NOVEMBER 2018
6
Create a newsletter template in Word
By Arnold Villeneuve
Most organizations have one or more newsletters for
employees or customers. This article will show you how to
create a newsletter template in Microsoft Word that you can
use over and over again.
Since Microsoft Word 2013, the word processing software
has a few templates you can use to create a newsletter tem-
plate. However, there is nothing stopping you from creating
one that better suits your organization's communication
needs.
Newsletters all have similar base components: newslet-
ter layout, a banner, information boxes, and images place-
holders.
The layout of your newsletter
First, create a new Blank document in Microsoft Word.
Then click on the "Page Layout" menu tab and select the
Columns drop down selection command. Then select Left,
or chose the number of Columns you think you would like.
There is no wrong answer as it is all about style - your style.
You will not initially see any obvious changes. That's OK. Click
the "View" menu tab and check the Ruler checkbox. You will now
see a ruler at the top and left side of your document showing you
where the Columns are. If you selected other than Left column lay-
out your view will vary. Now we can see where the columns are.
Now click on the "Design" menu tab to select the
desired theme for your newsletter. There are many
themes to select from. I'm going to go with this one.
Let's add some text to the template because it is visu-
ally difficult see what your newsletter will look like if
the page is blank. Let's insert the "Lorem Ipsum" text
into our two columns. In the Word document type the
following:
=lorem(2,12)
Hit the Enter key and you should see some auto gener-
ated text in your columns. Adjust the fonts to meet your
organization standard if there is one by highlighting the
text and right-clicking it as you normally would.
Banners and Text Boxes
Click on the "Insert" menu tab and select the "Shapes"
drop down selected arrow. Pick a rectangle shape and
insert it above your columns.
Right click on the banner and select Insert Text and type in the name of your
newsletter. Then click on the "Home" menu tab and select the Title font style.
Continued on page 7
Newsletter Template Layout Columns
Newsletter Template Layout Ruler View
Newsletter Template Layout Design View
Newsletter Template Layout Insert Banner Text Box View
Newsletter Template Layout Insert Banner Text Box Title View
Click in the top left column before the first character. Here we are going to insert a Text
Box. From the "Insert" menu table click on "Text Box" icon. This will insert a placehold-
er for you to create a story heading or input a quote or event title.
