MSWord document: Can you set it up to download a copy rather than edit the original?

[LouiseaFraser]

Hello

We host a number of master Word documents on SharePoint. The issue we regularly have is employees editing the master copy without realising.

Is there a method you can lock the master but almost force a "download a copy" action? So that employees get a local copy to edit without having to be tech-savvy enough to know they need to do this?

Thanks

Louise

[#2]

Hi @LouiseaFraser,

If you are targeting users that use the locally installed version of word, then you can use the Office URI Scheme.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/client-developer/office-uri-schemes

You can create a hyperlink to your word template like this

ms-word:nft|u|https://<yourtenant>.sharepoint.com/sites/<yoursite>/Documents/templates/Mytemplate.dot|s|https://<yourtenant>.sharepoint.com/sites/<yoursite>/Invoices/

 and put that into a button or a link on your site.
If a user clicks on that button, the word app will start and open the template. If you try to save, you will be promted to save the file in the library "Invoices".
Leave everything after "|s|" empty if you don't want to use a default location.



You can alternatively create an organizational assets library in SharePoint Online
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/organization-assets-library
You need to be a SharePoint Admin and need to use powershell to enable it.

The effect is that you have a library where you put your templates.
These template are then available inside of Word after you press the "New Document" Button. So you no longer have to open a file from SharePoint, since they surface inside of the office app.

Best Regards,
Sven

[#3]

Brilliant, thanks! This looks do-able!