Different types of documents in word

You can create many kinds of documents in Word, from or using any of the following new document options:

• Blank Document
• Blank Web Page
• Blank E-mail Message
• General Templates
• Existing Document

The choice or decision about which of these options you should use in creating your document would depend on, but not limited to, the following:

• Your purpose for creating the document;
• Destination of output or what you intend doing with the output.

So you want to create a new document in Word? What for? Who is going to use it? Where, and in which form? What would be its fate, scope of audience and life span?

Considering and providing cogent answers to the  questions above will enable you make a right choice while considering which kind of Word document to create or which option must be appropriate to use.

For a document you want to create, its purpose or what you intend doing with it can be any of the following:

• I simply want to create the document, and print it out to have a hard copy of it for private or formal use. ( Would you like to attach the document to an e-mail message or you want to send it as the body of an E-mail message?)
• I want to create and send the content of the document electronically, from my computer to other computers, via e-mail addresses.
• I want to publish the document to the internet (or an intranet) so that many people can have access to it from anywhere, anytime.
• I’m not really familiar with this kind of document I want to, or I’m asked to create and don’t really know how to go about creating it.
• I want to create a document format that will be available to assist me (or others users) later in creating a new document, based on this format.
• I want to create a new document from a document previously created and saved in my computer or network.

Well, whichever is true in your case, the following sections will assist you in deciding which among the document options listed above will be most appropriate, or guide you in creating your new document.

Blank Document

As the name aptly implies, a Blank Document opens a blank document page where you can create your document from scratch. You do all the typing, editing and formatting without the software offering you any suggestions, directions or guidelines regarding what to type, where to type it, or the best structure for the document.

Start with a new document when you want to create a traditional printed document, e.g. Time Table, handout, letter, curriculum vitae (CV), etc.

You should also start with a Blank Document if you wish to send the document content to a mail recipient as attachment.

TIP: Blank Document is most appropriate for the first statement above.

Blank Web Page

This offers a blank page in Web Layout View where you can create a web document from scratch. Use a Blank Web Page if you intend to display the content of the document on an intranet, or on the internet in a web browser. Web documents are automatically saved in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) format.

TIP: Blank Web Page is most appropriate for the third statement above.

Blank E-mail Message

An E-mail Message is a document you create and send directly from Word to other people in different locations. Use an E-mail Message if you want to compose and send a message or a document to others directly from Word.

An E-mail message includes an e-mail Envelope toolbar in which you can enter the recipient’s Name (or e-mail address if you have not previously stored the address with the names in an Address or Contact list in your computer or network) and the Subject of the message; set message properties and Send it.

TIP:  Blank E-mail Message is most appropriate for the second statement above.

General Templates

To explain this kind of option for creating a Word document, let’s quickly consider a scenario below:

Imagine a scenario wherein you recently secured a job as the Secretary to the Director of a large private firm that is constantly in correspondence with both domestic and foreign enterprises. Sadly, for three days now, your boss has been inordinately displeased with your performance and is no longer confident with your suitability for the office, because he now suspects you don’t appear to be proficient in word processing (who knows, probably his new girl friend who is a computer whiz-kid is already pestering him to take over your office). Then, this fateful afternoon, your paranoid boss just storms into your cubicle, seriously exasperated over your last work, and threatens to dismiss you if again you ever make such simple mistakes in the content, layout, structure, and tone of the letters or any other official document he asks you to create for him (the company, to be precise).

So, as the last chance to prove your skills, he hurriedly dictates a note and asks you to use it to create a professional fax (which you have never created before) to be forwarded to a customer in London; and then another note which you must use in a contemporary memo ( you don’t even know how this one looks like), notifying all the company’s employees of an urgent meeting which is to hold the following day. He gives you only thirty (30) minutes to submit the printed documents to his table.

