Create a document - Word - Microsoft Office Online

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Create a document

Applies to: Microsoft Office Word 2003

The following procedure creates a new, blank document.

On the Standard toolbar (toolbar: A bar with buttons and options that you use to carry out commands. To display a toolbar, press ALT and then SHIFT+F10.), click New Blank Document .

To use templates (template: A file or files that contain the structure and tools for shaping such elements as the style and page layout of finished files. For example, Word templates can shape a single document, and FrontPage templates can shape an entire Web site.), wizards (wizard: A feature that asks questions and then creates an item, such as a form or Web page, according to your answers.), and existing documents as a starting point, do one of the following:

Show From a template or wizard

On the File menu, click New.
In the New Document task pane (task pane: A window within an Office application that provides commonly used commands. Its location and small size allow you to use these commands while still working on your files.), under Templates, click one of the links, or type text , such as "brochure" or "calendar," into the Search online for box, and then click Go.
Note You must be connected to the Internet to search online or to follow the Templates on Office Online link.
Choose the template or wizard you want.

Show Tips

If you have recently used a template or wizard, it appears under Recently used templates, where you can just click to open it.
You can also create your own templates to store styles, AutoText (AutoText: A storage location for text or graphics you want to use again, such as a standard contract clause or a long distribution list. Each selection of text or graphics is recorded as an AutoText entry and is assigned a unique name.) entries, macros (macro: An action or a set of actions that you can use to automate tasks. Macros are recorded in the Visual Basic for Applications programming language.), and text that you plan to reuse often.

Show From a copy of an existing document

On the File menu, click New.
In the New Document task pane (task pane: A window within an Office application that provides commonly used commands. Its location and small size allow you to use these commands while still working on your files.), under New, click From existing document.
Click the document you want to create a new document from.
If you want to open a document that was saved in a different folder, locate and open the folder.
Click Create New.
This document is created in the folder that contains the original document.