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#1
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Word Templates- When to Use?
Hi
I have been using word for some time now, one area that i am not quite clear about is when to use a template. I have used pre-designed templates to give a particular look to my documents which i have found very useful. what i am not too sure about is when it is more appropriate to save a document as a 'template' rather than a 'document' file. as i understand is that you would save a document as a template in a situation where you frequently use a particular kind of document like a newsletter or report where you can include company information and boilertext . However,what I normally do when writing a document that intend to use frequently,is to save it as a 'document' file making any ammendments when i need to re-use it and then re-saving it again as new document file. are there disadvantages to this would saving as a template be a better idea? I am probably missing the point here, would really appreciate some clarification please |
#2
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Hi Shaun,
See http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customizat...platePart1.htm for some background. Certainly one of the functions of a template is to provide boilerplate text, but it's also a container for many other things, including page layouts, styles, AutoText entries, macros, keyboard shortcuts, and custom toolbars. Saving an existing document as a template gives you only the boilereplate, and maybe some customized styles. To take good advantage of the power of templates, you should learn about the other items and tweak your templates to suit your working style. The mechanics of that are discussed in the Part 2 article linked at the bottom of Part 1. Many people get along for years just revising and resaving documents as you described. The one huge drawback of that method is that if you forget what you're doing and use Save instead of Save As, you'll wipe out the "template" document and replace it with the new one. If that happens to you, remember that you can use Undo to restore the original and use Save As on that -- as long as you haven't closed the document. Using templates and File New instead means you don't have to worry about wiping out a template inadvertently. -- Regards, Jay Freedman Microsoft Word MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org Shaun wrote: Hi I have been using word for some time now, one area that i am not quite clear about is when to use a template. I have used pre-designed templates to give a particular look to my documents which i have found very useful. what i am not too sure about is when it is more appropriate to save a document as a 'template' rather than a 'document' file. as i understand is that you would save a document as a template in a situation where you frequently use a particular kind of document like a newsletter or report where you can include company information and boilertext . However,what I normally do when writing a document that intend to use frequently,is to save it as a 'document' file making any ammendments when i need to re-use it and then re-saving it again as new document file. are there disadvantages to this would saving as a template be a better idea? I am probably missing the point here, would really appreciate some clarification please |
#3
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Hi Shaun-
No right or wrong, but the way you're doing it makes it too easy to accidentally save changes to the original rather than as a new file. For many docs that may not be a problem, but for many others it can because of date stamping as well as content integrity. With a template, each new file is "based on" it, but the template does not open for editing. When you save it is exacly like saving any new doc for the first time - you are prompted to name the doc & save it where you want it. If you need to revise the template, you can navigate to the Templates folder and open the original template, and make any changes you want. Each new doc from then on will be based on the latest version of your template. Templates are also excellent for Forms and for document automation. Hope this is useful |:) "Shaun" wrote: Hi I have been using word for some time now, one area that i am not quite clear about is when to use a template. I have used pre-designed templates to give a particular look to my documents which i have found very useful. what i am not too sure about is when it is more appropriate to save a document as a 'template' rather than a 'document' file. as i understand is that you would save a document as a template in a situation where you frequently use a particular kind of document like a newsletter or report where you can include company information and boilertext . However,what I normally do when writing a document that intend to use frequently,is to save it as a 'document' file making any ammendments when i need to re-use it and then re-saving it again as new document file. are there disadvantages to this would saving as a template be a better idea? I am probably missing the point here, would really appreciate some clarification please |
#4
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See http://addbalance.com/usersguide/templates.htm.
