Football Play Template from blank football playbook template , image source: runticino-artelanini.org
Each week brings task lists, emails, documents, and new projects. How much of this is different from the job you have done? Odds are, maybe not much. A number of our tasks are variations on something we have done countless times before.
Do not reinvent the wheel every time you start something new. Use templates–standardized documents with text and formatting as starting point for new work. Once you save a version of the template, just add, eliminate, or alter any info for that document that is unique, and you’ll have the job.
Templates work anywhere: in word processors, spreadsheets, project management apps, survey programs, and also email. Here’s the way to use templates in your favorite programs –and how to automatically create documents from a template–so it’s possible to get your common tasks done faster.
Programs take the time to construct, and it’s easy to wonder whether they’re worth the investment. The answer: absolutely. Editing a template requires far less time than formatting something. It is the difference between copying and pasting some text, or retyping it.
That’s not the only benefit: Using a template means you are not as likely to leave out key information, too. For instance, if you want to send freelance writers a contributor agreement, changing a standard contract template (instead of writing a new contract every time) ensures you won’t depart out that crucial clause regarding owning the content once you’ve paid for this.
Templates also guarantee consistency. You send customers or investors regular project updates. Using a template, you know the update will have the formatting, design, and general arrangement.
How to Create Fantastic Templates
Not all templates are created equal–and a few things don’t require a template. Here are a few guidelines to follow.
First, templates must be comprehensive. So err on the side of including also rather than too small, it is more easy to delete information than add it .
Imagine you are developing a template of your resume. You would want to record details so you’ll have all the info you need to apply for any job.
You can always delete less-important notes later on, but you may forget it in the final version when it’s not from the template.
Some applications will automatically fill in all these factors for you (more on that in a bit). But should you need to fill in the information on your own, include some text that is obvious and easy to search for so you can find.