Starting New Documents

Word presents a new blank document when you start the program. If, after you've started typing in this document, you decide to begin another new document, click the New Blank Document button at the far-left end of the Standard toolbar (or press Ctrl+N). A second Word window opens with a new blank document.

When you use the New Blank Document toolbar button to start a document, Word assumes that you want to base the document on the Normal template . All Word documents are based on a template, which is like a blueprint for a document that includes formatting and possibly text. The Normal template produces a plain- vanilla blank document with all of Word's default formatting. Unless you specify otherwise , Word also uses the Normal template to store items you create such as AutoText entries, styles, and macros so that they will be available in all documents based on the Normal template. (You'll learn to create these items in later hours in this book.) Word also comes with many other templates (including special templates called wizards ) that can help you create a wide variety of documents, including letters , memos, fax cover sheets, reports , and so on. If you want to base your new document on one of these templates, you have to use the File, New command instead of the New Blank Document toolbar button. You learn how to use other templates in the next hour, and in Hour 10 you'll learn how to create your own templates.