There are three elements to templates in Microsoft Word:

• Document settings and layout
• Easier interface
• Template tools – adding capability or making frequent tasks easier.

The first is to set up the characteristics of a new document when opened from a template. The second is to add additional functionality to speed up certain tasks or to introduce more complex capability.

Document settings and layout

In a basic template we would set up all the elements of the document including:

• margins
• paragraph styles: Normal text style covering font, font size and colour, leading /line spacing, space between paragraphs. Heading styles (typically three or four levels) need to be set up in the same way as do styles for bulleted and numbered list
• default table style
• header and footer style
• page numbers
• positioning logo

Easier Interface

This is an example of a typical client tab we add to the ribbon giving access to the tools we have developed. The tab looks the same in either 2010 or 2007.Select and launch template

1. Standard Microsoft functions that clients frequently use
2. Re-open initial dialog box in order to update document details
3. Main styling buttons for Normal through to heading styles and bulleted and numbered lists
4. Table formatting tools
5. Tools such as insert landscape page

Template Tools

The tools that we add to Microsoft Word are wide ranging and are driven by the particular needs of each client.

Examples include:

• adding a landscape page to a portrait document
• print to letterhead – temporarily removes the graphics whcih are on a client’s pre-printed letterhead
• insert formatted tables in client style
• add images to pre-defined locations and dimensions
• one click to add charts and format charts from Excel

Adding functionality to templates

We do this using writing macros written in VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) and Visual Studio. Typical functions added to Microsoft Word  might be insert a landscape page in a portrait document; insert an image at a predefined size and position; print to letterhead or print to plain paper.

Our templates not only improve the presentation they also make it very easy for users to access the relevant capability of Microsoft Word. At the follow link we have a short video of a Word Template in use plus a series of illustrations below.

Forms

Sometimes you need to create a Microsoft Word document that needs to be filled in by another user for example a job application form.

You can layout the document in the preferred style and then use ‘fill-in fields’ to help users complete the forms. There is an option to protect the document so that only the text in the fill-in fields can be changed.

Using a new template

Types of templates

We have developed a wide range of different types of templates including:

• Correspondence templates including letter, fax, memo, attendance note, telephone note etc
• Invoice
• Reports including legal numbering
• Bid / Tender / Proposal / RFP
• Portfolio
• Newsletters
• Fact sheets
• Certificates
• Application forms
• Posters
• Labels – including envelope and CD
• Plus many other bespoke solutions.

Typical Benefits