How do you update a Microsoft Word 365 document property across page headings on different sections

Question

I am using Microsoft Word 365 on Windows 10. I have a document with 10 page sections. Each section has its own heading with a document number I am using. I have created an MS Word property for the document code.

When The document was all one section I only needed to update the document number in Word's Property list followed by pressing F9 while the cursor was in the heading. But now that I have 10 page sections, each with their own heading, I have to visit each first page of the sections and press F9 while in heading to update the document code property.

Is there a way to update my document code number property in all the headings and sections of my document without having to update each heading of each section to perform the update?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You can use a Document Property Content Control or Field

You would save your number as a Custom Document Property.

The simplest way to do this is to use one of the Document Property Content Controls found under Insert > Quick Parts > Document Property. This inserts a mapped Content Control in your document. You can copy that and the value will be the same in all copies in the document. If changed in one spot, it would appear elsewhere.

A field would look like this: { DocProperty PropertyName } Here is the Microsoft Reference page on this field. If you are using the Content Control, you do not need the field.

Here is my page on using Mapped Content Controls repurposing the Document Property Content Controls. Here is my summary of information about Content Controls in answer to another question.

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More about having document content in headers.

Headers and Footers, if you need the information about them are another topic. Here is a link to my recap of Header and Footer Settings. Headings are not headers in Word. My page: What is the difference between headers and headings. I am assuming we are talking about headers. (Both the mapped Content Control and the DocProperty Field would work in headings as well.)

You can reflect document content using the Mapped Document Property Content Control. You should also look at the StyleRef field. You may have far more sections than you need. You can change what appears in headers/footers using that field without a section break. The previous link is to my page. Here is the Microsoft reference page on this field.

If we are, indeed, talking about Headings...

For headings, the use of a Mapped Content Control is superior because you do not have to use the F9 key to update it. This is automatic. A change in the property itself or in one of the controls will change it in all.

For headers, the field may work without manual updating, depending on your settings. The Content Control will update there as well.

If you are on a Mac, and want to use the mapped content controls, you are going to want to prepare your template on a Windows machine. Otherwise, you will need to code it using vba. Here are John Korchock's materials on this.