Creating a New Proposal Template Quick Reference
Proposal templates are pre-formatted to include particular styles, layouts, and information that you can use on future proposals. You might find it helpful to use this list of quick reference steps as a guide for creating a new proposal template.
Step | Procedure | Related Information |
---|---|---|
Create a Template | ||
1 | There are three methods for creating a proposal template:
|
Create a New Proposal Template |
2 | On the New Proposal Template dialog box, enter the general proposal properties: Name (required), Category, and Description. | New Proposal Dialog Box |
Define Template Properties | ||
3 | Define properties for the template. These apply as the template's default settings, including the title of the template. | Define the Proposal Properties |
4 | Define document properties for page orientation and margins. | Define Document Properties |
Add Hub Records to the Template | ||
5 | Add hub records. | Insert a Hub Record |
6 | Select the specific fields that you want to include for the record. Vantagepoint inserts placeholders for each field in the template. These fields are populated with data when you merge and finalize the template. | Insert Fields into a Proposal |
7 | When you specify fields for the template, there are some hub fields that allow you to further specify the data that is selected for the template. For example, the Team grid in a project record displays a drop-down list that allows you to specify
All,
Owner,
Clients, or
Vendor Firms.
If you select a column that is a number, currency, or date, you can specify the format for that column. Click the link to open the Format Number, Format Date/Time, and Format Currency dialog boxes. |
Format Currency Dialog Box |
8 | Use the Manage Records dialog box to add or remove records on the template. | Add or Remove Records on a Proposal |
Add Elements to the Template | ||
9 | Use the Proposal Builder to insert additional elements such as text and images. | Work with Proposal Elements |
10 | Add section breaks. | |
11 | Add and format pages. | Add Pages to a Proposal |
Save the Template | ||
12 | Save the record layout as a draft for editing later. This allows you to continue editing the template and make quick updates at one time instead of having to make changes to each individual record. Keep the template in draft mode until you need to edit each record individually or until you are ready to merge and publish. | Save Record Layout as Draft |
13 | Merge and finalize the layout of the records. This separates the records and disconnects the template information from the hub so that it is no longer updated with changes from the hub record. This allows you to edit each record individually for this template without affecting the record in the hub. | Merge and Finalize Records |
14 | Save the proposal template. After a template is saved, it is available for reuse from either the Proposal Templates grid or from the Templates option on the New Proposal dialog box. | Save the Proposal Template |
Parent Topic: Proposal Quick Reference Topics