Avery makes printable cards, postcards, business cards, and labels, right? But how do you get your images and words onto those cards you bought at Staples or from Amazon?
Sometimes Publisher has a built-in template, such as the ever-popular Avery 5160 Mailing Labels. From the New menu, selection Show More, then enter “Avery 5160.” Or you can click on this link to download a template to Word: https://www.avery.com/templates/5160.
But let’s say you want to customize your own to match the Avery postcards you just bought. Open Publisher and, for ease, let’s start with a typical blank 8×5 x 11″ page from the New menu.
You should have your Avery postcards in front of you. The postcards will say the specific size, such as Avery 8387 Postcards. Here is a screenshot of the Avery website where the 8387 shows they are 4-1/4″ x 5-1/2″ in size. There is a even a small graphic at the bottom showing they print four per page.
To find that size in Publisher, from the Page Design tab>Page Setup>More Preset Sizes.
The Preset Page Sizes window will pop-up. Select the Postcards folder.
Select the size that matches your Avery postcards. This postcard prints four per page, so it is a “1/4 Letter 5.5″ x 4.25” size. When you click it, it shows the four per page to the right. Click OK.
Publisher will now show you one of the postcards in the design window. You create this single postcard, and Publisher will print four of your design on the Avery paper.
I would recommend adding a second page which will be your design for the address side of the postcard. It will usually have your return address, room for the mailing address and some design or text elements.
From the Insert tab>Pages section>click on the Page icon to insert a blank page with the same layout. You will print these on the back of the Avery paper.
I recommend you save this Postcard template to your computer before you start designing in two steps.
First use File>Save As… to save a “Avery 8387 Template” to your computer. I keep a Template folder in my Documents folder.
Next use File>Save As… again to give this specific postcard a name. Let’s say you are creating an Open House postcard for your business. Save it with the date and name, such as “2021.01.05 Open House Invitation.”
Now design your postcard using all of Publisher’s built-in features, such as images, text boxes, change the margins, add some guidelines.
For printing, remember that not all printers print to the edge of the paper. Print on regular copy paper before using your expensive templates. Test which way to reinsert your printed front page to get the address page to print on the back just right.
Have fun designing and planning your open house!
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