Microsoft KB Archive/189051

{|
 * width="100%"|

WD: Error Message: "The Document Template Is Not Valid"

 * }

Q189051

-

The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
 * Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 7.0, 7.0a

-

SYMPTOMS
Sometimes the following error message occurs when you use the Templates command on the File menu to attach a different template:

The document template is not valid.

CAUSE
This behavior occurs when you attempt to attach a global template or add-in and you select a file


 * with a .dot file name extension that is in a format other than Word Document Template format.
 * that is in a format other than Word Document Template format, such as a Word document.

MORE INFORMATION
In Word, you usually create a new document by basing it on a template. However, you can also base a new document on another Word document, but you cannot later attach a Word document as a template to an existing Word document.

When you base a new document on an existing Word document, Word inserts the text from the existing document in the new document as a boilerplate.