MS-Word / General Formatting

Creating and Managing Templates

Every document you create is founded upon a template. When you double click the Blank Template icon in the New Document dialog box or press Ctrl+N, you create a document founded on the Normal template. And if you create a document with a template from Microsoft Office Online or a template from the New dialog box, you create a complex document with many different styles.

Each template comes with its own styles. Suppose that you create a complex document and you want to be able to use its styles in other documents. To be able to do that, you can create a template from your document. For that matter, you can create a template from scratch by assembling styles from other templates and documents.

Creating a new template

Here are the ways to create a new template:

Creating a template from scratch:
Create a new document, click the Office button, and choose Save As?Word Template. You see the Save As dialog box. Click the Trusted Templates button, enter a name for your template, and click the Save button.

Creating a template from a document:
Open your document and follow the preceding instructions for creating a template from scratch. Your new template will have all the styles found in the document.

Assembling styles from other templates:
Create a new template by following the preceding instructions and then copy styles to your new template. To choose a template from which to copy styles, click the Close File button on the left side of the Organizer dialog box, click the Open File button, select the template in the Open dialog box, and click the Open button.

Where templates are stored depends on which version of Windows your computer runs under:

Windows Vista:
C:\Users\Username\AppData\ Roaming\Microsoft\Templates folder

Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\Username\ Application Data\Microsoft\Templates folder

Windows NT, 95, 98, 2000, and ME:
C:\Windows\Profiles\ Application Data\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\ Templates folder, or the C:\Windows\Profiles\Application Data\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates folder

To get into the Application Data folder where templates are stored, it may be necessary to display hidden folders on your computer. Click the Start button and choose Control Panel. Then double-click the Folder Options icon (you may have to click the Switch to Classic View link first), select the View tab in the Folder Options dialog box, and click the Show Hidden Files and Folders option button.

To create a document from a template you created yourself, open the New Document dialog box and double-click the My Templates icon. You see the name of the template you created on the My Templates tab of the New dialog box. Select your template and click OK.

Deleting and renaming styles in templates

Suppose that you need to delete styles or rename styles in a template. Follow these steps:

  1. In the Styles window, click the Manage Styles button. You see the Manage Styles dialog box.
  2. Click the Import/Export button to open the Organizer dialog box and then click the Close File button on the right side of the dialog box.
  3. Click the Open File button, and in the Open dialog box, select the template that needs modifying; then click the Open button.
    The names of styles in the template appear in the right side of the dialog box.
  4. Select the item you want to rename or delete. Follow these steps to rename or delete the item:

    Rename an item:
    Click the Rename button, enter a new name in the Rename dialog box, and click OK.

    Delete an item:
    Click the Delete button and then click Yes in the dialog box.

Copying styles from different documents and templates

Suppose that you like a style in one document and you want to copy it to another so that you can use it there. How you make the copy depends on whether you want to copy the style into a document or into a template. By copying it into a template, you make the style part of the template, and the style is available for all documents that are created with that template. However, if you need the style solely for a particular document, you may as well copy it into the document. Doing that is easy enough.

Copying a style from one document to another

Copy a style from one document to another when you need the style on a one-time basis. Follow these steps:

  1. Select a paragraph that was assigned the style you want to copy.
    Be sure to select the entire paragraph. If you want to copy a character style, select text to which you have assigned the character style.
  2. Choose Edit> Copy or press Ctrl+C to copy the paragraph to the Clipboard.
  3. Switch to the document you want to copy the style to and choose Edit> Paste or press Ctrl+V.
  4. Delete the text
    The style remains in the Styles window, Styles gallery, and Apply Styles task pane even though the text is deleted. You can call upon the style whenever you need it.

Copying styles between templates

Use the Organizer to copy styles into other templates. By making the style a part of a template, you can call upon the style in other documents. You can call upon it in each document you create or created with the template. Follow these steps to copy a style into a template:

  1. In the Styles window, click the Manage Styles button. The Manage Styles dialog box appears.
  2. Click the Import/Export button.
    The Organizer dialog box appears. Styles in the document that you opened appear in the In Document list box on the left side of the dialog box.
  3. Click the Close File button on the right side of the dialog box. The button changes names and becomes the Open File button.
  4. Click the Open File button, and in the Open dialog box, find and select the template to which you want to copy styles; then click the Open button.
    Where the templates are stored depends on which version of Windows you are working in:
    Windows Vista:
    C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates folder

    Windows XP:
    C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates folder

    Windows NT, 95, 98, 2000, and ME:
    C:\Windows\Profiles\Application Data\Username\Application Data\ Microsoft\Templates folder, or the C:\Windows\Profiles\ Application Data\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates folder
    The names of styles in the template you chose appear on the right side of the Organizer dialog box.

  5. In the Organizer dialog box, Ctrl+click the names of styles on the left side of the dialog box that you want to copy to the template listed on the right side of the dialog box.
    When you click the names, they become highlighted.

  6. Click the Copy button.
    The names of styles that you copied appear on the right side of the Organizer dialog box.

  7. Click the Close button and click Yes when Word asks whether you want to save the new styles in the template.
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In this tutorial:

  1. Word Styles
  2. What is Styles and How Its Work?
  3. Applying a Style to Text and Paragraphs
  4. Creating a New Style
  5. Modifying a Style
  6. Creating and Managing Templates