Issue with absolute paths on Macro Enabled Templates in Microsoft Word.

Question

I have created 6 templates in Word that include many macros used in the development of reports based on the templates. These templates are currently stored on SharePoint so that everyone has access to the same templates. When the staff create new documents based on the template, the macros stay in the template and do not "travel" with the document. My understanding of how Word works is that when the document is created from the template, Word shows that template as "attached" to the document. Since the macros are in the template and the template is attached to the document, any macros in the template are available to the document whenever it is open. Thus, there is no need for the document to contain the macros since they are already available through the template.

The problem is that if John Doyle creates a file from the template, when we look at the file path for the template, it is something like:

C:\Users\JohnDoyle...path to sharepoint...\templates\template1.dotm

Now if Mary Jones tries to open this file it cannot find the template as the path is wrong from her machine. On her machine the path would be:

C:\Users\MaryJones...path to sharepoint...\templates\template1.dotm

So essentially when Mary opens the document, Word checks for the attached template at the indicated path (John Doyles Path) as stored with the document. When it doesn't find it, that means the template isn't available and the macros, therefore, cannot be accessed.

Each of these report files gets reviewed by several people before being released so they would all have the same issue.

What can I do to fix this?

I cannot expect the staff to reconnect the file path everytime they go to open a report that was created by another user.

Answer 1

Use common Global Templates and Workgroup Templates stored locally in the same relative positions?

Reports here show real problems with attempting to use templates, as templates, on SharePoint.

• Building Blocks not available
• Macros not available

I am a fellow user and others may know better. My reservations about SharePoint, which I do not use, may be overblown.

Answer 2

Thanks a million Charles.
We will look into the Global templates as we were using document templates.