Flow Free Solutions Flow Extreme Pack Set 10×10 Level 20 from free flow extreme pack 2 12×12 level 9 , image source: flowfreesolutions.com
Each week brings documents, emails, new projects, and job lists. How much of this is totally different from the job you’ve done before? Odds are, not much. A number of our daily tasks are variations on something.
Don’t reinvent the wheel every single time you start something new. Instead, use templates–standardized files with formatting and text as starting point for work. As soon as you save another version of the template add, eliminate, or alter any data for that document that is exceptional, and you’ll have the new job.
Templates work everywhere: in word processors, spreadsheets, project management programs, survey programs, and also email. Here is how to create documents from a template — and the way to use templates in your favorite apps –so it’s possible to get your tasks done faster.
Programs take the time to build, and it’s easy to wonder whether they are worth the investment. The short answer: absolutely. Editing a template takes far less time than formatting something. It is the distinction between copying and pasting some text, or retyping it.
That’s not the only benefit: Using a template means you are not as inclined to leave out crucial info, too. For instance, if you need to send freelance authors a contributor agreement, modifying a standard contract template (instead of writing a new contract every time) ensures you won’t leave out the crucial clause regarding owning the material as soon as you’ve paid for it.
Templates also guarantee consistency. Perhaps you send regular project updates to investors or clients. Using a template, you know the upgrade will always have the formatting, layout, and arrangement.
How to Produce Great Templates
Not many templates are created equal–and a few things don’t need a template. Here are a couple of guidelines to follow.
First, templates should be comprehensive. So err on the side of including rather than too little, it is more easy to delete information than add it in.
Imagine you are creating a template of your own resume. You’d want to record details so you’ll have.
You always have the option to delete notes that are less-important later on, but you may forget it in the last 25, if it’s not in the template.
Some tools will automatically fill in these factors for you (more on this in a little ). But should you need to fill in the information on your own, add some text that is obvious and simple to look for so you can find text that has to be altered without much effort.