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How to manage multiple related documents in Word

AuthorAmanda LiLast modified

If you work on projects, clients, or reports in Microsoft Word, you likely keep a set of related documents that you revisit again and again. While Word makes it easy to open files, it doesn’t provide a true built-in “document group manager” where you can create named groups and maintain them over time.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn practical ways to manage multiple related Word documents. We’ll show how Kutools for Word lets you organize documents into reusable groups directly inside Word, and then cover a simple native workaround using File Explorer for basic document management.

Manage document groups inside Word with Kutools

If you want true “document group management” inside Word—where groups behave like folders in Word and can be reused anytime—Kutools for Word provides a dedicated feature for this: Organize Document Group.

With Kutools, you can create named groups, add or remove documents from a group, and keep your project sets available directly from the Word ribbon.

Kutools for Word

Kutools for Word helps you handle everyday document tasks faster with practical tools built right into Microsoft Word—no coding, no complex setup.

  • AI writing, polishing, translation, and summarization
  • Batch find and replace across documents
  • Merge and split Word documents easily
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Step 1: Create a document group

  1. Open Word, then click Kutools Plus > Favorites > Organize Document Group.
    Favorites menu on the Word ribbon
  2. In the Organize Document Group dialog, click New.
  3. In the Favorites dialog that appears, enter a name for the new group, then click OK.
    Create a new group using Kutools

Step 2: Add documents to the group

  1. Click Kutools Plus > Favorites, then expand your group from the menu.
  2. Click Add Files to this Group to browse your computer and select documents to add to the group.
    Add Files to this Group option in the Kutools Favorites menu on the Word ribbon

    Note:

    You can also add the current document by selecting Add to this Group, or add all currently opened documents by choosing Add All to this Group.

Step 3: Manage and maintain document groups

After creating document groups and adding files, you can keep them up to date by moving documents between groups, renaming groups or documents, and removing items you no longer need. All of these actions are performed in the Organize Document Group dialog.

Want a faster way to handle similar tasks in Word? Try Kutools for Word and simplify your daily work.

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Move documents between different groups

  1. Click Kutools Plus > Favorites > Organize Document Group.
  2. In the Organize Document Group dialog, select the document you want to move, right-click it, and choose Cut.
    Cutting a document from a document group in the Organize Document Group dialog
  3. Select the destination group, right-click it, and choose Paste.
    Pasting a document into another document group in the Organize Document Group dialog

Note:

You can also copy a document to another group if you want the same document to appear in multiple groups.

Rename document groups and documents

  1. Click Kutools Plus > Favorites > Organize Document Group.
  2. In the Organize Document Group dialog, select the group or document you want to rename.
  3. Click Rename.
  4. Enter a new name and press Enter.
    Renaming a document in the Organize Document Group dialog

Notes:

  • This action only changes the name shown in the group list; it does not rename the actual file on your computer.
  • You can also right-click a document or group and choose Rename from the context menu.

Delete document groups and documents

You can remove documents or entire groups from the list at any time without deleting the original files on your computer.

  1. Click Kutools Plus > Favorites > Organize Document Group.
  2. In the Organize Document Group dialog, select the document or group you want to remove.
  3. Click the Delete button in the right panel.
    Deleting a document in the Organize Document Group dialog

Note:

Deleting a document or group here only removes it from the group list. The original document file remains unchanged on your computer.

Pros

  • Create reusable document groups inside Word
  • Quickly add/remove documents as the project changes
  • Groups can include documents from different folders/locations
  • Open all documents in a group with one click, ideal for users who regularly edit the same document set

Cons

  • Requires installing Kutools for Word
  • If files are moved or renamed, saved paths may need updating

Want a faster way to handle similar tasks in Word? Try Kutools for Word and simplify your daily work.

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Workaround: Manage related documents using File Explorer

If you prefer not to use add-ins, the most practical native workaround is to manage related documents as a folder-based set in File Explorer. In this case, the folder itself acts as the “group.”

  1. Create a dedicated folder for each project or task.
  2. Move all related Word documents into that folder.
  3. Use subfolders or clear naming conventions to keep documents organized.

Pros

  • Fully native solution with no add-ins required
  • Easy to share or move an entire project as a single folder

Cons

  • No document group management inside Word
  • No named groups or one-click group actions
  • Less flexible if related files are stored in different locations
  • If a document is copied to another folder, changes made to one copy do not affect the other

Conclusion

Managing multiple related documents is a common task for Word users, but Word itself does not offer a native way to create and manage document groups directly inside the application. Using File Explorer as a workaround can help organize files at the folder level, but it lacks flexibility and in-Word group actions.

If you regularly work with the same set of documents and want a more efficient, Word-centered solution, Kutools for Word provides a clear advantage. With its Organize Document Group feature, you can create reusable groups, manage documents easily, and open all files in a group with one click—making it especially suitable for users who frequently edit the same document sets.

By choosing the approach that best fits your workflow—whether a simple folder-based workaround or a dedicated document grouping tool—you can significantly improve how you manage and work with related Word documents.

I hope you found this tutorial helpful. If you’d like to explore more Word tips and practical solutions, please click here to browse our full collection of Word tutorials.