How do I download a custom design template?

One of the more advanced features of Bidsketch is the ability to create a completely custom design template that allows you to input your own code to make your template look how you want it to look. You can create the custom design template by following these steps:

1. Log in to your account  

2. Go to the Templates dashboard and into the Designs tab

3. Click on the button that says, “new design"

4. Select a starter file (either the “minimum" example or “complete" example)

Manipulating the File

5. Open the file on your computer, make your customizations, and prepare for upload into your Bidskech account.

For Macs: You'll just see one folder, that has the index.html file, an instructions file, and a folder of images. Open the index.html file to code your design. Put your images into the images folder. Make sure your index file is in the root directory, and not inside of your images folder (as you see in the image below). 

Highlight the index.html file and images folder, right-click, and this menu should appear. Select "compress 2 items." 

This will create a zipped “archive" file, which is the file you will upload into Bidsketch.

For PCs: You'll see two folders. Open the folder at the bottom, that starts with "template_example." 

That will take you to another directory where you'll have an index.html file, an instructions file, and a folder of images. Open the index.html file to code your design. Put your images into the images folder. Make sure your index file is in the root directory, and not inside of your images folder.

Highlight the index.html file and images folder, right-click, and this menu should appear. Select "send to > compressed (zipped) folder", which is the folder you will upload into Bidsketch.

Uploading the File

3. Go back into your design template page, in the section that allows you to upload the file (Templates > Designs > New Design)

4. Click on the “choose file" button and locate your “archive.zip/compressed folder"

5. Title your template, and click the “save" button

Now your template will appear in the design drop-down menu on the proposal preview screen. Selecting it from the menu will implement your custom design to that proposal.

If you don't know HTML/CSS, but you still want to make some basic design customizations to your proposal, you can learn how to do that here.