With SharePoint, there’s a feature that helps with source control for document templates. Using Content Types in combination with document libraries we can have a set of document templates that users can choose from, edit and save without over-writing the original document.

Here are the steps to implement this:

1. Create a Document Library

2. Within the site that contains that Document Library, go to Site Actions > Site Settings

3. Under the Galleries section, click on Site Content Types

4. Click the Create link at the top of the list.

5. Give your Content Type a name and description.

6. Under Parent Content Type choose “Select parent content type from: Document Content Types” and “Parent Content Type: Document”

7. If this is the first time you’re creating a new Content Type, then you should choose to place it in a “New Group” and give it a meaningful name.

8. After creating the Content Type, you have the option of customizing some of the settings. Click on ‘Advanced Settings.’

9. Choose to upload a New Document Template.

10. Leave the rest of the default settings and press OK.

Now we’ll have to go back to the Document Library that we had created earlier. Within that Document Library:

11. Click on Settings > Document Library Settings

12. Under the General Settings Section, click on ‘Advanced Settings’

13. If ‘Allow management of content types?’ is set to No, change it to Yes. Leave the rest of the settings, and click OK.

14. Under the Content Types Section, click ‘Add from existing site content types’

15. Now you’ll have the option of choosing the from the menus, the Content Type Group and Content Type that was created earlier. You’ll want to add it to the list of ‘Content Types to add:’

16. Go back to the Document Library, click the arrow next to the ‘New’ button and you should now have a new Document Template to choose from!

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SharePoint

February 12, 2007

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