A template is a pre-designed document that you can use to create your own documents quickly
and easily.
With a template, things like font style, layout, graphics, and more are already taken care
of.
To use a template, go to the File tab, and then choose New.
There's something for almost every occasion, from resumes, to flyers, to business reports
- even birthday cards.
You can download a template from Office.com, or use one that's already installed on your
computer - that's what these Sample Templates are.
Your choices appear in this part of the window, with a preview on the right.
I'm looking for a template for a letter, something elegant but professional.
This looks exactly like what I had in mind.
One word of caution, if you're looking at templates provided by Office.com.
Some of them are uploaded by people not affiliated with Microsoft, so they're not guaranteed
to be free of viruses or defects.
For those templates, you'll get a warning message before you download them.
This one is okay because it's one of Microsoft's sample templates.
Just click Create, and it will open in a new document.
First, you may be wondering about the name that appears at the top.
Sometimes templates add your name or initials automatically, based on the name associated
with your copy of Office.
This is called pre-filled information.
I would like to include the full last name, so I'm going to go ahead and type it here...
then also go to File, Options to fix it permanently.
If you're using a public computer, like one at the library, you may not want to change
these settings; otherwise, just identify your name here, then click OK.
Now I can start personalizing my document.
This text here, with the brackets around it, is called a placeholder.
Just click, and it turns into a text entry box.
All you have to do is type to replace what it says.
You can continue to use the placeholders as a guideline - this one is for the company
address.
Some fields include a drop-down menu for you to select your information rather than typing
it (this is especially handy for dates).
And some templates use fields that aren't true placeholders but are regular text.
In those cases, just delete, and type your own text in its place.
This space is for the recipient's address.
Now I can get to work on the body of my letter.
Templates are great because they allow you focus on the content of your document, without
having to worry about things like design or formatting.
With so many to choose from, you're sure to find a template that meets your needs.