You use a template when you want a new document that is different. Letterhead Report form form letter You open a document if you have new information to add to the document. Opening a document and using Save-As to save to a new name usually indicates that your document should be a template. Templates hold AutoText, macros, keyboard shortcuts and other customizations. -- Charles Kenyon Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome! --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn from my ignorance and your wisdom. "Shaun" wrote in message ... Hi I have been using word for some time now, one area that i am not quite clear about is when to use a template. I have used pre-designed templates to give a particular look to my documents which i have found very useful. what i am not too sure about is when it is more appropriate to save a document as a 'template' rather than a 'document' file. as i understand is that you would save a document as a template in a situation where you frequently use a particular kind of document like a newsletter or report where you can include company information and boilertext . However,what I normally do when writing a document that intend to use frequently,is to save it as a 'document' file making any ammendments when i need to re-use it and then re-saving it again as new document file. are there disadvantages to this would saving as a template be a better idea? I am probably missing the point here, would really appreciate some clarification please |
#5
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FWIW, Word 2002 and 2003 make it a bit safer to use documents as templates.
In the New Document task pane, you can choose "From existing document..." This allows you to choose the document to use as a "template," but instead of opening the document itself, Word opens a copy, named Documentx, which has to be named before you can save it. -- Suzanne S. Barnhill Microsoft MVP (Word) Words into Type Fairhope, Alabama USA Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so all may benefit. "CyberTaz" wrote in message ... Hi Shaun- No right or wrong, but the way you're doing it makes it too easy to accidentally save changes to the original rather than as a new file. For many docs that may not be a problem, but for many others it can because of date stamping as well as content integrity. With a template, each new file is "based on" it, but the template does not open for editing. When you save it is exacly like saving any new doc for the first time - you are prompted to name the doc & save it where you want it. If you need to revise the template, you can navigate to the Templates folder and open the original template, and make any changes you want. Each new doc from then on will be based on the latest version of your template. Templates are also excellent for Forms and for document automation. Hope this is useful |:) "Shaun" wrote: Hi I have been using word for some time now, one area that i am not quite clear about is when to use a template. I have used pre-designed templates to give a particular look to my documents which i have found very useful. what i am not too sure about is when it is more appropriate to save a document as a 'template' rather than a 'document' file. as i understand is that you would save a document as a template in a situation where you frequently use a particular kind of document like a newsletter or report where you can include company information and boilertext . However,what I normally do when writing a document that intend to use frequently,is to save it as a 'document' file making any ammendments when i need to re-use it and then re-saving it again as new document file. are there disadvantages to this would saving as a template be a better idea? I am probably missing the point here, would really appreciate some clarification please |
#6
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Older versions would do this, too, but only if you store the document in a
templates folder. It then shows up on the File New dialog box as a potential source. -- Charles Kenyon Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide See also the MVP FAQ: http://www.mvps.org/word which is awesome! --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn from my ignorance and your wisdom. "Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote in message ... FWIW, Word 2002 and 2003 make it a bit safer to use documents as templates. In the New Document task pane, you can choose "From existing document..." This allows you to choose the document to use as a "template," but instead of opening the document itself, Word opens a copy, named Documentx, which has to be named before you can save it. -- Suzanne S. Barnhill Microsoft MVP (Word) Words into Type Fairhope, Alabama USA Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so all may benefit. "CyberTaz" wrote in message ... Hi Shaun- No right or wrong, but the way you're doing it makes it too easy to accidentally save changes to the original rather than as a new file. For many docs that may not be a problem, but for many others it can because of date stamping as well as content integrity. With a template, each new file is "based on" it, but the template does not open for editing. When you save it is exacly like saving any new doc for the first time - you are prompted to name the doc & save it where you want it. If you need to revise the template, you can navigate to the Templates folder and open the original template, and make any changes you want. Each new doc from then on will be based on the latest version of your template. Templates are also excellent for Forms and for document automation. Hope this is useful |:) "Shaun" wrote: Hi I have been using word for some time now, one area that i am not quite clear about is when to use a template. I have used pre-designed templates to give a particular look to my documents which i have found very useful. what i am not too sure about is when it is more appropriate to save a document as a 'template' rather than a 'document' file. as i understand is that you would save a document as a template in a situation where you frequently use a particular kind of document like a newsletter or report where you can include company information and boilertext . However,what I normally do when writing a document that intend to use frequently,is to save it as a 'document' file making any ammendments when i need to re-use it and then re-saving it again as new document file. are there disadvantages to this would saving as a template be a better idea? I am probably missing the point here, would really appreciate some clarification please |
#7
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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Word Templates- When to Use?
