If you often work in MS Word, saving the document as a template will probably interest you. Thus, the presence of a template file, with the formatting, fields you installed, fields and other parameters, can largely simplify and speed up the workflow.
The template created in the Word is saved in DOT, DOTX or DOTM formats. The latter allows work with macros.
Lesson: Creating macros in MS Word
What is templates in the Word
Sample - This is a special type of document, when opening it and subsequent change, a copy of the file is created. The source (template) document remains unchanged, as well as its location on the disk.
As an example of how the document template may be and why it is generally needed, a business plan can be brought. Documents of this type are quite often created in Word, therefore, they are also used quite often.
So, instead of creating a document structure every time, choose suitable fonts, design styles, set the fields of fields, you can simply use a template with a standard layout. Agree, this approach to work is much more rational.
Lesson: How to add a new font to the Word
A document saved as a template can be opened and fill out the necessary data, text. At the same time, keeping it in standard DOC and DOCX formats for Word, the source document (created template) will remain unchanged, as mentioned above.
Most templates that you may need to work with documents in Word can be found on the official website (Office.com). In addition, in the program you can create your own templates, as well as modify existing ones.
Note: Some templates are already built into the program, but some of them, although it is displayed in the list, is actually on Office.com. After you click on this template, it will be instantly downloaded from the site and is available for work.
Creating your own template
The easiest way to start creating a template from an empty document, to open which just run Word.
Lesson: How to make a title page in the Word
If you use one of the latest MS Word versions, when you open the program, you will encounter a start page on which one of the available templates can already be selected. Especially pleased that they are all conveniently sorted by thematic categories.
And yet, if you yourself want to create a template, select "New document" . A standard document with default settings installed in it will be opened. These parameters can be both software (specified developers) and you created (if you previously saved certain values as the defaults used).
Using our lessons, make the necessary changes to the document, which will be used as a template.
Word lessons:
How to make formatting
How to change the fields
How to change the intervals
How to change font
How to make a title
How to make automatic content
How to make a footmanship
In addition to the execution of the above actions as the default parameters for the document, which will be used as a template, you can also add a substrate, watermarks or any graphic objects. All you change will add and save in the future will be present in each document created on the basis of your template.
Working lessons with Word:
Insert pattern
Adding a substrate
Changing the background in the document
Creating flowcharts
Insert signs and special characters
After you make the necessary changes, set the default settings in the future template, it must be saved.
1. Press the button "File" (or "MS Office" If you use the Old Word version).
2. Select "Save as".
3. In the drop-down menu "File type" Select the appropriate template type:
- Word template (* .dotx): a regular template compatible with all versions of Word older than 2003;
- Word template with macros support (* .dotm): as it is clear from the name, this type of template supports work with macros;
- Word 97 - 2003 (* .dot) template: compatible with old versions Word 1997 - 2003.
4. Set the file name, specify the path to save it and click "Save".
5. The created and configured file will be saved as a template in the format you specified. Now it can be closed.
Creating a template based on an existing document or standard template
1. Open the MS Word empty document, go to the tab "File" and select "Create".
Note: In the latest versions of the Word when opening an empty document, the user is immediately offered a list of template layouts, on the basis of which you can create a future document. If you want access to all templates, when you open, select "New document" And then follow the steps described in paragraph 1.
2. Select the appropriate template in the section "Available templates".
Note: In the latest versions of Word, you do not need to choose anything, the list of available templates appears immediately after clicking on the button "Create" , directly above the templates is a list of available categories.
3. Enter the necessary changes to the document, using our advice and instructions presented in the previous section of the article (creating your own template).
Note: For different templates of text design, which are available by default and are presented in the tab. "Home" in a group "Styles" may be different and noticeably different from those that you are used to seeing in a standard document.
- Advice: Take advantage of the available styles in order to make your future template really unique, not similar to other documents. Of course, do it only if you do not limit the requirements for the design of the document.
4. After you make the necessary changes to the document, perform all the settings that you consider the desired, save the file. To do this, click on the tab "File" and select "Save as".
5. In the section "File type" Select the appropriate template type.
6. Set the name for the template, specify through "Conductor" ("Overview" ) Path to save it, click "Save".
7. The template you created on the basis of the existing will be saved along with all the changes you entered. Now this file can be closed.
Adding standard blocks to the template
Standard blocks are called multiplely used items contained in the document, as well as those components of the document that are stored in the collection and are available for use at any time. Store standard blocks and distribute them using templates.Thus, using standard blocks, you can create a report template in which the accompanying letters of two or more types will be contained. At the same time, creating a new report based on this template, other users will be able to choose any of the available types.
1. Create, save and close the template you have created with all the requirements. It is in this file that the standard blocks will be added, which will later be available to other users of the template you created.
2. Open the template document to which the standard blocks must be added.
3. Create the necessary standard blocks that will later be available to other users.
Note: When entering information in the dialog box "Creating a new standard block" Enter in line "Save in" The name of the template to which you need to add (this is the file you created, saved and closed according to the first item of this section of the article).
Now you have created a template containing standard blocks can be provided to other users. The blocks saved with it themselves will be available in the specified collections.
Adding content controls to the template
In some situations, it is required to give a template together with all its contents some flexibility. For example, the template may contain the drop-down list created by the author. For any other reasons, this list may not arrange another user who will drive with it.
If the content management elements will be present in such a template, the second user will be able to correct the list for itself, leaving it unchanged in the template itself. To add content management elements to the template, you must enable the tab. "Developer" In MS Word.
1. Open the menu "File" (or "MS Office" In earlier versions of the program).
2. Open the section "Options" and choose a point there "Ribbon Setup".
3. In the section "Basic tabs" Install a tick opposite the item "Developer" . To close the window, click "OK".
4. Tab "Developer" It will appear on the WORD control panel.
Adding content management elements
1. In the tab "Developer" Click on the button "Designer Mode" located in the group "Control elements”.
Insert the necessary controls into the document by selecting them from the group presented in the same name:
- Formatted text;
- Ordinary text;
- Drawing;
- Collection of standard blocks;
- Field with a list;
- Drop-down list;
- Date selection;
- Checkbox;
- Repeating section.
Adding explanatory text to the template
Make a template is more convenient to use using the explanatory text added to the document. If necessary, the standard explanatory text can always be changed in the content management item. To configure explanatory text by default for users who will use the template, you must perform the following steps.
1. Turn on "Designer Mode" (tab "Developer" , group "Controls").
2. Click on the content management item in which you need to add or change the explanatory text.
Note: Explanatory text by default is in small blocks. If "Designer Mode" Disabled, these blocks are not displayed.
3. Change, format the replacement text.
4. Disconnect "Designer Mode" Re-pressing on this button on the control panel.
5. Explanatory text will be saved for the current template.
We will finish this, from this article you have learned about what is templates in Microsoft Word, how to create and modify them, as well as all that you can do with them. This is a really useful feature of the program, in many respects simplifying work with it, especially if there is no one on the documents, but at once several users, not to mention large companies.