inserting Word docs into other Word docs

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hi

Is there anyway to insert Word docs into other Word docs.

The problem is each Word document has their own heading styles, TOC’s page numbering etc.

Currently it works if the 2nd document is inserted as pasted object or picture.

The current workflow is;
at the end of the 1st Word doc, the 2nd Word doc is pasted.
currenlty either before or after the whole doc is manually tidied up as in heading styles, set bookmarks around each TOC etc.

Currently running Word XP and upgrading to Word 2007.

We’ve just upgraded our Document Management system. The new version of DMS supports Word Master and sub-documents. I’ll look at implementing master and sub-document templates in the future.

however for now i need a working alternative.

any ideas?

many thanks

diana

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What exactly do you want to accomplish? Should each document keep its own heading styles etc.? If so, why combine them? Or do you want to create one document with one consistent set of heading styles etc.?

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yes each document to retain their own heading styles, correct table of contents, page numbers etc.

for example
if we have 2 documents with their own heading styles and table of contents
docA has docB inserted at the back, the table of contents will detect all heading styles 2-3 in the document and therefore update.
each TOC to retain the information related to its document.

diana

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I don’t think you will be able to do this without a lot of work.

Depending on what you are trying to do, the easiest solution might be to print each Word document to PDF and then merge the PDF files.

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Like Stuart, I don’t think you can do this in Word, at least not easily. For example, a document can contain only a single set of Heading styles.

His suggestion of creating and combining PDF files looks like a good workaround.

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yes each document to retain their own heading styles, correct table of contents, page numbers etc.

for example
if we have 2 documents with their own heading styles and table of contents
docA has docB inserted at the back, the table of contents will detect all heading styles 2-3 in the document and therefore update.
each TOC to retain the information related to its document.

diana

Diana,

Well, it is a bit of work, but if you must do it (for instance, if you must deliver Word files and if all (semantic) sections must be in one file), here’s a way.

Each document must have its own style names. If the second document is, say, the quality plan, its main heading might be QP Head 1; the body text might be QP bodytext, and so forth. As you are making the new styles, be sure to change the based on to no style; though I prefer to keep the paragraph outline at the proper level. You can use find and replace (the older method) to change from the old to to the new styles or use select all (x) instances of the old style and then apply the new style.

The TOC for the second document must be styles based (instead of outline level based) , for example “QP head 1,1, QP head 2,2, QP head 3,3”.

Among the downsides: if the main document’s headings are outline or multilevel list numbered, the secondary document’s headings must manually numbered. Also automated features that depend on outline/mutilevel list numbering and the use of Word’s built-in headings are not available in the secondary document. Then there’s the time it takes to change the styles of an already formatted document (a couple hours for a short (20-page) document). There may be other downsides. But my clients who have done this were happy with the result.

Does using master documents avoid having to do this sort of thing? If not, you might want to format all potential secondary documents with style names that are different from the main document’s.

Pam

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yes your right currently it is alot of work

the documents are being exchanged with outside parties to edit the documents, therefore the files have to remain as Word .doc format for compatibility.
Which means PDF isnt an alternative

diana

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the documents are being exchanged with outside parties to edit the documents, therefore the files have to remain as Word .doc format for compatibility.

In that case, I’d keep them as separate documents. Trying to combine them is more hassle than it’s worth.

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hi

Is there anyway to insert Word docs into other Word docs.

any ideas?

many thanks

diana

Maybe I’m being simplistic, but can’t you simply Insert the second document as an Object, using the Create from File tab to select the document and then use the ‘display as icon’ option?

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thank you all

The documents need to go out as one document and its a business need.

Ill need to research and test however think this can be achieved by the following methods

automation
write new code to “prepare” documents before inserting into the “main” document. For example the code
– can rename and create new styles eg “Heading 1” rename to “Heading1Sub”.
– bookmark document
– create TOC using bookmark and new heading styles
– etc….

The end result would be minimal work for end users.

Master and sub documents
I know and have used master- sub documents in the past. in this environment master-sub documents would be a “new” introduced feature.
– I’ll have to research how different styles are handled
– document sharing across different states
– master-sub are to be contained togethere – therefore ill have to research the effects of emailing out and in

diana

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thank you all

The documents need to go out as one document and its a business need.

Ill need to research and test however think this can be achieved by the following methods

automation
write new code to “prepare” documents before inserting into the “main” document. For example the code
– can rename and create new styles eg “Heading 1” rename to “Heading1Sub”.
– bookmark document
– create TOC using bookmark and new heading styles
– etc….

The end result would be minimal work for end users.

diana

That sounds like a workable plan. (I support the preparation of business proposals, so I recognized the need.)

Pam

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I think you can do it if you use Continous or Next Page Section Breaks. Then insert your document. In word 2007, that would be the Insert Ribbon, Text Group, Object, Text from file.

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Take a look at creating a master document, then, adding sub-documents.

I have done this with curriculum where each chapter was a document.

In Word 2003 and 2007, start with a blank Word Document. Give it a name you will use for your master document.

Change to the Outline View. I have been using Word 2007 for 2 years and do not remember all the steps in Word 2003. But, I think you can go to Insert sub document.

In Word 2007, when you go to the Outline view, in the ribbon, you will see a Show Document button. When you click on it, you expand the group. Now, you can insert additional files.

I believe that each document will retain it’s formatting with styles, etc. And, that you can e-mail the entire document.

Hope this works for you.

C.E. Jones

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Diana, Pam:

Have been meaning to get back to this thread for a while: My understanding is that you definitely can merge two different documents, and have two different TOCs and two different sets of outline numbering styles, as long as you take care to name the two sets of outline numbering styles differently, so that they don’t conflict. Also, when you set up each TOC, you need to go to Options and specify which styles will be picked up by, and which styles will be excluded by, each TOC.

This does mean that at least one of the sets of outline numbering styles can’t be based on built-in heading styles, and therefore the limitations Pam points out in that respect, do apply. But you’re not constrained to using manual numbering in the second document; you can use outline numbering in both. And both TOCs can be linked to styles.

Attached sample doc illustrates the above – let me know if this is helpful (or whether it misses the point, which is entirely possible!)

Gary

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Thanks, Gary. For me, your information is most helpful. Though I must have noticed the ListNum field list name in the customize outline list dialog, I ignored it for 7 or 8 years. I was reminded of it in a thread a couple months ago and, since, have wondered how to make use of it. Now I know. I’ve saved your sample (properly credited) and will refer to it the next time I have to join two really different documents—with different autonumbered headings— into one file.

Thanks again,
Pam

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Pam,

Glad that info is helpful. Just to clarify one thing, the sample document doesn’t make use of any ListNum field list names (those have actually been left blank in this example) – all I did was create a new set of custom-named styles, and assigned those to the different levels of an outline numbering list. You can have as many outline numbered lists as you want (and per this example, as many TOCs as you want) in a document, as long as each outline numbered list is associated with its own unique set of style names – without necessarily having to provide any ListNum field list names.

Gary

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OK, thanks. By the way, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read that you can only have one multilevel list per document.

I wonder though…does Word give each list a name? I’m not sure it would work well otherwise.

Pam

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It’s pretty common in longer corporate legal documents, to have one multilevel list for the main part of the document, and then one or more other, different ones for exhibits or annexes.

Word doesn’t give each list a name by default, at least not in the user interface (internally no doubt, Word keeps an index of list templates associated with a document) – if you want to add a List Num field list name, you have to do so yourself. But doing so isn’t required, for the separate lists to function properly as separate lists.

Gary

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