Templates, Generally

A template is a standard Word document that can be re-used as the basis of other documents.

You might for example, create a template for your office faxes, or other standard forms and letters, such as one for a “Please find your policy documents enclosed” type of letter.

Templates are also essential for mail shots. The template letter will contain the standard text for all the others, though the mailshotting processes will then individually address them. In fact every time you start a blank new document in Word you are using Word’s own default template, called “Normal.dot”, which pre-sets the margins, font and point size. Instead of re-setting these each time you start Word you should simply re-set “Normal.dot” to your preferences and they will all appear automatically thereafter.

Durell templates differ from normal Word ones on two counts. First they are stored in a special common location (e.g. F:\IMW-DATA\Template) so as to be accessible to all users without copying. Secondly they can contain data fields (e.g. for the current client’s name and address) so that you don’t have to keep typing these in.

(See also “Templates, New”).