Create a two-column document template in Microsoft Word

I recently finished working on a project that generated a dozen separate reports published together in a single booklet. Each report was from three to eight pages long, and most of them included at least one table or chart.

When we were done, several of my co-workers commented on how nicely the reports were laid out. All I had done was create a Word template with a simple two-column layout for long text sections.

To create this template, open a new document, type a dummy document title on the first line, choose a font type and size (I used 12-point bold lucida sans, for example), and center the line by choosing the appropriate icon in the formatting section of Word 2003's standard toolbar and under the Home tab on Word 2007's ribbon.

On the next line, enter dummy text to represent the document summary. The quick way to do so is to type =rand(p,s) (where "p" is the number of paragraphs and "s" is the number of sentences) and press Enter. Don't go nuts, though. This is supposed to be a "summary."

Choose a font type and size for the summary, which will appear in a single column. Now press Enter to move the cursor to a new line. In Word 2003, click Insert > Break > Continuous > OK. In Word 2007, click the Page Layout tab, choose Breaks in the Page Setup section, and click Continuous in the drop-down menu.

Add a continuous section break to your two-column Word template via the Page Layout tab.

(Credit: Microsoft)

In Word 2003, click Format > Columns and choose the two-column icon under Presets. In Word 2007, click the Page Layout tab on the ribbon and click Columns > Two. (Note that this important step was inadvertently excluded from the original version of the tip; my apologies.)

Paste in more dummy text by typing =rand(p,s) (where "p" is the number of paragraphs and "s" is the number of sentences) and pressing Enter. Format the font size and type, or stick with the document defaults.

Finally, save the file as a template: In Word 2003, click File > Save As, give the template a name such as "Two-column layout," choose a location for the file (more on this below), select Document Template (*.dot) in the Save as Type drop-down menu, and click Save.

In Word 2007, click the Office button, choose Save As > Word Template (or choose one of the other "Template" options on the "Save as type" drop-down menu), and click Save.

To have your new template listed under My Templates in Word's New dialog, save the template to this folder in Vista:
C:\Users\your logon ID\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates

Or this folder in XP:
C:\Users\your logon ID\AppData\Microsoft\Templates

Or click the Templates entry under Favorite Links in Vista or Trusted Templates in XP's Save in dialog. Note that once you've opened it, the template will also appear in the Recent documents list in both Word versions.

[xhable]

Seems to me you missed off pressing Colums two in the page layout section.

Also I belive the directory in XP is "C:\Documents and Settings\your logon idApplication Data\Microsoft\Templates"

[doreilly]

The original version of this tip excluded this important step, which should appear immediately below the screen capture:

In Word 2003, click Format > Columns and choose the two-column icon under Presets. In Word 2007, click the Page Layout tab on the ribbon and click Columns > Two.

My apologies for the error, and my thanks for pointing it out.

Dennis

[melee70]

this has nothing to do with creating a 2 column template. it creates a basic single column template. apparently you didn't proof your article to make sure it actually explained anything.

[discdropr]

The correct way to do this:
1. Add your document title
2. Add your summary text as described
3. On a new line, insert a continuous section break
4. Add the text you want to be 2-column
5. Insert another continuous section break (so you can go back to 1 column), if you wish
6. Place your cursor in the area of text you want to be 2 column, and select the 2 column layout.

[benjaminstraight]

Good article. Thanks!

[erectorset]

Good article??? It MISSED THE STEP about putting the text in two columns. Maybe the author should spend less time formatting and more time proofing.

[doreilly]

As the above readers have pointed out, the original version of the tip excluded a very important step. This instruction should appear immediately after the screen:

In Word 2003, click Format > Columns, choose the two-column icon under Presets, and click OK. In Word 2007, click the Page Layout tab on the ribbon and select Columns > Two.

I apologize for the error.

Dennis

[niconoro]

Hello, I need to draft a document in two languages. How can I create a document with two columns, with the same text but in different languages. I can go the easy way by inserting a table, but is there any other way? Thanks.

[jmogree]

I'm also looking for a way to do this, but can't seem to access the comments others have added.