Cyber taz, you seem like you could help me..... I am tryin to save some
forms as templates, and cant figure it out. every week I have to fill out these forms. I want them to save so every week I can open my template and type the new info in....... does that make sence? I saved it as a .doc i dont know what I am doing, but I know what I want to do....... "CyberTaz" wrote: Hi Shaun- No right or wrong, but the way you're doing it makes it too easy to accidentally save changes to the original rather than as a new file. For many docs that may not be a problem, but for many others it can because of date stamping as well as content integrity. With a template, each new file is "based on" it, but the template does not open for editing. When you save it is exacly like saving any new doc for the first time - you are prompted to name the doc & save it where you want it. If you need to revise the template, you can navigate to the Templates folder and open the original template, and make any changes you want. Each new doc from then on will be based on the latest version of your template. Templates are also excellent for Forms and for document automation. Hope this is useful |:) "Shaun" wrote: Hi I have been using word for some time now, one area that i am not quite clear about is when to use a template. I have used pre-designed templates to give a particular look to my documents which i have found very useful. what i am not too sure about is when it is more appropriate to save a document as a 'template' rather than a 'document' file. as i understand is that you would save a document as a template in a situation where you frequently use a particular kind of document like a newsletter or report where you can include company information and boilertext . However,what I normally do when writing a document that intend to use frequently,is to save it as a 'document' file making any ammendments when i need to re-use it and then re-saving it again as new document file. are there disadvantages to this would saving as a template be a better idea? I am probably missing the point here, would really appreciate some clarification please |
#8
Posted to microsoft.public.word.docmanagement
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Word Templates- When to Use?
File Save As...
File Type: Microsoft Word Template What you are talking about is what Word calls an "online form." Check this in help. For more about online forms, follow the links at http://addbalance.com/word/wordwebresources.htm#Forms or http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customizat...nTheBlanks.htm especially Dian Chapman's series of articles. You may also want to look at http://www.word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFl...nesInForms.htm. Hope this helps, -- Charles Kenyon Word New User FAQ & Web Directory: http://addbalance.com/word Intermediate User's Guide to Microsoft Word (supplemented version of Microsoft's Legal Users' Guide) http://addbalance.com/usersguide See also the MVP FAQ: http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/ which is awesome! --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- This message is posted to a newsgroup. Please post replies and questions to the newsgroup so that others can learn from my ignorance and your wisdom. "amy c" wrote in message ... Cyber taz, you seem like you could help me..... I am tryin to save some forms as templates, and cant figure it out. every week I have to fill out these forms. I want them to save so every week I can open my template and type the new info in....... does that make sence? I saved it as a .doc i dont know what I am doing, but I know what I want to do....... "CyberTaz" wrote: Hi Shaun- No right or wrong, but the way you're doing it makes it too easy to accidentally save changes to the original rather than as a new file. For many docs that may not be a problem, but for many others it can because of date stamping as well as content integrity. With a template, each new file is "based on" it, but the template does not open for editing. When you save it is exacly like saving any new doc for the first time - you are prompted to name the doc & save it where you want it. If you need to revise the template, you can navigate to the Templates folder and open the original template, and make any changes you want. Each new doc from then on will be based on the latest version of your template. Templates are also excellent for Forms and for document automation. Hope this is useful |:) "Shaun" wrote: Hi I have been using word for some time now, one area that i am not quite clear about is when to use a template. I have used pre-designed templates to give a particular look to my documents which i have found very useful. what i am not too sure about is when it is more appropriate to save a document as a 'template' rather than a 'document' file. as i understand is that you would save a document as a template in a situation where you frequently use a particular kind of document like a newsletter or report where you can include company information and boilertext . However,what I normally do when writing a document that intend to use frequently,is to save it as a 'document' file making any ammendments when i need to re-use it and then re-saving it again as new document file. are there disadvantages to this would saving as a template be a better idea? I am probably missing the point here, would really appreciate some clarification please |
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