Publisher Files
Migrating Publisher Booklets, Brochures and Folded Documents
Check page size, reading order, spreads, fold positions and duplex output when moving Publisher booklets or brochures into a new publishing workflow.
4 min read
27 September 2026
For folded work, check the logical page order separately from the way pages are arranged on a printed sheet. Match the intended finished size, verify folds with a paper dummy and test duplex orientation. A correct on-screen page does not by itself prove that the assembled booklet or brochure will read correctly.
Identify the sheet, page and finished size
A folded publication has several dimensions that people casually call “page size”. The sheet is the paper fed into the printer. A finished page or panel is what the reader sees after folding or trimming. An imported spread can contain two finished pages on one canvas. Establish which arrangement the source uses before editing.
For a simple single fold, an A4 sheet folded in half produces A5-sized faces. That relationship does not tell you whether the source file stores A4 spreads or individual A5 pages. Inspect the source and its printed reference rather than changing the imported page size based on the name alone.
Separate reading order from print order
A reader expects pages to proceed normally through the booklet. Printing a folded booklet may require a different arrangement on sheets so the pages end up in the right place after assembly. This arrangement is often called imposition.
Do not manually reorder pages and also enable a booklet arrangement in the print path without understanding both steps. Applying the arrangement twice can scramble the publication. Decide which stage is responsible for sheet layout, and keep the editable master in the form required by that workflow.
Make a numbered paper dummy
This inexpensive check exposes wrong covers, reversed inside pages and upside-down backs. Keep the dummy or photographs of it with the project notes so another person can reproduce the setup.
- Use the intended sheet Take blank paper matching the planned sheet size.
- Fold it as the reader will For a booklet, nest and fold the sheets; for a leaflet, use the intended panel folds.
- Mark reading order Write page or panel numbers on the assembled dummy.
- Unfold and inspect Record which numbers share each side of a sheet and where the top edges are.
- Compare with preview Use the dummy to check the proposed output before printing the real artwork.
Review brochure panels and fold positions
For a multi-panel leaflet, identify the front cover, back panel and reading sequence after opening. Some fold styles require unequal panel widths or printer-specific allowances. Ask the printer for the required dimensions instead of dividing the sheet into equal parts automatically.
Keep important text away from folds and trimming edges. A design that looks balanced flat can hide a heading inside a fold or place a face across a crease. After migration, compare guide positions and the intended content of each panel before adjusting decorative details.
Inspect the recovered document
Check whether each recovered page corresponds to a logical page, a spread or a whole sheet. Count blank pages deliberately: some may be required for the printed sequence, while others may indicate a problem. Compare page dimensions, text, images and any content crossing a spread.
RemPress can recover supported Publisher content, but this does not establish automatic preservation of every booklet setting or specialist imposition rule. Treat the recovered pages as a layout to verify. If a required print arrangement is not available in your workflow, resolve that before approving migration.
Test front and back orientation
Print a small numbered proof using the actual printer and paper settings. Check long-edge or short-edge flipping where offered, and record which produces the intended result. For manual duplex, mark a trial sheet so you know how the printer feeds it and how it must be reinserted.
Use a proof before a large run even if the on-screen preview is correct. Printer-driver scaling, paper selection and feed direction can change the physical outcome. Check that the front and back line up acceptably for the design rather than assuming exact registration.
Accept the assembled object
For a ceremony programme or event booklet, proofread the assembled version. Names and running order may be correct on individual pages while the reading sequence is wrong after folding. Have the person responsible for the content check the proof before a full run.
- Correct finished dimensions
- Cover and back cover in the intended positions
- Every page or panel reads in order
- No unintended upside-down side
- Text clear of folds and trim
- Pictures and captions remain paired
- Deliberate blank pages identified
- Paper and duplex settings recorded
- Final project and reference proof saved