Use a fresh file when creating a template?

[mercury613]

We’re designing a PPT presentation template for a client. The people
who produce PPT presentations at one of our other offices told us that
when creating the template, we should obtain our client’s current
template, clean out the file, and use it to create the new template.

This makes absolutely no sense to me. My experience with Microsoft
docs, whether they be PPT, Word or Excel, is that it’s always best to
start fresh with a new file. Anyone have any thoughts/experiences to
share?

Many thanks.

 

[CyberTaz]

Well, for what my humble opinion may be worth, the first thing I'd be
tempted to ask the 'other office' is "How do you go about 'cleaning out' an
existing template?". It's one thing if you're modifying/updating an existing
template rather than to start from scratch, but that means that there is
stuff about the old template that you want to retain. Even then I'd want to
do a Save As just to be on the safe side.

If you are actually creating a _new_ template I'd say your approach is
sound... Start fresh & avoid any residual ghosties that might remain to
haunt you in the old one if you used it as the basis for the new one.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[mercury613]

Well, for what my humble opinion may be worth, the first thing I'd be
tempted to ask the 'other office' is "How do you go about 'cleaning out' an
existing template?". It's one thing if you're modifying/updating an existing
template rather than to start from scratch, but that means that there is
stuff about the old template that you want to retain. Even then I'd want to
do a Save As just to be on the safe side.

If you are actually creating a _new_ template I'd say your approach is
sound... Start fresh & avoid any residual ghosties that might remain to
haunt you in the old one if you used it as the basis for the new one.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

Thanks so much for your quick reply, and for confirming what I
suspected. I agree -- if there are existing elements we want to
retain, it possibly makes sense to use an old template. We're creating
a brand new presentation, with a new corporate identity, though.

Best,
Jeff

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Thanks so much for your quick reply, and for confirming what I
suspected. I agree -- if there are existing elements we want to
retain, it possibly makes sense to use an old template. We're creating
a brand new presentation, with a new corporate identity, though.

Best,
Jeff

One other bit of advice from an expert template creator I know is to start
with a blank presentation, apply the old template, tweak, then save as a new
template.