SharePoint libraries can be self sufficient by enabling content type management.
Are you still using templates stored on a shared drive, saving the document to your hard drive, then uploading it to a SharePoint library? With SharePoint content types, you can store the templates and tour documents in the same SharePoint library.
Here are 5 easy steps to use document content types in a SharePoint library:
1. Create a document template using Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint. For example an expense report or a customer thank you letter.
2. Create a SharePoint document content type by going to ‘Site settings’, select ‘Site content types’ then select ‘Create’.
3. Upload your template into the content type you created in step 1 by selecting ‘Advanced settings’ from the content type you just created.
4. Enable content type management in your library. Select ‘Library settings’, ‘Advanced settings’, then ‘Yes’ to ‘Allow management of content types’.
5. Add the new content type to your library from ‘Library settings’, and under the heading ‘Content types’ select ‘Add from existing site content types’. Scroll to the content type you created and add it to the right side panel.
Now you can create new documents based on your template directly from the library by selecting the ‘New’ button on the Documents tab.