Applying custom master page to sharepoint sites

Applying master page:

1) Right click on test.master in sharepoint designer
2) Choose set as default master page
3) Save
4) Refresh your sharepoint site.
5) Now you can see that your sharepoint site is using test.master

This way we can apply the master page to all the pages. But if for using test.master for my entire pages, this is not a good solution. For that we have another method i.e. apply master page to one site and make that site as a template and use this template while creating new sites.

Creating template:

1) Do the 5 step procedure as mentioned above.
2) Open the sharepoint site
3) Go to site actions
4) Choose site settings.
5) Under look and feel, choose save site as template

Applying template:

1) Go to site actions.
2) Choose create
3) Choose sites and workspaces under web pages
4) Give the title and url of the newly created site.
5) Under select template, choose custom
6) There you can see the template which we have created. Choose that
7) Then create.

If you have MOSS, you can directly apply master page from sharepoint site.

1) Create a site
2) Go to site settings
3) Under look and feel, choose master page
4) Then select any master page you want.


Refer this:

http://www.cleverworkarounds.com/2007/10/08/sharepoint-branding-how-css-works-with-master-pages-part-1/