insert a custom document property but NOT as a field

[stuck]

I know how to define a custom doc. property and I know how to insert that custom doc. property as a field but is it possible to get a custom doc property to appear in the list of doc properties that are shown when you:
    Select the 'Insert' tab on the Ribbon
    and in the 'Text' section click 'Quick Parts'
    and from the drop down list that appears, select the 'Document Property' option

Thanks,

Ken

[HansV]

As far as I know, Quick Parts > Document Property only lists a subset of 'popular' built-in document properties, and it isn't possible to add other properties to the dropdown list.

[Leif]

If I understand what you are asking correctly, does the solution at Word Create Several Document Properties in Quick Parts - Super User give you what you want?

I can create a new 'property' called "Custom property" and get it to show in Quick Parts:
    

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...or have I misunderstood?

[stuck]

Hans, I thought as much.

Leif, No that's simply inserting the property as a field.

I will revisit this tomorrow.

Ken

[kdock]

Hey Ken, what Hans explained has been my experience as well. Only those particular properties appear there. What would you do with them if they were available there?

Kim

[stuck]

We have a template to print a sheet of identical labels. It's a table with the first cell holding the 'master' text, which is bookmarked and then all the other cells hold cross-references to the bookmarked first cell. Generating a sheet of labels thus only requires the user to edit the bookmarked text in the first cell then selecting the entire document and pressing F9 to update all the cross-references and then pressing print (and then doing it all again because you forgot to first load a sheet of labels into the printer before you pressed print ).

A colleague has discovered that you can 'simplify' this setup by repurposing the built-in Document Properties. If you replace the master bookmarked text in the first cell AND all the cross-refs with the same Doc. Prop. then when you edit the first instance of the Doc. Prop. all the other instances update instantly, i.e. there's no need to 'select all and press F9'. Also, editing the Doc. Prop. requires less care than editing bookmarked text, where you must ensure you do not overtype / lose the bookmark, since doing that breaks all the cross-refs.

While this 'improvement' does work I'm reluctant to adopt it in the template because none of the built-in Doc. Props (which are under the control of MS) directly correspond to the sort of text we are currently bookmarking+cross-reffing. We'd be using properties like Subject, Abstract and Comments simply because they do the job, not because we are actually entering the subject, an abstract or making a comment.

The fact a Custom Property can only be entered as a field makes it of no use to us. We'd have to manually edit every instance of that field to get it to display what we require on today's labels, i.e our existing bookmark+cross-refs are far superior. If a Custom Property appeared in the same list as the built-in properties and behaved as they do that would be better for us.

I've a feeling the real improvement is to figure out how to use 'Document Controls' but as yet I've not been able to find a way of grouping/linking/cross-reffing a control so that editing the first instance instantly updates all the other instances.

Ken

[StuartR]

I often resolve the issue of overwriting a bookmark by using a separate style for each text item, and using Styleref fields to insert the same text in other parts of the document. This still needs Select-All F9 though (Unless you can put all your labels in the document header, which auto-updates styleref fields when the text changes without needing F9).

[Charles Kenyon]

The document properties listed under Quick Parts are different. They are really mapped content controls that are tied to document properties.
You can expand the drop-down list using SharePoint (the limit of my knowledge since i do not use SharePoint).

I have a page describing how to repurpose the existing ones: http://addbalance.com/word/MappedControls.htm#PageStart.

You can create your own mapped content controls, but they will not show up on the menu. They can be copied and pasted within the document. You can put them in a template and they will work in documents created from the template.

Here is my discussion on the Microsoft Website about expanding the list: https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/mso ... 632f182f3f

[kdock]

If Charles hadn't jumped in, I would have suggested mapped content controls myself. They really are brilliant, as every instance of a mapped control is a "window" displaying text saved in the innerds of the document. And what you change in one mapped control instantly shows up in all others.

Kim

[stuck]

...
I have a page describing how to repurpose the existing ones: http://addbalance.com/word/MappedControls.htm#PageStart...

Thank you Charles, that looks reallyuseful.

Ken
by the way, on your page where you say, "Everything I know about doing this came from this page by Greg Maxey", the link to Greg's page is broken because it ends '.htm' but should end '.html'.

[Charles Kenyon]

Hi Ken,
Re: Greg's page, the link on my page is to the .html page.

[stuck]

...the link on my page is to the .html page.

Umm, hate to be picky but yes and no, or no and yes to be more precise. The link where you say:

Everything I know about doing this came from this page by Greg Maxey...

is broken, because the URL ends '.htm', not '.html'. However the link in the next bit of that sentence:

...by Greg Maxey in Method 5. Repeating Data (Populating Multiple Like Fields)

is OK.

Ken

[Charles Kenyon]

It is possible to add to the list without SharePoint, but is still a work in progress!
Grey Maxey has been tinkering!
See https://www.eileenslounge.com/viewtopic ... 26&t=36141 and https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/mso ... 66eaa01f1d.