Tips for Microsoft Publisher
Get going fast with Publisher
On This Page
Repeat elements on facing pages
When you place elements onto your Master Page (background) they’ll be the same on every page. If you’re creating a publication with facing pages, you might want to arrange your elements so they’re facing each other:
| • | Go to the Arrange menu and select Layout |
| • | Check Create Two Backgrounds With Mirrored Guides |
| • | Click OK |
| • | Go to the View menu and select Go to Background |
| • | Add the elements you want on your background. If you want to copy an element, hold down Control and drag the element to where you want it |
| • | Once you're happy with the position of your elements, go to the View menu and Go to Foreground |
Hide your background for a specific page
Hiding a background on a page is easy:
Go to the page, then to the View menu and select Ignore Background.
Using the Design Checker
The Design Checker scans your publication and reports back on common layout problems such as empty frames, text in the overflow area and spacing between sentences.
To use the Design Checker:
| • | Go to the Tools menu and select Design Checker |
| • | To check for specific problems, click Options, then click Check selected features and choose what you want to search for |
| • | Select the pages you’d like to check and click OK |
| • | When Design Checker finds a problem you can either fix the problem and continue, or choose to ignore it |
| • | Click OK when the check is complete. |
Using the Design Gallery
The Design Gallery gives you a selection of design objects to include in your publication. These can be mastheads, calendars, reply forms and picture captions.
To use something from the Design Gallery in your publication:
| • | Click the Design Gallery Object icon on the Objects toolbar |
| • | Look through the categories and choose your element |
| • | Click Insert |
| • | Size and position the element on the page |
It’s easy to add elements to your Design Gallery. Try your company logo or masthead:
| • | Click the element |
| • | Go to the Insert menu and select Add Selection to Design Gallery |
| • | Give the element a name and specify its category |
| • | Click OK |
Customise a colour scheme for your publication
Microsoft Publisher comes with standard colour schemes for you to use in your publications. But it’s also easy to create your own colour schemes.
| • | Go to the Format menu and select Color Schemes |
| • | Click the Custom Color Scheme tab in the dialog box |
| • | Click the arrow for the colour you want to change |
| • | Select a new colour. If the colour you want isn't there, click More Colors |
| • | Do this for the other colours in the scheme |
| • | When you’ve finished click Save Scheme |
| • | Click OK twice |
