When we first start, a word document is opened. It is like a blank piece of paper that already has predefined settings. These settings, called default settings are generally the most commonly used settings and are stored as a document template. A template is a document file that includes predefined settings that can be used as a pattern to create many common types of documents. Every word document is based on a document template. The default document settings are stored in the normal document template. Whenever we create a new document using this template, the same default settings are used. The normal document template is referred to as a global template because it contains settings that are available to all documents.
Word also includes many other templates that are designed to help we create professional-looking documents. They include templates that create different styles of memos, letters and reports. Unlike templates, the settings included in these specialized templates are available only to documents based on tat template. We can also design and save our own document templates.
Create a document template
MS-WORD gives facilities to create templates. This process is explained as
- Do one of the following
- To base a new template on an existing document, click Open on the File menu, and then open the document we want.
- To base a new template on an existing template, click New on the File menu. Click a template similar to the one we want to create, click Template under Create New, and then click OK.
- On the File menu, click Save As.
- In the Save as type box, click Document Template. This file type will already be selected if we are saving a file that we created as a template.
- The default folder is the Templates folder in the Save in box. To save the template so that it will appear on a tab other than General, switch to the corresponding subfolder within the Templates folder.
- In the File name box, type a name for the new template, and then click Save.
- In the new template, add the text and graphics we want to appear in all new documents that we base on the template, and delete any items we don’t want to appear.
- Make the changes we want to the margin settings, page size and orientation, styles, and other formats.
- Click Save, and then click Close on the File menu.