Download the latest Tools for Word

This posts describes how to download and enable the latest release of Document Productivity Tools for Word.

Related Posts: See Key Concepts, Preparing to Use Document Productivity Tools for Word, Download options for Tools for Word 

Preparing to use the Cumulative Update

There are three steps to preparing the cumulative release Document Productivity Tools.dotm for use:

1. Download the cumulative release template Document Productivity Tools.dotm
2. Copy Document Productivity Tools.dotm to the Word STARTUP Folder
3. Assign Tools to shortcut keys. 

Step1 - Download the Cumulative Release 

Click the link on the Downloads Tab.  A preview of the file will open – it will be blank. Look on the top left for the downloads function and invoke it to download the document. 

Step 2 - Copy the template o the STARTUP folder

Copy the Document Productivity Tools template from the Downloads folder to the STARTUP folder using the favourite you created earlier.

Download options for Tools for Word

This posts describes the download options for Document Productivity Tools for Word.

Related Posts: Key Concepts, Preparing to Use Document Productivity Tools for Word.

Download Options

You can download the Document Productivity Tools in two ways. 

• Download a cumulative release containing all tools published so far. Each release contains the new tools plus all earlier ones, including any improvements or corrections.
• Download a copy of the Tool VBA code and install it into a code module that you maintain yourself. 

Those who want to keep it simple may prefer the former, while advanced users who already develop their own tools may prefer the latter.

Cumulative Release

The cumulative release is provided in "Document Productivity Tools.dotm", a macro enabled template. It will include the current tool and all earlier tools (with any any improvements to them). Each new template is intended to overwrite the existing one. 

Preparing to use Tools for Word

This post describes the preparation steps necessary to use the Document Productivity Tools for Word.

Related Posts: Key Concepts describes some key concepts relating to macros and shortcut keys.

Step 1 – Switch on the Developer Tab

The developer tab looks is shown in the following screenshot.  If you can see it, go to Step 2. If it is not visible it needs to be switched on.

To switch on the Developer tab in Word 2007

To switch on the Developer tab in Word 2010/2013

If you cannot expose the Developer Tab, contact your administrator.

Step 2 – Change Macro Security

Word needs to be told to run macros. Open macro security and select "Disable all macros except digitally signed macros".  Close Word, and then reopen it to confirm that the setting has been updated.

The Document Productivity macros do not need to be digitally signed because the folder location where they will reside is a trusted location, which means that Word assumes that the macros in the template are safe to use.


If you cannot change the security setting, contact your administrator.

Step 3 - Locate the Word STARTUP Folder

Templates placed in the STARTUP folder will be automatically launched when Word starts.  When the Document Productivity Tools template is placed there, the tools will be available to all Word documents being edited.  

The location of the STARTUP (with your username inserted) is:

Win 7/8/8.1: C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP

If you are using an earlier version of Word, then a quick internet search should find you the details you need.

Locate the STARTUP  folder and save it as a favourite, so that to access it quickly again each time a new release is made.  

If you have navigated to where it should be, and STARTUP is not there, open a Word document and it will be created.

The next post describes how to download and enable the latest Document Productivity Tools for Word.

Key concepts

This post describes some key concepts relating to macros and shortcut keys.  It also outlines the rationale used for some of the methods used.

Read this before using the Document Productivity Tools for the first time is recommended.

Related Posts: Welcome to Document Productivity

Macros

The Document Productivity Tools are built using macros. Macros are programs written in Office's programming language, Visual Basic (VBA).  As an analogy, think of a macro as an App written in VBA.  

There are two ways to create a macro:

• You can record a regular task as a macro and then repeat the actions over again by running the macro.  This is common in Excel, but possibly less so for Word and Visio where layouts and actions are less likely to be repetitive.
• Macros can be written using the VBA editor that comes with Office.  Later posts will describe how this is done.

The two methods can be mixed, you might record a macro to get the basics and then use the editor to refine the process. This approach is a good way to start learning the basics of VBA programming.

Macros run on installed versions of Office, so if you are using Office 365 from the Cloud then you wont  be able to use them. 

Shortcut Keys

Office programs allow you to assign shortcut  keys to functions that you use regularly so that you can invoke them in the quickest way possible. 

Free productivity tools for Word, Excel and Visio

This site provides productivity tools that enhance the standard editing fuctions of Word, Excel and Visio, allowing you to concentrate on the content, and not be distracted by mechanical editing functions and other tedious activies.

I've been working on these tools over the last few years. They clearly indicate that I need to get out more, but I hope that you like them.

Looking Forward

The tools to be published are listed in the Wish List tab.  Leave a comment if you would like to promote a tool up the list.

Releases will be made roughly every 2-3 weeks, with advice and suggestion posts made as required in between.

Word Tools

The Word tools consist of a series of Word macros that have been developed over several years to help me become more efficient at creating document content.  I use then all each