Use Application Software to Design Documents for Use in a Specific Business Environment (Part 1)

Use application software to design documents for use in a specific business environment (Part 1)

Overview of templates

What is a template?

How is a template used?

Elements included in a template

Creating and editing templates in a word processor

Example: working with templates in MS Word

Advanced features of a word processor

Creating and editing templates in a spreadsheet

The workbook template

The worksheet template

Default templates

Customised templates

Protecting your template

The IF function

Overview of templates

What is a template?

A template is a reusable document. It determines the structure of any document that is based on it. The template can store the details about fonts, styles, graphics, page layout and even features that will automate data entry, calculations and printing options.

Templates are generally set up for publications that are used often and most of the major software applications have the facility for users to use or modify in-built templates or create their own. Examples include a fax cover page, a letterhead, a spreadsheet balance sheet or a presentation layout.

A template should be stored as a ‘Read only’ file and should contain common text to save time. For example, a fax cover page template would include the lines ‘To:’, ‘From:’, ‘Date:’, ‘Subject:’ and ‘No. of pages:’.

How is a template used?

Maybe without knowing it you’ve been using templates for many years. A plastic map of Australia used by a primary school student to trace around is a template. A biscuit cutter is also a template. Dressmakers use templates to cut fabric and builders use templates to determine where to drill holes for screws. The advantages of using templates are described in the following table.

Template feature / Description
Re-usability / The original is used to make an image of itself and then put away unaltered. The dress pattern is not cut, only the fabric.
Consistent starting points / The biscuits are always the same shape. However, individual biscuits may be modified.
Production of quality products by users with less developed skills. / The primary school student can produce a quality map of Australia, without excellent drawing skills.

A business may use a series of templates for those tasks that are performed frequently. The list might include:

• fax forms
• emails
• memo forms
• application forms
• time-sheets.

Elements included in a template

Common elements of templates made in different software applications can include:

• details about fonts
• styles
• graphics
• page layout
• features that will automate data entry
• calculations
• printing options.

Word processing and spreadsheet templates can also store customisation features such as:

• customised menus
• customised toolbars
• macros.

Creating and editing templates in a word processor

Every word processing document you create will use a template, and there are two types of templates, namely, document templates and global templates.

Document templates contain settings only for specific documents that are based on that template. Some examples of document templates that may be packaged with your word processor include templates for memos, faxes and resumes.

Global templates are available to all documents. An example of a global template in Microsoft (MS) Word is the default template that is referred to as the Normal templateand is stored with the file name normal.dot.

It is possible to edit either type of template or create new ones that better suit the business needs.

Example: working with templates in MS Word

As an example of how the default document template works, the following outlines features of the Normal template in MS Word.

Then we’ll see how to customise templates in MS Word.

The Normal template

The normal.dot templateis a general purpose template for any type of word processing document. When starting MS Word or creating a new word document, MS Word creates a new blank document that is based on the Normal template. This template is stored in the folder ‘Templates’ which is in the location shown in table below and Figure 1.

Operating system / Location
Windows NT/2000/XP
These operating systems have provision to keep all user data private. / C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates
(Where ‘username’ is the logon name for these operating systems.)

Figure 1: Location of the Templates folder in MS Word.
Note, the username here is ‘Al’

Saving the Normal template

When you start a new MS Word document, the settings within normal.dot are applied to the workspace. If, however, you find that more often than not you have to change these settings to some other standard (eg you prefer a different font or font size) you can modify this template to change the default document settings. Remember,all new documents will be created with this format, so if you want to create a series of document formats, you can create a series of templates.

After you have made any changes to the Normal template it can be saved in the Templates folder or in the User Templates. Or, you may save it in the Network templates file location. Whatever the choice according to business guidelines you should save the Normal template into the directory specified on the File Locations tab under Options on the Tools menu.

If MS Word cannot find the Normal template in any of these locations or in your MS Word program folder, it creates a new Normal template with the standard document formats and the standard menu, toolbar and shortcut key settings.

Tip: Do not change the location of the Normal template.

Customising templates

To create customised templates you can do one of three things:

1Open a new document and set it up as the template for all like documents and use the Save As option in the File menu to save it as a template by changing the Save As type to ‘Document Template’.

2Start a new template from the File menu by choosing File \ New \ Template and configure all the variables within that document according to the business guidelines for the document type. Then Save it with an appropriate name.

