Developing Electronic Letterhead w/ Protected Company Info

Question

In Word 2010, I am trying to create electronic letterhead.  The Company does not want employees to be able to modify the header/footer information.  The approach I am using right now is with the Developer "Restrict Editing" feature and I will protect the letterhead with "Read Only" and "Exceptions/set to "Everyone" features. 

I need help with the easiest/best way for Users to be able to put in section breaks.  

I have formatting "Different First Page" because only the first page has footer with office information.  The Header has logo on the left  with a manual line running from the right of the logo to the right margin. 

I need help on how to write a macro (or other solution) for Users to easily insert new Section Breaks that are:  1) Not set to "Different First Page" and also not include company info. in footer; and 2) Set to landscape orientation (line in header needs to extend further for landscape margin); and 3) User may also need to create additional sections to Portrait (with original header) after landscape sections. 

Would be nice if a new Customized Ribbon could be added with Commands to insert each type of section break.  I think this would be a great User-friendly approach.  Also note that Users are in multiple offices around the United States, so I can't have the macros in a "Template."  So I really need everything neatly wrapped up in a .docm file, if possible. 

(Note the macro or solution for 1) and 3) may be the same for the Users. I hope.)

Hope this is clear enough so someone can assist me.

Appreciate any help I can get.

Answer 1

Just because you want something, it doesn't meant that it is possible.Shooting the messenger is not going to change the answer. I have suggested methods that may minimise your problems. No one is forcing you to use them. However I will repeat that you cannot force users to run macros - even those that are run 'automatically'.

A macro solution of the type that you think you seek is covered at

http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/ProtectWord2000PlusHeader.htm but it will not stop users working around it. And if you have users who are prone to tampering with your systems, it is the users that need to be addressed rather than the provision of a disruptive and useless measure with will not have the desired result. - but then you don't want to hear that.

Answer 2

If you cannot trust your users not to edit the letterhead, you should really think about more about your recruitment policies. If you are worried about recipients playing around with your letterhead then forget it. It is child's play for anyone who really wants to edit a letterhead to be able to do so. You can only try and make it a little less convenient to do so. The more inconvenient you make it the more it interferes with then normal use of the document.

You cannot force a macro solution because you cannot force users to run your macros as that would be an open invitation to those clowns who write malicious software.

If you are concerned about users making accidental changes then save the letterhead as a graphic, which will make it far more difficult to edit. Better still send out documents as PDF format which recipients will find it more difficult to toy with.

Like Charles I don't understand your use of DOCM format documents. Create templates which either insert the local office address automatically, or have separate templates for each office. You should not be creating documents from docm format documents.

Answer 3

Would be nice if a new Customized Ribbon could be added with Commands to insert each type of section break.  I think this would be a great User-friendly approach.  Also note that Users are in multiple offices around the United States, so I can't have the macros in a "Template."  So I really need everything neatly wrapped up in a .docm file, if possible. 

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Appreciate any help I can get.

On having a customized Ribbon tab, there is help:

Customize the Ribbon (It doesn't take rocket science)

The customizations would be usually be stored in a template.

I don't understand why you can use a .docm but not a template. The idea of templates is that they are used as the base for documents. See Templates in Microsoft Word

Ribbon customizations can be stored in a .docm as well,  A .docm cannot be a global.

Consider putting a continuous section break at the top of your first page before the date. Change its header/footer setting to not be same as previous, and not have a different first page. So long as people are not typing before the section break most things should work. This may make your coding task easier.

I would think that something like changing the letterhead could better be handled by corporate policies and training than by trying to put limits on modifications of documents. You are likely to have side-effects where your solution keeps people from doing their jobs.

Answer 4

Do not appreciate your personal opinions on this post.  Would have really appreciated just helping me get the outcome I need.

The macros could be set up to run automatically, so you can force them to be run.  Or at least have a window that pops up as the file is open telling users to press <XX>+<#> to insert a landscape page or <XX>+<X> to insert a portrait page.  AGAIN -- these are only options/thoughts toward an easy approach. 

Out IT group actually set up letterhead as a graphic and pasted in headers -- very poor quality and not consistent in size, etc., between our four subsidiaries or Corporate office.  After the letterhead they developed, I was tasked with attempting to find a better approach of protecting our letterhead and providing a better quality.  Plus with the pasted pictures, employees still have the same problem with adding portrait/landscape section breaks and the headers changing from narrow to wider accordingly.

In response to both you and Charles, I was throwing macros out there as a "possible" approach.  I went to this forum to get assistance on a good approach, not criticism and opinions about company policy, training, etc....

Answer 5

Appreciate the link to Customizing the Ribbon.  As I get time, I will attempt to see if this approach helps. 

In response to your comment "...why you can use a .docm but not a template" is because I can send a docm file to other office.  The other offices do not have strong enough Admins or Word users to provide assistance on template setup/use.

The office I work in has multiple Workgroup templates; however, I am also here to train admins and troubleshoot with employees -- it is a continuous task (that I love I might add).

I tried the "continuous section" in a protected "read only" / "everyone" format.  Even though the Continuous Section Break was set to "read only" once the file got protected it did not stay as "read only."  In testing, I would add a "Next Page" section break; then as it was deleted, the "Continuous" section break originally in the file would default to a "Next Page" section break.