Making a word document into a template

To use content controls, you must convert the document to the Word file format by clicking the File tab, clicking Info , clicking Convert , and then clicking OK. Under Customize the Ribbon , click Main Tabs. Insert a text control where users can enter text. Set or change the properties for content controls. To keep several content controls or even a few paragraphs of text together, select the controls or the text, and then click Group in Controls group. Important: Office is no longer supported.

Upgrade to Microsoft to work anywhere from any device and continue to receive support. Upgrade now. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click New.

You can also add instructional text, content controls such as a date picker, and graphics that you want to appear in all new documents that you base on the template. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Open. Click a template that is similar to the one that you want to create, and then click Create New. You can also add instructional text, content controls such as a date picker, and graphics you want to appear in all new documents that you base on the template.

Give the new template a file name, click Word Template in the Save as type box, and then click Save. Note: You can also add content controls to documents. Open the template to which you want to add content controls, and then click where you want to insert a control. On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click the content control that you want to add to your document or template.

For example, you can click Rich Text to insert a rich text control that will appear in any document that is created by using the template. Note: If content controls are not available, you may have opened a document that was created in an earlier version of Word.

To use content controls, you must convert the document to the Word file format by clicking the Microsoft Office Button , clicking Convert , and then clicking OK. After you convert the document, save it. Sometimes it is useful to include placeholder instructions for how to fill out a particular content control that you have added to a template.

The instructions are replaced by content when someone uses the template. If you haven't already added a content control to your document, click where you want the control to appear, and then click a control.

Note: If content controls are not available, you may have opened a document created in an earlier version of Word. If you add a text box content control and you want the placeholder text to disappear when someone types in their own text, in the Controls group, click Properties , and then select the Remove content control when contents are edited check box.

Save and distribute building blocks with a template. Add protection to all of the contents of a template. In the Protect Document task pane, under Editing restrictions , select the Allow only this type of editing in the document check box.

To choose additional restriction options, such as who can read or change the document, click Restrict permission. Restriction options include setting an expiration date for the document and allowing users to copy content. To assign a password to the document so that only reviewers who know the password can remove the protection, type a password in the Enter new password optional box, and then confirm the password.

For example, a business plan is a common document written in Word. Templates are exactly like documents in that you can provide recommended sections or required text for others to use, as well as content controls such as a predefined drop-down list or a special logo. You can find Word templates for most kinds of documents on Microsoft Office Online. If you have an Internet connection, click the Microsoft Office Button , click New , and then click the template category that you want.

Alternatively, you can create your own templates. Click your template, and click Open. Make the changes you want, then save and close the template. Add content controls to a template Make your templates flexible by adding and configuring content controls, such as rich text controls, pictures, drop-down lists, or date pickers. A template is a document type that creates a copy of itself when you open it.

Start with a blank template Click the File tab, and then click New. Click Blank document , and then click Create.

Click the File tab, and then click Save As. Create a template based on an existing template or document. Click the File tab, and then click New. Under Available templates , click New from existing. Open the template. Keep open the template to which you want to add building block options for template users. Create the building blocks that you want to provide to your template users. Distribute the template. Add protection to parts of a template Open the template that you want to add protection to.

Select the content controls to which you want to restrict changes. To move your templates quickly, use the Fix it tool. In the Save As box, type the name that you want to use for the new template. Optional In the Where box, choose a location where the template will be saved. Next to File Format , click Microsoft Word template. To change where Word automatically saves your templates, on the Word menu, click Preferences , and then under Personal Settings , click File Locations.

Under File Locations , select User templates from the list, and then click Modify. Type the new folder and path you want to use, and Word will save any new templates in that folder. You can customize an existing template to make it even more useful. Add static information to the existing template, and then save the file again as a template.

Click a template that is similar to the one you want to create, and then click Create. Note: If you can't find a template, you can search for it based on keywords in the Search All Templates box. Add, delete, or change any text, graphics, or formatting, and make any other changes that you want to appear in all new documents that you base on the template. To start a new document based on your template, on the File menu, click New from Template , and then select the template you want to use.

Open a blank presentation, and then on the View tab, click Slide Master. The slide master is the largest slide image at the top of the slide thumbnail list. Associated layouts are positioned beneath it. To make changes to the slide master or layouts, on the Slide Master tab, do any of these:. To add a colorful theme with special fonts, and effects, click Themes , and pick a theme. To add a placeholder for text, picture, chart, and other objects, in the thumbnail pane, click the slide layout that you want to hold the placeholder.

From Insert Placeholder , pick the type of placeholder you want to add, and drag to draw the placeholder size. Add, delete, or change any text, graphics, or formatting, and make any other changes that you want to appear in all new presentations that you base on the template.

To start a new presentation based on a template, on the File menu, click New from Template , and then select the template you want to use. Next to File Format , click Excel Template. Add, delete, or change any content, graphics, or formatting, and make any other changes that you want to appear in all new workbooks that you base on the template.

To start a new workbook based on a template, on the File menu, click New from Template , and then select the template you want to use. Differences between templates, themes, and Word styles. On the Format pop-up menu, click Word Template. In the Save As box, type the name that you want to use for the new template, and then click Save.

On the Standard toolbar, click New from template. Note: If you can't find a template, you can search for it based on keywords in the Search box. Click a template that is similar to the one that you want to create, and then click Choose. In the end, Word templates are functionally much like regular Word documents. The big difference lies in how Word handles those files, making it easy for you to create new documents based on them.

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