Publisher is a powerful page layout program. As such, it has many tools to help you create great, professional-looking publications, even if you are complete novice. In this article, we're going to continue to show you features that allow you to customize your pages. Don't worry. They are incredibly easy to use.

Creating and Using Headers and Footers

If you've used the header and footer feature in Microsoft Word, this process should be familiar to you. The process is pretty much the same. The difference is that, in Publisher, you can only add headers and footers to a master page. If you think about it, though, that makes a lot of sense, since headers and footers typically appear throughout a publication.   Remember, whenever you add something a master page, it can appear on all pages.

You can, of course, add a header or footer of sorts to an individual page just by drawing a text box and typing in it. Just beware though, that if you do this and a master page with a header is applied, you might create a conflict between the two.

There are a few ways to access the header and footer options. The first is to activate Master Page View by going to the View tab. Locate the header and footer tools on the Ribbon.

Another way to gain quick and easy access to these features is by going to the Insert tab – after you've gone to Master Page View. The header and footer buttons can be found on the far right. They look like this:

Let's click the Header button to create a header. Headers appear at the top of the page.

As you can see, a header appears on the master page in the work area. You will also see the cursor.   Type in the text that you want to appear in the header.   You can then format the text, including aligning it to the left, right, or center by going to the Home tab while still in Master Page View.

Next, let's click on the Footer button under the Insert tab. A footer appears at the bottom of a page.

Type in the footer as same as you did the header.   Headers and footers can contain anything you want, including the name of the publication, the date, chapter titles, and page numbers.

Adding Page Numbers, Date, and Time to Pages

Page numbers typically appear in the header or footer of a publication. To add page numbers, go to the Page Number dropdown menu under the Insert tab in Master Page View.   The Page Number button is located to the right of the Header and Footer buttons.

The dropdown menu looks like this:

From here, you can choose where you'd like the page number to appear. Just be aware though that if you select any of the buttons that put a page number at the top or bottom of a page, the page number will automatically be entered into the header or footer of the master page.

You might notice that "Insert in Current Text Box" option is faint in your dropdown menu.

It will be faint if no text box has been selected. To use this button, return to your publication, click into a text box (or a header or footer), then press the Page Number button again. This places a page number at the cursor's location in the selected text box.

Now take a look at the Show Page Number on First Page option at the bottom of the dropdown menu.

This item has been selected, which is indicated by the check mark next to it. You might want to uncheck it if you have a title page you don't want a page number appearing on. It is on by default.

We are going to select Top Center for our page numbers.

Note the "#" symbol.

The "#" symbol is there because this is a master page. The page numbers will be shown on the pages. 

You can also add page numbers by going to the Master Page tab in Master Page View.

Take another look at the Header & Footer group on the ribbon of the Master Page tab. The three buttons in the Header & Footer Group (Insert Page Number, Insert Date, Insert Time) all work identically, so we'll cover them all at once.

Unlike the Page Number button on the Insert tab, these buttons will only insert information at the cursor's current location. When a page number is entered, it shows up as a pound sign (#), but the date and time show up as the date and time they were added.

Formatting Page Numbers

Now that we know how to add page numbers, we can format those page numbers.   To do so, exit Master Page View by going to the Master Page tab and clicking the Close Master Page button.

Next, go to the Insert tab and click the Page Number dropdown menu.

Click Format Page Numbers.

Here you can choose a number format such as ordinary numbers, roman numerals, ABC, first, second, third, etc. from the Number Format dropdown menu.

To start with a numeral other than "1", select the "Start this section with:" button then enter a value to start with. When you are finished, click OK.

Using and Creating Color Schemes

Color schemes are just a bunch of colors you can choose for your publication to keep it consistent. You can find the Schemes group on the Page Design tab. It looks like this:

When you select a color scheme, those colors are readily available in the colors palette. You can apply them to text, borders, and other objects.

As you can see, Publisher provides an extensive catalog of color schemes. These are colors that tend complement each other.

Click the dropdown menu in the Schemes Gallery to see all the color schemes.

There are a lot of color schemes to choose from. However, you might want to create your own color schemes. If that's the case, click "Create New Color Scheme."

In Create New Color Scheme dialogue box (shown above), you can choose your colors, and name your scheme.

When you are finished, click Save.

To apply any color scheme, simply navigate to the Page Design tab and select it. You should be aware though that all of the objects that you have applied a color scheme color to will change to the corresponding color of the new scheme.

Inserting a Hyperlink

A hyperlink is a link in your publication that leads to another location, usually a website on the Internet.   Most hyperlinks are text links, which means you click on a word or words. When you click on the word or words, you are taken to another location.    Hyperlinks usually appear in a different color so others know that they are clickable links.

