It's been a while since I last looked at doing this... has anyone successfully linked custom XML data in MS word documents to PDM variables?

I want to be able to manage approvals, revisions, etc. in PDM by showing the approvals and revisions set by PDM, in the documents themselves.  Using the data controls in MS Word, and connecting them to custom XML data, I can easily setup a template, but I haven't had any success connecting the XML data to PDM variables used on data cards.

Why would this be helpful?

By utilizing custom XML data and connecting it to data controls in MS word, we don't need to depend on specially formatted .docm files with VBA macros embedded in them.  This can save a ton of time and simplify the configuration process immensely.  It won't require any special knowledge of VBA coding.  Another big advantage is that when the data is updated in one place in the document, all other places that show the same data will automatically updated information - without macros or the cumbersome manual RT-click - update field tasks.