Your description suggests you're trying to use a document as a template, rather than creating documents from a Word template. For something to get you started, see:
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customizat...platePart1.htm
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customizat...platePart2.htm
Note also there are lots of ready-made templates on the web for you to download. Whether any of them meets your needs, only you can decide.