Insider Tip Archives

Graphics Software Requires Design Skill
Some companies believe that by purchasing the latest version of Quark, PageMaker, and PhotoShop, they'll save money by assigning design work to regular staff. Not so. Talent and training are musts. Think of these sophisticated programs as "electronic pencils" – magic in the hands of a skilled designer, potential disaster in the hands of a novice. Before assigning design work to an inexperienced staff member, consult with your account manager who can provide valuable guidance.

FAXING Etiquette
If you work in a small office with a FAX right next to your desk, you may not realize how many companies now use a central fax location to receive and send faxes. If you want your fax to get where it needs to go, it is extremely important to always include the first and last name of the recipient on the first page. If writing in longhand, print to assure the name is legible. Be sure to number each page, so the recipient or person at the central fax area knows what page(s) may be missing due to a break in the transmission of the fax.

Changing Default Margins in MS Word
The pre-set margins in Word are 1" top and bottom, 1.25" left and right. If you'd like to change your default margins to a consistent 1" margin all around, the procedure is simple. Click File, then Page Setup. Go to the Margins tab and decrease the left and right margins to 1". Then click the Default button in the lower left corner and click "OK". That's it!

Static Electricity and Palm Pilots
Did you know your $400 organizer could cause over $2,000 worth of damage? The Palm sits in a cradle that plugs directly in the serial port on your PC, which is connected to the motherboard. Electricity takes the shortest path to ground that it can, and the palm cradle provides that conduit. Users who build up a static charge in their bodies can fry the serial port and, in turn, end up replacing the motherboard! Ground yourself (by touching your metal desk, for example) BEFORE you place your Palm Pilot in the cradle.

Get Organized With Calendar Colors
Outlook's 2002 Calendar has a helpful new feature – you can apply color-coded "labels" to appointments. At a glance your appointments are visually organized by subject and by urgency. Meetings that pertain to one project may be one color, for example. That color also indicates the urgency of the meeting(s) and is easily modified if things change. To set colors, go to "Calendar"; run your mouse over the button that resembles a grid with different colored rows and a tag will display "Calendar Coloring".

"Help" Is There To Help
Ever sit in front of your PC frustrated by something you don't know how to do? That's what HELP programs are all about, yet the last thing many users try—since older programs either didn't have "Help" or it was extremely limited. These days, nearly all desktop programs have a help option, and they are excellent compared to the older versions. Most hook you up directly to Internet web sites with vast amounts of information - just type a keyword into the search engine and you're there.

Recycled Paper Good for Environment AND Budget
Many customers would like to do their part for the environment by printing their jobs on recycled paper, but assume it costs a lot more. This is not so. Because recycled paper uses post consumer waste, less virgin material is required for production which cuts down on paper material that goes to landfills. Thus, prices for recycled paper are competitive with those of virgin paper and the additional cost to be environmentally conscious is minimal.

Add Rules to MS Documents the Easy Way
The latest versions of MS Word have an annoying feature that turns adding horizontal rules into mini art projects. While it used to be a simple click and drag, you must now use "Drawing Tools" to draw a line on a canvas, then format it, then place into the text. Phooey. An easier way to add horizontal rules? For a single line rule, type 4 hyphens, then hit "Enter". For a double rule hit the equal sign 4 times, then "Enter". Adjust line length using indents and the vertical position using the enter key.

Grab Readers With Newsletter Cover
The cover of any newsletter is its most important page – your best opportunity to draw readers into the rest of the piece. When laying out the cover, do so from most important to least important elements as follows: masthead, cover story, side article, and quick index to contents. Incorporate artwork and logos into the masthead, use legible, clean fonts and at least two colors. By increasing the visual activity, eyes will be drawn to the masthead area almost immediately.

Saving Digital Photos – JPEG or TIFF?
Most digital cameras allow images to be saved in either a JPEG or TIFF format. Which is which? TIFF (tag image file format) produces the best quality resolution because it saves all of the information possible. JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) is a standard image compression – it doesn't shrink the size of the photo, just reduces the size of the file. Because TIFF files are large, some users store pictures as JPEGs, then save the downloaded images as TIFF files. For highest quality output, use cameras with 6 MP's (Megapixels) or higher.

PDF's Streamline Print on Demand
Company documents become very valuable when they are platform independent, meaning they can be transported and used on any computer. Such is the great value of PDF, also known as Adobe Portable Document Format. The latest quick copy software can scan in documents and save them in this wonderfully flexible format. Ultimately, the PDF's can be placed on a CD which can be used on any computer, giving you true "print on demand" capability.

Setting Digital Camera Resolutions
Many users are unfamiliar with the picture quality settings on their digital cameras — a very important consideration for printed material. The lowest setting will give you lots of pictures on the memory card, but will cost you in quality. Read your manual. If you're emailing baby pictures to Aunt Ida use the lowest setting. If photographing the championship swim team for the yearbook or the school display case, use the highest setting.

Matte or Luster Finish on Presentation Materials?
The protective finishes available for posters and display materials have distinct uses. Which one to choose depends on the type and function of the materials. Matte is best for informative charts and displays, as it cuts down on glare from light sources and does not reflect a camera flash. Luster is shinier, with a little more glare to the surface and is more suitable for art and color enlargements to enhance vivid colors.

The Latest Email Etiquette
It is no longer acceptable to forward email chain letters to everyone in your address book. This only fulfills the grand plan of the originator and can jam up mail systems with trivial mail transfers. It also risks irritating people with whom you do business. Also, save the smileys and abbreviations for recipients who will understand them. Few people - particularly business associates - neither have the time nor desire to decipher these.

Image is Everything
Creating the right "look" for your business is very important. Consistency and compatibility of paper, inks, and logo design all work together in the branding of your company. It's usually best to seek outside help or advice on branding, as it's difficult for regular staff to see the company objectively, let alone understand all the technical details. Ask your printing vendor for suggestions, as your account manager has the experience and knowledge to give you great results.