Google Docs does not have a dedicated greeting-card wizard, but a simple folded or flat card can be built with page setup, tables, images, and text. Decide the final paper size and fold before designing so the panels end up in the correct places.
- Create a new Google Doc and open File > Page setup to choose the paper orientation and margins.
- For a simple two-panel layout, insert a table to create predictable areas for the front and inside content, then adjust column widths.
- Add the greeting, images, and any shapes/drawings you need. Keep important content away from fold and trim edges.
- Remove or lighten table borders when the layout is finished.
- Print a plain-paper test, fold it exactly as the final card will be folded, and correct any upside-down or misplaced panels before using cardstock.
A four-panel folded card needs careful orientation
When one sheet is folded twice, some panels may need to be rotated relative to others. Google Docs is not a page-layout program, so a template or Google Slides can be easier for precise multi-panel designs.
Watch printer margins
Many home printers cannot print to the edge of cardstock. Keep text and important artwork inside a safe margin and use the paper type your printer supports.
Use images you can legally print
For cards you distribute or sell, use your own artwork or images with appropriate rights rather than copying arbitrary web images.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.