Master documents: Lock or unlock a subdocument

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A subdocument in a master document (master document: A "container" for a set of separate files (or subdocuments). You can use a master document to set up and manage a multipart document, such as a book with several chapters.) may be locked when somone else is working on it, or it may be set to open as read-only.

1. On the View menu, click Outline.
2. If the subdocuments are collapsed, on the Outlining toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.), click Expand Subdocuments .
3. Click anywhere in the subdocument that you want to lock or unlock.
4. On the Outlining toolbar, click Lock Document .

 Notes 

Microsoft Word locks subdocuments when any of the following cases is true:

• The subdocuments are collapsed.
• The master document is shared by a workgroup, and someone else is currently working on the subdocument.
• Someone who previously worked on the subdocument set file sharing to the read-only (read-only: A setting that allows a file to be read or copied, but not changed or saved. If you change a read-only file, you can save your changes only if you give the document a new name.) option.
• The subdocument is stored on a read-only file share.