Configuring the Page Background

Now that you know a bit about working with pages, you can make some changes to your writing surface to better meet your needs. These changes include using one of OneNote's built-in preformatted stationery options or creating your own stationery.

tip

If you already have a Task pane open, you can switch Task panes by clicking the title of the Task pane to display a drop down list. Choose New from the list to switch to the New Task pane.

Customizing Your Page with Stationery

To create a new page using stationery, you'll need to use the Task pane. You can't use the New Page tab to create a new page with customized stationery. You can create a page based on specified stationery using the following steps.

1. Launch the New task pane by selecting File, New to display the screen shown in Figure 4.11.

   Figure 4.11. Use the New task pane to create a new page with stationery.

   

   The lower third of the New task pane as shown in Figure 4.12 allows you to choose a variety of different types of stationery. The types of stationery are Tablet PCs, Business, Academic, Planners, Decorative, and blank.

   Figure 4.12. You can choose from many different stationery options from the Task pane.

   

2. Click the plus sign next to a stationery group to display the various types of stationery available. Each time you choose a type of stationery, you create a new page. Figure 4.13 shows a OneNote page with Formal Meeting Stationery.

   Figure 4.13. OneNote includes a variety of business templates, such as meeting note templates.

   

3. When you're satisfied with the type of stationery, you can close the New task pane by clicking the X in the upper-right corner of the Task pane. Figure 4.14 shows a decorative stationery.

   Figure 4.14. Decorative stationery can be used for personal tasks in OneNote.

   

Depending on your screen resolution, you might have to scroll down in the New task pane in order to see the Change stationary portion.

You'll probably need to choose a number of different stationery types before you find the one you need.

Adding or Changing Rule Lines

In addition to configuring stationery, you can add rule lines to your OneNote pages. Rule lines can serve as writing guides on a Tablet PC. They can also be decorative. You can add several different types and sizes of rule lines and grids. To configure rule lines on a OneNote page, choose Rule Lines from the View menu. You can choose from three different widths of rule lines: College, Standard, and Wide. Figure 4.15 shows a OneNote page with custom stationery and College rule lines.

Figure 4.15. Rule lines can serve as writing guides.

caution

When choosing stationery, you might need to select a number of different types before you find one you're happy with. Each time you select a stationery, you're creating a new page. You might not need all these pages. You can easily delete unused pages by right-clicking the page tab and choosing Delete.

You can use rule lines with a blank OneNote page or with a stationery page. If the three rule line choices don't meet your needs, you can choose from three different types of grids instead. Small, medium, and wide grids are available.

Rule and grid lines appear on the screen, but you cannot print them.

You can use a grid with certain types of stationery to create a unique OneNote page look, as seen in Figure 4.16.

Figure 4.16. A medium grid and the Math/Science Notes stationery offer a unique look.