XML location of Document Properties in Quick Parts list - Expand / modify that list - Sharepoint

Question

Split from this thread.

Questions: Where are the Document Properties that show up under the list in Quick Parts stored in the XML of the document/template?

Are they stored there?

If not, where are they stored? How can they be accessed/modified?

[Edit: The sample template was created using SharePoint. That is the only method I know of to add, delete, or modify these specific items.]

Edit by author 2025/12/10 [Charles Kenyon]

For a way to do this with SharePoint, see How to add SharePoint metadata to Word documents using Quick Parts Document Properties by SharePoint Maven

[End of edit.]

This template has a multitude of additional properties under the Quick Parts list that act like the ones that are built into Word. They create mapped Content Controls when added to a document.

How can I do that?

The following is from my analysis of a template that has a custom list of Document Properties under the Quick Parts drop-down.

• I can confirm that a blank document created based on the template maintains the custom list of Document Property Content Controls.
• That document retains these even when the document is attached to the normal template rather than the origination template.
• The list contains many custom controls including 2 date-picker controls and at least one drop-down.
• These are not merely renaming of the built-in controls.
• These controls are "[mapped]" like the built-in controls.

I am fascinated! This is the first time I've seen anything like this.  I routinely used the built-in document properties under Quick Parts to easily put mapped content controls in my documents. Lately, I've been using Greg Maxey's Custom Content Control Insert Dialog which makes mapping the default for all content controls added using the interface.  You may want to explore that if you do not need your users to be able to access them directly from the Quick Parts > Document Property dialog.

This is my page on the subject: http://addbalance.com/word/MappedControls.htm [Repeating Data Using Document Properties Content Controls and Other Mapped Content ControlsEdit]

Additional information:

1. Nothing about these appears to be in the Properties XML folder of the template.
2. At least one is a drop-down CC. There are none of those in the built-in properties.

3. The template has no document variables and is a dotx file.

[Author Edit: 10 Feb 2021

See Greg Maxey's Add-In for Enhanced Document Properties.

It is discussed further down. While it does not add to the Document Property list, it does provide some interesting options and does not require SharePoint.

11 Feb 2021

See Greg Maxey's post in the Answers forum: Help with XML Schema. He has added items to the Quick Parts > Document Properties list that persist in the document without using SharePoint!

Answer 1

The custom properties are in the following file in the archive CustomXml>Item2.xml

For the OP, I have uploaded a modified version of the template, that does not contain the text, etc, that was in the original template and now has the default layout of margins of 1" all around with the Header and Footer distance from the edge of the paper set to 0.5" to the following folder of my One Drive from where you can download it

http://bit.ly/1hduSCB

Answer 2

Have you looked at Greg Maxey's utility at:

https://gregmaxey.com/word_tip_pages/cc_var_bm_doc_prop_tools_addin.html

Answer 3

Thank you again, Doug.

I tried adding my own which resulted in none of the document properties displaying.

1. Is this method of adding/editing Quick-Part Document Propreties documented anywhere?
2. What do I have to do to add a Custom Document Property and have it show up in the Quick Parts Document Property list and be a Mapped Content Control?
3. How do I set the type of Content Control. In the example there are  Drop-Down and Date-Picker controls as well as text controls.

I realize that I may just be missing it in the XML. Once I figure it out, I will publish a web page that explains it, unless there is already such a page.