Word 2003/XP Pro
I am trying to create an alternative Normal.dot. Problem is when I try to 
save a document created from AltNormal, I always receive the prompt: "Do you 
want to save the changes to AltNormal.dot?".  Typing and saving a few of 
characters is sufficient to cause the prompt. If I accept the prompt, the 
prompt returns when I next modify the document. All this occurs even if 
AltNormal has not been modified from Normal.dot.

I have tried many different ways to resolve this including basing AltNormal 
on:
(1) a copy of Normal.dot,
(2) a clean document from Normal.dot,
(3) renaming Normal.dot and working with the new version of Normal.dot that 
is created the next time I open Word,
(4) creating a .doc or a .dot by running START RUN winword /a to obtain a 
clean copy.

There also don't appear to be any COM Add-Ins.

Throughout the process, this problem hasn't afflicted the opening and saving 
of documents using Normal.dot. 

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Peter

KB article 291352 may be helpful.  Its title is 
"You are prompted to save the changes to the Normal.dot or Normal.dotm or 
Normal.dotm global template every time that you quit Word"


"Peter Stone" wrote:

> Word 2003/XP Pro
> I am trying to create an alternative Normal.dot. Problem is when I try to 
> save a document created from AltNormal, I always receive the prompt: "Do you 
> want to save the changes to AltNormal.dot?".  Typing and saving a few of 
> characters is sufficient to cause the prompt. If I accept the prompt, the 
> prompt returns when I next modify the document. All this occurs even if 
> AltNormal has not been modified from Normal.dot.
> 
> I have tried many different ways to resolve this including basing AltNormal 
> on:
> (1) a copy of Normal.dot,
> (2) a clean document from Normal.dot,
> (3) renaming Normal.dot and working with the new version of Normal.dot that 
> is created the next time I open Word,
> (4) creating a .doc or a .dot by running START RUN winword /a to obtain a 
> clean copy.
> 
> There also don't appear to be any COM Add-Ins.
> 
> Throughout the process, this problem hasn't afflicted the opening and saving 
> of documents using Normal.dot. 
> 
> Any suggestions?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Peter

This is a crazy idea: you cannot have an alternative normal.dot. What 
exactly are you actually trying to achieve?

-- 
Terry Farrell - MSWord MVP

"Peter Stone" <PeterStone@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:CC5625DB-10CB-4382-8E98-8E5D148BE6C0@microsoft.com...
> Word 2003/XP Pro
> I am trying to create an alternative Normal.dot. Problem is when I try to
> save a document created from AltNormal, I always receive the prompt: "Do 
> you
> want to save the changes to AltNormal.dot?".  Typing and saving a few of
> characters is sufficient to cause the prompt. If I accept the prompt, the
> prompt returns when I next modify the document. All this occurs even if
> AltNormal has not been modified from Normal.dot.
>
> I have tried many different ways to resolve this including basing 
> AltNormal
> on:
> (1) a copy of Normal.dot,
> (2) a clean document from Normal.dot,
> (3) renaming Normal.dot and working with the new version of Normal.dot 
> that
> is created the next time I open Word,
> (4) creating a .doc or a .dot by running START RUN winword /a to obtain a
> clean copy.
>
> There also don't appear to be any COM Add-Ins.
>
> Throughout the process, this problem hasn't afflicted the opening and 
> saving
> of documents using Normal.dot.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Thanks
>
> Peter 

Thank Alan, I had already been through that article and tried all the 
suggestions.
The interesting point is this only affects documents based on the AltNormal 
that I create; not the Normal that is created by Word. I've tried every which 
way to create one that doesn't do this.

I've run Detect and Repair and uninstalled Google and all other COM Add-Ins 
except Microsoft Office Live Add-In; I guess I'll uninstall that next.

"AlanW" wrote:

> KB article 291352 may be helpful.  Its title is 
> "You are prompted to save the changes to the Normal.dot or Normal.dotm or 
> Normal.dotm global template every time that you quit Word"

Thanks Terry
I want to base some Word documents on an alternative template. If you Select 
FILE SAVE AS in Word, the dialogue allows you to save a document as an 
alternative Word template (.dot) in the default folder C:\Documents and 
Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates where the 
Normal.dot template lives.

