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Three tricks to make Word templates easier to find and use

• Tags:
• word,
• box,
• custom,
• templates

Overview Help your users organize their templates so they can quickly create the types of documents they need.

In earlier versions of Word, managing templates was a pretty straightforward business. Folders mapped to the tabs in the New dialog box, and you could control the way templates were organized by manipulating the folders. Then along came Word 2000, which introduced a new scheme for presenting templates to users. With Word2K, XP, and 2003, built-in templates go in one big folder, and an internal mechanism displays them according to category. Normal.dot and any custom templates reside in a completely different spot.

Although it's not as simple as it once was, it's possible--and often useful--to change the tabs that appear in the New or Templates dialog box and to take control over which templates they display. For instance, you might replace Word's Legal Pleadings tab with a Checklists tab that contains a user's custom templates for producing procedural lists and staff assignments. With a few tweaks, you can set things up so that users don't have to wade through the templates they never use and they can easily locate the ones they actually need. Here's a quick walk-through of three helpful customization techniques.

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