User's Guide for the Word for Windows Business Card Template Randy Parker Knowledge-Based Solutions Compuserve: 76670,547 November 29, 1990 Summary ------- The purpose of this template is to permit users of WinWord to custom design classy looking business cards and produce them quickly and at low-cost, especially in small quantities. This is useful if: o you need a variety of different business cards (e.g. for different occupations, clientele, phone numbers, employees) o you want cheap business cards that look good but hate the styles to which the copier and quick-print service shops are limited o you hate the idea of producing a minimum run of 500 cards when you know that you only need 50 o you have a meeting in an hour and you need business cards o you have a special logo that you've built in a Windows-based graphics program This WinWord template provides the structure for a master card layout sheet containing eight cards and their surrounding cut lines. Installation ------------ Just copy BUS-CARD.DOT to your WinWord program directory (usually \WINWORD). This is the document template file, and if it is in the main directory, then WinWord will be able to offer you BUS-CARD as an entry on its menus of template selections (see below). To remove BUS-CARD permanently, simply delete BUS-CARD.DOT from the directory in which you installed it. ...continued... Page 2 QuickStart Directions for Experts --------------------------------- More explicit directions are presented below, but for the wizards amongst you, here is the short form: 1. Install as shown above. 2. Do File.New and select BUS-CARD as the template. 3. Edit leftmost, topmost card. 4. Select "Copy First Card" under Macro to run the replication macro. 5. Print out your master card sheet. 6. Duplicate them. Operation --------- To produce a set of business cards, simply do File.New after installing this template. When presented with the list of templates from which to build your new document, select BUS-CARD (this list is in alphabetical order). You will now be viewing your new document based on the template. (A sample business card has already been laid out for you, but you will build your card over this one.) If you have the following WinWord settings (usually found on the View menu): Draft mode OFF Field Codes OFF Preferences: Show Table Gridlines ON then you should be looking at eight business cards with some extra formatting cells surrounding them. The basic thing to remember is that you will only need to change the first card (that is, the leftmost, topmost card). RESTRICT YOUR EDITING TO THIS CELL. However, you may put ANYTHING in this cell that you would like on your card, including graphic logos. When you have that cell looking as you would like it, then pull down the Macro menu and select the macro entry at the bottom called "Copy First Card". This macro will execute, the screen will flash all over the place, and your first card will be copied to the other seven card cells. When you believe your cards are looking OK, do a File.PrintPreview to make sure that the eight cards all fit on one page. If they do not, see the section on "Problems" below. You can now produce your master sheet of cards by doing a File.Print (be sure your printer is configured for Portrait mode operation). ...continued... Page 3 Production ---------- Check the master copy you printed out from WinWord and measure the size of the cards (distances between the cut lines) to be sure that the sizes are as you want them. If everything looks good, you are ready to have your cards reproduced. Keep the master copy as pristine-looking as possible and take it to a good copy or print center. I select the sturdiest card stock they have (I have had good results with a 80# Gray Strathmore Laid Cover) and ask them to do the copying and the cutting. Ask them to be extra careful to get the cuts exactly in line with the cut lines, so that your cards are perfectly horizontal. Also, you may ask them if a blank sheet (a spacer) needs to go on top of the pile to be cut so that the cutting mechanism, if dirty, does not discolor your top sheet of cards. Costs ----- In late 1990 in Boston, I was paying the copier a $3.00 setup charge for cutting, and $0.19 per copied sheet of eight cards. Thus, for a run of 200 cards, it cost me $7.75, a considerable savings over the usual charge for 500 cards AND I got my cards done in 15 minutes with the look I wanted. Obviously, for a large quantity of cards or for higher quality cards, this solution may not suffice. Problems -------- If you have added too much information to the default card, then each card may be larger than is normal. Reduce the information in the first card and repeat the "Copy First Card" macro. If, for some reason, the "Copy First Card" entry does not appear on your Macro menu, then you will have to run the macro using the Macro Run menu item. The macro name is "ReplicateFirstCard". ================================================================ NOTE: This template is provided as-is without any warranty whatsoever. It has been tested with WinWord 1.1 running under Windows 3.0 operating in 386 enhanced mode outputting to several HP Laserjet compatible printers, including the LJ III. There is no reason to believe that it won't work with other printers and configurations. This template is freeware; however, I would appreciate any feedback that you have about it. ================================================================ ======================================================================