Custom templates can be as simple or complex as needed. For example, you might create a template for your company’s newsletter, posters for a seminar, or invitations for corporate events. You can also create interactive templates to load on the Intranet, so others can fill in the blanks to print their own envelopes and letterhead, for instance.
First, create a document—design and format it, add graphics and photos. If it’s interactive, select Controls from the Developer tab and create custom input fields for user interaction.
For this exercise, create an announcement flyer for a Meet & Greet conference including lunch, cocktails, and dinner for the company’s senior management and its new interns.
1. Start with a blank document.
2. Create two columns: The left is 4.5 inches and the right is 2.5 inches, and the space between the columns is about 3/8 of an inch. These measurements are only suggestions. Adjust as necessary for your project and the images and graphics you choose.
3. Add a title.
4. Choose a font (we’re choosing Century Gothic), style (sans serif), and color (white), for that title.
5. Repeat this process for a subtitle. In our example, we’re changing the font color to dark teal.
6. Create some graphic boxes for the title (dark teal) and the subtitle (light teal). Select Insert > Shapes and choose a rectangle from the icon list.
7. Insert an applicable photo in both columns. Choose Insert > Pictures and select photos from your Pictures Library. Adding images gives you an opportunity to eyeball image sizes and column widths and adjust them as needed.
8. Enter the schedule and agenda in column one. Use Century Gothic 14 (in black) for the body text and Century Gothic 18 (in dark teal) for the headers.
9. Enter the time and place plus the conference hosts in column two, with the same fonts and colors for the body text and headers.
Create a custom event template.
10. Once satisfied with the final product, click Save As > Meet+Greet.docx (a regular Word document), so you can share or print.
11. Before you exit, also save this document as a template. Click Save As > Save As Type, choose Word Template [*.dotx] from the list, and save as Meet+Greet.dotx. Next conference, the template is ready to get you started.
Once you have some custom templates in your Custom Office Templates folder, when you open Word and select New, Word provides a new category on the backstage menu called Personal. Click this category to see and open your saved templates.
Open your custom template under New > Personal.