3Open an existing template. This process varies from one version of MS Word to another but in principle it is either:

–File \ Open \ choose file of type = document template and choose the directory, or

–File \ New \ New from template—more recent versions of MS Word display the following choices:

Figure 2

Alternatively, in older versions of MS Word File\New will bring up the following selection of groups of templates:

Figure 3

Modify the template to suit the business guidelines/requirements and either use Save or Save As depending on whether or not you want to keep the original template.

New templates that you create are saved by default in the same folder as the Normal template.

Figure 4

Advanced features of a word processor

Many word processors and desktop publishing programs can be used to create templates/documents with advanced features such as paragraph and character styles,table of contents, and forms.

Creating and saving styles

If you want different parts of your document to be in particular fonts, styles and sizes then it can take up to three separate steps each time to get it that way. This can be tedious when you’re standardising the look of a whole document. Using styles is much easier.

A style is a set of font and paragraph formatting characteristics that you can apply to text in your document. When you apply a style, you apply a whole group of formatting characteristics in one step. For example, you may want to format all headings in 16 pt, Arial, and centre-aligned to make them stand out.

Instead of taking three separate steps to format each heading, you can achieve the same result in one step by applying the ‘Heading’ style.

Example: creating styles in MS Word

When you start MS Word, the new blank document is based on the Normal template, and it has a set of styles connected to it called the Normal style. This means that when you start typing, Word uses the font, font size, line spacing, text alignment and other formats currently defined for the Normal style.

There are a number of other styles besides ‘Normal’ available in the Normal template such as ‘Heading 1’, ‘Heading 2’, etc, and a default paragraph font (this depends on the preference set).

Paragraph and character styles

A paragraph style is based on paragraph formats, and controls the appearance of a complete paragraph. The whole paragraph will have the same formatting such as text alignment, tab stops, line spacing and borders.

A character style is based on character formats, and affects just the text that is selected. Remember that a character format can be applied to a single character. Characters within a paragraph can have their own style even if a paragraph style is applied.

Applying a style to text

When you want to change the style of text, you can apply an existing style.

Selecting paragraph styles

Place the cursor within the paragraph, then select the style you want from the drop down box on the toolbar. The whole paragraph will change into that style. Your computer screen should look like the one shown below.

Figure 5

Character styles

Select the text you want to change, and then select the style you want from the drop down box on the toolbar. The text will change into that style.

Creating new styles

If the styles you want don’t exist in the list, you can create them.

1Open the file or template you want the new style stored with.

2Select Format>Style.

3Click New.

4In the Name box, type a name for the style. Eg ‘Main heading’.

5In the Style type box select Character (you could choose Paragraph if you wanted to define a paragraph style).

6In the Based on box select emphasis.

7Click Formatting attributes for the style.

8Close the dialog boxes and Apply.

9Save your file/template.

Modifying styles

You can change all the text that is formatted in a particular style by redefining the style. This means that if you want to change all your main headings (Heading 1) into 16 pt, Brush Script, you don’t have to reformat every main heading in your document. Instead you can just change the properties of that style, and every occurrence of that style in the document will also be updated automatically.

You can also have MS Word modify a style automatically, meaning that it detects when you alter the formatting of text containing a style, and then automatically updates the style. When MS Word automatically updates the style, all text formatted with that style is updated to match the formatting of the text that you just changed. In MS Word 2002:

1Open your file and reveal the Styles.

2Right-click on a style.

3Choose Modify.

Figure 6

4Choose the formatting feature you wish to modify

5Make the necessary changes

6Choose whether or not to add it to the template via the check box

7Click on Ok.

8Save your file/template.

Creating a table of contents (TOC)

The way you create a table of contents depends on the type of document you’re creating and how you want to display the table of contents.

Example: creating a table of contents in MS Word

You can create a table of contents that consists of the headings you’ve used throughout the document.

This option is useful when you plan to print the document as well as view it. For example, when you display the document in page layout view, the table of contents includes page numbers along with the headings.

When you switch to Web layout view, the headings are displayed as hyperlinks so that you can jump directly to a topic.

To create a table of contents:

1Apply heading styles to the headings in your documents.

2Click where you want to insert the table of contents—usually at the beginning of the document.

3On the Insert menu, click Field and Select Index and Tables in the Categories drop-down box, and then click on TOC in the list.