Let's learn how to create a text hyperlink.

First, select the text that you want to convert into a hyperlink, as we've done below.

As you can see, we have selected the word "hyperlink".  

Next, go to the Insert tab on the Ribbon. Click the Hyperlink button in the Links group.

You will then see this dialogue box:

In the left file, choose where the link will take the reader when it's clicked on.

You can choose to have the link take readers to an existing file or web page or another place in the document (publication).   You can even choose to have it take them to a different document or to open an email when the link is clicked.  

The most common selection for a hyperlink is to have it link to a web page.   To do this, first decide what text will be displayed for the link.   We already selected the word "hyperlink" in our publication.   If you look at the "Text to Display" field, you'll see that it's set to "Selection in Document".    If it wasn't, we could have entered text for our hyperlink in that field.

Next, go to the Address field and enter the URL for the web page, as we've done below.

When you press OK, the text in your publication now appears as a link.

Now let's cover the other types of hyperlinks you can create.

We will discuss how to link to another place in the document in the next section of this article.  

If you want to create a link to another document, click "Create New Document" on the left.

When you do, you will see the options for linking to a different document.

In the "Name of New Document" field, type in a name for the new document. We've chosen "example".  

Next, decide the path of this new document. A default path is chosen for you. If you want to choose a new location, click the Change button."

Finally, decide if you want to edit the new document now or later, then click OK.

When you click OK, a new publication will open in Publisher (if you have chosen to edit it now). 

You can also choose to have an email open when someone clicks on your hyperlink.   This is a nice option if you want to ask readers to contact you.  

When you click "Email Address" on the left, you will then see these options:

In the "Email Address" field, enter the email address to which the email will be sent.  

Next, enter a subject for the email.

Click OK when you're finished.

Inserting a Bookmark

In addition to hyperlinks, you can also insert bookmarks into publications. A bookmark will appear as a graphic, as shown below.

Bookmarks allow you to add targeted hyperlinks to a location in your publication. In other words, a bookmark allows you to create a link between one location and a second location on your page by creating a hyperlink.  

  Bookmarks are hyperlinks that link to other locations in your publication.

To add a bookmark, go to the Insert tab and click Bookmark.

You'll then see this dialogue box:

Create a name for the bookmark, then click Add.

Now drag the bookmark graphic and place it where you want it on the page.

Next, you're going to create a hyperlink to that bookmark.

Select the text in your publication that you want to use as a hyperlink.

Click the Hyperlink button under the Insert tab.

Click the Place in This Document on the left hand side. Then, select the name of your bookmark, as shown above.

Click OK.

Whenever someone clicks on the link, it will take them to the place in the publication where you put the bookmark.

Inserting a File 

You can insert text files into your publication, such as files from MS Word.   The text will appear in your publication inside a text box.

Inserting a file into your publication is easy. Simply go to Insert File under the Insert tab on the Ribbon.

Select the file that you want to insert.

Click OK.

In the past, "publishing" meant delivering your publication to a production company and having it printed and bound. The world has changed a lot since then. We have infinitely more options.

With fast, high resolution printers, "publishing" a publication can be as easy as sending it to your printer, and binding it by hand. Many office supply stores sell saddle-staplers and comb binders. Saddle staplers allow you to fold pages and staple them in the middle, just like a magazine. Comb binders don't require any folding. The comb-binding machine punches a series of oblong holes along one edge of the paper and then rolls a plastic comb binder into it to hold the pages together. Many companies use these methods to print manuals and presentations that are going to be used within the company.

The term "publishing" has also expanded to include electronic methods of delivery. For instance, an email flyer, web advertisements, and e-books.

In many cases, you will probably want to publish the same publication in a variety of different formats. In this article, we'll introduce you to the tools Publisher provides that make doing this easy and intuitive.

Sharing Your Publication

Publisher 2016 gives you various ways to share your publications. Let's talk about these different ways by going to the Backstage Area via the File tab and clicking Share on the left. You'll see this screen:

As you can see, you immediately have two ways to share. You can share via email (with your publication as an attachment) or as an email preview.

We're going to choose Email.

When you choose to send as email, you can do it in one of four ways.

You can:

• Embed the publication in the body of an email. To see it, someone will have to be able to view HTML emails.

• Send the current publication as an attachment.

• Send it as a PDF attachment

• Send it as an XPS file. PDF and XPS formats are basically electronic representations of your physical publication. They were designed to exactly replicate it across different computer platforms. When created correctly, the publication that you send to your printer is identical to the publication your boss views on his computer.

