Chapter 24. Enhancing and Managing Publications
Publisher 2016 offers an array of powerful features that enable you to customize your publications. You can modify your color scheme and background and insert text boxes, new pages, picture placeholders, headers, footers, page numbers, and much more.
Even if you have no design skills, you can use Publisher’s building blocks. For a professional look, you can also insert ready-made design elements such as headings, pull quotes, sidebars, story elements, borders, and accents.
Before publication, be sure to run the built-in Design Checker, which analyzes your publication for potential problems. If you’re sending your publication to a commercial printer, the Pack and Go Wizard ensures that your printer has everything needed for optimal printing.
Applying a Color Scheme
When you create a publication, Publisher applies a color scheme, a collection of four coordinated colors identified by name, such as Flow, Moss, and Citrus. If you don’t like your current color scheme, you can choose another.
Click the Page Design tab.
Click the More button in the Schemes group.
Select your preferred color scheme.
Publisher applies the scheme to your publication.
Tip: Color Scheme Shortcut
The number of color schemes Publisher displays in the Schemes group on the Page Design tab is determined by your monitor size. If you see a scheme you want to use and you don’t want to view more options in the gallery, you can click the theme to apply it directly to your publication. 
Tip: Create Your Own Color Scheme
Despite the abundance of existing color schemes, you might want to create your own. For example, you might want to match the colors of an existing publication or logo. Click Create New Color Scheme at the bottom of the Color Scheme gallery to select your own combination of colors.
Applying a Background
Publisher enables you to apply a solid color or gradient background to one or more pages in your publication. The background colors available in the gallery coordinate with your selected color scheme.
Click the Page Design tab.
Click Background.
Select your preferred background.
Publisher applies the background to your publication.
Tip: Customize Your Background
If none of the backgrounds in the gallery suit your needs, click More Backgrounds to create a custom background. This option enables you to use any solid or gradient color (not just the ones from your color scheme) or a picture, texture, or pattern as a page background.
Tip: Delete a Background
If you don’t like the background you applied, click the Background button again and select No Background to delete it.
Inserting a New Page
You can insert one or more pages at the beginning, end, or middle of your publication. Inserting duplicate pages is another option.
Click the Insert tab.
Click the top portion of the Page button.
Publisher inserts a blank page after the current page.
Tip: Insert a Duplicate Page
To insert a duplicate of the current page, click the lower portion of the Page button and select Insert Duplicate Page.
Tip: Other Page Insertion Options
Other options include inserting multiple pages, a page at the beginning of a publication, or new pages with a text box. To view these options, click the lower portion of the Page button and select Insert Page.
Drawing a Text Box
Add text to a page by drawing a text box. This is particularly useful if you’re starting with a blank publication. Text boxes act as moveable containers that you can reposition anywhere on a page.
Click the Insert tab.
Click Draw Text Box.
Click where you want the box to appear, and then drag until the box is the size you want.
Enter the desired text in the text box.
Tip: Modify a Text Box
To move a text box, position the mouse pointer over an edge of the box, and then drag it to a new location. To resize a box, click and drag a selection handle. To delete a box, select it and press the Delete key on your keyboard.
Tip: Text Box Tools
Use the options on the Text Box Tools tab to format your text. Refer to Chapter 3, “Working with Text,” for more information about text-formatting options in Office 2016.
Inserting a Picture Placeholder
Another piece of content you might want to add to a blank page is a picture. You can do this by inserting a picture placeholder. Like a text box, a picture placeholder is a moveable container that you can reposition anywhere on a page.
Click the Insert tab.
Click Picture Placeholder.
Publisher inserts a picture placeholder; click the placeholder to insert a picture.
Tip: How Do I Insert a Picture?
For a reminder of how to insert pictures in Office 2016, see Chapter 4, “Working with Pictures.”
Select a picture from your computer, Bing Image Search, Facebook, or OneDrive.
Publisher inserts the picture on the page.
Tip: Modify a Picture
To move a picture placeholder, position the mouse pointer over an edge of the box, and then drag it to a new location. To resize a placeholder, click and drag a selection handle. To delete a placeholder, select it and press the Delete key on your keyboard.
Tip: Format a Picture
Use the tools on the Picture Tools—Format tab to format and enhance your picture. For example, you can apply a picture style or recolor a picture. See Chapter 4 for more information about formatting pictures in Office 2016.
Inserting Headers and Footers
You can use headers and footers in your documents to add special information to every page, such as a title and date at the top of each page, or a company name and address at the bottom. Header and footer information appears outside the regular text margins at the top (headers) or bottom (footers) of the document.
Click the Insert tab.
Click Header or Footer.
Type text into your header or footer.
Select your text to display the formatting mini toolbar; format as desired.
Click Close Master Page.
Tip: Insert a Page Number, Date, or Time
Optionally, you can insert a page number, date, or time in a header or footer by using the options on the Master Page tab. You can also insert a page number by clicking the Page Number button on the Insert tab. See “Inserting Page Numbers” in the next section for more information.
Inserting Page Numbers
In a longer publication, such as a report or catalog, it’s a good idea to include page numbers. Publisher enables you to choose where to place numbers on your page and the numbering format you prefer.
Click the Insert tab.
Click Page Number.
Specify where you want to place page numbers.
Publisher displays the page numbers in your publication.
Tip: Hide Numbers on the First Page
If you don’t want to place a page number on the first page, remove the check mark next to Show Page Number on First Page before selecting a location. This is particularly useful if your first page is a cover or title page.
Tip: Format Page Numbers
To select another page-numbering format, such as Roman numerals or letters of the alphabet, select Format Page Numbers on the Page Numbers menu.
