Document Properties
This article explains what document properties are, how you can view or change the properties for a Microsoft Office
document, and how you can create custom properties for a document.
Learn more about the document properties
Document properties, also known as metadata (metadata: Data that describes other data. For example, the words in
a document are data; the word count is an example of metadata), are details about a file that describe or identify it.
Document properties include details such as title, author name, subject, and keywords that identify the document's
topic or contents.
If you specify the relevant values for the document properties fields for your documents, you can easily organize and
identify your documents later. You can also search for documents based on their properties. In Microsoft Office Word
2007, Microsoft Office Excel 2007, and Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007, you can view or edit document properties
easily while you work on your document content by using the Document Information Panel, which displays at the top
of your document in your Office program.
Types of document properties
There are five types of document properties:
Standard properties By default, Microsoft Office documents are associated with a set of standard properties,
such as author, title, and subject. You can specify your own text values for these properties to make it easier to
organize and identify your documents. For example, in Word, you can use the Keywords property to add the
keyword customers to your sales files. You can search for all sales files with that keyword.
Automatically updated properties These properties include both file system properties (for example, file
size or the dates when a file was created or last changed) and statistics that are maintained for you by Office
programs (for example, the number of words or characters in a document). You cannot specify or change the
automatically updated properties.
You can use the automatically updated properties to identify or find documents. For example, you can search
for all files created after August 3, 2005, or for all files that were last changed yesterday.
Custom properties You can define additional custom properties for your Office documents. You can assign a
text, time, or numeric value to custom properties, and you can also assign them the values yes or no. You can
choose from a list of suggested names or define your own.
Properties for your organization If your organization customized the Document Information Panel, the
document properties that are associated with your document may be specific to your organization.
Document library properties These are properties that are associated with documents in a document
library (document library: A folder where a collection of files is shared and the files often use the same
template. Each file in a library is associated with user-defined information that is displayed in the content listing
for that library.) on a Web site or in a public folder. When you create a new document library, you can define
one or more document library properties and set rules on their values. When people add documents to the
document library, they are prompted to specify the values for each of these properties. For example, a
document library that collects product ideas can prompt the person for properties such as Submitted By, Date,
Category, and Description. When you open a document from a document library in Office Word 2007, Office
Excel 2007, or Office PowerPoint 2007, you can edit and update these document library properties in the
Document Information Panel.
View the properties for the current document
Access
1.
Click the Microsoft Office Button
, point to Manage, and then click Database Properties.
2.
In the File name Properties dialog box, click the tabs to select the properties that you want to view.
Excel
Use the Document Information Panel to view or change the document properties.
1.
Click the Microsoft Office Button
, point to Prepare, and then click Properties.
2.
In the Document Information Panel, click the arrow next to Document Properties to select the set of
properties that you want to view (for example, Advanced Properties).
NOTES

You can view custom properties by clicking Advanced Properties.

If your organization customized the Document Information Panel, or if the document for which you want
to view properties is saved to a document library (document library: A folder where a collection of files is
shared and the files often use the same template. Each file in a library is associated with user-defined
information that is displayed in the content listing for that library.) or a document management server,
additional document property views may be available.
PowerPoint
Use the Document Information Panel to view or change the document properties.
1.
Click the Microsoft Office Button
, point to Prepare, and then click Properties.
2.
In the Document Information Panel, click the arrow next to Document Properties to select the set of
properties that you want to view (for example, Advanced Properties).
NOTES

You can view custom properties by clicking Advanced Properties.

If your organization customized the Document Information Panel, or if the document for which you want
to view properties is saved to a document library (document library: A folder where a collection of files is
shared and the files often use the same template. Each file in a library is associated with user-defined
information that is displayed in the content listing for that library) or a document management server,
additional document property views may be available.
Publisher
1.
On the File menu, click Properties.
2.
In the Publication Properties dialog box, click the tabs to select the properties that you want to view.
Word
Use the Document Information Panel to view or change the document properties.
1.
Click the Microsoft Office Button
, point to Prepare, and then click Properties.
2.
In the Document Information Panel, click the arrow next to Document Properties to select the set of
properties that you want to view (for example, Advanced Properties).
NOTES

You can view custom properties by clicking Advanced Properties.

If your organization customized the Document Information Panel, or if the document for which you want
to view properties is saved to a document library (document library: A folder where a collection of files is
shared and the files often use the same template. Each file in a library is associated with user-defined
information that is displayed in the content listing for that library) or a document management server,
additional document property views may be available.
View the document properties when you open or save a file
You can view the document properties for a file in the Open dialog box or Save As dialog box.
1.
In the Open dialog box or Save As dialog box, select the document for which you want to view properties.
2.
Click the arrow next to Views, and then do one of the following:

To view properties such as the size of the file and the date when the file was last changed, click Details.

