5 Sites with Great Software Tips
by Mike Parkinson

My projects always take longer than I think. Why? Software issues. Sometimes it's software hiccup and other times it's user error. Either way I need answers fast. The following sites have helped me out of a few jams. I hope they help you too.

1. Adobe Illustrator Tips.
http://www.illustratortips.com/
Learn tips for Adobe Illustrator. Some are free and others you need to subscribe to learn. But worth it to help find your way around the package. Even seasoned users don’t know everything!?

http://www.senecadesign.com/designgeek/illustrator.html
Great links to resources to help you understand the hidden secrets and just general tools of Illustrator.

2. Adobe Photoshop Tips.
http://www.photoshopkillertips.com/
Get your daily video dose of the coolest Adobe® Photoshop tips, timesaving shortcuts, workarounds, and undocumented tricks with Matt Kloskowski, one of "The Photoshop Guys" from Photoshop TV. New shows are posted each weekday. Download mpegs videos for demonstrations of how to “Work on a Flattened Image,” “Add Canvas Space,” “Reduce PSD File Sizes,” and many other helpful tips to use Photoshop to its potential.

3. Microsoft PowerPoint Tips.
http://www.bitbetter.com/powertips.htm
This site has a lot of information about PowerPoint. There are tips and tricks to help you use PowerPoint to its fullest potential. This site has a list of FAQs, A History of PowerPoint, A Review of PowerPoint 2000, and a presentation on using Flash/Shockwave in PowerPoint.

4. Microsoft Microsoft Tips.
http://wordtips.vitalnews.com/
Allen Wyatt’s Word Tips has a list of topics from Bullets and Numbering to Graphics to Styles to Shortcut Keys. Click on a topic and you’re taken to a page of Tip, Tricks, and Answers. Not to mention you have a fellow Word user who knows how frustrating Word can be. “Can’t get Word to act properly?” he asks. “Believe me … IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT!”

If you have any questions or need input, do not hesitate to email us at info@billiondollargraphics.com or call 703-608-9568. We are happy to help you make your next visual communication project the best it can be.

Why are templates important? They ensure your documents and graphic styles remain consistent.

And why is consistency important? It breeds trust in your audience.

If you take away anything from the previous articles about templates, I want you to remember that consistency in your proposals, marketing collateral, or presentations helps brand your company while feeding the perception that your company is professional and trustworthy in all that it does.

Most projects require the many hands. Multiple subject matter experts may contribute to your project handing in multiple sections. It is then up to the desktop publisher to format the disparately designed sections into a cohesive whole. Some authors might decide to use their own formatting structure, which could corrupt the final file as the desktop publisher tries to merge the sections. Also, formats may shift causing a first level heading to become a fourth level heading. Artwork the author imported might be the wrong size and cause major re-flowing of text when combined with other sections. Many times the desktop publisher has very little time for formatting and the author(s) may become frustrated that items they wanted to stand out in italic or bold was lost when the designer reformatted the body text to match the other sections. Creating and distributing templates (in PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, etc.) before the project begins eliminates many of these issues.

Time needs to be allocated for proper layout of the final document in Word. I tell all my clients to allow 8 pages per hour for desktop layout. It is a rule of thumb and not carved in stone. It depends on the level of effort. The greater the complexity (large tables, graphics, section breaks, tabs, multiple headings, and long TOCs), the more time is needed to format a page. You want your headings, body text, tables, and graphics to be consistent throughout the entire document, even if the project is segmented into multiple volumes or sections. If the heading levels are styled differently, then your readers will be confused. Your goal is easy dissemination. Readers should never be distracted by layout. Your document(s) should flow easily from page to page, allowing them to concentrate on your content.

Since most business professionals use Microsoft Word, I have included several suggestions and tips that ensure consistency in your Word documents.

