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Office Integration

Edit your TurboDocx templates and deliverables directly in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint with full Office functionality, while keeping everything synchronized and preventing editing conflicts.

What You Can Do​

With Office Integration, you can:

  • Open templates in Word - Edit with all Word features (track changes, comments, formatting, etc.)
  • Open presentations in PowerPoint - Use PowerPoint's full editing capabilities
  • Save changes automatically - Your edits sync back to TurboDocx in real-time
  • Work safely - File locking prevents others from editing while you work
  • See updates instantly - PDF previews regenerate automatically after changes

Supported Applications​

  • Microsoft Word - For .docx template files
  • Microsoft PowerPoint - For .pptx presentation files
Office Installation Required

You need Microsoft Office installed on your computer. The web versions of Office don't support this integration.

How to Use Office Integration​

Opening a Document​

  1. Find your template or deliverable in TurboDocx
  2. Click "Open in Word" or "Open in PowerPoint" button
  3. Wait for Office to launch - This may take a few seconds
  4. Start editing - The document opens with all your content ready to edit
First Time Setup

Your browser may ask permission to open Office applications. Click "Allow" or "Open" to enable the integration.

While Editing​

What you'll see:

  • Your document opens in Word/PowerPoint as normal
  • An overlay appears in your browser showing "Editing in Progress"
  • The document is locked - other users can't edit it while you work

What you can do:

  • Edit the document with full Office features
  • Use track changes, comments, and formatting tools
  • Save your work frequently (Ctrl+S or Cmd+S)
  • Work offline - changes sync when you're back online

What happens automatically:

  • Your changes save back to TurboDocx when you press Ctrl+S
  • Template variables are detected and updated
  • PDF previews regenerate in the background
  • Other users see the document is being edited

Finishing Your Edits​

When you're done editing:

  1. Save your final changes in Word/PowerPoint (Ctrl+S)
  2. Return to your browser with TurboDocx open
  3. Click "I'm Done Editing" on the overlay
  4. The document becomes available for other users
Important: What Happens After "I'm Done Editing"

Once you click "I'm Done Editing", your Office document becomes read-only. If you try to save again in Word/PowerPoint, you'll get an error message. This is normal and prevents conflicts with other users.

If you need to make more changes:

  • Click "Open in Word" again to start a new editing session
  • This will give you a fresh editing session with save permissions

What Other Users See​

When Someone is Editing​

  • Lock indicator shows who is currently editing
  • "Being edited by [Name]" message appears
  • All editing functions are disabled for other users
  • PDF preview updates as the editor saves changes

When Editing is Complete​

  • Lock is automatically removed
  • All users can edit again
  • Updated PDF preview reflects the latest changes

Common Workflows​

Quick Edit Workflow​

Perfect for small changes:

  1. Click "Open in Word"
  2. Make your changes
  3. Save (Ctrl+S)
  4. Click "I'm Done Editing"

Extended Editing Session​

For major revisions:

  1. Click "Open in Word"
  2. Make multiple rounds of changes
  3. Save frequently throughout your session
  4. Take breaks - your session stays active
  5. When completely finished, click "I'm Done Editing"

Collaboration Workflow​

Working with team members:

  1. Person A opens document for editing
  2. Person B sees lock message and waits
  3. Person A completes edits and clicks "I'm Done Editing"
  4. Person B can now click "Open in Word" to make their changes

Template Variable Updates​

When you add or modify template variables:

  1. Edit your template in Word
  2. Save your changes (Ctrl+S)
  3. Return to browser - you'll see "Files are changed" button
  4. Click "Files are changed" to update variables
  5. Fill in any new template variables
  6. Click "I'm Done Editing" when finished

Troubleshooting​

"Office Won't Open" Issues​

Problem: Clicking "Open in Word" doesn't open the document

Solutions:

  1. Check Office Installation - Make sure Microsoft Office is installed and activated
  2. Try a Different Browser - Edge works best, Chrome is also good
  3. Allow Pop-ups - Your browser might be blocking the Office protocol
  4. Restart Your Browser - Close all tabs and restart
  5. Clear Cache - Clear your browser cache and cookies

"Can't Save" Issues​

Problem: Getting errors when trying to save in Word/PowerPoint

Most Common Cause: You clicked "I'm Done Editing" but Office is still open

Solution: This is normal behavior! Once you click "I'm Done Editing", Word becomes read-only to prevent conflicts.

To continue editing:

  1. Go back to TurboDocx in your browser
  2. Click "Open in Word" again
  3. This starts a new editing session with save permissions

Other Save Issues:

  • Check your internet connection - Saves need an internet connection
  • Make sure no one else is editing - Only one person can edit at a time
  • Try saving again - Sometimes network delays cause temporary save failures

"Document is Locked" Messages​

Problem: TurboDocx says the document is being edited by someone else

What this means: Another user currently has the document open for editing

Solutions:

  1. Wait for them to finish - They'll click "I'm Done Editing" when finished
  2. Contact the person - Ask them if they're still actively editing
  3. Admin can force unlock - If you're an admin and the person isn't responding

"Long Delay" When Opening Word​

Problem: Word takes 10+ seconds to open after making template changes

Why this happens: TurboDocx is processing your template variable changes

Solutions:

  • Be patient - This is normal after variable updates
  • Don't click multiple times - Wait for Word to open
  • Check your internet speed - Slow connections take longer

Tips for Best Results​

Save Frequently​

  • Press Ctrl+S (Windows) or Cmd+S (Mac) often
  • Don't rely on auto-save - manual saves sync faster
  • Save before making major changes

Use "I'm Done Editing" Properly​

  • Always click it when you're completely finished
  • Don't click it if you plan to continue editing soon
  • Remember - Office becomes read-only after clicking

Collaboration Etiquette​

  • Communicate with your team about who's editing what
  • Don't keep documents open unnecessarily
  • Finish editing sessions promptly so others can work

Working Offline​

  • You can work offline - changes sync when you reconnect
  • Save frequently when you're back online
  • Avoid having multiple people edit the same document offline

System Requirements​

Computer Requirements​

  • Windows 10/11 or macOS (latest versions recommended)
  • Microsoft Office installed (Office 365, Office 2019, or newer)
  • Stable internet connection for syncing changes

Browser Requirements​

  • Chrome (recommended)
  • Microsoft Edge (recommended)
  • Firefox (may need setup)
  • Safari (limited support)

Office Versions​

  • ✅ Office 365 - Full support
  • ✅ Office 2021 - Full support
  • ✅ Office 2019 - Full support
  • ❌ Office Online - Not supported (web versions)
  • ❌ Older versions - May not work properly

Getting Help​

If you're still having issues:

  1. Contact your team admin - They can check locks and permissions
  2. Try a different computer - Helps identify computer-specific issues
  3. Test with a different template - Helps identify template-specific issues
  4. Check with IT support - They can verify Office installation and network settings

Remember: Office Integration is designed to work seamlessly, but like any technology, sometimes you need to try a few solutions to get everything working perfectly!