In this situation, what would you do? Would you tell him you don’t know how these documents look like or how to create them? If you do that, boy, I bet your boss won’t hesitate relieving you of your well-paid job and replace you with, maybe, his girlfriend

But what would you do to impress your boss and to make him retain you. The simple answer is ,»you have nothing to worry about». Why? Because, the General templates in Word are all there to guide you».

Use a template when you want to create a new document based on a ready-made format. The General Templates dialog  box offers different kind of documents and wizards to assist you in creating a new document based on ready-made formats and structure.

TIP: General Templates provides solution to the    fourth and fifth statements above.

Existing Document

This allows you to create a new document from a copy of a document that has been previously created and saved in your PC or network.

Using the Existing Document option makes it possible for you to create a new document from a copy of an existing document which you can modify and then save with a new name or in a new location. In this case, whatever changes you make to the document will be affecting the copy of the document only, while the original copy remains intact. 

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MS-Word / Getting Started

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When you save your first file in Word 2007, you will find a bewildering array of file types. Don’t sweat it you will use
some new file types on the list frequently, but you’ll probably ignore a lot of types. The two you’ll use most often are .docx and .docm.

.docx.
New format for most Word documents. Pre-2007 versions of Word can’t open these documents without the help of the Office Compatibility Pack.

.docm.
New format for Word documents containing macros. (Microsoft is making an effort to increase computer security by reining in Office macros.)

.dotx.
New format for templates.

.dotm.
New format for templates containing macros.

.doc.
Format for all the previous versions of Word including: Word 6.0, Word 95, and Word 97-2003.

.dot.
The template format for previous versions of Word.

.pdf.
Adobe Reader (also known as Acrobat) files. PDF stands for Portable Document Format.

.xps.
XML Paper specification. This format is Microsoft’s answer to PDF for creating documents that anyone can open on any computer.

.mhtm, .mhtml.
Single file Web page. In other words, all the files that make up a Web page (including images) are contained in one single file. (There’s no difference between .mhtm and .mhtml files, they’re just four-letter and five-letter versions of the same filename extension.)

.htm, .html.
Standard Web page format. This format is for the Web pages you see on the Internet. When the page includes photos or other files, links on the page point to those external files. (There’s no difference between .htm and .html; both mean the same thing.)

.rtf.
Rich Text Format, a file format used to exchange files with other word processors and other types of computers like Macs and Linux computers.

.txt.
This plain text format doesn’t have a lot of the formatting you can do in Word. It makes for a nice, small file size, and you can open it on any computer, but it’s not pretty.

.xml.
eXtensible Markup Language is a standard language for describing many different types of data.

.wps.
This format indicates a document created in Office’s little sibling, Microsoft Works.

If you use Microsoft Word (or a similar word processor), you probably know well enough how to save a document. You click Save, choose a folder, give the document a name, and then click Save, OK, or whatever.

What you may not know is how to choose a different format for that document, or why you’d want to.

By default, Microsoft Word uses its own, proprietary document format. In the old days, that was the Doc format, but as of Word 2007 (and continuining with Word 2010), it’s Docx.

Other word processors have their own standards as well. OpenOffice Writer, for example, uses the OpenDocument, or ODF, format. Kingsoft Writer uses a format called WPS. And so on.

Fortunately, these and other programs can save documents in multiple formats, thereby making them easier to access in, well, other programs. That’s why, in Microsoft Word, if you click the Save as type pull-down in the Save dialog, you’ll see a wealth of choices. Below I’ve identified some of the more popular ones, and in what circumstances you might use them.

Rich Text Format RTF might best be described as a “universal word-processing format,” as it’s supported by just about every word processor. However, unlike plain text, it retains basic formatting information, like font sizes and styles.

PDF Adobe’s Portable Document Format also has universal appeal, as it can be opened using any number of viewers (including, most commonly, Adobe Reader). You’d use PDF to produce your document in a read-only format, meaning it couldn’t easily be edited. It’s also a good way to distribute documents online, as most browsers can view PDFs without the need to download them fist.

