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Forum Discussion
Custom Microsoft Word Templates on a Mac, shared with multiple users
Not sure if this is the correct Board to post on, so please advise if there is a better location.
I am looking for a way that custom MS templates can be used on Dropbox for Mac with multiple users that doesn't break the custom menu in the custom MS templates we have created.
Have been using Dropbox for business for nearly 10 years. The business is only small and is very geographically diverse. To aid in ease of access to dropbox files, we have all files located in a dropbox teams folder which is then synced locally to each user's Mac.
Since using Dropbox we have used some basic custom MS Word templates that were stored on the Team folder and accessible to all users.
Recently we had a third party enhance on our basic document templates with greater functionality to further improve consistent formatting / branding. This included a custom 'ribbon' menu that is displayed in MS Word that provides easy access to formatting, branding and custom parts like tables etc. This all works exactly as designed when the document is created and subsequently opened/edited by the same user.
The difficulties arrive when a second user wants to contribute to the same document. The custom 'ribbon' style menu disappears when the document (.docx) is opened by a second party. The developer of the template indicated that the Ribbon menu is linked to the original template document (.dotx) and a pathway is established between the document (.docx) and the template (.dotx) location. However, as the dropbox folder structure on a Mac sites within the 'user' folder every pathway that is established includes the original user name - when a second user accesses the document (.docx) the template can't be found as the link from the original document creator can't be found.
Is there a solution to my problem that doesn't involve ditching the templates or Macs ?
- Jay
Dropbox Staff
Hi Cam C., thanks for bringing this to our attention.
This could be an issue in relation to absolute and relative links to documents. The template might be referenced via an absolute link (meaning, it includes the username), instead of a relative link.
This thread might help out with more information. Although it's related to Excel, the same principles apply.
Keep me updated with any progress!