"Terry Farrell" wrote:

> This is a crazy idea: you cannot have an alternative normal.dot. What 
> exactly are you actually trying to achieve?
> 
> -- 
> Terry Farrell - MSWord MVP
> 
> "Peter Stone" <PeterStone@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
> news:CC5625DB-10CB-4382-8E98-8E5D148BE6C0@microsoft.com...
> > Word 2003/XP Pro
> > I am trying to create an alternative Normal.dot. Problem is when I try to
> > save a document created from AltNormal, I always receive the prompt: "Do 
> > you
> > want to save the changes to AltNormal.dot?".  Typing and saving a few of
> > characters is sufficient to cause the prompt. If I accept the prompt, the
> > prompt returns when I next modify the document. All this occurs even if
> > AltNormal has not been modified from Normal.dot.
> >
> > I have tried many different ways to resolve this including basing 
> > AltNormal
> > on:
> > (1) a copy of Normal.dot,
> > (2) a clean document from Normal.dot,
> > (3) renaming Normal.dot and working with the new version of Normal.dot 
> > that
> > is created the next time I open Word,
> > (4) creating a .doc or a .dot by running START RUN winword /a to obtain a
> > clean copy.
> >
> > There also don't appear to be any COM Add-Ins.
> >
> > Throughout the process, this problem hasn't afflicted the opening and 
> > saving
> > of documents using Normal.dot.
> >
> > Any suggestions?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Peter 
> 
> .
> 

You can create as many document templates as you like, but you can't create 
an "alternative Normal." See 
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart1.htm

-- 
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Peter Stone" <PeterStone@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:7F408A2F-FF52-4CE4-AD86-E621661C26B4@microsoft.com...
> Thanks Terry
> I want to base some Word documents on an alternative template. If you 
> Select
> FILE SAVE AS in Word, the dialogue allows you to save a document as an
> alternative Word template (.dot) in the default folder C:\Documents and
> Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates where the
> Normal.dot template lives.
>
> "Terry Farrell" wrote:
>
>> This is a crazy idea: you cannot have an alternative normal.dot. What
>> exactly are you actually trying to achieve?
>>
>> -- 
>> Terry Farrell - MSWord MVP
>>
>> "Peter Stone" <PeterStone@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:CC5625DB-10CB-4382-8E98-8E5D148BE6C0@microsoft.com...
>> > Word 2003/XP Pro
>> > I am trying to create an alternative Normal.dot. Problem is when I try 
>> > to
>> > save a document created from AltNormal, I always receive the prompt: 
>> > "Do
>> > you
>> > want to save the changes to AltNormal.dot?".  Typing and saving a few 
>> > of
>> > characters is sufficient to cause the prompt. If I accept the prompt, 
>> > the
>> > prompt returns when I next modify the document. All this occurs even if
>> > AltNormal has not been modified from Normal.dot.
>> >
>> > I have tried many different ways to resolve this including basing
>> > AltNormal
>> > on:
>> > (1) a copy of Normal.dot,
>> > (2) a clean document from Normal.dot,
>> > (3) renaming Normal.dot and working with the new version of Normal.dot
>> > that
>> > is created the next time I open Word,
>> > (4) creating a .doc or a .dot by running START RUN winword /a to obtain 
>> > a
>> > clean copy.
>> >
>> > There also don't appear to be any COM Add-Ins.
>> >
>> > Throughout the process, this problem hasn't afflicted the opening and
>> > saving
>> > of documents using Normal.dot.
>> >
>> > Any suggestions?
>> >
>> > Thanks
>> >
>> > Peter
>>
>> .
>>
> 

Thanks Suzanne, I had earlier read your helpful article in my hunt for a 
solution.

Sorry I should have been saying template.

The core problem is I: (1) create a template, (2) open a document based on 
that template, (3) modify that document by typing two words, (4) name, save, 
and close the document, (5) reopen the document and delete one word, (6) 
close the document, (7) Word prompts me to save changes to the document which 
I do, (7) Word then prompts me to save changes to the template.

Deleting a word of text shouldn't be modifying the template.

Eureka. I have been experimenting as I write and I have just found the 
solution. I have to skip step (3). If I enter text in my new document, the 
next time I modify the document, Word prompts me to save changes to the 
template.

I have to name and close the document without entering any text. Then reopen 
and enter my text. I've just done this multiple times. Finally.

I haven't tried it yet, but maybe the same result could also be achieved by 
SAVE AS before entering any text.

