As you can see from my last article, styles and templates are inextricably related. Many of the style you use are stored in templates and so managing styles comes right back down to managing the templates that contain them.
Where Does Word Store Templates?
When you save a new template, Word will attempt to save it in your User templates folder. You will find that in the File Locations tab of the Options dialog box. Unless you specifically change the location on the File Locations tab, custom templates you create are stored in a standard location within your personal documents folder. You can open this folder directly by typing %appdata%\Microsoft\Templates in the Run box on the Start menu or in the Address bar of Windows Explorer.
To create a new tab for the Templates dialog box and place your template on that tab:
- Click on File | Save As.
- Select Document Template from the Save As Type list.
- Click on the Create New Folder icon.
- Give the new folder the name you want to appear on the new tab.
- Click on Save.
You can follow the same steps if you would like to add a custom template to one of the existing, predefined tabs on the Templates dialog box.
Templates that are stored in the Startup folder are automatically loaded by Word when it starts. If you have any VBA macros that you want to be available every time you run Word, they would be placed in templates located in the Startup folder.
When you open a template instead of creating a new document based on a template, you can modify it in exactly the same ways you would as if changing a document. You can add text, pictures, macros, etc. However, any text that you place in the document itself is considered to be boilerplate and it is copied into any new documents that you created based on that template. If, however, you attach a template to an existing document, saved items in that template are available, but the boilerplate text is ignored.
Word has a tool called the Organizer that allows you to copy styles, toolbars, and macro projects between documents and templates. The Organizer also allows you to copy AutoText entries although they can only move from template to template.
To use the Organizer, follow the steps below:
- Click on Tools | Templates and Add-ins.
- Click the Organizer button.
- Make sure the from and to files are referenced in the Styles Available In boxes.
- If you have the wrong files, click Close File, then Open File and select the correct ones.
- Select Styles, AutoText, Toolbars, or Macro Project Items, depending on which setting you wish to manipulate.
- Select the individual items and click Copy, Delete or Rename.
Carol Bratt has authored several informative Microsoft Office books and writes the monthly Word Bytes Newsletter with more tips and tricks in each issue. Visit Carol's website for more great Microsoft Office tips and tricks! Click here to see her latest books!