Home > Articles > Home & Office Computing > Microsoft Applications

This chapter is from the book

Setting Up a Document for Structured Editing

new

A common business scenario involves creating an overall design for a document, filling in some standard text, and then leaving a few sections blank for other users to fill in. In a company report, for example, the design and most of the content might be fixed, but it might also have sections in which different departments can enter results, mission statements, goals, and so on. In these situations, it's crucial that the other users who add their content to the document do not also change the document design or any of the other content.

The previous two sections showed you how to lock document formatting and prevent untracked changes. You can also designate a document to be read-only (choose Office, Prepare, Mark as Final) so that no changes can be made. However, none of these techniques solve the problem of preventing users from editing or deleting parts of a document, while also allowing them the ability to add specific types of content. This is called structured editing, and Word 2007 offers a number of other tools that make it possible.

The first part of structured editing involves setting up regions of the document so that other people can't edit them or delete them. In Word 2007, you do that by forming those regions into a group. By default, a group cannot be edited or formatted, and you can also configure a group so that it cannot be deleted.

To convert text into a group, select the text and then choose Developer, Group, Group. Word locks the group, although you don't see anything on screen to tell you this. (This is by design: Your document looks exactly as it did before, so the quality and design of the document is not changed by creating a group.) If you also want to prevent users from deleting all or part of the group, follow these steps:

  1. Click inside the group.
  2. Choose Developer, Properties to open the Group Properties dialog box shown in Figure 3.4.
    Figure 3.4

    Figure 3.4 Use the Group Properties dialog box to prevent the grouped text from being deleted.

  3. Click to activate the Content Control Cannot Be Deleted check box.
  4. Click OK.

If you need to work with the grouped content, or if you just want to remind yourself of the extent of the group, choose Developer, Design Mode. As you can see in Figure 3.5, Word adds "Group" icons at the beginning and end of the grouped content, and also displays a box around the content when you click inside the group.

Figure 3.5

Figure 3.5 Choose Developer, Design Mode to see the Group icons.

The second part of structured editing involves allowing users to add content to the document, although you don't allow just any content to be added anywhere inside the document. Instead, the editing is "structured" because you place one or more of the following restrictions on content additions:

  • You designate a precise location within the location for the content.
  • You designate the type of content that the user can add (such as a date or a table).
  • You assist the user by offering some kind of user interface feature that leads the user to enter exactly the type of data you want.

You can set up any of these restrictions by using Word 2007's new content controls, which are dialog box-like controls that you can draw directly inside your document. The idea is that you draw each control exactly where you want it, and the control dictates the type of data the user can enter and often comes with some sort of user interface that helps the user enter the data.

In the Developer tab's Controls group, Word 2007 offers seven content controls (see Figure 3.6):

  • Rich Text—Use this control for formatted text that consists of one or more paragraphs.
  • Text—Use this control for plain text that consists of no more than one paragraph. (If you need plain text for multiple paragraphs, click the control, choose Developer, Properties, and then click to activate the Allow Carriage Returns [Multiple Paragraphs] check box.)
  • Picture—Use this control to enable the user to insert a picture into the document. The user clicks the picture icon and then uses the Insert Picture dialog box to select the image.
  • Combo Box—Use this control to enable the user to enter text or select an item from a drop-down list. To add items to the list, click the control, choose Developer, Properties, and then click Add. In the Add Choice dialog box, type a Display Name and a Value, and then click OK. Repeat to add other list items. Figure 3.6 shows an example combo box control.
    Figure 3.6

    Figure 3.6 Use a Combo Box content control to enable the user to type text or select an item from a list.

  • Drop-Down List—Use this control to enable the user to select an item from a drop-down list. You add items to the list using the same method as I described for the Combo Box control.
  • Date Picker—Use this control to enable the user to enter a date by clicking the date from a calendar, as shown in Figure 3.7. To specify the date format, click the control, choose Developer, Properties, and then click the format in the Display the Date Like This list.
    Figure 3.7

    Figure 3.7 Use a Date Picker content control to enable the user to specify a date by clicking it in a calendar.

  • Building Block Gallery—Use this control to enable the user to select an item from the Building Blocks Gallery. If you want the user to have a choice of a specific type of building block only, click the control, choose Developer, Properties, and then use the Gallery list to click the building block type (AutoText, Quick Parts, Tables, and so on).

Here are the general steps to follow to insert a content control into a document:

  1. Position the insertion point where you want the content control to display.
  2. Choose the Developer tab, and then click the content control you want. Word inserts the control.
  3. Choose Developer, Properties to open the Content Control Properties dialog box.
  4. Type a Title for the content control. (This text displays above the control when the user clicks it.)
  5. (Optional) Type a Tag for the content control. (This text displays on either side of the control when you switch to Design Mode.)
  6. If you want to apply a style to the control contents, click to activate the Use a Style to Format Contents check box and then use either Style or New Style to specify the style you want to use.
  7. To prevent the user from deleting the control, click to activate the Content Control Cannot Be Deleted check box.
  8. After the control has been edited, you can prevent anyone else from making changes to it by clicking to activate the Contents Cannot Be Edited check box.
  9. Configure any control-specific settings, as described earlier.
  10. Click OK.

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020