We're going to choose to send it as a PDF attachment, so we'll click the button.

As you can see in the snapshot below, the publication is attached to the email as a PDF attachment.

Publishing to Web

One of the great features of Publisher is that you don't necessarily have to know HTML to create an attractive web page. Instead, it converts your publication to HTML for you.

To use this feature, go to the File tab and select Export, then Publish HTML on the right, as shown below.

By default, it's automatically set to publish as a web page. However, if you click the downward arrow, you can see your other options.

Publisher can handle HTML content in one of two ways. As Web Page (HTML), which is pretty much how most HTML publications are published to the web. This method creates the basic HTML file with location information for all of the objects on the page, but the objects themselves are placed into a supporting file folder.

The second method creates a Single File Web Page (MHTML) in which all of the objects and images are embedded on the page and no supporting file folder is created.

Click the Publish HTML button.

Your publication now becomes the index page – or home page of a website. Choose a location where you want to save the web page.

Click Save.

Pack and Go

The Pack and Go section is where you go when you're completely finished with a publication and want to send it to a commercial printer. Here you will get to select how big of a file to create (largest file = highest quality, of course), whether to create a .pub file format or a PDF file format or both, and more.

The Pack and Go export options can be found on the File tab, in the Export section. Click Save for Commercial Printer.

Now, let's look the right and the Commercial Press dropdown menu where you will choose the file size and, in doing that, the quality of the file. 

You'll see this:

As you can see, Publisher gives a brief explanation for each option. If you are in doubt about which option to choose, check with your commercial printer. If you choose Custom, Publisher allows you to tweak the settings and get the best compromise between file size and publication quality.

Now let's look at the next setting below Commercial Press where you'll select the type of file to send to the printer.

Here we can have Publisher create a PDF file and a Publisher file, or just a PDF or Publisher file.

Check with your commercial printer to see which files to send. Offset printing plates are typically made with PDF but the printer may want the Publisher files (.pub) to make small color corrections or something of that nature.

When you are satisfied with your settings, click the Pack and Go Wizard button.

Upon clicking this button, you will be asked where you want the files to be sent.

You can decide to burn the files to disc (a blank disc will need to be inserted into the disc drive), a removable storage device (such as a flash-based thumb-drive), a floppy disk (do they even make these anymore?) or some other location on your computer.

Select a location, then click Next.

Publisher will work for a minute (length of time depends on size of the file) then notify you that the process is complete.

Saving Files for Another Computer

You can use the Pack and Go Wizard to save files for another computer, too. The screens you will see are slightly different than when you send a file to a commercial printer.

Let's try it out and discuss the differences.

Select Save for Another Computer by going to the File tab, then Export.

Click the Pack and Go Wizard button.

You will then see the Pack and Go Wizard dialogue box.

This first window basically tells you what the Wizard will do. Click Next.

The next screen is identical to the one we saw when saving files for a commercial printer.

Select a location for saving the files, then click Next.

In the window pictured above, you can choose to include fonts and graphics. Make your selections by checking the appropriate boxes, then click Next.

This next screen is simply informational. Click Finish to compress and save your publication.

Saving Files for Photo Printing

You can also save your publications as images for photo printing.   Go to the File tab, then click Export on the left. Select Save for Photo Printing.

Go to the "JPEG Images for Photo Printing" dropdown menu.

As you can see below, you can either save your publication as a JPEG or TIFF.

Next, click the Save Image Set button.

Select a location to save the files, then click Select Folder.

Printing and Printing Options

Printing a publication in MS Publisher 2016 is easy. Click on the File tab and click Print on the left.

Select your printer in the Printer Section.

Specify if you want to print all pages. 

If you just want to print one page or a range of pages, enter the page numbers in the "Pages" field.

Select if you want print one page per sheet or if you want the pages tiled.

You can also decide the size of paper to print on, and if you want to print on one side or two.

Next, you can decide if you want to print Composite RGB or Composite Grayscale.   This has to do with the colors you use to print. Choose RGB to print in color or Grayscale to print in black and white.

On the right side of the window, you'll see the Print Preview. 

If you want to preview a different page or zoom in to make the preview larger (or zoom out to make it smaller, you can do so at the bottom of the Print Preview:

Click  to fit a page to a sheet of paper.

Click   to view multiple sheets in the Print Preview window.

Above the preview of your publication, you'll see a slider.

Use the slider to make the page numbers appear on the preview.   The more you slide it to the left, the darker the numbers become.

Use  to show or hide the ruler.  

Select the number of copies you want to print.

Click the Print button when you're ready to print.