A template is a predesigned page layout that you can use to create new documents with the
same formatting.
Templates make it easy for you to create documents because the big design decisions such as page
layout, fonts, and margins have been made.
To open an existing template, click the Microsoft Office Button, and select New.
The New Document dialog box appears.
Here you can select Blank document to create a document from scratch, or you can look at
templates.
Templates are available in two locations - installed on your computer or through the Microsoft
Office website.
There are many templates installed with your version of Word and hundreds more available
online.
Let's take a quick look at the online templates.
To access those, all I need to do is click any of the categories under the Microsoft
Office Online heading.
As you can see, there are many types of templates.
We have brochures, calendars, flyers and more.
To look at any category, simply left-click it.
Word uses your browser to connect to Microsoft Office online and displays the templates that
are available there.
Once you find one that you like click Download and follow the instructions that appear.
To use a template that is already installed on your computer, left-click Installed Templates
and the templates appear in the window.
I want to work on my resume, so let's look for a resume template that we like.
I like this one.
To select it, simply left-click the template and click Create.
The template opens in the Word window.
Now I'm ready to get to work.
Templates come prefilled with placeholder text that is surrounded by brackets.
Often, this placeholder text gives us information about what content should be included in a
certain area.
For example, it shows me here that I should include my phone number and address.
Word also prefills some information.
We can see that Word has prefilled my name in this area.
How does Word know what information to place there?
This is based on information stored in Word when your computer is initially set up.
If the information there is not correct, you can simply replace the text, or you can change
it so that it will appear correctly in additional templates you use.
To change this information, click the Microsoft Office Button and click Word Options.
In the dialog box that appears, make sure the Popular section is highlighted.
Change the user name.
I'm going to change the first letter in my first name to a capital J and the first letter
in my last name to a capital D. Then, I can simply click OK.
I'm ready to enter some text.
Place your insertion point near the text you want to replace.
Notice how it's highlighted and has this little tag on the end?
In templates, placeholder text is held in table cells.
In templates, there is no need to delete placeholder text it simply disappears as you type.
All you have to do now is type the text you want to appear.
Sometimes templates give you other options that can change the way the template appears.
You'll know that a template has extra options when you see a drop-down arrow beside a section.
Here, beside Resume Name, we have a Quick Parts section.
Click the drop-down arrow to see the menu.
The template gives you two choices of how to format the top of this resume template.
We can choose to do it with a photo or without a photo.
Left-click one of the options to change the template.
Hmm...
My picture looks pretty neat here, but I think the standard resume doesn't include a photo.
Remember, just because you can do something or a template includes something, doesn't
mean that you should use it.
Let's hit Undo and go back to the template without the photo.
I'm going to go ahead and fill in the rest of my text and then save my document as My
Resume.
Spend some time exploring the Word templates, and then take a closer look at the Origin
Resume to see how templates work.