Page layout is the term used to describe how each page of your document will appear when it is printed. In Word, page layout includes elements such as the margins, the number of columns, how headers and footers appear, and a host of other considerations. As you design your pages, you can use the tools that Word puts at your disposal in this regard.

Tips, Tricks, and Answers

The following articles are available for the 'Page Layout' topic. Click the article''s title (shown in bold) to see the associated article.

   Adding Page Numbers
Ever want to add page numbers to your document? Word allows you to control many aspects of page numbering. Here's how to add page numbers easily.

   Adding Page Numbers in Headers or Footers
While Word has a default format for page numbers, you can design and specify how you want them to appear in your document. Headers and footers make this possible and this tip explains how.

   An Exact Number of Lines Per Page
For some purposes, you may need to fit an exact number of lines on a printed page. This may be easier said than done, as it can often seem that Word is working against you. Here's how to make sure that you get exactly what you need.

   Automatic Page Numbers across Multiple Documents
Word allows you to specify the starting page number for a document, which comes in handy if you have multiple documents you need to print in sequential order. This tip discusses how you can set page numbers to automatically "flow" from one document to another.

   Automatic Page Numbers in New Documents
If you want to have page numbers in your documents, by default, the easiest solution is to make your changes in templates. Then you can create new documents based on the template that contains the page numbers.

   Changing Page Margins
Part of determining page layout is to specify the size of the margins that surround the text on a page. Word allows you to easily modify the margins used on your pages.

   Changing the Starting Page Number
Word normally numbers pages in a document starting at one and extending as far as the number of pages you have. If you want, you can adjust a starting page number for any section in your document. It's easy to do, as explained here.

   Creating Point Pages
Want to add a page, with a different page number, in Word without affecting the entire document? The solution is a bit tricky, but worth the effort.

   Creating Sideheads
A sidehead can be used as a layout element for a document. You can create sideheads in a document by using text boxes, as described in this tip.

   Decreasing Space between Body Text and Footer Text
Figuring out how you want the text in your document to appear on the printed page can sometimes be a bit perplexing. Word provides many options that can affect that appearance. This tip focuses on settings that affect the distance between body text and footer text.

   Default Font for Page Numbers
Page numbers are a common addition to documents, and a great aid to readers. If you want to easily format page numbers, you need to understand how Word formats them. This tip explains the best ways to get the formatting you want.

   Determining Page Layout
Getting your document onto paper is the whole purpose of word processing. Here are some concepts that are important when considering how your page should be laid out.

   Eliminating "Before Spacing" at the Top of a Page
When formatting paragraphs in Word, you have several options to adjust the spacing before, within, and at the end of each paragraph. Here's how to eliminate the extra space that can sometimes appear at the top of a page.

   Footnotes in Two Columns
When laying out how your printed pages will look, you might want to place your footnotes into more than one column. The best way to approach this issue depends on the version of Word you are using.

   Generating a PDF that Uses CMYK Colors
Getting a Word document into a PDF format that a commercial printer can use can be challenging. This tip examines just one challenge that can be faced--getting your images to use the CMYK color model.

   Getting a Proper Total Page Count
Word allows you to insert dynamic page numbers within your document. With some page number formatting, though, it is difficult to figure out how to get exactly the page numbers you want.

   Leaving Even Pages Blank
Want to print your document only on odd-numbered pages in a printout? There are a couple of things you can try, as detailed in this tip.

   Limiting Document Page Count
Do you need to have your document fit within a certain number of pages? This can be close to impossible to do within Word; you actually may need to consider other software to get the job done.

   Margin Notes in Word
Some types of documents rely upon margin notes to the left or right of your main text. Getting these to appear in Word can be tricky, as there is no built-in function that creates them. This tip discusses one approach you can use, which involves tables.

   Missing Page Break Indicator
Enter a page break in Word, and that page break may not appear on the screen as you expect it to appear. This has to do with how Word inserts the page break in the document, as described in this tip.

   Odd Page Numbers Disappearing
Page numbers in printed pages are often a necessary part of formatting a document. What do you do if your printed output doesn't include some of the page numbers you expect? Here's a short discussion on what could cause this type of problem and how to fix it.

   Preventing Straggling Heads
Undoubtedly you will want to format your document so that headings stay with the paragraph that follows the heading. Here's how to format your headings so Word takes care of this automatically.

   Printing A4 on Letter Size Paper
For those around the world using the metric system, the standard size for many documents is referred to as an A4 page. If you aren't part of the metric world, you may wonder how to get your A4 documents printed on letter-size paper without affecting pagination of the document. This tip explains how.

   Quickly Displaying the Page Setup Dialog Box
The Page Setup dialog box is indispensable in setting up the overall look of your document. You can display the dialog box quickly by knowing where to click on the rulers, as described in this tip.

   Selecting a Paper Size
Most of the time we print on whatever is a standard paper size for our area, such as letter size or A4 paper. However, Word allows you to select all sorts of paper sizes. Here's how you specify the size you want to use.

   Starting a New Section on an Odd Page Number
A common pagination convention used in publishing is for new chapters (and sometimes new sections) to start on an odd-numbered page. Word makes such pagination easy; just follow the steps outlined in this tip.

   Stopping Margins from Moving
Share a document with someone else, and when they open it on their system, it may look different. This tip examines some of the reasons why this may happen.

   Two Page Numbering Schemes in the Same Document
Word is great at numbering pages if you only need a single, consistent numbering scheme through the document. If you need two separate numbering schemes, you need to apply some workarounds described in this tip.

   Understanding Page Sizes
When you create a document, you need to be concerned about the final size of the page you will be creating. Word supports a wide variety of page sizes, and you can change them--"at any time--"by using the techniques in this tip.

   Understanding the Gutter Margin
Most everyone knows that Word allows you to set top, bottom, left, and right margins for your document. There is another type of margin that may be helpful, as well. Known as the gutter margin, it has a very specific purpose in your page layout.

   Using a Single-Column Heading in a Multi-Column Layout
Want different numbers of columns all on the same page? Word makes it easy to use, for instance, a heading that uses a single column even though the majority of the page is more than one column. Here's how to accomplish the design.

   Using Chapter Numbers with Page Numbers
Do you need to add page numbers that include, as well, a chapter number? It's relatively easy to do, as described in this tip.

   Using Continued Lines
You can create a special header and footer page numbering scheme by using nested fields. This tip shows an example of how you can use the fields to calculate the next page number and to identify the last page of the document.

   Watermarks in Columns
If you are creating small flyers (two per page), you may want to include a watermark graphic in the background of each of the flyers. Here's some ideas on how you can accomplish this task.