I've got a couple of questions about Word 2007 integration with Sharepoint 2007, and several problems that occur because of it:

The Mysterious Checked-Out Error

Let's say I have a workflow attached to a document library which creates a data collection task, and when that task is completed updates the document metadata with the task data (say, "Ask for Comments"). For some reason if I leave the document open in Word and complete the task, I get an error in the workflow claiming the document is checked out and can't be updated.

Needless to say, the document isn't. Word only checks out the document before the actual save operation, not whenever it's open. If my workflow updates the metadata directly, without a data collection task, it does work. If Word is closed - it does work.

Even more strangely - if instead of updating the metadata I try to delete the item, it works without a hitch. Update - no. Delete - no problem.

I'm pretty much stumped here, and I'd appreciate any idea.

Automatically Closing Word's Connection

Now we have a different workflow - once I've saved my document to the library, a workflow evaluates the metadata and moves it to a new folder depending on the context. Copied aside and then erased, or possibly renamed based on some bit of metadata. The workflow works fine and the document vanishes from the library, but Word is still open and still points to the original location. If the user corrects a single word and presses Ctrl-S, the document will be resaved to the original location, the workflow restarted an a new copy made.

Is there a way to force Word to update the folder or file it's pointing to? Alternately, a way to cause Word to close the document after saving?

1 Comment

• Dor Rotman said Friday, February 23, 2007 5:28:05 PM

  Sorry, I couldn't find any official resources on this issue.. :)