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How to Create a Calendar With InDesign Using a Table

It is easy to make a calendar in InDesign using the table tools. InDesign offers a wealth of options for creating, designing, sizing, coloring and printing a calendar. The table boxes, called cells, can be individually shaded, allowing for maximum flexibility in design. And because InDesign supports layers, the calendar grid can be created on one layer while another layer is used for notes and events. This workflow allows text to be easily edited without disturbing the calendar grid. Using InDesign̵7;s table tools along with layers allows the calendar grid to be printed by itself, or with notes included.

Things You'll Need

InDesign

Instructions

- 1
  Create a new document in landscape mode. Set the page margins to half an inch. Select the Text tool and draw a text box to fill the page (within the margins).
- 2
  Select ̶0;Table̶1; from the main menu, and then ̶0;Insert Table.̶1; Set the ̶0;Body Rows̶1; to 7 and the ̶0;Columns̶1; to 7. Select all the cells in the top row and right-click with the mouse. In the popup menu, select ̶0;Merge Cells.̶1; The top row should now be one big box. Type the name of the month in the font and color of your choice.
- 3
  In the second row, type the names of the days of the week. Press the Tab key to move from cell to cell. Select the entire row, then from the main menu select ̶0;Table.̶1; Select ̶0;Cell Options,̶1; ̶0;Strokes and Fills.̶1; In the Cell Fill box, select a color and tint.
- 4
  In the third row of the table, select the cell corresponding to the day of the week that the month starts. Enter the numeral 1. Press the Tab key to move from cell to cell and continue to enter numbers until you are finished. If desired, add color to the weekend boxes. Save your file.
- 5
  Size the boxes. Select the top row. Select ̶0;Table̶1; from the main menu, then ̶0;Cell Options.̶1; Go to the ̶0;Rows and Columns̶1; submenu. Set the ̶0;Row Height̶1; option to ̶0;Exactly̶1; and enter 1 inch (6 picas) into the height box. Select the second row and make it half an inch (3 picas). Select rows 3 through 7 and make them 1.2 inches in height.
- 6
  Lock the layer that the calendar is on. Add a new layer and name it ̶0;Notes.̶1; Add text or notes directly to the new layer.
- 7
  Print your calendar. Make sure the entire calendar prints; if not, you may need to adjust the size of the cells.

Photography