Another interesting point, I have just noticed, is that in Office 2003, 
START-ALL PROGRAMS-NEW OFFICE DOCUMENT doesn't bring a user to the 
WORD-FILE-NEW dialogue you illustrate in your tutorial . It's almost 
identical, but it lacks the "document" and "template" radio buttons.

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

> You can create as many document templates as you like, but you can't create 
> an "alternative Normal." See 
> http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart1.htm
> 
> -- 
> Suzanne S. Barnhill
> Microsoft MVP (Word)
> Words into Type
> Fairhope, Alabama USA
> http://word.mvps.org
 

I don't know if I have to reopen this question, but Word has reverted back to 
prompting me to save changes to the template.

Peter

You not quite got the hang of templates.

Open a new document and then make all the changes you need to it for it to 
become your new template. Use SaveAs and assign a sensible name (for the 
sake illustration, let's call it test.dot) but make sure that it is being 
saved in the USER TEMPLATES folder. This is not and never can be an 
Alt-normal.dot, even if you name it as such. There is only ever one 
normal.dot and that is created by Word.

To open a new document based on the test.dot, you open Word and then use 
File > New, select test.dot and press OPEN. This opens a new document based 
on test.dot. You can now continue to create you new document and save it as 
anythingyoulike.doc.

However, there is one caveat with this. If you change an underlying styles 
in the document, when you close the document Word will prompt you if you 
want to save the changes to the template. This is solely to reflect style 
changes you made in the document that now conflict with the template styles 
rather than the actual contents of your document.

If you want to launch Word to a new document based on test.dot, you have 
several options, but the easiest is to create a shortcut on the Desktop. The 
default action of Word is to always open a new document based on a template 
when you double-click on a template: it doesn't open the template itself.

Terry Farrell

"Peter Stone" <PeterStone@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:25196FA6-3FDB-497B-A711-13C890E2E174@microsoft.com...
> Thanks Suzanne, I had earlier read your helpful article in my hunt for a
> solution.
>
> Sorry I should have been saying template.
>
> The core problem is I: (1) create a template, (2) open a document based on
> that template, (3) modify that document by typing two words, (4) name, 
> save,
> and close the document, (5) reopen the document and delete one word, (6)
> close the document, (7) Word prompts me to save changes to the document 
> which
> I do, (7) Word then prompts me to save changes to the template.
>
> Deleting a word of text shouldn't be modifying the template.
>
> Eureka. I have been experimenting as I write and I have just found the
> solution. I have to skip step (3). If I enter text in my new document, the
> next time I modify the document, Word prompts me to save changes to the
> template.
>
> I have to name and close the document without entering any text. Then 
> reopen
> and enter my text. I've just done this multiple times. Finally.
>
> I haven't tried it yet, but maybe the same result could also be achieved 
> by
> SAVE AS before entering any text.
>
> Another interesting point, I have just noticed, is that in Office 2003,
> START-ALL PROGRAMS-NEW OFFICE DOCUMENT doesn't bring a user to the
> WORD-FILE-NEW dialogue you illustrate in your tutorial . It's almost
> identical, but it lacks the "document" and "template" radio buttons.
>
> "Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:
>
>> You can create as many document templates as you like, but you can't 
>> create
>> an "alternative Normal." See
>> http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart1.htm
>>
>> -- 
>> Suzanne S. Barnhill
>> Microsoft MVP (Word)
>> Words into Type
>> Fairhope, Alabama USA
>> http://word.mvps.org
> 

> However, there is one caveat with this. If you change an underlying styles 
> in the document, when you close the document Word will prompt you if you 
> want to save the changes to the template. This is solely to reflect style 
> changes you made in the document that now conflict with the template 
> styles rather than the actual contents of your document.

This should not be true unless you have checked "Add to template" in the 
Modify Style dialog.

