Use Building Blocks in Publisher – Instructions

Use Building Blocks in Publisher: Video Lesson

            This video lesson, titled “Using Building Blocks,” shows you how to use building blocks in Publisher. This video lesson is from our complete Publisher tutorial, titled “Mastering Publisher Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”

Use Building Blocks in Publisher: Overview

Use Building Blocks in Publisher: How to Open the “Building Block Library” in Publisher

            The “Building Block Library” lets you use building blocks in Publisher. This dialog box lets you insert, edit the properties of, or delete existing building block content you create. To use building blocks in Publisher, click the “Insert” tab in the Ribbon. Then click the “Page Parts” button. Then choose the “More Page Parts…” command from the drop-down menu to open the “Building Block Library” dialog box.

            This dialog box shows a listing of the building blocks you can use. You may click any building block in the list to select it. Once selected, you can preview its content in the area at the right side of the dialog box.

Use Building Blocks in Publisher: How to Insert Building Blocks in Publisher

            To insert a building block, select it from the list. Then click the “Insert” button at the bottom of this dialog box. The content is then inserted into the page. This also closes the “Building Block Library” dialog box.

Use Building Blocks in Publisher: How to Edit and Delete Building Blocks in Publisher

            To edit the properties of, or delete, a building block you have created, select the name of a building block from the list in the “Building Block Library” dialog box. To delete the selected building block, right-click it. Then choose the “Delete” command from the popup menu that appears. You are then prompted to confirm your choice in another dialog box. Click the “Yes” button to delete the selected building block. In this case, the “Building Block Library” dialog box remains open.

            To edit the properties of a building block you have created, select the building block from the list. Then right-click the selected item. Then choose the “Edit Properties” command from the popup menu that appears. Doing this then opens the “Edit Building Block Properties” window, where you can edit any of the properties of the building block. After editing its properties, click the “OK” button to save your changes. When finished using the “Building Block Library” dialog box, you can click the “Close” button to close it and return to your publication.

Use Building Blocks in Publisher – Instructions: A picture of a user editing the properties of a building block in the “Create New Building Block” dialog box in Microsoft Publisher.

            Note that you can only delete or edit the properties of user-created building blocks. If you try to right-click a built-in or preset building block, a popup menu will not appear because you cannot edit the built-in building block content. You can learn how to create building blocks by reading our related lesson on how to “Create Building Blocks in Publisher.”

Use Building Blocks in Publisher: An Alternative Way to Insert Building Blocks in Publisher

            Alternatively, you can also insert a building block by clicking the “Insert” tab in the Ribbon. Then click the desired type of building block to insert from the buttons shown in the “Building Blocks” button group. From the drop-down menus that appear, click the desired building block to insert it into your page.

            For example, clicking the “Page Parts” button is simply selecting from that category within the “Building Blocks Library” dialog box. As you can see, you can click the “Calendars,” “Borders & Accents,” or Advertisements” buttons to quickly access the content in those building block categories, too. You can also click the “Show Building Blocks Library” button that appears in the lower-right corner of the “Building Blocks” button group on the “Insert” tab to open the “Building Block Library” dialog box.

Use Building Blocks in Publisher: Instructions

1. To open the “Building Block Library” dialog box, click the “Insert” tab in the Ribbon.
2. Then click the “Page Parts” button.
3. Then choose the “More Page Parts…” command from the drop-down menu of choices.
4. Alternatively, click the dialog box launcher button in the lower-right corner of the “Building Blocks” button group on the “Insert” tab of the Ribbon.
5. To insert a building block, select it from the list in the “Building Block Library” dialog box.
6. Then click the “Insert” button at the bottom of this dialog box.
7. Doing this will also close the “Building Block Library.”
8. To delete a selected building block you have created from the “Building Block Library” dialog box, right-click it.
9. Then choose the “Delete” command from the popup menu that appears.
10. Then click the “Yes” button in the confirmation dialog box.
11. To edit the properties of a building block you have created, right-click it.
12. Then choose the “Edit Properties” command from the popup menu that appears.
13. In the “Edit Building Block Properties” window, edit any of the associated building block’s properties.
14. To save your changes, then click the “OK” button.
15. To close the “Building Block Library” dialog box, click the “Close” button within it.
16. To insert a building block from one of the categories in the “Building Blocks” button group on the “Insert” tab of the Ribbon, click one of the drop-down buttons and then choose the building block to insert. The buttons in this button group are: “Page Parts,” “Calendars,” “Borders & Accents” and “Advertisements.” These drop-down buttons contain the same items as their corresponding category in the “Building Block Library.”
17. Note that you can ONLY edit or delete user-created building blocks, NOT the built-in or preset building blocks.