Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

Question

Error Message "Word cannot open this document template"

Mar 11, 2015 3:58AM PDT

Hi,

I receive the following error message upon opening a word document.

Word cannot open this document template.
C:\Users\....\ALN Case Profile.dotm

How can I fix it?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Clarification Request
Say, is this from that ALN ribbon?
Mar 11, 2015 9:06AM PDT
- Collapse -
Answer
many many causes.
Mar 11, 2015 4:09AM PDT

It's up to you to decrypt which it is this time.

1. Permissions.
2. Incompatible.

The .dotm is NOT a document.
Bob

- Collapse -
Error Message "Word cannot open this document template"
Mar 11, 2015 5:06AM PDT

Thanks Bob for the reply. I am aware that .dotm is not a document. I'll get this error message when I try to open a Word document. Would you please elaborate more on "permission" and "Incompatible?" Thanks.

- Collapse -
Permissions are easy to fix.
Mar 11, 2015 6:53AM PDT
- Collapse -
Error Message "Word cannot open this document template"
Mar 11, 2015 8:16AM PDT

Bob,

I'll try to download the compatibility pack and also, use your suggestion. I'll circle back to you with the result. Thanks.

- Collapse -
Answer
tried changing the file extension?
Mar 11, 2015 5:41AM PDT

to doc?

- Collapse -
Error Message "Word cannot open this document template"
Mar 11, 2015 8:18AM PDT

Yes, I changed the extension to doc and still I receive the same error message.

- Collapse -
Answer
Re: template
Mar 11, 2015 8:53AM PDT

- What version of Word?
- What kind of document (doc, docx, rtf, ...)?
- Did you make that document on this PC, or did you get it from somebody else?
- Does that template file exist on your hard disk?
- Can you open that same document on another PC?
- That ... is that a ... or a way for you to hide a Windows user name from the forum? In the last case, is it your user name?

Kees