creating subdocument 'Normal' style issues

Question

I am creating subdocuments from a large master document.  I'm using the feature to break up our specification and make it more easy for my team to collaborate.  It's on the order of 500 subdocuments.  

I can easily create all of the subdocuments I need automatically.  However, the style features are not carrying over.  Although the formatting hasn't changed in the master document, the subdocument is formatted differently.  It doesn't appear to be related to the styles.  I think it has to do with the template.  For example, the styled fonts and tables match the master document.  However the Normal fonts do not match the master document.  Also, the Normal paragraph settings do not match the master document.  For example, I have the master document set to single spacing.  However, every subdocument is created with double spacing as default.  I also have the master document set to Arial size 10 for Normal font.  The subdocument is created with a Calibri size 11 font for the Normal setting.  

Is there a way I can choose the template that a subdocument is created from?  

Is there a way to make the Normal styling carry over from the master document to the subdocuments?

Thanks,

Jackson

Answer 1

Hello Jackson,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Office Community.

This is behavior which you've specified is by-design.

When you split a document, the sub documents will use a different template. But when you view them from the master document, the sub document will take the template used by the master document.

If you think the carry over feature of style is important and want Microsoft to include it, provide your feedback through the following link.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-US/suggestions.aspx?origin=FX101741961&CTT=114

If you have any other questions related to Office products, reply and I’ll be glad to assist you.

Thank you.

Answer 2

My guess would be the Normal template, but you can check this for yourself if you display the Templates and Add-Ins dialog box when looking at the subdocument only.

To display the dialog box in Word 2013: Click the Document Template button on the Developer tab. If the Developer tab isn't showing, first click File tab | Options | Customize Ribbon and make sure there is a check mark next to "Developer" in the list of ribbon tabs. Click OK.

Just to be clear, your best choice is not to use the master document feature at all.

Answer 3

Thanks for the reply Daniel.  It helps a lot.  Do you know which document template it uses to create the subdocument?  I was thinking about altering that template in order to get the subdocuments to look how I want them to.

Thanks 

Jackson

Answer 4

Generally, any content brought into a target will be reformatted using the styles in the target (assuming that both the source and target documents make use of the same style names).

Note, however, that using master documents is not safe in Word. See (for example) http://word.mvps.org/faqs/general/RecoverMasterDocs.htm.

I suggest that you make use of INCLUDETEXT fields instead. Use the Insert File dialog box to add files using the INCLUDETEXT field. To display the dialog box in Word 2013, click the Insert tab, click the arrow on the Object button, and then click Text from File.

For more on INCLUDETEXT, see http://word.mvps.org/faqs/tblsfldsfms/includetextfields.htm, but note that the article hasn't been updated for the most recent versions of Word.