To view all document properties, click Properties.
Change the properties for the current document
Access
1.
Click the Microsoft Office Button
, point to Manage, and then click Database Properties.
2.
In the File name Properties dialog box, on the Summary tab, type the values for standard properties, such as
Title and Author.
Excel
Use the Document Information Panel to view or change the document properties.
1.
Click the Microsoft Office Button
, point to Prepare, and then click Properties.
2.
In the Document Information Panel, click the arrow next to Document Properties to select the set of
properties that you want to change, for example, Advanced Properties.
NOTE
If your organization customized the Document Information Panel, or if the document for which you want
to change properties is saved to a document library (document library: A folder where a collection of files is
shared and the files often use the same template. Each file in a library is associated with user-defined
information that is displayed in the content listing for that library) or a document management server, additional
document property views may be available.
3.
In the Document Information Panel, type the information that you want in each of the property field boxes.
NOTE
Any property fields that are marked by a red asterisk are required fields, and you may need to complete
them before you can save your document.
PowerPoint
Use the Document Information Panel to view or change the document properties.
1.
Click the Microsoft Office Button
, point to Prepare, and then click Properties.
2.
In the Document Information Panel, click the arrow next to Document Properties to select the set of
properties that you want to change, for example, Advanced Properties.
NOTE
If your organization customized the Document Information Panel, or if the document for which you want
to change properties is saved to a document library (document library: A folder where a collection of files is
shared and the files often use the same template. Each file in a library is associated with user-defined
information that is displayed in the content listing for that library.) or a document management server, additional
document property views may be available.
3.
In the Document Information Panel, type the information that you want in each of the property field boxes.
NOTE
Any property fields that are marked by a red asterisk are required fields, and you may need to complete
them before you can save your document.
Publisher
1.
On the File menu, click Properties.
2.
In the Publication Properties dialog box, on the Summary tab, type the values for standard properties, such
as Title and Author.
Word
Use the Document Information Panel to view or change the document properties.
1.
Click the Microsoft Office Button
, point to Prepare, and then click Properties.
2.
In the Document Information Panel, click the arrow next to Document Properties to select the set of
properties that you want to change, for example, Advanced Properties.
NOTE
If your organization customized the Document Information Panel, or if the document for which you want
to change properties is saved to a document library (document library: A folder where a collection of files is
shared and the files often use the same template. Each file in a library is associated with user-defined
information that is displayed in the content listing for that library.) or a document management server, additional
document property views may be available.
3.
In the Document Information Panel, type the information that you want in each of the property field boxes.
NOTE
Any property fields that are marked by a red asterisk are required fields, and you may need to complete
them before you can save your document.
Create custom properties for a document
Custom properties are properties that you define for an Office document. You can assign a text, time, or numeric
value to custom properties, and you can also assign them the values yes or no. You can choose from a list of
suggested names or define your own.
Access
1.
Click the Microsoft Office Button
, point to Manage, and then click Database Properties.
2.
Click the Custom tab.
3.
In the Name box, type a name for the custom property, or select a name from the list.
4.
In the Type list, select the data type for the property that you want to add.
5.
In the Value box, type a value for the property. The value that you type must match the selection in the Type
list. For example, if you select Number in the Type list, you must type a number in the Value box. Values that
don't match the property type are stored as text.
6.
Click Add.
Excel
1.
Click the Microsoft Office Button
, point to Prepare, and then click Properties.
2.
In the Document Information Panel, click the arrow next to Document Properties, and then click Advanced
Properties.
3.
In the Document Properties dialog box, click the Custom tab.
4.
In the Name box, type a name for the custom property, or select a name from the list.
5.
In the Type list, select the data type for the property that you want to add.
6.
In the Value box, type a value for the property. The value that you type must match the selection in the Type
list. For example, if you select Number in the Type list, you must type a number in the Value box. Values that
don't match the property type are stored as text.
7.
Click Add.
PowerPoint
1.
Click the Microsoft Office Button
, point to Prepare, and then click Properties.
2.
In the Document Information Panel, click the arrow next to Document Properties, and then click Advanced
Properties.
3.
In the Document Properties dialog box, click the Custom tab.
4.
In the Name box, type a name for the custom property, or select a name from the list.
5.
In the Type list, select the data type for the property that you want to add.
6.
In the Value box, type a value for the property. The value that you type must match the selection in the Type
list. For example, if you select Number in the Type list, you must type a number in the Value box. Values that
don't match the property type are stored as text.
7.
Click Add.
Publisher
1.
On the File menu, click Properties.
2.
Click the Custom tab.
3.
In the Name box, type a name for the custom property, or select a name from the list.
4.
In the Type list, select the data type for the property that you want to add.
5.
In the Value box, type a value for the property. The value that you type must match the selection in the Type
list. For example, if you select Number in the Type list, you must type a number in the Value box. Values that
don't match the property type are stored as text.
6.
Click Add.
Word
1.
Click the Microsoft Office Button
, point to Prepare, and then click Properties.
2.
In the Document Information Panel, click the arrow next to Document Properties, and then click Advanced
Properties.
3.
In the Document Properties dialog box, click the Custom tab.
4.
In the Name box, type a name for the custom property, or select a name from the list.
5.
In the Type list, select the data type for the property that you want to add.
6.
In the Value box, type a value for the property. The value that you type must match the selection in the Type
list. For example, if you select Number in the Type list, you must type a number in the Value box. Values that
don't match the property type are stored as text.
7.
Click Add.