Save Changes to the Global Template? Keeps Popping Up

ADD Balance - trademark of Charles Kenyon, Attorney at Law and Webmaster. Frequently Asked Questions - Help
Microsoft Word - Frequently Asked Questions - click to go to the question list.

on ADD Balance by Madison Wisconsin Criminal Defense Lawyer Charles Kenyon

Many people visit this site and use the information it contains. It costs money to keep on line and effort to update.
If you have received assistance here
please consider making a donation if you can.

 
Thank you. Charles Kenyon

Thank you for the suggestions. ("Smilies" from Woody's Lounge.) Click to go to Lounge. with input and suggestions from many on Thank you for the suggestions. ("Smilies" from Woody's Lounge.) Click to go to Lounge.
the Microsoft Newsgroups and at Woody's Lounge 

Click here to skip past FAQ questions list and other info and go directly to the start of this topic.

Search the FAQ site on Google.

Remember to Refresh your page. [F5].

Home
Word Tutorial - Intermediate
Legal Users Guide to Word
Downloads
Books about Microsoft Word - Newsgroup suggestions
Links
Web Resources for Microsoft Word

 

Using Date Fields in Microsoft Word
Calculated Dates
Booklet Formatting and Printing in Microsoft Word
Changing the Default Font in Microsoft Word
Document linked to Printer in Microsoft Word
Fonts Missing from Menu in Microsoft Word
How can I get a different header / footer on the second page?
Heading? Header? Microsoft Word Help
More on Headers and Footers in Word
Letterhead
I want the filename in the footer of every document.
Margins Missing - White Space
Mapped Content Controls and Document Properties
Moving/Reorganizing Pages in Microsoft Word
Print Preview in Microsoft Word
Weird Lines and Borders
Macros and VBA
Malicious Macros vba in Microsoft Word
Master Documents Feature in Microsoft Word
A Back CoverPage in Microsoft Word
Normal Template in Microsoft Word - How to Open or Find the Normal Template
My docs open in the wrong program! Re-registering Word using the commandline.
Moving (Sharing) Customizations in Microsoft Word
Global StyleSheet?
MVP means?
Naming Files - A System is the Key
Posting tips in the Microsoft Word Forums
Getting rid of that (*)#"@^ paperclip! - Taming the Office Assistant
Page X of Y doesn't work in Microsoft Word!
Save Changes to the Global Template? Keeps Popping Up
Templates in Microsoft Word
Global Templates
Too Many Icons on the Taskbar in Microsoft Word 2000
Getting Rid of the Web Toolbar in Microsoft Word
Word for Word Perfect Users
Favorite Documents Menu
Work Menu in Microsoft Word
Spell Check Dialog Instead of Editor
Templates Menu in Microsoft Word
What books have been recommended about Microsoft Word?
Where can I find more templates?
Word Links

 

Save Changes to the Global Template - Normal.dot(m)?

The message "Changes have been made that affect the global template - normal. Do you wish to save those changes?" is an important warning. It means that changes have been made, whether you intended to make changes or not. You can also get it when your template has been altered by a poorly written Add-In program or by a malicious virus. You should get this when you make changes or any other program makes changes.

Getting this every time you close Word is annoying. While it is possible to turn this prompt off, you do not want to do so. Turning this off is like taking the batteries out of your smoke detector because it keeps buzzing!

 
The reason for the message being shown repeatedly is almost always a poorly written Add-In.
 
Offenders have included the Norton AV Office Plug-In, MS Works Suite Add-In, EZ-Photo, Scansoft, Adobe Acrobat, and Microsoft's own Word Redaction Add-In and MetaData remover. These all install Add-Ins that mess with your normal.dot when they shouldn't do so and don't need to do so. Some of these are .dot files, others are installed. See  How to find out whether any Word Add-ins have been installed for instructions on seeing what Add-Ins you have. (Having Add-Ins is not a bad thing. I run Word with 15 Add-Ins, most of which I wrote myself.)
 
