Show Me. Microsoft Office Word 2003. See it Done, Do It Yourself

When you start Word, a blank document opens based on a default template. The default template defines the page margins, default font, and other settings. Instead of using the default template, you can create your own template. A custom template can store text, styles, formatting, macros, and page information for use in other documents. Start with a predefined Word template, or use one you created. Quickly try a new look by attaching a different template to your current document. The attached template's styles replace the styles in your document.

Save a Document as a Template

Open a new or existing document.

Add any text, graphics, and formatting you want to appear in all documents based on this template. Adjust margin settings and page size, and create new styles as necessary.

Click the File menu, and then click Save As.

Click the Save As Type list arrow, and then click Document Template.

Make sure the Templates folder or one of its subfolders appears in the Save In box.

Type a name for the new template.

Click Save.

You can open and modify the template just as you would in any other document.

Attach a Template to an Existing Document

Open the document to which you want to apply a new template.

Click the Format menu, click Theme, and then click Style Gallery.

Click a template name to preview it.

Click OK to add the template styles to the document.

Load an Add-In

Click the Tools menu, and then click Templates And Add-Ins.

Click the add-in you want to load.

To add one to the list, click Add, navigate to the folder that contains the add-in, click the Files Of Type list arrow, select Word Add-Ins, click the add-in, and then click OK.

Click OK.