Streamlining SharePoint Template Usage: A Guide to Opening DOTX Files as DOCX

Encountering issues with opening “.dotx” templates in SharePoint is a common scenario that can disrupt your workflow. Typically, when you attempt to open a “.dotx” file in SharePoint, it opens in edit mode for the template itself, rather than generating a new “.docx” document as expected. This behavior diverges from the experience in Windows File Explorer and can hinder productivity.

Workaround 1 : Downloading template or syncing via OneDrive

Downloading templates or syncing via OneDrive to use the dotx in file explorer is one viable option , however direct opening from SharePoint is preferred for efficiency and be more intuitive.

Workaround 2: Content Types with template

While SharePoint does not natively support opening “.dotx” templates as “.docx” files directly, the following workaround offers a seamless solution:

1. Access Site Settings: Go to Site Contents -> Site Settings on your SharePoint site.
2. Navigate to Content Types: Select “Site content types” under “Web Designer Galleries”.
3. Create a New Content Type: Follow the prompts to create and then click on your new content type.
4. Upload Document Template: In the content type settings, choose “Advance settings” and upload your “.dotx” document template.
5. Save Your Settings: Confirm by clicking “Save”.
6. New Document Creation: Users can now hit the “New” icon, choose “Document”, and be prompted to open the template as a standard document.
7. Open in Desktop App: Selecting “Yes” to the prompt and choosing “Open in Desktop App” will open the template as a new “.docx” document, named “Document1”.

However it is not a desirable approach when endusers has 50 + templates they need to use regularly.

Until we have the feature inbuilt in SharePoint we have to contend ourselves with the workaround.

• SharePoint
• Office Templates
• DOTX
• Productivity
• Workarounds