How to create a blank template

This article explains how to create a blank template. The explanation shows how to create a blank template in Word, but creating a blank template in PowerPoint or Excel basically works the same way.

Getting started

When you start Word, the Start screen is shown. This shows the option New document (Start from a default <company name> template). You may select this option, open a Blank document under MS Themes, or open an existing document. Then, open Template Designer from the Content Library task pane.

Creating a template

With the default 'Document1' from Word open you can start creating the blank template. You can create a simple template that for example only has a different font and font size than the default 'Aptos 12' from Word, but you can also make a more advanced template by adding Dynamics as explained below.

Modify the style

If you want to use a different font, font size, line spacing and space before or after a paragraph then you can change the properties in the 'Modify Style' form in Word:

When a user creates a document the defined style will be applied:

Add Dynamics to show a default value

You can use Dynamics if you want to display a default value, for example for the classification of the document, and want to allow the user to change the default value. For example:

1. In the Admin Center create a data source named Labels with these values in the Name column:
   
2. In Template Designer create a dropdown form field with the name 'Classification' and link it to the Labels data source and the Name column. Select 'Internal' as Default value. The result looks like this:
   
3. Click Add to form.
   
4. In the footer type a placeholder text for the classification (e.g. '[Classification]'). Select the placeholder.
   
5. On the Template tab click Form responses, expand Classification and select Name.
   
6. Click Add to template. The result looks like this:
   
   
7. Save the template and upload it in Admin Center in the Library configuration section as blank document.
8. When a user creates a blank document the result in the footer looks like this:
   

Add Dynamics to show a logo

Dynamics can also be used to show a logo. Of course you can just insert a logo image directly in the template, but then the document will always show the same logo. Using Dynamics you can automatically insert a specific logo, for example depending on the location set in the User Profile. This is explained in the article how to set the image header of a document.

Set the proofing language

The proofing language sets the language for the Spelling and Grammar review feature from Office.