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Creating Word Templates with Custom Styles: Font Colours Not Being Applied to Text with Other Style Elements

Anonymous
2022-03-22T14:40:03+00:00

I'm creating a new set of templates for my company. I've identified 40 styles (including numbered and unnumbered headings, list styles, table styles, header and footer styles, etc.) that I need to create either by modifying Word's built-in styles (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.) or creating new styles from scratch (e.g., Table Heading, Warning text, etc.).

I also created a custom colour theme from the Colors menu in the Document Formatting group of the Design tab. Some of my styles, like my Headings, are formatted with colours from this theme to adhere to my company's brand guidelines.

However, when I create new documents based on my template and I want to apply the Heading 1 style, for instance, all elements of the style are applied except for the font colour.

This is the procedure I follow to test how my styles will appear in the context of the documents that I'm writing:

  1. Copy my master template, Master-Template_Custom-Styles.dotx, and save a new copy titled Master-Template_Blank.dotx.
  2. Right-click and select Open from the drop-down menu to open and edit the new template, Master-Template_Blank.dotx.
  3. Press Ctrl+ A and delete all content (in this case my list of style names) in the body of this template. It is now blank.
  4. Click Save and Close.
  5. Double-click Master-Template_Blank.dotx to open a new, blank .docx document based on my master template and from which I can access my 40 custom styles.
  6. Type one line, Heading 1 Test, press Enter, and type a paragraph of sample text.
  7. Highlight the first line, Heading 1 Test, and select Heading 1 from the Style Gallery. All custom formatting that I configured for Heading 1 (i.e., font, font size, alignment, paragraph spacing, borders and shading, etc.) is applied to the text, EXCEPT the font colour; the font colour remains black.
  8. I highlight the first line again, Heading 1 Test, and select Heading 1 from the Style Gallery. Now the text changes colour to match the font colour that I specified for Heading 1; the font colour is now light blue.

This problem occurs with every style for which I have specified a font colour. Even for styles that I formatted with a font colour and coloured borders and shading, the border and shading colours are applied, but the font colour remains black until I apply the style a second time.

To test some solutions, I set up my styles using Word's default colours and also by entering the RGB value of a colour instead of using a colour from my custom theme. The problem persists in each scenario.

I would appreciate any assistance from the community regarding this issue.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | Windows

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  1. Charles Kenyon 166.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-03-22T21:32:10+00:00

    Hi Charles,

    I believe so, since I selected my Custom Theme from the Themes drop-down menu in the Document Formatting group on the Design tab before I started modifying and creating new styles. I added some screenshots in my response to Stefan to show I how I did this, in case I'm missing a step.

    I am aware that I'll need to share the .thmx file with my Custom Theme settings with other users once I'm ready to make my templates available to the rest of my team. However, I know that my theme file is working to the degree that I can open a new document in Word based on the Normal.dotm template and select my Theme colours to use in that new document even if I'm not using custom or modified styles.

    As I mentioned in my reply to Tin Zhang, I have to confirm with my manager whether I can share my template file (and how) in a way that doesn't contravene my company's security policies.

    Hopefully that clarifies a little bit more of my process in the absence of being able to share my template file.

    OK

    You should use your theme colors and fonts in most of your styles, IMO. This will make fine-tuning things far easier. Your styles should likely be saved in a \[Quick\] Style Set, although that requires that they all be in the Quick Styles Gallery.

    Where appropriate, do use the built-in styles, especially the heading styles, but make sure your documents/templates are not set to update from the template. Why Use Word's Built-In Heading Styles? by Shauna Kelly

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-03-22T20:52:11+00:00

    Thank you for your response; I just have to confirm with my manager whether I can share this file and how in a way that doesn't contravene my company's security policies. When I have an answer, I will update my response.

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  3. Stefan Blom 338.6K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2022-03-22T20:35:11+00:00

    For a theme to change the font color of a paragraph style, the style must be specified to use theme colors. Standard colors won't be affected when you apply a different theme.

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  4. Charles Kenyon 166.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2022-03-22T20:23:59+00:00

    Have you checked to make sure that your Custom Theme is available and attached to your template? Or at least that the colors work in the Template?

    You would be welcome to share the template. Why a sample file is important for troubleshooting. How to do it.

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  5. Anonymous
    2022-03-22T19:53:36+00:00

    Hi MapExcel:

    Please give us some time to test and we will share the test results with you as soon as possible.

    At the same time, if it is convenient for you, can you share your data with us so that we can conduct more accurate tests.

    Thank you for your understanding.

    Tin

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