The most effective way of merging Microsoft Word documents

I have 30 Word documents, each of them contains a little tutorial. I want to merge those tutorials into multiple tutorial collection documents, which don't always contain the same tutorials. For example one document would contain tutorials 1, 2 and 4, another contains 4, 5, and 8.

I want to merge the documents in a way that when I change a tutorial, I can easily update all the tutorial collections that were created from it.

I tried the outline view, but the result was messy when there was too much data.

What would be the most effective way to merge them? (I don't want / I don't have the time to write a new app that does that.)

Console Argonaut

Posted 2017-01-17T10:41:29.573

Reputation: 29

You know, it is actually a breeze in HTML format. If you could somehow export your tutorials to HTML, you could create collection files with <iframe> tags that directly transclude your tutorials into a master collection file. – None – 2017-01-17T15:25:48.223

Answers

To do it:

Open you collection document.
From the Insert ribbon, choose Object
Switch to Create from file tab.
Click on Browse and choose one of your tutorials.
Check the Link to file box. Do not forget this important step.
Click OK
Repeat as needed.
Save your collection document.

From now on, every time you open the document, you will be prompted to update the linked files. Respond with "Yes".

user477799

Posted 2017-01-17T10:41:29.573

Reputation:

Seemed like a good idea. The problem is, my documents are bigger than one page and with your method it inserts everything on one page, which doesn't look acceptable. – Console Argonaut – 2017-01-17T14:19:46.223

This is like Fleet Command's solutions, but doesn't insert static text or show only 1 page of each inserted document.

In the collection document, on the Insert tab, in the Text group, don't click the Object button itself; instead, click the drop-down arrow to the right of the Object button, and then click Text from File.
Select the file to insert.
Don't click the Insert button itself; instead click the drop-down arrow, and then click Insert as Link.

The files are inserted as Word fields. If you make changes in the individual files, you can update the collection document by updating field codes (Ctrl+A to select all, and then F9 to update).

cnread

Posted 2017-01-17T10:41:29.573

Reputation: 1 941

-1

Steps to Follow:

Step 1: Open 'Microsoft Word'.

Step 2: In the Menu bar click on "Insert".

Step 3: Now click on "Object [drop down arrow]" (Somewhere in the right corner in the Insert menu).

Step 4: And click on "Select From File".

Step 5: Then Browse & Select your documents and click on "Insert".

Step 6: Now go to File menu.

Step 7: Click on "SaveAs" and Name your new file then click on "Save".

Note: If you are merging different versions of word files then formatting may change.

I think this might help you!

You can also try [How to Merge Documents in Microsoft Word]

R K

Posted 2017-01-17T10:41:29.573

Reputation: 322

Doesn't work. This method is no different from copying and pasting. In any case, once he updated one of the tutorial, the collection file won't update itself. – None – 2017-01-17T12:15:42.720

Excactly, it's no difference to copy pasting. I want to be able to update all my collections as fast as possible. But thank you for trying to help me :) – Console Argonaut – 2017-01-17T14:20:35.213

In my case this works, follow Step 1 to Step 5 after that you must have to use Save As feature (not Save). Anyway, if above doesn't worked for you then you can check this [ http://www.wikihow.com/Merge-Documents-in-Microsoft-Word ] or you can do some youtube search – R K – 2017-01-17T14:35:49.937

Also doesn't work. In fact, the second answer is blatantly wrong. It is about diff sync, not document merger. – None – 2017-01-17T15:24:03.007