Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 3, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016
When a Word document is first saved, it uses the first few words of the document as a default filename. Paul would like to have Word use the header information as the default filename instead.
Unfortunately there is no way to instruct Word to use header information by default, but there may be a workaround you can attempt. First, though, a clarification: Word doesn't actually default to using the first few words of the document as the filename. The first choice for Word is actually whatever title you've specified in the Properties for the file. Only if no title is specified will Word fall back to using the wording from the first paragraph.
The fact that Word uses the title in the file properties raises a very interesting possibility, which is the basis for a potential workaround. If you can make sure the user specifies a title, you can use that title as the filename and you can also use the same title (through the use of a field) in the header. Thus, your title, your header, and your filename all could easily be the same, just by setting the title property before you actually save the file.
If you are unsure of a user's ability to remember to specify a title property, you could always create a macro that would set the property for them. The macro could run when the document is first created (if it is stored in the template on which the document is based) and could prompt the user for a title. The title is then stored in the properties where it kicks into play when the document is subsequently saved. The macro could also set the header for the document based on the user input, or it could include a TITLE field to dynamically include the title property in the header.
Another approach using a macro is to create one that is run just before saving the document. If this is the first time it is being saved, the macro would extract the existing information from the header and use it for the suggested filename. You could even name the macro FileSaveAs, which means it would replace the existing Save As command.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (10585) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Using Header Information as the Filename.
Do More in Less Time! Are you ready to harness the full power of Word 2013 to create professional documents? In this comprehensive guide you'll learn the skills and techniques for efficiently building the documents you need for your professional and your personal life. Check out Word 2013 In Depth today!
When you organize your hard drive, it is easy to go hog-wild with folders and subfolders. You need to know that how you ...
Discover MoreWant to control the name and location of your document backup? Here are some ideas that may help.
Discover MoreBackup files, created automatically by Word, have the filename extension WBK and start with the words "Backup of." If you ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2016-11-13 21:06:10
isao tojo
it seems there is no user-defined shortcut for Word macros when Excel allows users to make them.
I would be happy if you could show me the way or take it up in the subject.
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2023 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments