Word .dotx files don't open new untitled Word .docx files on SharePoint.

Question

Split from this thread.

I have the same question as #1 and #3 in John's post above. I've searched through a number of other forum entries, but still haven't found an answer.

Is there a way to have .dotx files open as a new document from SharePoint, the same way they open as a new document from Windows Explorer? In my case, I want to publish (upload) a .dotx template file to a SharePoint Document Library and for the following to happen:

1. All employees can access the .dotx template from the appropriate SharePoint Document Library.
2. Only SharePoint administrators can change/edit/overwrite the .dotx template; regular users CANNOT edit the template, but are required to save as/save a copy.

3. When an employee opens the template (clicks the link in the Document Library), it opens/creates a new document that they save to their local hard drive, or a different SharePoint location of their choice.

Most of what I've found delves into content types, which are not useful to me in this instance, since the employees can't save to the host SharePoint library anyway. I came across a couple of answers directing me through library settings>open with explorer, which is inconvenient for users, especially since the vast majority of them are completely new to SharePoint (users are also unfamiliar with Word Online).

Answer 1

Hi Natalie,

From your description, I arrange my understanding:

1. You want to put a template document to the overarching team site where all internal users can view it without editing it. (Do you set view only permission for the internal users to the whole site?)
2. You want all the internal users to save a copy of this document to their internal team site or OneDrive to edit their own version.
3. You want they also can save as a copy to local device.

If so, please check the solution steps below:

1. Simply upload a docx document file to the overarching team site document library. The users can view without editing this document.
2. The users can select the file > click “copy to” button on the library tool bar > select other online location to save as a copy.
3. They can edit the copy of the file in another location now.
4. The users can download the document from the overarching team site library, after downloading the document, they also can edit this copy one.

Thanks,

Rena

Answer 2

Hi Natalie,

From your description, I arrange my understanding:

1. You want to put a template document to the overarching team site where all internal users can view it without editing it. (Do you set view only permission for the internal users to the whole site?)
2. You want all the internal users to save a copy of this document to their internal team site or OneDrive to edit their own version.
3. You want they also can save as a copy to local device.

If so, please check the solution steps below:

1. Simply upload a docx document file to the overarching team site document library. The users can view without editing this document.
2. The users can select the file > click “copy to” button on the library tool bar > select other online location to save as a copy.
3. They can edit the copy of the file in another location now.
4. The users can download the document from the overarching team site library, after downloading the document, they also can edit this copy one.

Thanks,

Rena

Hi Rena,

That would all be perfect, except that I don't have control of permissions for the overarching site, only certain areas are under my jurisdiction.

All your (and John's) responses have been helpful! I will do some more testing with my files.

Thank-you!!

Answer 3

Hi Natalie,

The SharePoint Online content types uses docx but not dotx as template, end users will create new document based on this file. Only admins can change the template. For your question 3, when the users click new > choose the docx document, they can:

1. Click “edit in word” button to edit the document in Word client, then save to the local location.
2. Click FILE > save as > save to another folder > choose personal OneDrive or other site collections as the online location.

Thanks,

Rena

Answer 4

Hi John,

Yes, this is the good way to do it from local device to local device or to SharePoint Online. Office desktop client can edit documents based on dotx templates then save documents to local or Online.

It seems Natalie would like to find a way to do it from SharePoint Online to SharePoint Online or to local device. Content type uses docx but not dotx as template. I assume Natalie's concern is his #3 requirement. There's no button to save the Online editing document to local device. Word Online has no "save" button as it automatically saves to the online location where it is created. If we want to save the document from Online to local, we only can use workaround to do so. Such as download it after editing or click "edit in Word" button then save as to local location.

Thanks,

Rena

Answer 5

Hi Natalie,

The SharePoint Online content types uses docx but not dotx as template, end users will create new document based on this file. Only admins can change the template. For your question 3, when the users click new > choose the docx document, they can:

1. Click “edit in word” button to edit the document in Word client, then save to the local location.
2. Click FILE > save as > save to another folder > choose personal OneDrive or other site collections as the online location.

Thanks,

Rena

Thanks, Rena.

If share users need to frequently create new blank documents from the same .dotx template, I think a good practice would be to  download the template (.dotx)  to their computers and put it in the default folder for workgroup templates.

They can then easily create a new document, and save that in their OneDrive  or other site collections folder.

Avoids accidentally overwriting or leaving information on a .docx file intended for use as a blank template.