If you run a small business, nonprofit, or local organization, a consistent letterhead makes every letter, proposal, or official notice look professional and trustworthy. The good news: you don’t need expensive design software to create one. Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) makes it easy to build a reusable letterhead template directly in Google Docs — no design experience required. And if you’d rather have it done right the first time, OneStop NorthWest’s graphic design team can design and deploy it for you.
Here’s a complete walkthrough for setting up your own branded letterhead template in Google Workspace.
Why Use Google Workspace for Letterhead Templates
Google Docs is already part of most business toolkits, which makes it a convenient home for branded documents. Benefits include:
- Free and built-in — no extra software or subscriptions
- Cloud-based access — your team can use the same template from anywhere
- Easy sharing — save as a Google Doc template or export to PDF/Word
- Brand consistency — logo, colors, and contact info stay uniform across every document
If your business doesn’t have a finalized logo yet, that’s the natural starting point before building a letterhead — see our logo design services to get that squared away first.
Step 1: Create a New Google Doc
Open Google Drive, click New > Google Docs > Blank document, and rename the file something like “Company Letterhead Template.”
Step 2: Set Up Your Header
- Click Insert > Header & Page Number > Header.
- Insert your logo (Insert > Image > Upload from computer), resized to fit neatly at the top-left or centered.
- Add your business name, address, phone number, email, and website next to or below the logo using a small, clean font (Arial or Roboto at 9–10pt works well).
- Add a thin horizontal line (Insert > Drawing > Line) beneath the header to visually separate it from the body text.
Step 3: Add a Footer (Optional but Recommended)
Use Insert > Header & Page Number > Footer to include:
- Tagline or slogan
- Social media handles
- Legal disclaimers or licensing info
This reinforces branding without cluttering the main letter body.
Step 4: Format the Body for Letters
Leave generous margins (1 inch is standard) and set a professional font like Georgia or Calibri at 11–12pt for the body text. Add placeholder text such as “[Date],” “[Recipient Name],” and “[Body Copy]” so anyone using the template knows exactly where to fill in information.
Step 5: Lock In Your Brand Colors
Use Format > Table or the drawing tool to add a subtle colored header band or sidebar that matches your brand palette. Keep it minimal — letterheads should look clean, not busy. If you’re not sure what your brand palette should be yet, our brand identity packages cover logo, color, and typography guidelines in one deliverable.
Step 6: Save It as a Reusable Template
There are two easy ways to make this reusable across your team:
Option A — Google Workspace Template Gallery (Business/Enterprise plans): Go to Template Gallery > Submit Template from your Drive and upload the doc so anyone in your organization can access it instantly.
Option B — “Make a Copy” Method (works on any plan):
- Right-click the file in Drive and select Share > Restrict editing.
- Instruct users to select File > Make a copy before editing, preserving your original as the master template.
Not on Google Workspace? We walk through the equivalent setup for Microsoft 365 and Zoho WorkDrive in the section below.
Step 7: Export for Different Use Cases
Once finalized, you can export your letterhead as:
- PDF (File > Download > PDF) for signed or final documents
- Microsoft Word (.docx) for clients who need editable files
- Google Doc link for internal team use
Bonus Tip: Create Multiple Versions
If your business sends different types of correspondence (invoices, official notices, proposals), duplicate your master template and adjust the header/footer slightly for each use case — while keeping the logo, fonts, and colors identical for consistency. This same “master template” approach also applies well beyond letterhead — check out our related guide on setting up branded business documents for more examples.
Need a Professionally Designed Letterhead? OneStop NorthWest Can Help
DIY letterheads work, but a polished, on-brand letterhead makes a real difference in how clients and partners perceive your business. Our professional letterhead and print design services include custom layouts, brand-matched color palettes, and print-ready files — so your correspondence looks as sharp as your work.
Already have a design (or had us create one) and just need it deployed as a working template your whole team can use? We handle that too. Our IT and Workspace setup services can deploy your branded letterhead template inside:
- Google Workspace (Docs, Template Gallery, shared team access)
- Microsoft 365 (Word template galleries, SharePoint, OneDrive)
- Zoho WorkDrive (shared team folders and template libraries)
Whether you need a brand-new design, help perfecting an existing one, or a company-wide rollout so every employee is using the same approved template, our team makes sure it’s consistent, professional, and ready to use across your organization — no matter which platform you’re on. Ready to get started? Contact our team for a free consultation.
Final Thoughts
Setting up a letterhead template in Google Workspace takes less than 30 minutes and instantly elevates how professional your business communications look. Once built, it becomes a reusable brand asset your whole team can rely on. And if you’d rather skip the setup work — or want a truly custom design — OneStop NorthWest is ready to design it, deploy it, and get your team using it correctly from day one.