MS Word — setting a section break so that it's fixed in one place

Question

I'm creating a letterhead template for a client. I'm using a section break so that I can style the header on the first page so that it's different to the headers on all subsequent pages.

My problem however, is that the section break moves with the text as I type:

I would like it to stay fixed in place... so that, once the first page is full of text, then the text then automatically continues into the second section. At the minute, the section break just moves further and further down the document the more I type.

Otherwise, it means me handing the template to my client and explaining to them that, once the first page is almost full, for them to then move their cursor into the second page / section manually... which of course isn't very user-friendly.

So it would be ideal if I could just fix it in place at the bottom of the second page.

Answer 1

Select the header of your document and in the Header & Footer Tools tab, check Different First Page. This allows you format your first page header how you wish and all subsequent pages to have a different header. This eliminates the need for the section break.

Answer 2

There is no simple way to do this. The section break will always move down the page based on the text above it.

If your client allows Macros, you could create a Macro that would automatically insert a Section Break. Once you create the Macro, you can add it to the Quick Access Toolbar, and all they have to do is click on the button when they get to the bottom of a page.

You might also be able to figure something out using a table with a defined row height, and a section break just below the row. I have found that as long as table borders are not showing, most people don't even notice they are working in them.

However, your client will still have to stop typing at the bottom of the first page and start again on page 2. Plus, it will appear that text that they typed that is too tall for the row has just disappeared, and I am not aware of any way to access that text again, except for deleting text above it until there is enough space in the row to show the "overset" text.