Specialty Topics

GRIT Layout Monthly Guide
Use this page each month when preparing the GRIT issue layout. 
 
 
 Monthly Steps 
 
 Copy the template into the month folder. 
 Rename the file for the current month. 
 

 
 
 Monthly Settings 
 Change monthly accent color 
 
 In InDesign: Window → Color → Swatches 
 Select Issue Accent Color . 
 Enter RGB value, or use the eyedropper tool. 
 

 
 
 Folder Structure 
 Your local folder structure should look like this: 
 month_name
 - Ads
 - Images 

 
 
 Download Assets 

 Ads 
 Download prepared ads from OneDrive. Example path: 
 Communication & Publication Committee > Documents > GRIT Editor Workspace > Monthly Issues > 2026 > March > Ads 

 Images 
 Download all emailed images into the Images folder. 

 
 
 Skeleton and Layout Setup 

 Ensure all guides are visible 
 
 View → Grids & Guides → Show Guides 
 View → Screen Mode → Normal 
 

 Insert pages 
 Insert enough pages so the issue ends on a multiple of 4. 

 Insert ads and images 
 
 Use ads in planned ad frames. 
 Use Cmd+Shift+Click to turn a master frame into an editable box. 
 Use Cmd+D to place the image. 
 

 Image fitting behavior 
 The image masters are created with an Object Style that fits the image you place into the largest dimension. 

 
 
 GRIT Layout FAQ 

 Do I need to use exact folder names? 
 Yes. Keep the month folder with Ads and Images subfolders so links and placement are predictable. 

 Why does Cmd+Shift+Click matter? 
 It unlocks master-page frames so you can edit a specific issue page without changing the master itself. 

 What if page count is not a multiple of 4? 
 Insert pages until the total is divisible by 4. Print layout and booklet flow depend on this. 

 Related Pages 
 
 Specialty Topics 
 Quick Reference