What Is a Master File?
A master file shows the links for individual Word files. The content of these subdocuments isn’t in the master document, only the links to them are. This means that editing the subdocuments is easy because you can do it on an individual basis without disrupting the other documents. Plus, edits made to separate documents will automatically be updated in the master document. Even if more than one person is working on the document, you can send various parts of it to various people through the master document.
How to Create a Master Document
Follow this procedure to create a new master document:
Tips for Master Documents
Use a master document to provide some sort of structural framework for the final product — common headers and a table of contents, for example. The subdocuments generally retain their original formatting unless you override it in the master document. The best use case for master documents is probably book publishing. Instead of one large 1,000-page file with your massive space opera, write each chapter or part in a separate file and condense them into a single file using a master document.