-- 
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Terry Farrell" <terryfarrell@msn.com> wrote in message 
news:%23WCWgjugKHA.5604@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> You not quite got the hang of templates.
>
> Open a new document and then make all the changes you need to it for it to 
> become your new template. Use SaveAs and assign a sensible name (for the 
> sake illustration, let's call it test.dot) but make sure that it is being 
> saved in the USER TEMPLATES folder. This is not and never can be an 
> Alt-normal.dot, even if you name it as such. There is only ever one 
> normal.dot and that is created by Word.
>
> To open a new document based on the test.dot, you open Word and then use 
> File > New, select test.dot and press OPEN. This opens a new document 
> based on test.dot. You can now continue to create you new document and 
> save it as anythingyoulike.doc.
>
> However, there is one caveat with this. If you change an underlying styles 
> in the document, when you close the document Word will prompt you if you 
> want to save the changes to the template. This is solely to reflect style 
> changes you made in the document that now conflict with the template 
> styles rather than the actual contents of your document.
>
> If you want to launch Word to a new document based on test.dot, you have 
> several options, but the easiest is to create a shortcut on the Desktop. 
> The default action of Word is to always open a new document based on a 
> template when you double-click on a template: it doesn't open the template 
> itself.
>
> Terry Farrell
>
> "Peter Stone" <PeterStone@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
> news:25196FA6-3FDB-497B-A711-13C890E2E174@microsoft.com...
>> Thanks Suzanne, I had earlier read your helpful article in my hunt for a
>> solution.
>>
>> Sorry I should have been saying template.
>>
>> The core problem is I: (1) create a template, (2) open a document based 
>> on
>> that template, (3) modify that document by typing two words, (4) name, 
>> save,
>> and close the document, (5) reopen the document and delete one word, (6)
>> close the document, (7) Word prompts me to save changes to the document 
>> which
>> I do, (7) Word then prompts me to save changes to the template.
>>
>> Deleting a word of text shouldn't be modifying the template.
>>
>> Eureka. I have been experimenting as I write and I have just found the
>> solution. I have to skip step (3). If I enter text in my new document, 
>> the
>> next time I modify the document, Word prompts me to save changes to the
>> template.
>>
>> I have to name and close the document without entering any text. Then 
>> reopen
>> and enter my text. I've just done this multiple times. Finally.
>>
>> I haven't tried it yet, but maybe the same result could also be achieved 
>> by
>> SAVE AS before entering any text.
>>
>> Another interesting point, I have just noticed, is that in Office 2003,
>> START-ALL PROGRAMS-NEW OFFICE DOCUMENT doesn't bring a user to the
>> WORD-FILE-NEW dialogue you illustrate in your tutorial . It's almost
>> identical, but it lacks the "document" and "template" radio buttons.
>>
>> "Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:
>>
>>> You can create as many document templates as you like, but you can't 
>>> create
>>> an "alternative Normal." See
>>> http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart1.htm
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> Suzanne S. Barnhill
>>> Microsoft MVP (Word)
>>> Words into Type
>>> Fairhope, Alabama USA
>>> http://word.mvps.org
>> 

This is not normal behavior. I would suggest that you may be confusing Word 
by using "Normal" in the name of your template, though that shouldn't be a 
factor. Try naming your template "Default" or "Standard" or something else 
and see if you still have the problem. There are numerous articles about the 
problem of being constantly prompted to save the Normal template (even when 
you've made no changes), but I'm not aware of a known problem with document 
templates.

-- 
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Peter Stone" <PeterStone@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
news:7175936D-8B23-4613-8E8E-59E712F6758F@microsoft.com...
>I don't know if I have to reopen this question, but Word has reverted back 
>to
> prompting me to save changes to the template.
>
> Peter
> 

I think they change the behaviour in W2007: in W2003 it definitely prompts 
to update styles in the template. It was one of the reasons that I had to 
write protect the templates in the Workgroup folder on the server.

