Description of the template path and the Normal.dot template in Word 2002

This article explains how Microsoft Word searches for its global template (Normal.dot). The Normal.dot template behaves differently from your other "custom" templates, and Word searches for it differently from the way it does in earlier versions of Word.

If the Normal.dot template is not located in one of the folders where Word expects to find it, Word does not "see" it and cannot use it. The first Normal.dot template that Word finds, Word stops searching and uses it as the Word global template.

IMPORTANT: If you have multiple Normal.dot files on your system, Word uses the first one it finds in its search path, as explained in the "More Information" section of this article.

When you click New on the File menu, the templates listed in the New dialog box are a combination of the templates found in the following folders.

Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me)

• Installed Templates:
  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\1033
• User Templates Path (Default folder):
  C:\Windows_Folder\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
• Workgroup Templates Path:
  <Not set by default>

Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Me with Profiles Enabled, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0

• Installed Templates:
  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\1033
• User Templates Path (Default folder):
  C:\<Windows_Folder>\Profiles\<UserName>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
• Workgroup Templates Path:
  <Not set by default>

Microsoft Windows 2000

• Installed Templates:
  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates\1033
• User Templates Path (Default folder):
  C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
• Workgroup Templates Path:
  <Not set by default>

If Word Is Installed on Your System as "Run from My Computer" or "Run All from My Computer"

In the New dialog box, Word lists the Normal.dot file on the General tab as Blank Document. The global template (Normal.dot) can be located in any of the following folders (in the order listed) and Word will find and use it:

Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Me

• User Templates Path (Default folder):
  C:\Windows_Folder\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
• Word Program Folder (Winword.exe location):
  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office
• Workgroup Templates Path:
  <Not set by default>

Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows Me with Profiles Enabled, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0

• User Templates Path (Default folder):
  C:\<Windows_Folder>\Profiles\<UserName>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
• Word Program Folder (Winword.exe location):
  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office
• Workgroup Templates Path
  <Not set by default>

Microsoft Windows 2000

• User Templates Path (Default folder):
  C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
• Word Program Folder (Winword.exe location):
  C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office
• Workgroup Templates Path
  <Not set by default>

NOTE: The Word Program Folder is the location where the Word executable file (Winword.exe) is installed. You cannot change the location of the Word Program folder without reinstalling Microsoft Word.

Word searches for Normal.dot in the order that the folders are listed. This means that Word searches for Normal.dot in the following order when Word is installed on your system as "Run from My Computer" or "Run all from My Computer":

1. In the User Templates folder.
2. If Normal.dot is not found in the User Templates folder, Word then searches in the Word Program folder.
3. If Word does not find Normal.dot in the Word Program folder, Word searches the Workgroup Templates folder (if one is specified).
4. If Word still does not find a Normal.dot template file, Word creates a new template in the folder specified by the User Templates path.

If Word Is Installed on Your System as "Run from Network" or "Run All from Network"

In the New dialog box, Word lists the Normal.dot file on the General tab as Blank Document. The global template (Normal.dot) can be located in any of the following folders (in the order listed) and Word will find and use it:

Microsoft Windows 98

• Word Program Folder (Winword.exe location):
  Drive:\Server_Folder\PFiles\MSOffice\Office
• User Templates Path (Default folder):
  C:\Windows_Folder\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
• Workgroup Templates Path
  <Not set by default>

Microsoft Windows 98 with Profiles Enabled, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0

• Word Program Folder (Winword.exe location):
  Drive:\Server_Folder\PFiles\MSOffice\Office
• User Templates Path (Default folder):
  C:\<Windows_Folder>\Profiles\<UserName>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
• Workgroup Templates Path
  <Not set by default>

Microsoft Windows 2000

• Word Program Folder (Winword.exe location):
  Drive:\Server_Folder\PFiles\MSOffice\Office
• User Templates Path (Default folder):
  C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
• Workgroup Templates Path
  <Not set by default>

NOTE: The Word Program Folder is the location where the Word executable file (Winword.exe) is located on your network server. You cannot change the location of the Word Program folder without your network administrator reinstalling Microsoft Word to your network server.

Word searches for Normal.dot in the order that the folders are listed. This means that Word searches for Normal.dot in the following order when Word is installed on your system as "Run from Network" or "Run all from Network":

1. In the Word Program folder.
2. If Normal.dot is not found in the Word Program folder, Word then searches in the User Templates folder.
3. If Word does not find Normal.dot in the User Templates folder, Word searches the Workgroup Templates folder (if one is specified).
4. If Word still does not find a Normal.dot template file, Word creates a new template in the folder specified by the User Templates path.

How to Change the User and Workgroup Templates Path

You can change the User Templates and the Workgroup Templates location from their default folders to the folders you want to use. To do this, click Options on the Tools menu, and then click to select the File Locations tab.

For more information about Word templates, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type overview of templates in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.
For more information about deploying and customizing Microsoft Office XP in a network environment, please refer to the Microsoft Office XP Resource Kit. The Microsoft Office XP Resource Kit can be viewed on the Internet at the following Microsoft Web address: