Word has many different kinds of uses for everyone. In an office environment it can be used to type letters, envelopes, brochures, faxes and many more. Before I became proficient in word I would often take pains to design my letters myself and check everything was in the right place. Nowadays I save valuable time and energy by using the word templates already in place. They are very simple to access, in Word 2000 for example, select 'File,' then 'New' and the user will be presented with a range of tabs. This is an organised way of ordering the template documents into logical groups so the user can easily select what they need.

The templates are fairly intuitive and are very simple to use. The user can easily click and change whatever they need to and the document has text directing the user to the parts that need to be manually updated. Just in case a user is confused by the templates and needs more information on what they should write, Word has helpfully included full instructions. The template itself contains information on what items should be included and where, which the user can choose to follow or ignore. On complex documents like brochures where special printing and folding may be required, there are instructions within the template on how this can be achieved.

Some documents require more detailed examples for a user to fully understand. An envelope symbol is included on appropriate document templates, which the user can double click. A new sample document pops up on the screen, which is already filled in. The sample document contains further information on how the template should be updated. In the letters template samples is further information on how to customise the letterhead for the user's own use.

A good example of one of these useful letters would be the 'Contemporary Letter,' which is located on the 'Letters & Faxes Page.' There is an area especially for the return address. Since it is already contained in a text box, the user does not have to worry about formatting the address. If however the user decides the address should be moved to a different spot or formatted in a different way it can simply be picked up and dragged and dropped to a more suitable place. This makes re-designing the template simple. Uncomplicated yet insightful touches such as the current date automatically being placed in the correct place can dramatically reduce human error and mistakes.

As well as using the standard templates already given, the user has the option to save a document as a template. Consider an administration employee who regularly writes letters addressed to one particular client or supplier. He/she can design a letter template with the name, address and own company details already in place. When saving the document, save it as type 'Document Template' instead of a standard word doc. In this way, the next time the user wishes to type a letter to that particular client or supplier, all they would need to do is to select 'File' and 'New' and the document template now appears on the General tab. This saves the user valuable time in having to type the same details over and over again or find a previous document to alter.

Even if a user is experienced in creating a variety of documents, the templates are a good way to broaden this experience. The designs are elegantly set out in a range of styles and it may be beneficial for regular users to get another perspective on existing documents. It is unlikely that one user will have covered every kind of document and there will inevitably be a demand at some point for something new. The templates are therefore an invaluable resource for all users attempting to create professional documents regardless of their level of skill in the product.