Terry

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" <sbarnhill@mvps.org> wrote in message 
news:eKfBlIxgKHA.5604@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> However, there is one caveat with this. If you change an underlying 
>> styles in the document, when you close the document Word will prompt you 
>> if you want to save the changes to the template. This is solely to 
>> reflect style changes you made in the document that now conflict with the 
>> template styles rather than the actual contents of your document.
>
> This should not be true unless you have checked "Add to template" in the 
> Modify Style dialog.
>
> -- 
> Suzanne S. Barnhill
> Microsoft MVP (Word)
> Words into Type
> Fairhope, Alabama USA
> http://word.mvps.org
>
> "Terry Farrell" <terryfarrell@msn.com> wrote in message 
> news:%23WCWgjugKHA.5604@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> You not quite got the hang of templates.
>>
>> Open a new document and then make all the changes you need to it for it 
>> to become your new template. Use SaveAs and assign a sensible name (for 
>> the sake illustration, let's call it test.dot) but make sure that it is 
>> being saved in the USER TEMPLATES folder. This is not and never can be an 
>> Alt-normal.dot, even if you name it as such. There is only ever one 
>> normal.dot and that is created by Word.
>>
>> To open a new document based on the test.dot, you open Word and then use 
>> File > New, select test.dot and press OPEN. This opens a new document 
>> based on test.dot. You can now continue to create you new document and 
>> save it as anythingyoulike.doc.
>>
>> However, there is one caveat with this. If you change an underlying 
>> styles in the document, when you close the document Word will prompt you 
>> if you want to save the changes to the template. This is solely to 
>> reflect style changes you made in the document that now conflict with the 
>> template styles rather than the actual contents of your document.
>>
>> If you want to launch Word to a new document based on test.dot, you have 
>> several options, but the easiest is to create a shortcut on the Desktop. 
>> The default action of Word is to always open a new document based on a 
>> template when you double-click on a template: it doesn't open the 
>> template itself.
>>
>> Terry Farrell
>>
>> "Peter Stone" <PeterStone@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
>> news:25196FA6-3FDB-497B-A711-13C890E2E174@microsoft.com...
>>> Thanks Suzanne, I had earlier read your helpful article in my hunt for a
>>> solution.
>>>
>>> Sorry I should have been saying template.
>>>
>>> The core problem is I: (1) create a template, (2) open a document based 
>>> on
>>> that template, (3) modify that document by typing two words, (4) name, 
>>> save,
>>> and close the document, (5) reopen the document and delete one word, (6)
>>> close the document, (7) Word prompts me to save changes to the document 
>>> which
>>> I do, (7) Word then prompts me to save changes to the template.
>>>
>>> Deleting a word of text shouldn't be modifying the template.
>>>
>>> Eureka. I have been experimenting as I write and I have just found the
>>> solution. I have to skip step (3). If I enter text in my new document, 
>>> the
>>> next time I modify the document, Word prompts me to save changes to the
>>> template.
>>>
>>> I have to name and close the document without entering any text. Then 
>>> reopen
>>> and enter my text. I've just done this multiple times. Finally.
>>>
>>> I haven't tried it yet, but maybe the same result could also be achieved 
>>> by
>>> SAVE AS before entering any text.
>>>
>>> Another interesting point, I have just noticed, is that in Office 2003,
>>> START-ALL PROGRAMS-NEW OFFICE DOCUMENT doesn't bring a user to the
>>> WORD-FILE-NEW dialogue you illustrate in your tutorial . It's almost
>>> identical, but it lacks the "document" and "template" radio buttons.
>>>
>>> "Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:
>>>
>>>> You can create as many document templates as you like, but you can't 
>>>> create
>>>> an "alternative Normal." See
>>>> http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart1.htm
>>>>
>>>> -- 
>>>> Suzanne S. Barnhill
>>>> Microsoft MVP (Word)
>>>> Words into Type
>>>> Fairhope, Alabama USA
>>>> http://word.mvps.org
>>>
> 

I've not seen that here; admittedly I haven't used Word 2007 much, though.

