted it, ran Word with no error messages, closed it down.
Checked the Startup folder and found the files re-created. Opened Word again
and the error re-appeared.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Well, something is putting it there. Is this a personal computer or is it on
a corporate network?

 

[JeremyH]

This is a school network. The startup folder has been pointed to the user's
My Documents folder which in turn has been redirected using Group Policies to
a shared folder on the network.

I should mention that this is all following an upgrade from Office 2003 to
Office 2007. I have left the administrative templates for 2003 in place for
the time being but have also installed the .adm files for 2007 (Office, Word,
etc).

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Okay, it sounds as if some startup script may be putting a copy of
Normal.dotm in the Startup folder.

 

[JeremyH]

From where would such a startup script have originated? And where would such
a script be located? 2003 doesn't use the .dotm suffix (as far as I'm aware)
so it couldn't have been left behind following the upgrade.

The only script that I am aware of is run for all users and maps drives and
assigns printers, nothing to do with creating a NORMAL.DOTM.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I'm afraid I'm not knowledgeable about network administration, but I suggest
you discuss this with your network admin or local IT person to see if you
can troubleshoot it. If you are removing Normal.dotm from Word's Startup
folder and it is coming back every time you start Word, then *something* is
going on.

 

[JeremyH]

Hi Suzanne,

Thanks for your help.

I am the network administrator!

I have a vague recollection that Word 2003 created its own Normal.dot on
startup if it wasn't already present. Is this not the case with Word 2007?

Regards

Jeremy

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Yes, Word creates its own Normal.dot or Normal.dotm, but it creates it in
the Templates folder, not in Startup.

 

[JeremyH]

Hi Suzanne,

Okay, I've sorted it now! I had re-directed both the Startup folder and the
Default documents folder to the user's network share. The Normal.dotm was
being created there and being loaded at startup. I've now separated the two
and things are back to normal.

Thanks for all your help.

Regards

Jeremy

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I figured it had to be something like that; someone more knowledgeable about
networks would probably have spotted the problem right away, but I have no
network experience or expertise.