You will likely already have templates and would like those set up in a way to ensure the blocks of content added using the Proteus for Word Add-in also follow your brand guidelines.
Select any pre-existing template that will need to be converted.
You will need to use the MS Word Desktop App to create and edit your template text and table styles as the online version of Word has severe restrictions in these areas
You will want to ensure you have applied the Proteus for Word Add-in.
A template will be uploaded to Proteus ‘Files’ and from there will form the basis for every Proposal, Note, letter and Report.
Tips
Populate as many details as possible to guide the user who will populate the final Document.
Section Titles to give a guide on the structure of your template
Generic details that are always the same with approved wording and graphics e.g. - Company Info, Experience Lists, ISO Certificates, Trade Licenses etc
Guidance Note on what you expect for Proposal/Project specific sections
You may want to review what types of Proposals you complete regularly. For example full technical and financial but also mini Proposal
Try to keep your templates simple. If you require customer logos etc to be present on templates. Rather than create a customer specific template, create a standard and put in a placeholder to insert customer logos
How to create a document template
Create a new document or open an existing template you wish to use in the MS Word desktop app
Open the Proteus add-in
Sign in to your Proteus user account
Select your Proteus tenant (You will likely only have 1 option here)
Select any Record you have access to
- Do not select Sync with the record selected as you are only building a document template
- Here you can now start to add template tags to your document template
Select ‘add template tags’
Select the tag you wish to insert for ease ensure your mouse is at the place you want to insert the tag
Click Insert
- Repeat this process to apply as many tags as you wish
- Also note that all document blocks can be added as tags and are available from the dropdown
- Reminder : Don’t select Sync
To save your template go to file and click ‘always open as read-only’, this will ensure that no changes can be made to the template when other users open the file
Afterwards click save as
Name the template appropriately
Click place to get the drop down menu
Then click other > sites and look for Proteus-root
Select documents > templates, and then choose the folder from the template choices
Click save once complete
- Alternatively you can also ask your MS Administrator to save the templates in a common area where users can access these templates when using MS Word
How to add template tags
Throughout your document highlight areas where a template tag can be used
Once an area is selected and correct tag, select ‘insert’ on the Proteus Sidebar
A list of template tags can be seen in the drop down bar
Add in Placeholders as a reminder to select the required add-in block when working on any live proposal
Add in any standard text such as T&Cs
Insert Page breaks and set up Text and table styles (next paragraph)
Select Sync to ensure that the template tags are synchronised with the Proteus record
How to add document blocks
Open the document and link it to the Proteus Proposal/Project record
Throughout your document click areas where a document block can be used
Once an area is selected and correct block identified, select the block on the Proteus Sidebar
- Select the Refresh button beside the document block title if changes are made to the WBS in Proteus
- A list of Document blocks can be seen on the Proteus side bar and explained
- Add in specific proposal detail
How to edit / modify text styles
Open your word document/required/selected template
Select ‘Home’ via the menu bar
Select ‘Heading 1’ and right click, select ‘modify’
Modify your heading formatting and text styles to match your current guidelines
- Ensure you modify each heading and paragraph type to match your brand guidelines by right clicking and selecting “Modify” as shown below:
How to edit / modify table styles
Within your template document, create a basic table
Click on that table and click into the “Table Design” tab
Apply “Grid Table 2” to that table
Right click on the “Grid Table 2” option and select “Modify Table Style”
Apply the styles you want to come through to your template
Remember, you can apply styles to the whole table or to specific rows as shown below
Press OK and that will save your modifications
How to upload document template to Proteus
Within Proteus, click on “Files” at the bottom of the left hand menu
Click into the “Templates” folder then into the folder in which you want your template to be; Letter, Notes, Proposal or Report
Upload your docx file into your templates within your chosen folder
Alternatively you can ask your MS Administrator to make these template(s) available to users for selection in MS Word when selecting Files > New from Template
- Now that you have uploaded your template to Proteus, you can use that template by selecting it from your templates when creating a new file in MS Word
- When you add an Add-in Block, its contents will inherit the styles you set in the template