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Create a custom template
Dan Holme
October 30, 2007
1 Min Read
You should create as many custom templates as possible--representing each type of project you do.
Choose File → New and select a template that is as close as possible to the type of template you want to create. Click OK.
Before doing any customization, choose File ? Save As.
Select from the Save as type drop-down list: Document Template (*.dot).
To create an Excel template, select Template (*.xlt).
To create a PowerPoint template, choose Design Template (*.pot).
Choosing to save as a template causes the Save As dialog box to move automatically to your user templates folder. This folder is likely to be in a location very different than your documents.
Type a filename and click Save.
Customize the template to your wishes. Consider the following possibilities.
Enter the content that you want have already entered when you start a document of this type.
Set the default margins (File ? Page Setup).
Set the default font (Format ? Font).
Configure headers and footers.
Configure the default document properties (File ? Properties).
Create styles. See content elsewhere regarding styles.
Create AutoText (use the Insert ? AutoText ? AutoText command to ensure that the AutoText you create is being saved in this specific template, rather than the Normal template).
Create macros (advanced).
Create keyboard shortcuts or toolbars specific to this template (advanced).
Save the template.
Close the template.
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