Question : Changes made to normal.dot and global.dot in Word

I've upgraded from Office 97 to Office 2000 and now getting the following message on a regular basis.  "Changes have been made to normal.dot and then another message  "Changes have been made to global.dot.  I don't recall this message with Office 97.  I can't say for sure that it is an Office 2000 issue.

I never know whether or not to accept the changes in fear that I will have difficulties in Word if I do accept the changes.  Most of all, I don't know what procedure I've done to get these messages and their meaning.  I know that normal.dot is a working file which allows me to create a file in Word....if I understand correctly.  Could you please explain the function of these files and what I've done to get these messages and if it is safe to accept the       changes.  Also, what type of "changes" would be made to these files.

As you can see, I don't know much about this situation, so once again, I would appreciate any response you could give me :-)

Thx much

Answer : Changes made to normal.dot and global.dot in Word

Hi Beg!    

Overview of templates
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Every Microsoft Word document is based on a template. A template determines the basic structure for a document and contains document settings such as AutoText entries, fonts, key assignments, macros, menus, page layout, special formatting, and styles. The two basic types of templates are global templates and document templates. Global templates, including the Normal template, contain settings that are available to all documents. Document templates, such as the memo or fax templates in the New dialog box, contain settings that are available only to documents based on that template. For example, if you create a memo using the memo template, the memo can use the settings from both the memo template as well as the settings in any global template. Word provides a variety of document templates, and you can create your own document templates.

global template
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A document template that you have loaded in Microsoft Word by using the Templates and Add-Ins command on the Tools menu. You can use the macros, AutoText entries, and custom toolbar, menu, and shortcut key settings stored in a global template while you work with any document, not just documents based on that template.
The Normal template is by design always a global template. Customized items you store in the Normal template are available to all documents.

Normal template

A general-purpose template that you can use for any type of document. When you start Microsoft Word or click New Blank Document  , Word creates a new blank document that is based on the Normal template. You can modify this template to change the default document formatting or content.
You should store the Normal template in the Templates folder or in the User Templates or Workgroup Templates file location you specified on the File Locations tab (Tools menu, Options command). If Word can't find the Normal template in any of these locations or in your Word program folder, it creates a new Normal template with standard Word document settings.


Working with global templates
======================
When you work on a document, you can typically use only the settings stored in the template attached to the document or in the Normal template. To use any such items that are stored in another template, you can load the other template as a global template. After you load a template, items stored in that template are available to any document during the remainder of the Word session. When you're finished with the items, be sure to unload the template to conserve system resources.

Add-ins and templates that you load are unloaded when you close Word. To load an add-in or template each time you start Word, copy the add-in or template to the Startup folder, whose location is specified on the File Locations tab (Tools menu, Options command).



Load a global template or add-in program into Word
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Templates and add-ins can be loaded either for the current session only or whenever you start Word. Learn about loading templates and add-ins.

On the Tools menu, click Templates and Add-Ins.
 Show Me

Under Global templates and add-ins, select the check box next to the template or add-in you want to load.
If the template or add-in you want does not appear in the box, click Add, switch to the folder that contains the template or add-in you want, click it, and then click OK.

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See if you have unchecked the box for Templates and Add-Ins.
Document template    [Normal  ]  
[ ] Automatically update document styles
Inspect the organizer which styles/AutoText/Toolbars/Macros Project items are now added in the Normal.dot (Global Template)

As you have unchecked the automatic update, a pop up message will prompt to alert you if there are changes in the document template for " styles/AutoText/Toolbars/Macros Project items " and ask you if you want to make it apply for all (global template and being an items to start new document using the normal.dot).

You can check the box and take the followings notes.

Notes  

To make AutoText entries and macros available only to documents based on this template, store them in this template, not in the Normal template.

The content of existing documents is not affected by changes you make to the templates they're based on. Word will update modified styles when you open an existing document only if the Automatically update document styles option is turned on. Set this option before you open an existing document by clicking Templates and Add-Ins on the Tools menu.

Attach a different template to the active document
On the Tools menu, click Templates and Add-Ins.
Click Attach, and then select the template you want.
Click Open.

Tip  
To use styles from the newly attached template, select the Automatically update document styles check box in the Templates and Add-Ins dialog box. Word adds the styles from the template to the document. If styles in the document and template have the same names, Word updates the document styles to match the template styles.

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Hope it helps.            pslh