How to modify dropdown document template list visible when creating document library?

Question

When creating a document library, and specifying the default document template, the dropdown list of templates out-of-the-box (OOB) includes 97-2003 format files at the top of the list. Users who do not know any better have created document libraries with an old format template as the default. As a result, any new documents end up opening in Compatibility Mode since we have Office 2007 deployed throughout the enterprise.

How do I reorder that template list so that 97-2003 format templates are moved to the bottom of the list?

Answer 1

You can set the order of the Content Types used inside the document library settings.

Site Settings > View all site content > Your DocLib > Settings > Document Library Settings > In Content Types section click "Change new button order and default content type"

Here you can hide content types you no longer want to display for the end user and set the order of the content types.

If you dont see the Content Types section instead click Advanced Settings > set "allow mgmt of Content Types" to Yes

hth Anders Rask

Answer 2

Take a look at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepointserver/HA101734541033.aspx?pid=CH101779691033 for the detailed description of how to use Content Types with Document templates. In general, you can associate your own templates with each Content type so that end users don't start with blank files when creating typical documents.

Answer 3

Do as Anders suggested and then save this list as a list template and use it instead of original Document Library template when users are creating new libraries.