How to Create a Fill-in-the-Blank Template

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A fill-in-the-blank template is simply a layout or design that allows you to set up lines for a form, questionnaire or any type of document you want someone to complete. As with other types of templates, you can reuse the design you've created and add in the contents for the document when you're ready to use it. You can use a word processor application to create your fill-in-the-blank template. The form may be printed or completed on the computer.

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Microsoft Word or Open Office Writer

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Step 1

Start Microsoft Word or Open Office Writer and press "Ctrl"+"N" to create a new document.

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Step 2

Type in the data you want the template to contain. To create a questionnaire, for example, type the title at the top of the page and press "Enter" a few times. Type in the questions you want people to fill in and leave extra space for answers.

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Step 3

Place your cursor where you want the fill-in-the-blank to go. Press "Ctrl"+"U" to set the underline and press the "Tab" key to create blank lines. Press "Ctrl"+"U" to stop the underline.

Step 4

Click the Office Button in Word to save your template. Select "Save As" and "Word Template." Name the file in the "Save As" dialog box and click "Save." In OpenOffice Writer, select "File" and "Save As" from the menu. Change "Save as type" to "ODF Text Document Template (.ott)." Name the file and click "Save."

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WordPerfect

Step 1

Start WordPerfect and select "File" and "New from Project" from the menu. The PerfectExpert dialog box opens. Expand "Options" and select "Create WP Template" from the list.

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Step 2

Go to the QuickMenu and click "Table." Choose the number of columns and rows you need for your content. You can merge any cells you need to combine later.

Step 3

Type in the questions or instructions for each fill-in. Press the "Tab" key to move to a new cell. Do not add text into the cells for the fill-ins.

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Step 4

Highlight any cells that contain borders you want to hide. Right-click and select "Border/Fill" from the pop-up menu. Select the "Cell" tab in the dialog box. Set all cell lines to "None" and click "OK."

Step 5

Select "File" and "Save" from the menu to save your template. The Save Template dialog box appears. Enter a file name in the "Template name" text field. Select "Custom WP Templates" from Template category and click "OK."

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