Reusing document settings

Noteman says: When you install a new version of Finale on your computer, document styles, ensembles, templates, and libraries are not copied from the previous version. To migrate these files, see To migrate settings and support files from one version of Finale to another.

There are several time-saving options when you frequently work with common document settings:

  • Document Styles. While you can create any kind of document using the Setup Wizard, you can make this process even faster by using a document style, which includes many different settings that you don't have to configure after a document is created. See Document Styles.
  • Custom Ensembles. If there is instrumentation that you use frequently, you can reuse those instruments by utilizing an ensemble in the Setup Wizard. Finale includes several predefined ensembles. See Ensembles.
  • Templates. Templates are useful for situations that are not easily created through the Setup Wizard; for example, a particular musical genre may use specialized notational conventions, such as a 2-staff choral work combining Soprano/Alto and Tenor/Bass in staff names. Templates include document settings, existing elements like text blocks, and specific instrumentation. Finale includes a number of preset templates organized into genre categories. See Templates.
  • Libraries. In cases where you only want to share certain document options and settings with other documents, use a library. You can specify exactly which elements from your existing document will be saved in a separate library file, which can then be imported into any document. Finale includes a wide variety of libraries for many different situations and many different fonts. See Finale libraries.

Finale also includes a Default document that can be edited. This document is only used in two very specific situations: when choosing File > New > Default Document and when importing a MusicXML file.

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