Error message when creating a Microsoft Word DOCX target file in SDL Trados Studio: The 'w:root' start tag on line X position X does not match the end tag of 'w:p'

SDL Trados Studio fails to create a target version of a Microsoft Word document and shows the following error message:


 

Failed to save target content: The 'w:root' start tag on line X position X does not match the end tag of 'w:p'. Line X position X.

NOTE: The X in the error message is a placeholder for numbers.

 

Workaround 1: Recreate Table Of Content

Note: This workaround is for user using SDL Trados Studio 2014. If SDL Trados Studio 2015 is in use, see Workaround 2.

1. Create a copy of your Microsoft Word source document.
2. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
3. Remove the Table of content (TOC).
4. Save the changes.
5. Open the document in Studio and translate (or pretranslate) it with the Translation Memory used before.
6. Create a target version of the translated document.
7. Open the target document in Microsoft Word and recreate the Table of Contents.

 

Workaround 2: Use Microsoft Word 2007-2016 File Type

In Studio 2015 and later: Use the new Microsoft Word 2007-2016 file type instead of Microsoft Word 2007-2013, as this new file type is the preferred filter for Word documents containing.

1. Open Studio 2015.
2. Navigate to: File > Options > File Types.
3. Unselect Microsoft Word 2007-2013 and select Microsoft Word 2007-2016.
4. Reimport/reopen the source Word *.docx document into SDL Trados Studio for translation.

 

Workaround 3

In some cases it may help to save the Microsoft Word *.docx document in *.doc format and translate it in SDL Trados Studio. As SDL focuses on solving issues in the *.docx filter and not in the *.doc file type filter, only consider this workaround if you cannot apply successfully Workaround 1.

This issue is caused by an invalid Table of content (TOC) in the Microsoft Word document. However, Studio is able to create a target version even when dealing with TOCs that were not created properly.