Templates to the rescue
Use online templates to save time and get creative
By Tara Nolan
We live in a busy, multi-tasking world, so it can be hard to make time for creativity. When something comes along that makes life easier, why not take advantage and grab that time-saving bull by the horns?
For me, that something is templates. Not only have they become an essential tool to help me foster my creative side, but they also keep me organized.
Essentially, a template cuts out the finicky design aspect of a project, allowing you to just fill in the essentials. When I need to send a birthday card, for example, I’ll download a pre-made design from a site such as Martha Stewart or drop words and images into a template I’ve created. I still deliver that personal touch without spending hours cutting and pasting.
And as a person who needs lists to keep me on track, I turn to templates for everything from trip-planning to addresses compilations to calendar pages.
So, the next time you’re looking to organize a dinner-party menu, craft an invitation or nail down a budget, turn to your computer for help.
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Types of templates
There are a number of different programs into which you can download and open a template. Templates can help you accomplish a creative goal, such as designing your holiday cards, or help you organize yourself or a budget through lists or formulas.
Templates can be created in Office programs, such as Excel, PowerPoint and Word, or design programs, such as Photoshop Elements. Others may be saved as PDFs, allowing you to open them using Adobe Acrobat Reader.
How to find what you’re looking for
There’s a whole world of templates just waiting to help you with your practical and creative tasks. Microsoft Office Online is a good starting point as it offers a library of free, well-categorized templates for all seasons and lifestyles.
“We spend quite a lot of time on templates,” says Jason Brommet, senior product manager, Microsoft Office. “It’s about helping people to be more efficient.” Office Online syncs to Word, Excel and PowerPoint — Office programs you’re probably already using — and templates can be stored for access even when you’re offline.
Microsoft Home Magazine also has a host of great templates. On the home page, click on the templates tab on the top toolbar and then choose a section from the left navigation such as Memories & crafts, or Life & style.
Some of your favourite magazines likely provide templates on their web sites as well. To search magazine sites to see what kinds of templates they offer, type in keywords such as “template” and “wedding” or “birthday” and check out the results.
Can you change a template?
Depending on the template, you may be able to edit it.
Sites such as Martha Stewart and HP Canada save templates in PDF format so you can’t alter them in any way. There are blank spaces for you to add in your own photos or text, but you can’t swap out patterns or images. These templates work well if you’re happy with the designs and want to replicate a craft that has been featured on the site or in the magazine.
Office Online provides changeable templates that work with Office programs. You can change colours, text, images — anything you like to personalize your project.
If you have an older version of Office and want to use a template created in Office 2007 — or vice versa — you can download the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack. It allows you to open and edit that template no matter what version you’re using.
Office Online’s useful help section explains how to download a template and includes guidelines for creating templates. They help whether you’re starting from scratch or trying to edit an existing template.
