# Question about Word



## Poimen (Apr 30, 2008)

I have latest version of Office Word (2007). Whenever I open a new document it does not use the 'normal' template but one of its making (which is very annoying). How do I get the software to recognize the normal file as being the default document?


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## blhowes (Apr 30, 2008)

Poimen said:


> I have latest version of Office Word (2007). Whenever I open a new document it does not use the 'normal' template but one of its making (which is very annoying). How do I get the software to recognize the normal file as being the default document?


I don't have Word 2007, but here's what the help files says for 2003:
If you often load the same global template, you can configure Word to load the global template automatically whenever you start Word. The easiest way to accomplish this is to copy the template into the Word Startup folder, which is located at C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\Startup by default.​
To find out how to do it for Word 2007, you might try going to the Word help file and searching for normal template. When I did it, one of the search results was called "Working with global templates". I'd imagine Word 2007 would have something similar.


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## VictorBravo (Apr 30, 2008)

Oh no. 

I bought Word 2007 a month ago because I got a good deal on it for a second computer. Was I surprised! It's all different. it took me half an hour to figure out regular formatting commands.

I had the same problem. Here's a link that might help:

How do I... Change the normal template in Word 2007 to my preferences?


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## turmeric (Apr 30, 2008)

Then there's Vista. I saw that on someone's computer and it blew what was left of my mind.


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## Poimen (Apr 30, 2008)

Bob: 

That was a good suggestion and I was able to find the startup folder for Word 2007 but for some reason it didn't work. 

Vic:

Note the problem is not with formatting but recognition. The software opens up its own document that is messed up and not what I want to use. Changing the normal document does not help the problem.


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## VictorBravo (Apr 30, 2008)

Poimen said:


> Bob:
> 
> That was a good suggestion and I was able to find the startup folder for Word 2007 but for some reason it didn't work.
> 
> ...



Is it an old document (pre Word 2007)? I've run across similar problems if there are graphics or heavy formatting (especially with math formatting--Word 2007 changed the way it deals with it). I remember finding some third-party application that was supposed to fix that, but I gave up on it.

Edit: after thinking about it, I see what your problem is, but I don't have Word 2007 on this machine to try a fix. I can't remember the menus.


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## blhowes (Apr 30, 2008)

Poimen said:


> Bob:
> 
> That was a good suggestion and I was able to find the startup folder for Word 2007 but for some reason it didn't work. .


I don't know if this is what's happening, but here's some info from that help file that may be relevant:
Word uses two types of templates — global and document. All documents have access to the Normal global template, and many documents have document templates attached that provide formatting instructions. In addition, you can load other templates as needed to serve as global templates. Keeping all these template possibilities in mind, you can see that the interface features and formatting styles available in a current document can be based on the following templates:

The Normal template, which is a global template. 

A document template, which applies custom formatting and style settings. 
Any additional global templates that are installed, which contain features such as macros and toolbars that can benefit any open Word document. Additional global templates do not contribute any style settings or formatting instructions, however. 

If both the Normal template and the document template that is attached to a document define styles that use the same name, the attached document template's settings override the Normal template settings. The reason document templates take precedence when it comes to styles is that the purpose of document templates is to apply formatting, while the Normal template is generally used to store default styles, macros, AutoText entries, and custom toolbar, menu, and keyboard shortcut settings that you can use while you work with any document, not just documents based on a particular document template. By design, templates should be used as global templates when they contain features that benefit any open document.​If you like, and if you don't solve your problem right away, you can email it to me and I can play with it some. I'd imagine in principle 2003 and 2007 should be fairly similar.


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## blhowes (Apr 30, 2008)

BTW, what you could do (I think) is rename your normal file to something other than normal, and then go to Tools > Templates and Add-Ins to reassign the document to the template you want.


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## Poimen (Apr 30, 2008)

Bob:

The strange thing is that I already did that. Word 2007 allows for add-ins but when I point it to the new document as the template it still opens what it wants. 

I am guessing this is one of those mysteries that one tolerates as they run their operating system.


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## blhowes (Apr 30, 2008)

I have Word '97 on my home computer, so I don't know if this'll help you. Maybe you can do the same thing with your version.

I saved the normal file to a different name, then changed the font size of the Heading 1 style to 22 (so I could see if the experiment worked). 

I then opened up the new Word document and went to Tools > Templates and Add-Ins. The first line in the pop-up let me attach the new template to the document. Underneath that is a checkbox that says "Automatically update document styles". When I checked that box, then clicked OK, the new styles were brought into the document (ie., it was using the template I wanted it to).

Maybe there's something similar to that in 2007?


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## fredtgreco (Apr 30, 2008)

Daniel,

Try this, after making sure that Word AND Outlook are closed:

1. Go to the template folder (it is C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates

2. Copy the Normal.dotm or Normal.dotx or Normal.dot files to a thumbdrive.

3. Delete all of those Normal template files.

4. Start up Word.

That should cause Word to "recreate" a fresh new Normal template.


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## Poimen (May 1, 2008)

Thanks Fred. 

I wish I could say that it worked but alas it does not. I think I will just lay this one to rest because I don't want to expose the world to another 'Facebook' saga.

Edit: it created a new template but doesn't want to start from that position.


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