Workgroup templates are templates set up to be shared by placing them in a separate folder. There is no difference in the structure or content of the templates themselves, merely in the location they are stored. They are intended to be shared by different users of the same computer or on a network. For instance if there are form documents used throughout an office, department, household, or business, they are best stored as Workgroup Templates. Generally the workgroup templates are prepackaged templates for use by more than one user, often company-wide. They can be used by an individual to distinguish work templates from personal templates or finished templates from development templates.

For more about templates and their location, see Template Basics.

The location for Workgroup templates is set in Word's options. It can be any folder but should probably be in the User Profile folder rather than in the Documents Folder.

When a template is in the Workgroup templates folder it will be available as a template "on my computer" or in "My Templates" to create new documents. If it is in a folder within the Workgroup templates folder, the name of that folder will show up as a tab to sort out templates into categories. Again, see Template Basics.

When workgroup templates are shared on a network, it is often advisable to copy them to the local computer as a part of the login process rather than share them directly. Otherwise, if a template is being used by any user it cannot be edited by support personnel without locating the user and asking them to close their work. This also gives laptop users access to the workgroup templates.

If the Workgroup Templates location has already been set, once you've clicked on the Modify button you can find the actual location.

Once you have the Modify dialog open, go up one level to see the folder that holds the Workgroup Templates folder. Right-click on the Workgroup Templates folder to get its properties. One of those properties is the location. This will probably be a longer line than you can read in the properties box. You can select it with your mouse, though, and copy it.

With that address copied into the Clipboard, close and cancel your way out of the Word Options. Do not modify this location without a good reason.

Paste the address into the address box in a Windows Explorer window to get to the Workgroup Templates folder.

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Copyright 2000-2012 Charles Kyle Kenyon

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