Plain Text Just like it sounds, this format saves only the raw text–no formatting, no hidden codes, just your words. You might use this to export text that needs to be imported into another program, like a blog tool or text editor–something that won’t like all of Word’s underlying extras.

Word 97-2003 Document So you’ve got Word 2010, but your parents are still plugging along with Word 97. The latter can’t open documents created by the former (not without a converter, anyway), but at least Word lets you save files using the older formats. Some kinds of formatting may get lost in translation, but this should work for most kinds of documents.

Word can also save files as Web pages, XML documents, templates, and more. Needless to say, if you need to learn about those formats, a little Google searching should reveal all.

Contributing Editor Rick Broida writes about business and consumer technology. Ask for help with your PC hassles at hasslefree@pcworld.com, or try the treasure trove of helpful folks in the PC World Community Forums. Sign up to have the Hassle-Free PC newsletter e-mailed to you each week.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn all about MS Word. You’ll discover what it’s used for. You’ll explore some of the features of Microsoft Word. Plus, we’ll show you how to get started and share some helpful resources.

What Is Microsoft Word?

You may be wondering: what type of program is Microsoft Word? A good definition is that it’s a word processor. That’s an application you use to “process”— format, manipulate, save, print, share — a text-based document. 

Microsoft Word is arguably the most popular word processor on the planet. That’s because it’s part of Microsoft’s Office Suite, which is installed in 1 billion devices in the world (according to groovyPost). 

When Word 1.0 for Windows was released in 1989, it was one of the first word processors that offered a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) interface. 

This combination of ease of use and robust features makes it the go-to word processor in both homes and offices today. It’s now also available for the Mac operating system as well as a web-based version through an Office 365 subscription.

What Is Microsoft Word Used For?

Now you’re ready to learn how to use MS Word. Use it to create many kinds of business and person documents. Here’s just a sampling of how to use it:

For Business or School

Microsoft Office’s Word is a great tool for creating business documents. Of course, you could design business and school documents from scratch. Or you could get a head start using a professionally designed template.

You can also find templates to help you create the following:

• letter
• report or paper
• proposal
• newsletter 
• brochure
• catalog 
• poster
• flyer
• postcard
• sign 
• banner 
• resume
• business card
• invoice
• receipt
• product packaging
• mailing label

For Personal Purposes

There are also many personal uses of MS Word. Here are just a few:

• invitation
• card
• gift tag
• recipe card
• place card
• certificates

As you can see, Microsoft Word comes in very handy for both your personal and professional lives!

How to Get Started Using Microsoft Word (+Top MS Word Features)

Microsoft Word has become more intuitive through the years. Even if you’re just starting to use it, you can easily figure things out and navigate your way through the simplest tasks. 

That said, it’s got a ton of features for the more advanced user. And you’re not aware of those features and how to use them, you can miss out on things that can make your workflow much easier.

1. Make Your Way Around: The Microsoft Word User Interface

Whichever version you’re using, the user interface is very similar:

The main menu gives you access to the major command groups:

• file
• edit
• view
• insert
• format
• tools
• table
• window
• help

Click on any of these items to reveal more detailed commands. For example, when you click on File, you get the following options.

Next, you see the Quick Access Toolbar lets complete frequently used tasks in Word with a single click. These include:

• save
• undo
• redo
• print
• search

This is also where you see the title of the document you’re working on.

You can customize which buttons appear on your Quick Access Toolbar. 

1. Go to Word > Preferences….

The Word Preferences dialog opens. 

2. Click on the Ribbon & Toolbar button.

The Ribbon & Toolbar dialog pops up. 

3. Click on the Quick Access Toolbar button.

4. Add, remove, or reorder the command buttons.

To add a button to your Quick Access Toolbar, find the command you wish to add from the left box. Click to select it, then click the right arrow. This moves it to the box on the right.

To remove a command from your Quick Access Toolbar, click on a command on the right. Then, click the left arrow.

You can also drag and drop the commands in your Quick Access Toolbar to change the order in which they appear.

