Update Links Feature

[arroway]

I've created a word template (.dot) which contains linked files embeded as objects. This is a locked form which I send out to others; they fill it out and upload it back to me. They are running into an issue with Word trying to update links (they get an error message and it's freaking them out.) I see that in my Word at File/Options/Advanced/General there is a setting to Update automatic links at open. I can change this in my Word application but this setting is only set on my machine, not on theirs. And since it's a .dot file, even if they tell Word to update the links, the .dot file isn't updated with these new links so each time they open the document it gives them this error. Is there anything I can do on my side, short of instructing them to all turn off this feature on each one of their computers to get this to go away?

Thank you

[HansV]

I wouldn't use linked files in a template that will be sent out. Embed the files themselves (without a link).

[arroway]

How do I do that? I thought that's what I was doing. ...oh, I see. I must have checked the "Link to file" checkbox. If I don't check that box it will embed the file and they won't get that message. Is my thinking straight?

[HansV]

Yes, indeed. A side effect is that the file size of your template will increase.

[macropod]

The downside is that, once unlinked, the template won't reflect any updates to the source. Depending on your needs, the better approach might be to keep the template linked until it needs to be sent out, then make a copy, break the links in the copy, and send the copy.