by Anna Cruz

Created on: May 13, 2009   Last Updated: May 15, 2009

You don't need an expensive design program to make a professional booklet. Microsoft Word contains all the tools you need for a booklet that can be easily sent to your booklet printing company. Simply follow just a few simple steps, and you'll have the perfect set-up for an effective booklet layout in no time.

Step 1: Open a Blank Document

It is much easier to set your booklet printing layout before creating your design. This gives you better control over your text and images.

Step 2: Select the Page Orientation

Go to File>Page Setup and select the Margins tab. From the Multiple Pages list, choose Book Fold. This should automatically change your page orientation to landscape. Keep the Page Setup box open for the next 3 steps.

Step 3: Set your Margins

A booklet needs to have at least 1/8th inch margins to avoid your images and text being cut when your printer trims the booklet to size. Choose 1/4th inches for a cleaner look. To do this, select or type the space desired in the Inside and Outside boxes.

Step 4: Adjust the Gutter Settings

When you select the Book Fold setting, your gutter will automatically be set to "0." If your booklet printing company uses saddle-stitching for binding the pages, you will want to increase the amount of gutter to accommodate for this. Each printing company will require a different gutter setting, often indicated in their booklet templates, but you may need contact your printer on this matter.

Step 5: Choose the Number of Pages

Select the number of pages your booklet needs to contain in the Sheets per booklet list. If you end up needing more pages once you begin placing text and images in your booklet, Microsoft Word simply prints the extra pages as a new booklet.

Step 6: Add Content

Close the Page Setup box, and now begin placing your text, graphics, and images in the booklet layout. You can add headers and footers as you normally do within a letter document.

Step 7: Send to Print

Finally, the last step requires you to send your document to your printing company. Since most professional printers cannot accept documents designed in Microsoft Word, more than likely you will need to convert your booklet to PDF. If you own Adobe Acrobat, it's a simple click of a button, but if you only have the free version available online, Adobe Reader, it's not possible. You will need to go to OpenOffice.org, download it, and use the Open Office Writer option in your newly downloaded Open Office software. If you own a Mac, simply click on Print in the File menu and select Save as PDF.

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