5. When you’re done, click Save.

Next, you’ll find the tab and ribbon. Each tab displays a different ribbon of buttons for various related commands. For example, the Home tab displays this ribbon:

Follow the same steps above to customize the ribbon for each tab. Instead of selecting Quick Access Toolbar in the Ribbon & Toolbar dialog, click on the Ribbon button.

Let’s look at just some of the things you can do.

2. Create a New Document

You could fire up Microsoft Word and create a document from scratch. The interface is intuitive enough to figure out. But if you need it, here’s a quick guide to creating, opening, and saving files:

Earlier versions of Word create files in the DOC file format, a proprietary format. This means only Microsoft Word officially supported files with the DOC extension. But with some reverse engineering, other applications were able to open and save DOC files. That said, they may not fully support all its formatting and features.

Since 2007, Word started saving files as DOCX by default. The X stands for XML standard or Open Office Extensible Markup Language. 

DOCX makes for smaller files that are less prone to corruption. It can also be read by any robust word processor, like Google Docs. DOCX is now the standard file format of Word documents. Although, Word can save to DOC and other file formats as well (see Exporting to Other File Formats below).

3. Work With Text in MS Word

Microsoft Word shines when it comes to manipulating and formatting text. You can create the most basic, plain text-based documents to extremely creative layouts that previously required graphic design software.

Below are a few tutorials on the basics of working with text:

4. Go Beyond Text

Almost any document can benefit from the added impact of visuals. Read these articles to learn how to add and format pictures, as well as go beyond the basics with your layouts. 

And if you find yourself using Microsoft Word more and more, you’ll appreciate learning the keyboard shortcuts for your frequently used commands. Find out more below:

5. Print in Microsoft Word

You can print to standard-sized paper as well as custom sizes. Print on matte, glossy, or photo paper. You can even print large documents, such as a banner, by printing them on separate sheets that you then piece together.

To print a document:

1. Go to File > Print….

The Print dialog opens.

Select your printer. Then choose the printer settings you want to use, including which pages to print, how many, and print quality.

2. Click Print.

6. Export to Other File Formats

Microsoft Word isn’t just for making printed documents! 

Thanks to the exporting feature, you can export your document to other file formats. The most common one is a PDF, which you can upload to a website, email, or share in other ways.

Follow these steps to export your document:

1. Go to File > Save As….

The Save As dialog appears.

2. Choose a file format.

Give your document a name. Then, click on the File Format drop-down menu to display all the different formats you can export to. Select the format you want to use, then click Save.

Go to the Next Level With Word Templates

If you want to take your documents to the next level without getting a graphic design degree yourself, then use a template.

The best templates are created by professional designers who make the biggest design decisions for you: fonts, colors, formatting, image placement, and more. All you’ve got to do is to add your own text and images, customize the formatting elements as you see fit, and you have a professional-looking document. Read this article on how to use Microsoft Word templates:

For best results, use a premium Word template. These are specifically designed to be customizable. They often come with after-sales support from the designers. 

A great source of premium templates is Envato Elements. For one small monthly subscription, get unlimited downloads of templates and other design pieces you need, such as fonts, photos, and more.

For one-off projects, consider the Word templates from GraphicRiver. Here, you can access thousands of templates and other design tools, but on a pay-per-use basis.

5 Top Microsoft Word Templates from Envato Elements in 2021

Envato Elements has most of the templates you’ll need for any project in MS Word. Here are five different types of premium templates that can be used in Microsoft Word:

1. Word Resume

Edit this resume in Microsoft Word and in Adobe InDesign. The design of this template is minimal and modern. This template comes with a picture placeholder where you can add your image. Everything can be easily edited as needed.

2.  Product Catalog

If you’re looking for a product catalog, consider this one. Here are some features of this MS Word template:

• US letter size (8.5″ x 11″)
• 12 pages to add information on
• can be edited in Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign

This template comes with a customer feedback page, membership information page, terms & policies page, and a bestsellers page.

