Using the Manual Templates

This page contains instructions for the template that you can use to create your manual. This template provide everything you’ll need to word process and format your document. It includes codes for margins, tab settings, headers and footers, line spacing, and heading styles.

Download the template here.

Using the Template

The template can be used for chapter-level, 2-level, and 3-level modular manuals. Use the template each time you create a module.

For chapter-level manuals, we recommend that you place the chapter number and title at the outside edge of the headers, and the chapter and page number (for example, 2-1) at the outside edge of the footers. For 2-level and 3-level manuals, place the module number (for example, 2.1 or 2.1.1) at the outside edge of the headers, and the page number at the outside edge of the footers.

The following are some general instructions for using the template. For more information, refer to your word processor manual.

1. Save the template to your default folder for Word templates. If you need to check where this folder is located:
   • create a new document in Microsoft Word
   • on the Tools menu, click Templates and Add-Ins
   • click the Attach button
   • beside Look in, make a note of the path to the templates folder—it may look something like this:



• click Cancel and return to the downloaded template

2. Save the downloaded template to your default templates folder. In the Save as type box, make sure Document Template (*.dot) is selected.

Contact your systems administrator if you need more help.

3. Within Word, open the template file. The template you saved with a .dot extension should appear.

Note: Do not double-click on the template to open it from Windows Explorer, or a document based on the template will open (with a .doc extension) rather than the template itself (with a .dot extension).

4. Print a copy of the instructions.

5. Modify the headers and footers by adding your organization name and manual title. If you want to include your logo, get an electronic file of your logo in a graphics file format that is compatible with your word processor software and include it in the right header. If the size of the logo forces the right header down, force the left header down an equal amount.

6. Delete the instructions and save the template under a new name (for example, manual). In the Save as type box, make sure Document Template (*.dot) is selected.

7. Close the file.

8. To create a new module for your manual, double-click on the template from Windows Explorer, or start a new document in Word. If a list of templates appears, make sure you select the manual template you saved previously. This new file should be a document with a .doc extension rather than the template itself with the .dot extension. Modify the headers and footers with the module title, module number, and issue date (as applicable). Before closing each module file, save it with a new name (for example, 1-1). This time, make sure you save the file as a document, and not as a template, and save it to the project folder.

Using the Styles

The following table describes how to use the template styles.

Table: Using the template styles