1. Ensure there are no requirements. For example, most Government RFPs (Request for Proposals) require specific fonts, font sizes, margins, header and footer notations, one or two column layout, and more. If there ar no requirements, I recommend starting with the standard:

a. 12 pt. Times New Roman for body text
b. (minimum) 8 pt. Arial for graphics and tables
c. single spacing
d. one-inch margins all around
e. team or company logo in top left header
f. Project identifier (number and/or name) in top right header
g. Volume title and number bottom left footer
h. Page number bottom right footer

2. Use “styles” in Word and set up quick keys for the styles. To set up styles the easiest way is to

a. Type a few words of text and format that text in the style you desire. (such as Times New Roman Bold, 18 pt., single spacing, 3 pts before and after)
b. Scroll over the text with your cursor and highlight styled text.
c. Go to menu: Format/Style.
d. Click “New.”
e. Name style with prefix of prop/project name (e.g., ABC Heading 1).
f. Click “Shortcut Key …” and you can assign any key not already in use to apply that style (e.g., F1 for ABC Heading 1). Now you just need to hit “F1” and the new heading style will be applied to whatever text your cursor is on.
g. Setting styles is an incredible time saver, especially near the end of a project. Sometimes the document may be over page count by a paragraph. You can easily go under Format/Style and modify the any style to tighten the layout throughout. For example, if you have a space of 3 pt. before and after a heading, you can adjust this to 2 pt. in the Style menu, and this change will be applied through the entire layout, which will tighten the pages and easily bring up the overrunning text.

3. For your Word template, start with a blank document. Set up the margins, header, and footer. Then set up the following styles, providing textual examples. Make sure you name the style with the prefix of the project acronym to alleviate future confusion. Also, don’t be afraid to use color. If you have a strong, deep company color, use it for one or two of the headings or even colorize the tables with it.

a. Section/Volume Heading (Hint: For these overarching headings I use all caps, color, center, and sometimes place a line below.)
b. Heading 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. Each should go in descending order like 18 pt bold, 14 pt bold, 12 pt italic, 12 pt. small caps. (I don’t recommend having more than 4-level heads because you run out of styles to use and it can get too confusing. Also, I recommend not using automatic numbering for headings. This feature is finicky in Word and can cause lot grief near the end when headings shift or are deleted.)
c. Body text
d. Bullet text
e. Table heading text
f. Table body text
g. Caption text
h. Callout text

4. Format and provide an example of a table with a table caption underneath. Again, use color on the tables (if possible and appropriate) to make them stand out from the text. I recommend a blue or an equally vibrant color from your company’s color palette. This will add interest to your document and allow the tables to pop off the page. Use a solid color for the table heading boxes (overlay with white text) and tint subhead boxes about 30%–40% of the color, leaving the body of the table with a white background.

5. Provide two graphic samples to show acceptable sizes and how they will work with the layout. Also, place a graphic caption below each visual in the chosen style.

6. Print out a copy of this template before the beginning of the project. Circulate it within your team/company. Tweak it based on comments received then save it into a folder where all teammates can access it. Print another copy and paste it in a common area to remind others how the template will look. As the project progresses, you may need to create new styles or adjust old ones to accommodate changes. Keep your team informed of these adjustments or use it to ensure consistency from page to page, section to section, and project to project.

Though this will not guarantee a perfectly formatted project within one iteration, it will make it easier to work with a document that has styles set up consistent with the other files. It will also help your subject matter experts see how their text will fit in their section and if they need to cut words to make it fit. Be sure to leave time for formatting. Good design takes time, forethought, and, of course, a solid template.

Do you have a graphics question? Visit http://billiondollargraphics.blogspot.com/ and type in your question. Mike will be sure to answer your question ASAP or point you in the right direction.

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In the last few months, Mike Parkinson presented his Fast Class Seminars to many different companies (Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, Hewlett-Packard, Boeing, and more). The feedback was extremely positive. Everyone in attendance was amazed with what they learned in such a small amount of time. Mike continues to be invited back to present and train. In June Mike presented Proposal Pictionary with his colleague, Colleen Jolly, at the APMP Annual Conference in Savannah, Georgia. Learn more about our free Fast Class Seminars.

Mike now writes a new reoccurring article titled "Ask the Graphics Guru" in the National Capital Area's business development newsletter called the Executive Summary.

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If you are involved with business development and proposal creation, we recommend CapturePlanning.com. Click on the link to visit their site for a cornucopia of helpful tools. You will not be disappointed.

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