ProVide lets you create new files from a template you provide, such as a Word document with your company signature already in place or an Excel sheet with your columns pre-built. You add templates by placing the source files in a “templates” folder on your ProVide server, then registering them in the admin interface. You need admin access to set this up.
Important: use a normal document, not a template file. ProVide does not use template formats like .dotx. Use a standard file such as .docx or .xlsx as the basis for new files. If you use a .dotx file, the new file will be created as a write-protected .dotx, which is not what you want.
Watch the video tutorials #
Two short videos walk through the whole process: one on uploading and configuring templates, and one on creating documents from them. They’re embedded below, or you can follow the written steps.
1. Upload & Configure Templates
Watch the tutorial below to learn how to upload and set up custom templates in ProVide Server.
2. Create Documents Using Templates
Learn how to create new documents efficiently using your custom templates.
Step 1: Add your template files #
Go to your ProVide folder and open the “templates” folder. If it doesn’t exist, create a folder named templates. Drop your pre-made files into it to use as templates. For this guide, we’ll add an Excel file named Marketing.xlsx to the templates folder. Then head to the admin page.
Step 2: Register the templates in ProVide #
On the admin page, open the “HTTP(S)” tab and turn on Enable users to create new files. Check that the file type you want a template for appears in Allowed file types for new files. By default, .docx, .xlsx, .pptx, and .txt are already included.
Because Excel is already on that list, you can add your template to the Templates for new files field below it. Enter the file name followed by the display name users will see, in the format filename=display name. For our example, add:
Marketing.xlsx=Marketing TemplatePress Apply in the HTTP(S) window to save.
Step 3: Create a file from the template #
Log in to ProVide and click the New File button. Make sure you have write access and permission to create files in the target directory. In the dialog, choose “Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)” under File type, then open the Template dropdown. Select “Marketing Template,” give the new file a name, and click OK. Your new file opens with the template as its starting point.
