What do sugar cookies and newspapers have in common? They’re both made with templates.
A cookie cutter stamps dough into the same size and shape, allowing you to create identical cookies again and again. In traditional printing, printers arrange letter blocks in a printing press to transfer ink onto paper, producing multiple copies quickly.
In both cases, a template provides consistent results. The same idea applies to your business. Creating templates (pre-designed documents) you can use as a starting point saves you from creating the same thing from scratch over and over again.
The Benefits of Templates
Using templates for your documents, spreadsheets, and presentations saves time and effort. The idiom, “a stitch in time saves nine,” comes to mind. You will save time later when you invest energy into creating high-quality, flexible templates now.
Another time-saving factor of templates is consistency. When you use templates in your business processes, critical and frequently used information is always in the same place. People can find and understand it. Also, collaboration becomes easier, and you reduce the chance of errors and miscommunication. For example, imagine if your team members use the same template for meeting invitations. The template forces them to include the date, time, place, and specific agenda items before sending it. Then everyone could prepare adequately before the meeting, and the meeting would be more productive.
Additionally, because templates present information the same way every time, variations are easier to see. Consider how an accountant’s systematic use of templates helps them notice pennies missing from the business’s bottom line. The faster you spot deviations, the faster you can react to financial pressures or market trends.
Furthermore, a unified design within and across templates signals cohesion and structure, strengthening your brand internally and externally.
When Should You Create a Template?
Create templates for all your standardized documents and forms, such as financial statements, letterhead, policies, procedures, work instructions, social media posts, and even emails.
Personally, I create a template whenever I realize I’ve done the same thing at least twice before. That’s why I appreciate Asian Efficiency’s 3-Times Rule—if you recognize you’re doing something for the third time, you should create a template.
How to Create Templates
How you create a template depends on what you need. For example, you might use a spreadsheet (Excel, Numbers, etc.) for tracking your sales numbers. Use Word or Pages to develop a policy, and PowerPoint or Keynote to create a presentation.
The easiest way to create a template is to start with something you already have. Firstly, save it with a new name, such as “Policy-Template.docx.”
Next, edit your template. Set the styles, fonts, colours, and formatting throughout the template to ensure a cohesive and professional appearance. Then work on the basic structure and layout. Remember to include headers, footers, and formatted headings and tables. Add placeholder text and images to help users visualize how the final content will look. Use the placeholder text to share important information about the section or the image size.
Once you are happy with your template, save it as a .docx file. Then, save the template in the template format, “Policy-Template.dotx.”
Now, test it. Send the template (.dotx file) to a few other people, such as team members or trusted colleagues and ask them to use it to create a sample document. Review the template for any errors, inconsistencies, or areas for improvement. Refine the design in your .docx file and recreate the .dotx file.
When your template is complete, you will have two files: the .docx and the .dotx. Place the .docx file in your computer’s Templates folder (a sub-folder under Admin). It will serve as the source for future templates. Then, put the .dotx version in your working folder. You will use the .dotx version to create new policies. The great thing about using the .dotx version is that it makes a new document each time, so you can’t overwrite the previous contents. You can use this method for documents (docx-dotx), spreadsheets (xlsx-xltx), and presentations (pptx-potx).
Unfortunately, not all software applications allow you to create templates this way. If you are in this situation, make your template and create a copy. Put the original in your Admin > Templates folder, then use the copy as a working copy. Then, if you accidentally overwrite your template, you can create a new copy from the original.
It’s a little complicated, but this approach ensures you record changes as your business grows. In summary, using templates in your business saves time, ensures consistency and strengthens your brand. Stop struggling and redoing work. Reach out and book a discovery call today. We can help you harness the power of templates to streamline your workflow.