Template creation

1. Open Adobe InDesign CS6. Sign into Smart Connection.
2. Create a document. In Preferences—>Element Labels, make sure that you have all the labels you'll need.
3. Create a text box, right-click it and apply one of those element labels. Repeat as necessary.
4. Check it in and save it as a template.

Create an article template

1. Create elements (components) by going to Preferences—>General—>Element Labels (all the way down at the bottom). Make a new element label for each component the editors will need in their article template.
2. Make sure each element has the paragraph style box checked and select an appropriate style sheet.
3. Apply an element label to each text box (View—>Extras—>Show elements labels).
4. To save a layout template, check that template box during the normal save process
5. Create a document from the layout template. Save it with a name like "burner" or some such to indicate its total lack of value. The only reason we are doing this: You must have a layout, not a layout template, to use this technique for article template creation.
6. Smart Connection—>Create article from document. Be sure to check the "Save as template" box in the lower left corner.

The article template does not need to be created from the layout template. As long as they both use the same set of element labels, it should work.

Edit an existing template

Double-clicking or copying the template will merely create a document from that template. To edit a layout template, hold the option key when opening it from the Smart Connection panel. If the name at the top of the window is the template's, you've succeeded. If it's "untitled" please try again.