Document templates in SharePoint are a very important tool that can be the difference between a well organised intranet or a mess of documents containing different styles, metadata, content etc. So it’s important to know how to add document templates to libraries.

Turning on the ability to add templates.

1. Go to the relevant document library.
2. Click LIBRARY in the ribbon to open the menu.
3. Click Library Settings.
4. Next click Advanced Settings.
5. The first option on this page will be “Allow management of content types”, set this to Yes.
   • Content types are the official name for the settings that define what a master template is, content types generally roll down from wherever they are defined, however they need to be added to libraries specifically for them to appear.
6. Click OK to apply this.

Adding Content types to subsites

1. Go to the Library Settings page (the one with “General Settings”, “Permissions and Management” and “Communications”).
2. Scroll down until you see a small header that says “Content types”, below this click “Add from existing site content types”.
3. This will load up a page with a list of predefined Content types on the left, and an empty box on the right, so now find all the Content types that you wish to add and add them by clicking twice on the name or by clicking once followed by clicking “Add >”.
4. Once you’ve picked all the content types you wish to use click OK to apply the changes.
5. You should now be back on the settings page, and your newly added content types will be displayed below the Content types heading.

Changing the order of templates on the New Document menu

1. Go to the Library Settings page (the one with “General Settings”, “Permissions and Management” and “Communications”).
2. Scroll down until you see a small header that says “Content types”, below this click “Change new button order and default content type”.
3. This page gives the option to sort the order of the “New Document” menu, or to hide content types if you don’t want them to be displayed in the menu.
4. Again click OK to apply the settings.