Figure 7

The more experienced user can set advanced features by clicking on the Table of contents button which is activated once you click on the TOC entry.

Word processing forms

You can create forms that can be filled in online or forms that are printed and then filled in on paper. When creating an online form, you can make some areas available for users to fill in, and protect the rest from changes. You can provide text areas that have specific data types, formatting and default text. Check boxes and drop-down lists can be created. Macros that run automatically can be included and Help messages can be provided to make it easier for users to complete the form.

When protecting a document, users can enter information only in form fields in that document. In a multiple-section document, you can prevent particular sections from being protected.

Each time you open a form based on a protected form template, a new, untitled form is created and it has the same protection as the template.

Example: creating an on-line form with MS Word

You must create and save an online form as a new template so that macros and AutoText entries are available to users who fill in the form. Here are the steps.

1Create a new template.

2Design the form. Whether it is a new form or one based on an existing document it is a good idea to create a plan for the form on paper. You may need to check your design with other people in your organisation who will be using the form.

Many forms, such as contracts, consist solely of text with form fields inserted throughout the document so users can provide specific information. Other forms are based on a grid, in which you combine features such as tables to align text, borders to designate text areas to be completed, and shading to place emphasis on headings and other special elements that make the form more attractive and easier to use. To insert a field into the form:

1Place the cursor where the response to the field is to be inserted.

2Choose Insert/Field from the menu.

Figure 8

3Choose the Mail Merge category from the Category drop-down list.

4Click on Fill-in from the field names list.

5Enter the prompt for the user in the Prompt box.

6Press Enter and the following dialogue box will appear:

Figure 9

This box is used to enter a default value if the user fails to enter anything. If no default value is to be entered just press OK.

Using the form

To use the form you must ensure you save the template to prevent the possibility of saving accidentally.

1Open the template.

2Choose Tools/Macros/RecordNew Macro from the menu.

3Type in the macro name AutoNew.

4Under Store Macro in, choose the name of the Template you wish to use.

5Enter an appropriate description.

6Click OK.

7Choose Edit/Select All from the menu.

8Press F9.

9Press <Ctrl> + Home.

10Stop the Recorder.

11Save the template and re-open (the prompts should appear).

Creating and editing templates in a spreadsheet

A template system similar to that in a word processor exists in spreadsheets. For example, MS Excel allows workbooks and worksheets to be stored as template files. A workbook template provides features for multiple worksheets and is applied to a new workbook when it is opened while the worksheet template is a template applied to new worksheets as they are added to a workbook. Worksheet templates are by far the more common.

For both types of templates you can create default models that are automatically applied to new workbooks or new worksheets inserted into a workbook and you can create customised models that are only applied when you choose to access them.

Unlike a word processor there is no option to create a template when using File/New to create a new workbook/spreadsheet. The process of creating a template (with an extension of .xlt in MS Excel)can be done by either opening an existing workbook or creating a new one in the usual manner, making all the changes to meet requirements and then using the Save As facility, choose the Save As type to be ‘Template’.

The workbook template

The workbook template is for the customised workbooks you want to use for specific purposes and therefore contains all the settings, content, etc for that task in accordance with the business guidelines. Such ‘controls’ could be any or all of the following:

Formatting:

• Cell and sheet formats. Set by using the commands on the Format menu.
• Page formats and print area settings for each sheet.
• Cell styles (a combination of formatting characteristics, such as font, font size, and indentation,that you name and store as a set. When you apply a style, all of the formatting instructions in that style are applied at one time.).
• The number and type of sheets in a workbook.
• Protected and hidden areas of the workbook. You can hide sheets, rows, and columns and prevent changes to worksheet cells.

Text, data, graphics, and formulas:

• Text you want to repeat, such as page headers and row and column labels.
• Data, graphics, formulas, charts, and other information.
• Data validation settings.

Toolbars, automation, and option settings:

• Custom toolbars, macros, hyperlinks, and ActiveX controls (such as a check box or button that offers options to users or runs macros or scripts) on forms. To make a custom toolbar available, attach the toolbar to the template.
• Workbook calculation options and window view options. Set with the Options command (Tools menu).

The worksheet template

The worksheet template applies to new worksheets as they are inserted into a workbook. They are created in the same way as workbook templates except that the first step once a workbook is opened is to remove all but one worksheet from the workbook. On that worksheet, include the formatting, styles, text, and other information you want to appear on all new sheets.