Microsoft Office Word 2003: Templates

Introduction:
Making specific kinds of documents using Microsoft Word can be made a lot easier by using templates. Templates take you step-by-step through the creation process of making a specific kind of document using pre-made layouts. This guide will introduce you to this helpful feature and some of the more useful templates available in Word.

Starting a New Document:
The only way you can start a new document from a template is by going to the menu bar, and clicking on “File” >> “New.”

Clicking on the "New Blank Document" icon button located on the standard toolbar or using the "Ctrl+N" keyboard shortcut will not bring up the menu for templates. These methods will simply begin a new blank document without giving you any options. It's important to remember that the only way start a new document by working through a template is to begin a new document from “File” >> “New” on the menu bar.

The “New Document” panel will appear on the right side of the Word window.  Underneath the section named “Templates,” click “On my computer…”

The “Templates” window will appear, and ask for your selection.  There are a wide variety of templates to choose from, especially in the “Letters and Faxes” tab.  Use the tabs to cycle through the different categories of templates available to you.

Some of the more common templates have previews available. If you would like to see a preview of the layout of the template, click on one of the template names/icons under the tab menus, and look for the preview image on the right side of the window under the "Preview" section. When you find a template you like, select the template, and then click on the "OK" button.

Installing Templates
Some templates may not be currently installed on your computer. In these cases, Word will prompt to insert the installation disk. If you do not have this disk, then you will not be able to use that template. However, you can also visit the Microsoft Template Gallery to download and install new templates.

Using the Template Wizard:
When you decide on a template to use to make a document, you will then be taken step-by-step through the template wizard. The template wizard goes through each step of the document creation process, and will ask you to input certain information along the way. You navigate through the template wizard by inputting the necessary information at each step, and then click on the "Next" button to proceed to the next step. Once you are done going through the template wizard, press the "Finish" button. Then you can go into the finished document based on the template, and edit the document as you see fit.
Note: Not all of the templates offer wizards for going through the step-by-step creation process. Rather, the template loads up a specific layout into Word, and you can edit the template directly.