topic Re: Text disappears when creating document from word template in Windchill

Text disappears when creating document from word template

JM_12529808 — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 09:52:43 GMT

Version: Windchill 12.0

Use Case: Creating a word document from a word template

Description:

We have a word document template in our "templates" in windchill. In some fields in the footer (and sometimes the header), the text that is in the template is removed/deleted after the creation of the new document.

There is both some text, followed by a docprotery.

Re: Text disappears when creating document from word template

Fadel — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:47:59 GMT

Do you see any error in logs ?

Re: Text disappears when creating document from word template

JM_12529808 — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:51:24 GMT

Hi Fadel

Do you know which particular log to look in?

Re: Text disappears when creating document from word template

Fadel — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 10:54:18 GMT

The regular Method and background method server

Re: Text disappears when creating document from word template

JM_12529808 — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:03:33 GMT

There are no errors in the log, releated to this. Unfortunately

Re: Text disappears when creating document from word template

JM_12529808 — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:46:33 GMT

It could look like it first updates, and removes the part in question, when opened in the Desktop integration in word. Running version 121.20.07.31 with Office "Microsoft 365 Apps for business" Version 2601

Re: Text disappears when creating document from word template

avillanueva — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:52:02 GMT

This very strange. From what I know, creating a document from a template should just create a document object in Windchill and copy in the template Word file. No manipulation of the file should occur. I would take Windchill out of the equation. Perhaps there is something wrong with the Word document. Try some offline tests. Are these footers in any way tied to Windchill attributes? Desktop Integration could be the cause. Disable that in preferences and just use browser download. See if that makes a difference and we can narrow scope. DTI will push attributes into Word file so there is some touching of the file on download.

Re: Text disappears when creating document from word template

JM_12529808 — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:56:18 GMT

If I just download the file, it is straight up a copy of the template - without the attributes / docproperties updated. And it keeps the part in question.

There is a docproperty right after the "Resp.:", but that should be kept.

I tried adding an extra row to the footer, to trick it into deleting that cell, but it did not work.

Re: Text disappears when creating document from word template

JM_12529808 — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:32:19 GMT

Should anyone have the same problem, here is the solution I found on the mentioned Issue.

The cell containing the text that got deleted, also included an old bookmark reference, possibly from inserting a Windchill Attribute (not using the docproperty). This reference can not be seen in plain text normally - I found it in the XML file.

Here are two methods to find them

In word: File > Options > Advanced > Show document content and check "Show bookmarks
The bookmark shows up as a small grey bracket.
Rename the .docx to .zip and open the zip folder.
1. Search through all files for "bookmark", and delete the ones associated with Windchill.