WinWord: Changing Templates Does Not Copy Styles or Margins

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c

SUMMARY

There is a documentation error in the Microsoft Word for Windows version 2.0 Help topic titled "Attaching a template to a document." This topic incorrectly states that if you use the File Template command to attach a different template to your document, margin settings and styles change to those of the new template.

This topic should state that when you attach a different template to your document, the styles and margin settings remain the same as those of the original template. The template working environment (including the menu commands, keyboard assignments, and glossaries) changes when you change the template attached, but the document itself does not change.

The Word for Windows version 6.0 Help topic titled "Attaching a different template to a document" correctly does not indicate that margin settings change when a different template it attached, but does not completely explain how styles can be automatically updated from the template.

MORE INFORMATION

For correct information about changing the template attached to a document in version 2.0 of Word for Windows, refer to pages 700-701 of the "Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide."

Workaround

To change elements of the document such as margins, page size, headers or footers to those of another template, create a new document based on the desired template. From the Insert menu, choose File. Select the original filename and choose the OK button. Using this method, your new document contains these elements of the new template.

To change only the styles in a document to those of another template in Word for Windows version 6.0, choose Templates from the File menu, attach the desired template and select the "Automatically Update Document Styles" option.

To change only the styles in your document in Word for Windows version 2.0 to those of another document or template, you must merge the new styles from a different template or document. For information on merging styles from a template into a document, refer to pages 205-208 of the "Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide."

Use the following steps to view this documentation error:

1. From the Help menu, choose Help Index.

2. Choose the Search button.

3. Type "templates" (without the quotation marks), then select "templates: attaching to documents." Choose the Show Topics button.

4. Select the "Attaching a template to a document" topic and choose the Go To button. The documentation errors occur in the first two paragraphs of this topic.

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide," version 2.0, pages 205-208, 700-701