: How can I lock down Microsoft Word to protect our branding? I re-branded our organization a couple years ago and created what I thought were very "easy to use" Word templates for things like

@Ogunnowo857

Set up your header and/or footer as desired.
Insert a Continuous break on the first line of the document.
Create the remainder of your document as desired.
Protect the document as a form, making sure that the first section (the part before your Continuous break) is the only section that is protected.
Save your document.

Vote Up Vote Down

@Shelton719

In Word 2010, you can restrict the editing of templates to just allow content editing (no format changes) which helps a good deal. Open "Review" in toolbars
Select "Restrict Editing"
And then configure to your needs.

Vote Up Vote Down

@Murray976

This probably isn't an option for smaller organizations, but larger companies could employ document preparation systems in their workflows.

The content would be prepared through a set of forms or just a regular word processor. Then it would be handed off to a document preparation system like LaTeX, ConTeXt, Halibut, etc., which would apply the appropriate template to it.

Many ECM solutions provide this sort of functionality. You can even scan existing physical documents, digitizing it and outputting a PDF consistent with your branding.

Also, I haven't tried this, but supposedly InCopy and InDesign can be used to implement managed workflows between designers and copywriters even in small organizations.

Vote Up Vote Down

@Berumen635

I agree 100% with DA01's comment. Without some sort of mandate coming from above, any technical attempt can be undermined at-will.

However, Word does have a "Protect Document" feature. In Office 2003, it only allowed editing of comments. As of Office 2007, you can create forms and allow just the forms to be edited. It appears to provide fairly decent control, but I'm not sure how it would affect your designs (ie., multiple-page layouts, etc.)

I don't know how well this works in practice. I've used the Protect Workbook/Worksheet in Excel quite regularly (with good results), but I've never tried to deploy a protected Word document. Good luck!

Click on "Protect Document" on the Review ribbon tab to get this dialog:

Vote Up Vote Down

@Shelley591

It's a policy issue, not a technology one.

You should have a brand identity style guide document of some sorts that shows the appropriate use of the visual elements and what to do and not to do with them.

Templates can be provided as a courtesy--but it has to be a policy: "All distributed materials must adhere to the Style Guide. All marketing materials should be reviewd by [insert your name or department] prior to sign off for production and distribution."

Vote Up Vote Down

@Murray976

Authoring for what? Physical delivery or electronic delivery?

Physical delivery -- have a masthead/letterhead printed by a commercial press. Then have employees use those preprinted pieces in the office printers. Supply only a Word framework so they don't overrun the preprinted graphics.

Electronic delivery -- I don't think there's much that can be done. Word is... well... Word.

Vote Up Vote Down