Microsoft Publisher is a versatile desktop publishing program designed to assist with the creation and publication of text-based documents. As Microsoft Word focuses on text, Microsoft Publisher focuses on page layout. It is commonly used in the creation of posters, leaflets, flyers, calendars, business cards, magazines, and menus. It has become an integral component of millions of offices worldwide since its inception in the early 1990s. While most users are proficient in the basics of the platform, the following tips and tricks can help you enhance your overall experience.
Use a template
When it comes to creating a series of professional documents, uniformity is key. This can add an extra layer of skill and professionalism and improve overall brand awareness. This can be achieved in Microsoft Publisher by using a pre-made document as a template going forward. By establishing an in-house style ahead of time, you can promote a sense of consistency and reliability across your entire brand. The contents of a business card can be used as a guideline for all future documents. By doing this, you can ensure each document contains the exact same font, size, colour, and general style. This can lead to improved brand relations and streamlined communication with clients. To find out how to streamline your next project, try microsoft office publisher for mac.
Make use of baseline grids
Baseline grids are a series of equally spaced horizontal lines that allow you to frame your content accurately and precisely. This can provide uniformity across your documents and ensure each element is placed exactly how and where it should be with no need to double-check. Whether you are working on a small in-house project or a nationwide campaign, baseline grids can align your work and prevent you from making time-consuming and costly mistakes. They are visible on-screen but invisible when printed. Lines are your best friend in Microsoft Publisher. With a little bit of practice, you can learn how to use them to your advantage.
Create your own text styles
Another key feature of Microsoft Publisher is the ability to create your own text styles. Whether you can’t find exactly what you are looking for or just want to inject a bit of fun and creativity into your company newsletters, text styles can add an extra layer of personalisation and individualisation to your documents. The entire process only takes a few minutes from start to finish. When you create your own text style, you will be given the option to choose from a wide range of fonts, sizes, text effects, character spacing, horizontal rules, bullets and numbering, and tabs. This can benefit businesses looking to improve their internal communications and boost brand awareness for their existing customer base.
Make use of keyboard shortcuts
As with most computer programs, Microsoft Publisher contains a series of keyboard shortcuts. These can be helpful as they allow the user to continue working on their document in the event of a mouse or touchpad failure. There are a number of handy keyboard shortcuts you must know. Crtl + direction key allows you to shift the entire screen in the direction of the arrow key pressed. Pressing the up or down direction key at the same time as the Shift key will select or unselect entire lines of text below or above the cursor. Pressing the left or right direction key at the same time as the Shift key, on the other hand, will select or unselect letters that are located to the left or right of the cursor. Finally, pressing Crtl + space key will reset the text selected to the default text format. Keyboard shortcuts can save you valuable time and allow you to juggle various different tasks at any one time.
Character spacing
Character spacing is the process of stretching or compressing text as necessary. This can improve the overall appearance and readability of your documents. When working with too much text, most users become tempted to simply shrink the font size. While this may work, it can also cause your text to appear uneven and distracting to the reader. By adjusting character spacing, you can create more room for your text and increase overall uniformity and consistency. Increasing character spacing has also been proven to improve readability for dyslexic readers. Getting to grips with character spacing can take time and patience. Play around with the feature until you find a size that works for you and the document you are in the process of creating.
Bleeding
Bleeding is the name given to the process of printing an image or colour on a large piece of paper before shrinking it down to size and allowing the ink to touch each outer edge. It is commonly used during the production of posters, magazines, and leaflets. It can contribute towards creating a professional, high-quality end result. To create a bleeding effect, simply adjust the size of your paper until it is larger than your page. Any image or colour that runs off the edge of your page will still be printed onto the paper. This gives you the option to trim your document as necessary and create the illusion of bleeding. Microsoft Publisher will even print a series of crop marks to allow you to cut along the dotted lines and achieve the perfect end result. You must shy away from including any important text or image-based details within your bleed. This will be cropped at a later stage and cut out from your final product. To ensure you do not make any mistakes, most designers recommend only including background colours or images within your bleed space.
Whether you consider yourself a beginner or a novice, there is so much to learn when it comes to navigating Microsoft Publisher. From lines and templates to styles and grids, it can seem like an impossible task. By following these handy tips and tricks, you can streamline your daily working practices and improve your workflow today.
