• Inserting Subdocuments
• Saving the Master Document
• Converting a Document Section into a Subdocument
• Splitting Subdocuments
• Merging Subdocuments
• Removing a Subdocument
• Reopening a Master Document

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Working with Master Documents

It can be helpful when working with a long document to divide it into smaller files, which can be accessed separately by different people for editing.  You can do this by creating a master document.  This allows you to take sections of a document and create subdocuments, parts of the original document that become separate files that you can expand as needed. The subdocuments keep the same formatting and pagination as the master document.  You can open, edit, and print the subdocuments separately as needed.  This allows several people to work on different parts of the same document at the same time.

In addition to separating a long document into smaller subdocuments, you can take separate files and then combine them into one document using the master document feature so that they then have consistent formatting, numbering, and cross-referencing.  If you rearrange, delete, or add material, all the page numbers and cross-reference fields are automatically updated to reflect changes.  You can edit each subdocument individually or edit the master document all at once.  Any changes in either document are automatically reflected in both.

To sum it up, you can create a master document by converting parts into subdocuments or by inserting separate files as subdocuments into an existing document.  You can also use a combination of both methods.  Then, you can open, edit, and print subdocuments individually, or you can work with the master document as a single unit.

When saving a master document, you save the file for each subdocument.  The master document file does not contain the text or graphics of subdocuments, only their filenames.  Subdocuments are different from imported files that become part of the document into which they’re inserted.  Subdocument files remain separate from the master document file.

You must switch to master document view to insert, create, or remove subdocuments as well as reorganize the document. 

1. Click the Outline View button.



The document switches to outline view, and the Outlining toolbar opens.



2. Click the Show Level list arrow to select Show Level 3 to show up to three levels of headings in the document.
3. Click the Master Document View button  on the Outlining toolbar so that the Outlining toolbar displays buttons for managing master documents.

Inserting Subdocuments

Once in Outline and Master view, you can insert a file as a subdocument into another document that will then become a master document.

1. To insert a subdocument, click the  to the left of the heading where you want to insert the first subdocument.  This selects the heading and subheadings and text below it in the document.
2. Then click the Insert Subdocument button on the Outlining toolbar (see below).

Once you click the Insert Subdocument button  on the Outlining toolbar,  the Insert Subdocument dialog box opens.  Use the Look in list arrow to find the file and open it by double clicking it.  The file is inserted as a subdocument just above the heading. The subdocument appears in a box, marked with a Subdocument icon .

Section breaks are inserted at the beginning and end of the subdocument. 

You can click on  to collapse any text in the outline view to just see headings.

Look for a Lock icon  near the Subdocument icon at the beginning of the subdocument.  If the document is locked, you can’t edit it.  This allows only one person at a time to edit a subdocument.

If you see a lock icon, move the insertion point into the subdocument, and then click the Lock Document button on the Outlining toolbar (see below) to unlock the subdocument.

If a dialog box opens with the message “Style ‘Heading 1’ exists in both the subdocument you’re adding and the master document.  Would you like to rename the style in the subdocument.” click the "No to All" button to use the Heading 1 style defined in the master document. The master document now contains your subdocument file.  Remember though the file remains as a separate file even though you can edit its text from within the master document.

Saving the Master Document

Click the Save button on the standard toolbar. Your document is now saved as a master document with subdocuments.  The names and locations of the subdocuments are recorded in the master document.  The subdocuments will continue to appear in the master document as long as the files aren’t renamed or moved. 

Converting a Document Section into a Subdocument

If the master document becomes too long, you can make parts of it subdocuments. This creates new files once you save the master document after creating the new subdocuments.  They can be found in the same folder as the master document and are named according to the first heading within them.

1. Click the  to the left of the section heading to select the text for the new subdocument.  The heading and all the text and subheadings below it are selected.



2. Click the Create Subdocument button  on the Outlining toolbar.  A new subdocument is created out of the section.



3. Save the report with the new subdocument--this creates a new file named using the subdocument’s first heading for the filename.  The subdocument is saved in the same folder as the master document.

Splitting Subdocuments

You can split the subdocument into two subdocument files if one becomes too long or if two people need to work on parts of one subdocument.  With the document in master document view, go to the subdocument heading where you want to divide the subdocument and click the Split Subdocument button on the Outlining toolbar.

When you save the master document, a new file is created using the new subdocument’s heading as the filename.  It is saved in the same folder as the master document.

1. Click to the left of the heading of the part of the subdocument you want to split into a separate subdocument.
2. Click the Split Subdocument button  on the Outlining toolbar.
3. If you can see text below the headings, click anywhere in the headings, and click the collapse button on the Outlining Toolbar to display only the headings within this subdocument.
4. Save the report with the new subdocument.  A new file is created.

Merging Subdocuments

Sometimes it’s helpful to merge two adjacent subdocuments within a master document when the two are short and simple.  Merging subdocuments is combining the text and files of two adjacent subdocuments, inserting the text of the second into the first so that the first file contains both subdocuments.  The second subdocument is no longer used by the master document but remains on your disk.  Deleting this subdocument will not affect your master document.

To merge the subdocuments, make sure the document is in master document view  and then click the subdocument icon of the first subdocument.  Hold down the Shift key while you click the Subdocument icon of an adjacent subdocument.  Release the Shift key and then click the Merge Subdocument button  on the Outlining toolbar.

1. Move the insertion point anywhere within the first subdocument heading and click the Collapse button  to display only the headings and not the text under them.
2. Click the Subdocument icon  of the first subdocument.  The entire subdocument is selected.
3. Press and hold the Shift key while you click the second subdocument icon and then release the Shift key.  With both subdocuments selected you can merge them.



4. Click the Merge Subdocument button  on the Outlining toolbar.  The two subdocuments become one.
5. Deselect the text.  The subdocument icon no longer appears next to the second subdocument heading.



6. Save the master document. The text from the first subdocument file merges with the second.  The master document can no longer access the second subdocument file though it remains on your disk. 

Removing a Subdocument

You might want to remove a subdocument, which means the text of the document is then incorporated back into the text of the master document.  This increases the size of the master document file, and the removed subdocument remains on your disk but can be deleted without affecting the master document.

1. Click the Subdocument icon for the subdocument to be removed to select all the text in it.  Click the Remove Subdocument button  on the Outlining toolbar.



The heading and its text become part of the master document.



2. Deselect the section and save the master document. Close it.

Reopening a Master Document

When you open a master document, the subdocuments don’t open.  Their filenames appear as hyperlinks as shown below.  If you click on the hyperlinks, the subdocuments open into separate windows, not within the master document.  To open them into the master document, you must expand them.

1. Open the master document, switch to outline view, and click the Master Document View button  to select it.
2. Display nonprinting characters—scroll to see the subdocument hyperlink.



(If you only see code with {HYPERLINK…,” press Alt+F9 to display the hyperlinks.)

3. Click the Expand Subdocuments button  on the Outlining toolbar.  You can now see the subdocument text within the master document. Switch to Normal view to view the document.
4. Save the file.

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