3. Flower Word Wedding Invitation

Another use for templates in Microsoft Word is an invitation template. The Flower Word Wedding Invitation is a premium invitation template. This template has a simple and elegant design. The size of this template is A4 paper size, which can be folded and put in an envelope or passed out like a flyer. 

4. Business Brochure

Another template useful in Microsoft Word is a brochure that can be used to give any type of information. Here are some highlights of this templates:

• both US letter size (8.5″ x 11″) and A4 size (8.27″ x 11.69″)
• 16 pages you can add information on
• edit it in Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign

You can easily edit everything in this template to fit the project you’re working on.

5. Clean and Minimal Business Invoice

The Clean and Minimal Business Invoice can be edited in Adobe InDesign and Microsoft Word. This template has a professional and clean look. The size of this template is US letter size (8.5″ x 11″), meaning it can be easily mailed in an envelope. This template comes with some icons at the bottom of the page.  

5 Ways You Can Customize Your Premium Template 

Customizing your template is a way to add a personal touch to your template. In this tutorial, we’ll use the CV Resume Word Template.

Here’s what the template looks like without any edits made:

Let’s get started on some customizations:

1. Insert a Headshot Image

There’s an image area that you can add your image to in this template. Add an image by clicking on the Insert tab in the top left corner of your window. Next, click on the Insert Picture button located below the toolbar.

When you click on Insert Picture, a menu drops down. Select the correct option for you depending on where your image is located. Once you’ve located your image, double click. You can resize and move the image as needed.

2. Add Your Information

To add your information, you need to delete the text that is already there. To delete text, highlight the text that you want to get rid of.

After the text is highlighted, press Delete on your keyboard. Next, click on the Insert tab in the top left corner of your window. Then, click on the Draw a Textbox button below the toolbar in the right side of your window.

Finally, click on where you want to add the textbox and draw a diagonal line to add the text box. Now, click in the text box and start typing.

3. Use the Spelling and Grammar Check

Bad spelling and grammar can cause an employer not to hire you. Microsoft Word has a helpful feature that’ll check spelling and grammar for you. 

To begin using the spelling and grammar check, highlight all the text that you want to check for errors. Next, click on the Review tab. The first button on the left side of the window under the toolbar is the Spelling & Grammar button. Click on the Spelling & Grammar button.

When you click on the Spelling & Grammar button, it’ll check the highlighted text for errors. When it’s done, a pop-up window pops up. Click on the correct spelling of the word and click on the Add button.

Keep repeating the previous step until every error is fixed. Then click on the Close button.

4. Change the Font 

Changing the font is the easiest way to customize your Microsoft Word template.

First, highlight the text that you want to change the font of. Next, click on the Home tab in the toolbar. The Home tab is the first option in the toolbar on the left side of your window.

Then click on the arrow next to the font menu. Clicking on the arrow next to the font menu causes a menu of fonts to drop down. Choose the font that you want from the drop-down menu. 

5. Delete an Object

Deleting an object that you don’t want can help you open up your Microsoft Word template layout. To get rid of an object, click on the object that you want to delete. When the object is collected, click the Delete key.

How to Get Microsoft Word Help and Support

Microsoft Word brings powerful word processing tools at your fingertips. But more features also mean more complexity. Fortunately for us, Microsoft provides a Help & Learning page. Here, you’ll find training, access to a community of other users, and a way to get support.

Good-Looking, High-Impact Documents at Your Fingertips

For beginners and advanced users alike, Word continues to be the top word processor in the world. Its intuitive features allow you to create visually attractive and effective documents.

You can create a document from scratch or shortcut the process by using a template. For unlimited downloads of templates and other design ingredients, subscribe to Envato Elements. But if you need a template for a single use, then GraphicRiver may be a better source for you. Why not download your favorite template today and get started?

Editorial Note: This post was originally published in April of 2020 It’s been updated with contributions from Sarah Joy. Sarah is a freelance instructor for Envato Tuts+.