Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Creating Custom Document Properties.

Creating Custom Document Properties

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 11, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Besides your actual document, Word also maintains quite a bit of statistical and overview information about your document. You can view a portion of this information by choosing the Properties option from the File menu. Word then displays the Properties dialog box for your document, and you can use the different tabs to view the information maintained.

In addition to the standard properties maintained by Word, you can create your own custom document properties. These can then be used within your document (using the DOCPROPERTY field) or within macros. To create a custom document property, follow these steps:

Choose Properties from the File menu. Word displays the Properties dialog box for your document.
Make sure the Custom tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Custom tab of the Properties dialog box.

In the Name box, type the name you want used for your new document property.
Using the Type drop-down list, specify the type that best describes what you will store in this document property.
In the Value box, type the value you want assigned to the property.
Click on the Add button. Your new property appears at the bottom of the dialog box, in the Properties list.
Click on OK or Cancel to dismiss the Properties dialog box.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (661) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Creating Custom Document Properties.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Inserting a Document's Path

You can use the FILENAME field to insert a document's filename and, optionally, the path to that filename. However, if ...

Discover More

Fixing Word

Need to make sure that Word is installed correctly from the original installation CDs? You can do it by using a command ...

Discover More

Squaring Table Cells

Inserting a table is fast and easy in Word. You may want to make sure that the cells in the table are as square as ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!

More WordTips (menu)

Using ASCII and ANSI Characters

Word natively supports several types of character sets. The most common characters sets are known as ASCII and ANSI ...

Discover More

Sharing Headings with Others

Headings form the outline of your document and hopefully give it an easy-to-follow organization. If you want to share ...

Discover More

Creating the 'Mils' Symbol

Different industries use their own terminologies and symbols. In the military, one symbol is referred to as the "mils" ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is 7 - 7?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.