The task pane should appear.

If your document "General Templates" (the document formatted to build a
document - a "doc" file) and your "Global Template" ( a ".dot" file -
hopefully NOT "normal.dot") are PROPERLY LOCATED (in C:\Documents and
Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates ), you can open a
document BASED UPON your General Template by File-New, then clicking General
Templates (under New from template). All General Templates will appear.

When you click the desired document, a "Document n" file will open. This
file is identical to your selected General Template, and it will have the
selected Global Template Attached and Added.

Just click the "X" to close the task pane.

If you do NOT properly locate your "base documents" (my confusion avoiding
term for General Template"), you must find the document, open the document,
save a copy, then add and attach the Global Template. That is significantly
more effort than closing the task pane.

Larry Randall
Certified Word Expert

"Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:

Yes, you can add the FileNewDialog command to a toolbar or menu using Tools
| Customize.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
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"Laura" wrote in message
...
When I want to create a new document, click File, then New Document, it
always opens the task pane window first, then I have to click on the on my
computer tab to get the 'box' to open, which has all my templates. Is
there
a way I can avoid this task pane altogether?