-- 
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

"Terry Farrell" <terryfarrell@msn.com> wrote in message 
news:%23HKhGFygKHA.5604@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>I think they change the behaviour in W2007: in W2003 it definitely prompts 
>to update styles in the template. It was one of the reasons that I had to 
>write protect the templates in the Workgroup folder on the server.
>
> Terry
>
> "Suzanne S. Barnhill" <sbarnhill@mvps.org> wrote in message 
> news:eKfBlIxgKHA.5604@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>> However, there is one caveat with this. If you change an underlying 
>>> styles in the document, when you close the document Word will prompt you 
>>> if you want to save the changes to the template. This is solely to 
>>> reflect style changes you made in the document that now conflict with 
>>> the template styles rather than the actual contents of your document.
>>
>> This should not be true unless you have checked "Add to template" in the 
>> Modify Style dialog.
>>
>> -- 
>> Suzanne S. Barnhill
>> Microsoft MVP (Word)
>> Words into Type
>> Fairhope, Alabama USA
>> http://word.mvps.org
>>
>> "Terry Farrell" <terryfarrell@msn.com> wrote in message 
>> news:%23WCWgjugKHA.5604@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>> You not quite got the hang of templates.
>>>
>>> Open a new document and then make all the changes you need to it for it 
>>> to become your new template. Use SaveAs and assign a sensible name (for 
>>> the sake illustration, let's call it test.dot) but make sure that it is 
>>> being saved in the USER TEMPLATES folder. This is not and never can be 
>>> an Alt-normal.dot, even if you name it as such. There is only ever one 
>>> normal.dot and that is created by Word.
>>>
>>> To open a new document based on the test.dot, you open Word and then use 
>>> File > New, select test.dot and press OPEN. This opens a new document 
>>> based on test.dot. You can now continue to create you new document and 
>>> save it as anythingyoulike.doc.
>>>
>>> However, there is one caveat with this. If you change an underlying 
>>> styles in the document, when you close the document Word will prompt you 
>>> if you want to save the changes to the template. This is solely to 
>>> reflect style changes you made in the document that now conflict with 
>>> the template styles rather than the actual contents of your document.
>>>
>>> If you want to launch Word to a new document based on test.dot, you have 
>>> several options, but the easiest is to create a shortcut on the Desktop. 
>>> The default action of Word is to always open a new document based on a 
>>> template when you double-click on a template: it doesn't open the 
>>> template itself.
>>>
>>> Terry Farrell
>>>
>>> "Peter Stone" <PeterStone@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
>>> news:25196FA6-3FDB-497B-A711-13C890E2E174@microsoft.com...
>>>> Thanks Suzanne, I had earlier read your helpful article in my hunt for 
>>>> a
>>>> solution.
>>>>
>>>> Sorry I should have been saying template.
>>>>
>>>> The core problem is I: (1) create a template, (2) open a document based 
>>>> on
>>>> that template, (3) modify that document by typing two words, (4) name, 
>>>> save,
>>>> and close the document, (5) reopen the document and delete one word, 
>>>> (6)
>>>> close the document, (7) Word prompts me to save changes to the document 
>>>> which
>>>> I do, (7) Word then prompts me to save changes to the template.
>>>>
>>>> Deleting a word of text shouldn't be modifying the template.
>>>>
>>>> Eureka. I have been experimenting as I write and I have just found the
>>>> solution. I have to skip step (3). If I enter text in my new document, 
>>>> the
>>>> next time I modify the document, Word prompts me to save changes to the
>>>> template.
>>>>
>>>> I have to name and close the document without entering any text. Then 
>>>> reopen
>>>> and enter my text. I've just done this multiple times. Finally.
>>>>
>>>> I haven't tried it yet, but maybe the same result could also be 
>>>> achieved by
>>>> SAVE AS before entering any text.
>>>>
>>>> Another interesting point, I have just noticed, is that in Office 2003,
>>>> START-ALL PROGRAMS-NEW OFFICE DOCUMENT doesn't bring a user to the
>>>> WORD-FILE-NEW dialogue you illustrate in your tutorial . It's almost
>>>> identical, but it lacks the "document" and "template" radio buttons.
>>>>
>>>> "Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> You can create as many document templates as you like, but you can't 
>>>>> create
>>>>> an "alternative Normal." See
>>>>> http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart1.htm
>>>>>
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> Suzanne S. Barnhill
>>>>> Microsoft MVP (Word)
>>>>> Words into Type
>>>>> Fairhope, Alabama USA
>>>>> http://word.mvps.org
>>>>
>> 

I haven't seen it either, and I *am* using Word 2007.

