Word 2010 and Template Locations

Anonymous

Word 2003 by default saved any document I designated as a template (*.dot) in a predetermined location set up in Location of Files. I have noted that Word 2010 also saves user templates to a location in Location of Files (oddly it is in a folder called "roaming." something I usually assocate with my cell phone rather than my computer). However, notwithstanding this setting Word 2010 saves my templates wherever it chooses. I noticed this after creating a template and then immediately trying to use it--and it wasn't "there." That is, it did not show up in File/New/Templates. Gone! That is, gone until I ran a search for it and found it. This time I found it in the folder I was working in when I decided to create the new template. Am I missing something here? Is the Location of Files setting subject to other unknown (at least to me) conditions? There may be fine reasons to choose to store templates in a location different from the setting but since they won't be accessible in the usual way (File/New/Templates etc.) it would probably be a very unique reason. I lost another template or two previously but I figured it was my own fault for not saving them correcty--until they showed up in the same search!

Joe McGuire

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Charles Kenyon 171K Volunteer Moderator

I agree with you that having to activate the Developer Tab is a pain as is the routine hiding of both system files and filename extensions.

As to the new form fields, I have mixed feelings. The Add-In from Greg Maxey at Add Classic FormField Controls to Ribbon certainly helps. It essentially gives you the old Forms toolbar in a Ribbon group including the lock toggle.

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Suzanne S Barnhill 279.4K MVP Volunteer Moderator

The difference is that Word no longer defaults to the user templates folder when you save a template. This is touted as a benefit, though I don't really see how it is. If you want the template to appear in the New dialog (assuming you've figured out how to even make that appear), you do have to save it in the default template location. There's some info about this at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/924460, but it probably won't tell you more than you have already discovered.

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Charles Kenyon 171K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2014-07-31T19:40:31+00:00

For those of you still using Word 2010, if you want to save a document as a template to the default Office Templates folder do the following:

In the Save As dialog box:

- scroll up to the top of the folder list

- click the arrow to the left of Microsoft Word

- click Templates.

- change the Save As Type to Word Template

- click Save.

Hope that helps.

This is apparently an artifact of the Operating System. In Windows Vista, the user templates folder, as designated in Word, shows up at the top of the favorite folder list.

It does not appear in Windows 8.1. Note, in Windows Vista, if you change the folder in Word, it will change in this list. This is true of Word 2007 and 2010, but not 2003.
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Anonymous

2014-11-28T19:35:11+00:00

This was very helpful. I did take it a step further.

I created a short-cuts of my organized templates. I simply copy these short-cuts to the Roaming folder and then they appear as Tabs on the window. I choose the templates per my consulting assignments.

Best!
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Anonymous

2015-03-07T22:41:20+00:00

Where do I find templates I used for previous versions of office on my old computers. Do I have to go to those old computers and download those file to a flash drive the upload them to my new computer?
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