Creating subdocuments

Word 365 2016 2013 2010 2007
Every master document consists of a normal document stuff and links to other documents. Those links can be used to pull in the information from the documents to which the master documented is linked.

Once you have the basic outline in place, you can determine how you want to divide the master document. Create a subdocument using the following steps:

   1.   Open or create the master document (how to create a master document, see The Master Document View).

   2.   Choose View -> Outline to see this document in the Outline view:

Buttons in Word 2003

   3.   Make sure that all headings and subheadings you want to include in the subdocument are displayed by clicking the Show Level arrow on the Outlining toolbar, and selecting Show All Levels:

All levels in Word 2003

   4.   In the master document, select the headings and text you want to separate into subdocuments.

   5.   On the Outlining toolbar, click the Create button Create.

Word inserts a continuous section break before and after each subdocument:

Master Document with subdocuments in Word 2003

Note: If the Create button isn't available, you need to click to click Collapse Subdocuments Expand/Collapse.

See also Importing data for subdocuments and Modifying subdocuments.

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The Master Document View

The Master Document View

Word master document enables you to: cross-reference items among several documents; create indexes, tables of contents, and lists that span several documents; easily assign consistent page numbering, headers, and other formatting across multiple documents; etc.
A book is ideally suited to the master document feature. Each chapter can be a subdocument, and the elements common to the entire book can be contained in the master document itself.
Modifying subdocuments

Modifying subdocuments

You can modify subdocuments, but with features. This tip contains some of these features. You can modify subdocuments using the same tools that you have used to create a master document and subdocuments. This tip describes how to use those tools to modify subdocuments. How to create a master document, see The Master Document View, and Creating subdocuments for information about creating subdocuments.
Importing data for subdocuments

Importing data for subdocuments

You can create subdocuments by inserting other files into your master document.

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