Compile Error: Method or data member not found when closing a Word doc in Office for Mac 2011

Question

Every time I close a Word document, I get the following error "Compile error: Method or data member not found." and a document called Normal.dotm opens. I believe Microsoft Visual Basic gets launched and I need to quit that to return to Word. This is VERY irritating. Can someone help with a fix? I haven't been able to find anything. Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi dmillers,

Sounds like you have a macro in your normal.dotm template. Your normal.dotm template is the blank template that opens whenever you start a new document.

You can find your normal.dotm file here:

~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/User Templates

If you close Word, open Finder, choose Go > Go to Folder, enter the above path and hit Go, it will take you to the correct location. Once you're there, move your Normal.dotm file to the Desktop. Open Word and it will recreate the file without a macro.

Answer 2

To Cody's advice, I should add this: If the problem reappears after opening documents you've recently worked with, then you've probably caught a macro virus, in which case you'll need some additional procedures.

Answer 3

Dragging your new Normal file's icon to the dock is not necessary. Be sure you completely quit Word before you move your current Normal file to the desktop. When Word opens it will make a new, fresh empty Normal file where the old one was, and will always use that one from then on.

Answer 4

Yes, those steps take you almost all the way there. After you do those steps, pull your Word icon off your toolbar and drag your new "normal" onto your toolbar.