Normal Template - changed - lost macros

Question

I did an Update & Restart. Upon restarting Word reloaded an old Normal global template, and now I have lost so many macros and autocorrects. I cannot figure out how to change the "normal" template to the other version. I need help for this ASAP as I am a medical transcriptionist and need this information for work!

Answer 1

In order for Word to load the Normal template at startup, the file has to satisfy all of these requirements:

• It must have the name Normal.dotm (not case-sensitive, but otherwise exact).
• It must be a valid template file (i.e., created as a template, not just renamed from a .docm file).
• It must be stored in the folder designated as the "user templates location" as indicated in the File Locations dialog (File > Options > Advanced > File Locations):

.

This may or may not be the same as the path in the "File > Options > Save > Default personal templates location" box.

If any of these requirements aren't met, Word will create a new Normal.dotm template file in the user templates location, using all default values and not containing any macros. The Modified date of such a file will be the date/time that you close Word in that session.

It may be helpful in troubleshooting to move the "bad Normal" file to a completely different folder, to be sure it isn't interfering.

Answer 2

Here is more about the Normal Template, what it is, how it does and does not control, and how to change it. Normal Template

See also: Where is the Normal Template / How to Find the Normal Template

Let's talk about macros, in general, though.

By default, all recorded macros are stored in your Normal.dotm template in a vba module named NewMacros. That is not necessarily the best place to store them, though. See Beth Melton’s article on organizing your macros linked below.

If you want to be having documents formatted a certain way you should consider having templates that are formatted the way you want and using those to create new documents based on those templates. That is the best way to insure documents set up the same way every time.

• Templates in Microsoft Word

If you are talking about certain text or paragraph formatting setups, you should be using Styles, not macros. Macros for this are using a shotgun where you should be using a scalpel. You can be doing damage to your documents. In any case, they will be harder to maintain and edit.

• The Importance of Styles in Microsoft Word
• 3. Using Styles to Format Text by Shauna Kelly

What follows is general advice that may not apply. I've found that people writing here with lots of macros, though, are often using macros when they should be using something else:

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If you are using macros for text snippets, you are using the wrong Word feature. This does not apply to your reformatting macros.

You should be using  AutoText, which can also have keyboard shortcuts.

Both AutoText and AutoCorrect can be used for text snippets. These are different features and are both valuable. I use both virtually every time I use Word.

AutoText can have keyboard shortcuts and can AutoComplete; AutoCorrect acts on trigger words as you type. Here are some more resources:

• Exploiting AutoCorrect by Suzanne Barnhill, MVP
• Using Autotext to deal with repetitive text - Legal Office Guru
• Create reusable text snippets
• Word for Wordperfect Users
• AutoFormat and AutoCorrect (Tame AutoFormat) by Suzanne Barnhill, MVP
• Automated Boilerplate Using Microsoft Word on my website

For anyone who uses Word more than occasionally, I recommend the series of short tutorials prepared by Shauna Kelly a while back. Basic Concepts of Microsoft Word - from Shauna Kelly The styles article linked above is one of these.

If you want to track down more on your macros, I recommend looking at some of the threads you will find on the Microsoft Answers forum. Here are three searches there:

• https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/search/search?SearchTerm=macros%20stopped%20working&tab=&status=...
• https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/search/search?SearchTerm=can%27t%20record%20macro&tab=&status=al...
• https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/search/search?SearchTerm=macros%20broken&tab=&status=all&advFil=...

Other resources:

• Organizing your macros by Beth Melton, Word MVP
• Assigning Keyboard Shortcuts in Microsoft Word 2007-2021 (365)
• Backup Normal.dotm template using a macro

Answer 3

Look in the same folder that contains the Normal.dotm template (usually %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates) for a file named something like OldNormal.dotm or Normal.old. If it's there, check its Modified date to see whether it's newer than the current Normal.dotm file.

If it seems worth trying, first shut down Word. Then rename the Normal.dotm file to something like BadNormal.dotm, and rename the newer version to Normal.dotm. Restart Word and look at the macros and AutoCorrect entries to confirm (or not).

Answer 4

I know which Normal I want to switch it to, however, I am unable to switch it to that upon Word starting up.