Setting Margins in Centimeters for Business Cards

[editor10]

I am trying to print business cards on Office Depot, Ref:975102 precut paper.
Paper Size: 21cm x 29.7cm
Card size: 8.5cm x 5.4cm in 2 columns, 5 each
Paper Margins: 1.3cm; 2; no gaps

After reading all the other threads on the subject, I tried both margins in
the settings for "top" and "left" under "margin guides", but neither match
the printed margins at all. Maybe I should try bottom and right positions?

To compound this problem, I've also noted that the printed width changes
from 5.4 as it appears onscreen to only 5.1.

This is an urgent job.

Thanks in advance,
Ariela

 

[editor10]

Further to my query below:

I forgot to note that in trying to position my business cards so that they
would line up in 2 columns in a landscape format ("lying down"), I rotated my
page by 90 degrees, which probably threw my margins off even more.

I just discovered that my page will automatically rotate for printing, but I
can only fit it into a 3 column format. What a mess!

Ariela

 

[Jaime]

Not really sure what you are trying to do. Did you choose one of the Office
Depot standard business cards when you created the document? If so, it
should already be setup for that paper, you should not need to change the
margins. If you are trying to change the margins to squeeze more on each
card, you may be running into a limitation of the printer itself. Many
printers have a minimum margin.

 

[Jaime]

Why not just print in a normal portrait mode and just rotate the
text/graphics?

 

[editor10]

No, there is no template in Publisher for Office Depot to match the paper
that I'm using.

 

[Jaime]

10 business cards per page, (2 columns of 5 cards) is pretty much the
standard for business cards, whether using U.S. size of 8-1/2 x 11 inches or
using the A4 paper size.

If you look through the standard precut company-based templates, there are
many for A4 sized paper (from Avery and others). I'm sure one of those would
work for your paper (or could be tweaked a little).

 

[editor10]

Hi Jaime,

It's the tweaking that I just don't know how to do.

I've seen instructions in other threads, for example, to use the following
settings in inches:
..5 top, .75 side, zero for gaps--
however, when I put in my centimeter measurements which once again, are 1.35
and 2, the margins on my printed page do not resemble these at all and
additionally, the width of my card (the so-called "page") is altered in the
printing also.
I must not be using the the margin features properly. Here are both ways
I've tried:
Starting from scratch (numerous times) I
1)selected blank size business card under 'publication types'; then clicked
on the arrow to the right of it and selected 'edit'; then under 'margin
guides' set top and left to correspond with my above measurements
2)set everything above as 0; then under print set-up, put in my measurements
under "more print options".

Neither 1) nor 2) works.

Which method, 1) or 2) should I use? Is there any difference between them?
I've also seen some mention of "layout guides"--how do I use those?

Gratefully,
Ariela

 

[Mary Sauer]

Are you using A4 stock? Is it pre-perforated? Avery has several standard
business card templates in the page setup.
If you are setting up the page manually on A4 stock.
Arrange, Layout Guides
Left & Right margins 1.5cm
Top & Bottom margins 1.35cm

Grid Guides
2 columns
Horizontal gap 1cm
5 rows
Vertical gap zero

Sometimes printers do not advance the stock properly. Every printer has its own
idiosyncrasy. Laying out the cards manually gives you the option of nudging
until it is right. Create a line around the cards, print on plain paper, if they
don't line up correctly, select all, nudge until you get it right.


Mary Sauer
http://msauer.mvps.org/

 

[Dottie]

If you set up the stock manually, be sure to start with a PLAIN page, NOT a
business card.
Templates for Publisher will drive you crazy if you don't think they way
they want you to!

 

[editor10]

Thank you, Dottie and Mary above.

I didn't understand the instructions given above sufficiently, and in the
end, had no choice but to give my file to a printer.

I think my results in Publisher would have been better and would still like
to understand this application better.

Ariela