How to Automatically Update Data (Such as User Information) Throughout Your Document

Automatically Update Data (Such as User Information) Throughout Your Document
Content controls, a new feature in Microsoft Office Word 2007, provide the ability to structure content in a document—similar to, but with more flexibility than, traditional form controls. Among other uses, content controls enable you to bind text in your document to data sources, such as file properties or Windows SharePoint Services properties. In fact, some built-in content controls called Document Property Quick Parts are set to automatically bind to your information. As a result, if you insert a Document Property Quick Part—such as the author name or the document title—into your document, that information will automatically update in the document when it changes in file properties.

To insert a Document Property Quick Part into your document, on the Insert tab, in the Text group, click Quick Parts, point to Document Property, and then click to insert the type of property you need from the options listed.

Note that if you insert several of the same type of control (such as Title) in the same document, the text in all of those controls will update to match if any one of them is changed. Also note that some types of document building blocks (such as a cover page or a header that you can insert from applicable galleries on the Insert tab) contain Document Property Quick Parts.