D-BUST Your Computer – Part 5
By: Janet L. Hall

T Stands for Templates and Time

Let's start with Templates.

What is a template?

In its simplest form, a template is a document you have created (or one already created for you) in which you store information and/ or data that will be unchangeable and you use over and over. It's like creating a * shell * document and some of you might refer to or know this type of document as a boilerplate.

For instance, you can create your company invoice as a template, with logo and design, and call up the template each time you need to send out an invoice. You can create a template for your letterhead, including your headers and footers. You can create templates for your different size envelopes with return address stored in place, create a template for your in-house memos, and timesheets. Whatever you can think of! Whatever type of document you are finding yourself continually having to recreate, make a template and be done with it!

All that's left for you to do is to open the template, and insert the new information that's needed. Example: If you're doing an invoice, you would type in the appropriate information and then use your SAVE AS function (I wrote about this function in the June issue at http://www.overhall.com/jun00.htm ).

Microsoft has built in templates, with step-by-step instructions of how you can customize them for your company or home use.

There are two different ways to see what templates are available to you.

Here is how to access them:

Click on START
Move Pointer to New Office Documents (This function is also on your Office Shortcut Bar) and Click.

A box will appear that presents you with many Tabs to choose from and within those Tabs many templates to choose from.

Go ahead, click on some and play around with them. When you have created YOUR template use the SAVE AS function.

You can also access some templates when you are in Microsoft Word.
At the top of the screen, left hand side (make sure you have opened a document or have started a new document) Click FILE and Click on NEW.

You will see some Tabs for a variety of templates that you can use.

Using templates can save you the agony of recreating a cumbersome document over and over again and it can also save you time!

Speaking of time. TIME is something that many people complain they don't have enough of, especially to dedicate to their computer.

I can not stress enough to you to schedule time with yourself to at least D-BUST your computer monthly! Make it a new habit and start working on it now. Pick the same time daily, weekly, or monthly to D-BUST. Schedule it, put it in your planner, and on your to-do list. You won't have to do everything that I've been writing about, especially if you take care of things, such as deleting or saving, as you go along.

Make your computer work for you, that's what it's suppose to do. It was meant to give you more time NOT take up more of your time.

If you are stumbling around a program, take and make the time to learn the program. If you have to refer to the manual or call a friend for help every time you try to use a computer tool, piece of software, or hardware, it's time to take the time to get professional help! Hire a high school kid, take a class, hire a tutor, just get the help that you need. Use the Help feature on your computer to learn what you can about the software or program. If that's not enough, read a book and do the exercises. You are losing valuable time if you don't! Remember that time is money!

By taking the time to D-BUST and learn how to use your computer to its fullest, your computer and you will be humming along in no time!

Smiles, not Piles,
Janet L. Hall

The Organizing Wizard, Janet L. Hall, is a Professional
Organizer, Speaker, and Author. She is the owner of
OverHall Consulting, and Organizing By Phone. Subscribe to
her FREE organizing newsletter at
http://www.overhall.com/newsletter.htm or visit
her web site at http://www.overhall.com

Copyright 2000 by OverHall Consulting
P.O. Box 263, Port Republic, MD 20676
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About the Author
The Organizing Wizard, Janet L. Hall, is a Professional
Organizer, Speaker, and Author. She is the owner of
OverHall Consulting, and Organizing By Phone. Subscribe to
her FREE organizing newsletter at
http://www.overhall.com/newsletter.htm or visit
her web site at http://www.overhall.com