Since it appears that your custom tab is only used to attach a different template to a document, what happens if you don't share the custom XML, but only
1. leave it in Normal.dotm or
2. put it in a separate dotm in C:\Users\userid\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Word\STARTUP?
Something like
<customUI xmlns="schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/01/customui" onLoad="RibbonControl.Onload"> <ribbon startFromScratch="false"> <tabs> <tab id="CustomTab" label="Transcription"> <group id="customGroup" label="Templates"> <dropDown id="attachTemplate" label="Attach template" getItemCount="RibbonControl.GetItemCount" getItemLabel="RibbonControl.GetItemLabel" getSelectedItemIndex="RibbonControl.GetSelectedItemIndex" onAction="RibbonControl.AttachTemplate" > </dropDown> </group> </tab> </tabs> </ribbon </customUI>