Inserting Page Parts
Page parts are part of Publisher’s ready-made collection of building blocks, reusable content that you can insert into your publications. Page parts include headings, pull quotes, sidebars, and stories and use the colors of your publication’s current color scheme.
Click the Insert tab.
Click Page Parts.
Select a part from the gallery.
Publisher inserts the part.
Tip: More Page Part Options
Click More Page Parts at the bottom of the gallery to view even more page parts, including options for reply forms and tables of contents.
Tip: Customize Page Parts
A page part is just like a placeholder in a Publisher template. You replace the text or pictures with your own custom content. You can also select and drag a page part to another location on the page or resize it by dragging a corner.
Inserting Borders and Accents
The selected use of borders and accents can add a splash of color and style to your publication. Options include bars, boxes, frames, emphasis, lines, and patterns, which use the colors from your publication’s current color scheme.
Click the Insert tab.
Click Borders & Accents.
Select an option from the gallery.
Publisher inserts the border or accent; resize or reposition as needed.
Tip: More Border and Accent Options
Click More Borders and Accents at the bottom of the gallery to view even more options.
Tip: Calendars and Advertisements
Other building blocks available on the Insert tab include ready-made calendars and advertisements you can insert into your publications.
Inserting a Table
A table helps you present information in an organized fashion using rows and columns.
Click the Insert tab.
Click Table.
Click and drag across the number of rows and columns you want to insert.
Publisher inserts your table, and you can start typing in each cell.
Tip: Format a Table
You can use the options on the Table Tools–Design and Table Tools–Layout tabs to format your table. See Chapter 7, “Creating a Document in Microsoft Word,” to learn more about Word’s table-formatting options, which are similar to Publisher’s.
Inserting Business Information
In Publisher, you can create business information sets that include reusable content about a person or business. For example, you could create a set for your business with your business name, address, phone number, and logo that you can use on business cards, flyers, and so forth.
Click the Insert tab.
Click Business Information.
Click Edit Business Information.
Enter the information for this business set.
Enter a name for this set.
Click Save.
Note: How Do I Use Business Information?
You select a business information set when you create a publication that includes this data, such as a newsletter, as described in Chapter 23, “Creating Publications.”
Managing Publication Pages
The Page Design tab offers numerous options for setting up, laying out, and managing your publication pages.
Click the Page Design tab.
Click Margins to specify your page margins: wide, moderate (the default), narrow, or custom margins.
Click Orientation to specify portrait or landscape page orientation.
Click Size to select a new page size.
Tip: More Page Setup Options
To open a dialog box with even more page setup options, click the small arrow in the lower-right corner of the Page Setup group on the Page Design tab.
Caution: Modification Consequences
Changing the margins, orientation, or size of a publication can cause the existing content to no longer fit on the page. It’s best to modify these elements before adding content to a blank publication, and leave them alone if you’re using a template.
Select Guides to apply a built-in ruler guide.
Click Delete to delete the selected page.
Click Move to move the selected page to a new location in the publication.
Note: Ruler Guides
Applying a ruler guide makes it easier to position pictures, text boxes, tables, and other objects on a page. You can apply one of the built-in ruler guides, such as 2 Columns with Heading or Uneven Columns with Heading, or create your own guide.
Tip: Page Options Shortcut
You can also manage your publication pages by right-clicking a page in the Pages pane and selecting an option from the shortcut menu. For example, you can delete or move a page, insert pages or page numbers, and so forth.
Running the Design Checker
The Design Checker analyzes your publication for potential errors before printing or posting online. Running this tool displays the Design Checker pane, which lists items to fix and enables you to resolve these problems.
Click the File tab.
Click the Run Design Checker button.
Click the down arrow next to an item to fix.
Click Go to this item.
Tip: Select the Checks You Want
By default, the Design Checker runs general checks, but you can also run final publishing, website, or email checks if needed by selecting those check boxes at the top of the pane.
Tip: Customize the Design Checker
To view and customize the available checks, click Design Checker Options at the bottom of the pane. This opens the Design Checker Options dialog box where you can specify the exact checks you want to run from a long list of choices.
Publisher displays the problem area in your publication; fix as needed.
Click Close Design Checker.
Note: Design Checker Limitations
The Design Checker is a great tool for finding potential publication problems, but remember that it is still an automated tool. You’re in control of whether you really need to fix each item in the Select an Item to Fix list.
Saving a Publication for Commercial Printing
If you plan to send your publication, such as a brochure or newsletter, to a commercial printer for professional printing, Publisher offers a Pack and Go Wizard to help ensure a successful print job.
Click the File tab.
Click Export.
Click Save for a Commercial Printer.
Select a file quality, such as Commercial Press.
Select a file type, such as PDF, Publisher file, or both.
Click the Pack and Go Wizard button.
Tip: Plan Ahead
Before you create any publication that you plan to send to a commercial printer, ask your printer for advice on the best way to use colors, fonts, pictures, and other objects to ensure optimal printing results. Your printer can also specify the file quality and type required so that you select the appropriate options on this page.
Specify where you want to save your file.
Click Next.
Deselect the Print a composite proof check box unless your printer asks you to print a proof.
Click OK.
Note: Composite Proof
A composite proof is a final proof of your publication with color separations, type, and graphics. Your printer will let you know whether you need to do this.
Note: Photo Printing
You can also save your publication as a series of images that you can send to a photo center for printing. Running this process saves each page as a JPEG or TIFF image (ask your photo center which they prefer) optimized for photo printing. To save as an image set, select Save for Photo Printing on the Export page.