Start with the Add-Ins I've noted. If you have any of them, decide whether they are worth the annoyance they are causing you. Probably they are not. Disable any that are not worth the candle. Restart Word and see if your problem is gone.
 
If not...
 
If you start Word using
Start => Run: Winword.exe /a
you'll end up with Word out of the box loading without your saved normal.dot file, with no macros and no Add-Ins. You may notice that it loads much more quickly than you are used to seeing. When you close it, you won't get the "normal.dot" prompt.
 
So, what you need to do is disable all of your Add-Ins (don't delete them). Start by moving .dotm and .dot files out of your Word Startup folder, one-by-one, with Word closed. Restart Word and see if that Add-In caused the problem. If not, put it back in and take the next one out. (You can put them in a sub-folder of your Startup folder.) If none of them are the problem, move to the .com Add-Ins that have to be uninstalled.
 
If your offender is not on my list, please write back and let us know which one caused your problems.
 
Write to the company that put out the Add-In with a complaint, and possibly a bill for your time.

Word 2007 and Later

All of the above applies.

If you want Word to prompt you to save the changes to the Normal.dotm template, (advised) follow these steps:

Click the Microsoft File Tab (2007 Office Button), and then click Word Options. In the Advanced tab, click to select the Prompt before saving Normal template check box in the Save group.

COM Add-Ins are handled under File > Options > Add-Ins > Go (button to manage COM Add-Ins).

Note: You do want to have Word prompt you about these changes.

 

This page last modified on 06 Apr 2022.

This page viewed Hit Counter times since 15 April 2004.

Many people visit this site and use the information it contains.
It costs money to keep on line and effort to update.
If you have received assistance here
please consider making a donation if you can.

 
Thank you. ckk

Copyright 2000-2024 Charles Kyle Kenyon

FAQ provided as an adjunct / hobby as a part of my web site as a criminal defense lawyer.

Smile! Bumper stickers and jokes.

Using Date Fields in Microsoft Word
Calculated Dates
Booklet Formatting and Printing in Microsoft Word
Changing the Default Font in Microsoft Word
Document linked to Printer in Microsoft Word
Fonts Missing from Menu in Microsoft Word
How can I get a different header / footer on the second page?
Heading? Header? Microsoft Word Help
More on Headers and Footers in Word
Letterhead
I want the filename in the footer of every document.
Margins Missing - White Space
Mapped Content Controls and Document Properties
Moving/Reorganizing Pages in Microsoft Word
Print Preview in Microsoft Word
Weird Lines and Borders
Macros and VBA
Malicious Macros vba in Microsoft Word
Master Documents Feature in Microsoft Word
A Back CoverPage in Microsoft Word
Normal Template in Microsoft Word - How to Open or Find the Normal Template
My docs open in the wrong program! Re-registering Word using the commandline.
Moving (Sharing) Customizations in Microsoft Word
Global StyleSheet?
MVP means?
Naming Files - A System is the Key
Posting tips in the Microsoft Word Forums
Getting rid of that (*)#"@^ paperclip! - Taming the Office Assistant
Page X of Y doesn't work in Microsoft Word!
Save Changes to the Global Template? Keeps Popping Up
Templates in Microsoft Word
Global Templates
Too Many Icons on the Taskbar in Microsoft Word 2000
Getting Rid of the Web Toolbar in Microsoft Word
Word for Word Perfect Users
Favorite Documents Menu
Work Menu in Microsoft Word
Spell Check Dialog Instead of Editor
Templates Menu in Microsoft Word
What books have been recommended about Microsoft Word?
Where can I find more templates?
Word Links

Click to return to table of contents page of Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word.Click to go to Microsoft Word new users frequently asked questions site in a new browser window.
(Intermediate Users' Guide) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  (Questions List)

Home
Word Tutorial - Intermediate
Legal Users Guide to Word
Downloads
Books about Microsoft Word - Newsgroup suggestions
Links
Web Resources for Microsoft Word