Merging Documents in Word

• What you need to know• This method links multiple

documents into one master document

• Master Documents has embedded in it the following Word documents:

• Document 1• Document 2• Document 3• Etc.

• It is NOT a copy of the embedded documents

• Example: When Document 1 is updated, the updates will be reflected in the Master Document

• You can ONLY do it in the ‘Outline’ view in Word.• As far as I know, this is the

only way

• Caveat Emptor• You will find other ways of

‘merging’ documents when you search the Web or Youtube

• Many of them are just cut/copy and pasting a copy –but when the original is updated, the Master Document is NOT updated

• This method is about linking and embedding – therefore when the original is updated, it will be reflected in the Master Document

Getting to Outline View

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Click on Show Document

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Create Your Own Content that can be part of the master document

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Or Insert content from Existing Files via Linking to It

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Here is what happens next when you click on ‘Insert’

Repeat inserting documents as many time as you need to . . .

This is how it looked like after inserting 3 documents

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If you want to … You can lock the documents so that changes are not propagated back to the originals

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Months later … when you open the master document . . . it is gone!

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Fear Not ! It is NOT gone.

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Go Back To Outline View

It will be back, just click Expand Subdocuments

It there all along . . .

Change it to Print Layout (Page Layout) View . . . It looks better

Print Layout View