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I want to be able to insert into Microsoft word a field that is dynamically connected such that I can type anything in this field box and this is instantly replicated anywhere else in the document this same/Copy of the field exists.

It seems strange that Microsoft has the Insert Document properties which achieve precisely this but limits you to 15 options (Abstract - Title).

Is there a workaround to have custom text fields which enable me to open up a template? Type the name of a report at the top, and this name is dynamically entered everywhere throughout the document (live, without any sort of refresh)

Charles Kenyon
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Nick
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  • MS Word has "custom document properties" that can be assigned a name, a data type and a value. The four data types are Text, Date, Number and Yes or No. See [this article](https://www.avantixlearning.ca/microsoft-word/how-to-insert-fields-in-word-built-in-or-custom/) for more info. – Blind Spots Dec 05 '22 at 15:45
  • I appreciate your response but you have to leave the main word page to amend any values. It crazy that you cant just have ultimate connected fields in word – Nick Dec 05 '22 at 17:13
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    The only constructs in Word that do automatic updating are Content Controls, which are not strictly "Word Fields" but do some of the same sort of things. There are plenty of articles about these controls but you may find Greg Maxey's pages at https://gregmaxey.com/word_tip_pages/content_controls.html and https://gregmaxey.com/word_tip_pages/cc_var_bm_doc_prop_tools_addin.html useful. – jonsson Dec 05 '22 at 20:51
  • Gregmaxeys solution is what I have ended up doing. Shame to have a plug-in for something like this. – Nick Dec 05 '22 at 21:20
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    @Nick Yes it is, but the content control and data store features are really supposed to be used with SharePoint, and although IMO Microsoft could usefully have replicated the features in the standalone Word product by now, it seems they prefer to not to. (When you create. SharePoint document library and create custom columns in it, you get mapped content controls in the same drop-down list as most of the other built in document properties, plus other features). – jonsson Dec 06 '22 at 01:51

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Greg Maxey has an Add-In that does this. Enhanced Document Properties.

Here is my web page on repurposing the 15 built-in ones.

If you do not need them listed under Quick Parts you can create as many Mapped Content Controls as you want.

Here is a video on how to do that. Repeat Text with Mapped Content Controls.

Here is the Microsoft page on how to do this: Walkthrough: Bind Content Controls to XML Part.

Charles Kenyon
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