-- 
Stefan Blom
Microsoft Word MVP



"Suzanne S. Barnhill" <sbarnhill@mvps.org> wrote in message 
news:u4QHsoygKHA.5460@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> I've not seen that here; admittedly I haven't used Word 2007 much, though.
>
> -- 
> Suzanne S. Barnhill
> Microsoft MVP (Word)
> Words into Type
> Fairhope, Alabama USA
> http://word.mvps.org
>
> "Terry Farrell" <terryfarrell@msn.com> wrote in message 
> news:%23HKhGFygKHA.5604@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>I think they change the behaviour in W2007: in W2003 it definitely prompts 
>>to update styles in the template. It was one of the reasons that I had to 
>>write protect the templates in the Workgroup folder on the server.
>>
>> Terry
>>
>> "Suzanne S. Barnhill" <sbarnhill@mvps.org> wrote in message 
>> news:eKfBlIxgKHA.5604@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>>> However, there is one caveat with this. If you change an underlying 
>>>> styles in the document, when you close the document Word will prompt 
>>>> you if you want to save the changes to the template. This is solely to 
>>>> reflect style changes you made in the document that now conflict with 
>>>> the template styles rather than the actual contents of your document.
>>>
>>> This should not be true unless you have checked "Add to template" in the 
>>> Modify Style dialog.
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> Suzanne S. Barnhill
>>> Microsoft MVP (Word)
>>> Words into Type
>>> Fairhope, Alabama USA
>>> http://word.mvps.org
>>>
>>> "Terry Farrell" <terryfarrell@msn.com> wrote in message 
>>> news:%23WCWgjugKHA.5604@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>>> You not quite got the hang of templates.
>>>>
>>>> Open a new document and then make all the changes you need to it for it 
>>>> to become your new template. Use SaveAs and assign a sensible name (for 
>>>> the sake illustration, let's call it test.dot) but make sure that it is 
>>>> being saved in the USER TEMPLATES folder. This is not and never can be 
>>>> an Alt-normal.dot, even if you name it as such. There is only ever one 
>>>> normal.dot and that is created by Word.
>>>>
>>>> To open a new document based on the test.dot, you open Word and then 
>>>> use File > New, select test.dot and press OPEN. This opens a new 
>>>> document based on test.dot. You can now continue to create you new 
>>>> document and save it as anythingyoulike.doc.
>>>>
>>>> However, there is one caveat with this. If you change an underlying 
>>>> styles in the document, when you close the document Word will prompt 
>>>> you if you want to save the changes to the template. This is solely to 
>>>> reflect style changes you made in the document that now conflict with 
>>>> the template styles rather than the actual contents of your document.
>>>>
>>>> If you want to launch Word to a new document based on test.dot, you 
>>>> have several options, but the easiest is to create a shortcut on the 
>>>> Desktop. The default action of Word is to always open a new document 
>>>> based on a template when you double-click on a template: it doesn't 
>>>> open the template itself.
>>>>
>>>> Terry Farrell
>>>>
>>>> "Peter Stone" <PeterStone@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message 
>>>> news:25196FA6-3FDB-497B-A711-13C890E2E174@microsoft.com...
>>>>> Thanks Suzanne, I had earlier read your helpful article in my hunt for 
>>>>> a
>>>>> solution.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sorry I should have been saying template.
>>>>>
>>>>> The core problem is I: (1) create a template, (2) open a document 
>>>>> based on
>>>>> that template, (3) modify that document by typing two words, (4) name, 
>>>>> save,
>>>>> and close the document, (5) reopen the document and delete one word, 
>>>>> (6)
>>>>> close the document, (7) Word prompts me to save changes to the 
>>>>> document which
>>>>> I do, (7) Word then prompts me to save changes to the template.
>>>>>
>>>>> Deleting a word of text shouldn't be modifying the template.
>>>>>
>>>>> Eureka. I have been experimenting as I write and I have just found the
>>>>> solution. I have to skip step (3). If I enter text in my new document, 
>>>>> the
>>>>> next time I modify the document, Word prompts me to save changes to 
>>>>> the
>>>>> template.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have to name and close the document without entering any text. Then 
>>>>> reopen
>>>>> and enter my text. I've just done this multiple times. Finally.
>>>>>
>>>>> I haven't tried it yet, but maybe the same result could also be 
>>>>> achieved by
>>>>> SAVE AS before entering any text.
>>>>>
>>>>> Another interesting point, I have just noticed, is that in Office 
>>>>> 2003,
>>>>> START-ALL PROGRAMS-NEW OFFICE DOCUMENT doesn't bring a user to the
>>>>> WORD-FILE-NEW dialogue you illustrate in your tutorial . It's almost
>>>>> identical, but it lacks the "document" and "template" radio buttons.
>>>>>
>>>>> "Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> You can create as many document templates as you like, but you can't 
>>>>>> create
>>>>>> an "alternative Normal." See
>>>>>> http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/CreateATemplatePart1.htm
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -- 
>>>>>> Suzanne S. Barnhill
>>>>>> Microsoft MVP (Word)
>>>>>> Words into Type
>>>>>> Fairhope, Alabama USA
>>>>>> http://word.mvps.org
>>>>>
>>>
> 

Good afternoon
I think I have the solution. The problem appears to be Microsoft Office Live 
Add-in 1.4. I have uninstalled it and everything now seems OK. Furthermore 
the problem appears only to affect documents created from a new template, not 
documents created from Normal.dot. I will report this as a possible bug. 
Remember I'm using Word 2003.  

Thank you all for your help. I followed your kind instructions and I am now 
semi-expert on templates, having created 30+ in two days trying to solve this.

Once again, thanks for your help and Merry Christmas

Peter