Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 8, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Ken has a problem when he uses master and subdocuments. He wants all of the pages in the printed document to have the same number of lines, which means he has to turn off widow and orphan control in the document. When he opens the master document, which in turn opens the subdocuments, the widow and orphan control is automatically enabled.
There are several things at play here. The primary thing you need to remember is that widow and orphan control is handled on a section level. In other words, in the same document you could have widow and orphan control enabled in one section and disabled in another. This is crucial, because master and subdocuments rely on sections extensively.
When you create a master document, each subdocument is placed within its own section. The settings in the section override any settings within the actual subdocument itself. Thus, it does no good to turn off widows and orphans in the subdocument files if widows and orphans are enabled in the master document.
The solution to this one problem is to make sure that widows and orphans are turned off everywhere. Individually load the subdocuments. (Don't load them through the master document, but open them individually.) Make sure that widows and orphans are turned off in each section in each subdocument. Then, open the master document. In each section in the master document, make sure that widows and orphans are turned off. If you are creating a new master document, make sure that widows and orphans are turned off before you start inserting subdocuments.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1401) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Discover the Power of Microsoft Office This beginner-friendly guide reveals the expert tips and strategies you need to skyrocket your productivity and use Office 365 like a pro. Mastering software like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is essential to be more efficient and advance your career. Simple lessons guide you through every step, providing the knowledge you need to get started. Check out Microsoft Office 365 For Beginners today!
Context menus appear when you right-click on different items in Word. These menus can be edited to add items, such as ...
Discover MoreWhen you create a document, Word is constantly checking behind the scenes to make sure that what you type makes sense. ...
Discover MoreIt's easy to apply formatting to text, but often hard (after the fact) to know exactly what was done. If you often need ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
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.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments