Down to the basics: creating a template is quick and easy in Dreamweaver. You can create a new web page, or use an existing page (again, make sure your existing page has all the areas you want to be universal within this site). But remember to define your site first, so that you can save your template into that site; DW creates a 'Templates' folder for you automatically. If you create templates from pages that aren't in your current site, you could run into problems.

Using an Existing Page
• Open your existing page (part of site? Go through the site > F8) and go to File > Save as Template or click the Make Template button from the Insert bar

• In the Save as Template window, type in a name; click Save. DW automatically adds the .dwt extension and saves it in a Templates folder (for dynamic web pages, DW put the extension before the file's extension ie. main.dwt.asp)

Creating a New Page
The Assets panel lets you create a new page:
• Open the Assets panel (Window > Assets or F11) > click the Templates icon . Once you've created your template, save it with a meaningful name (always a good idea; not so fun, but a good idea).