Splitting a Word File Into Separate Docs Based on Footer?

Lil Pun · Sep 24, 2020

I am attempting to separate a single Word document into multiple Word documents. Each point of separation is different as some documents will consist of 5 pages, 6 pages, and so on. The one area that i see that could be used for a point of separation js the footer on each page as it changes each time a new document would need to be made. So the footer may say Smith for the first 7 pages but then say Williams for the next 4 and then Johnson for the next 8 and so on.

Is there a functionality built into Word that could look at the footer and successfully split the document into multiple files based on this criteria while keeping everything in the document or is this something that would need a macro? If it would require a macro, does anybody have one where this would work?

heypartner · Sep 24, 2020

When your footer changes with a new name, is that point actually a new Section of the document?

Here's how to view Section Breaks: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/show-section-breaks-9e64804f-ecb4-45b1-a024-3bf8547a85e9

If you have a Section break at each point the footers change (very possible), VBA can easily split at Section Breaks.

Google: "word macro split document at section break" for many examples

here's an example, not to say I recommend this (it was just the top Google hit), but it does demonstrate what you're after.
https://www.extendoffice.com/documents/word/966-word-split-documents-into-multiple-documents.html

heypartner · Sep 24, 2020

also, if the changing footer is not at a Section Break, then the footer likely uses Field Codes of some sort, so splitting might not be as straightforward, or it still could be. Tell us what makes the Footer change text.

This might help you determine what the Footer is using, in the event my previous post about Section Breaks doesn't apply to your document:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...r-footer-dc62245f-b6af-45b2-a521-17753fc3539e

If it's a StyleRef, that could be a good boundary at which to split, too. (Other codes,,,,not so much.)

Lil Pun · Sep 24, 2020

heypartner said: ↑

When your footer changes with a new name, is that point actually a new Section of the document?

Here's how to view Section Breaks: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/show-section-breaks-9e64804f-ecb4-45b1-a024-3bf8547a85e9

If you have a Section break at each point the footers change (very possible), VBA can easily split at Section Breaks.

Google: "word macro split document at section break" for many examples

here's an example, not to say I recommend this (it was just the top Google hit), but it does demonstrate what you're after.
https://www.extendoffice.com/documents/word/966-word-split-documents-into-multiple-documents.html
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have section breaks between each person. I saw that link when I searched before posting this thread but it looks like the VBA scripts separate by delimiter, which I guess I could enter at each section break and then run that script to save some time. The next one looks like it just separates by each page. It looks like you have to get their Kahoot add-on to do it by section break. I'll keep looking for scripts though.

Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.

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Splitting a Word File Into Separate Docs Based on Footer?

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