Learn How To Create A Digital Planner Template Using Keynotes
It seems like one of the popular things to do right now is use a planner. What’s more is the need or want for digital planners. The ability to have as many planners as you want, and not have to worry about how much space you have or where you’re going to put the planners, is amazing! So, why not make life easier on yourself and create one template that you can reuse over and over again?
About three years ago, I was introduced to the world of digital planners. I bought my first digital planner through a subscription and began using it immediately. I was IN LOVE! The ability to use my iPad as a calendar that I can write on how I want to and decorate it how I want to was crazy. I spent that first year looking at and buying digital planners (yea, I know…and some didn’t get used). But I started to think about making my own so that I could have exactly what I want and how I want it.
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Materials Needed to Make a Digital Planner Template
While you can create the digital planner in other programs, for the sake of this tutorial, we are using Keynote. The good news is that Keynote is a free program that generally comes preloaded on your iPad or iMac. Which brings me to the second thing you are going to need, an iPad, Mac, or iMac. But if you only have a PC, you can still access Keynote, you just need to have an iCloud account. Don’t worry, that’s easy to get!
The only other thing you need for this project is images for your cover and background. If you are creating the digital planner template to create personal planners, then you can find plenty of free images online. If you are wanting to make digital planners to sell, you will want to check on the license of any image you use. You just want to make sure your image isn’t a personal use only image.
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How to Make a Digital Planner Template That You Can Use to Create Any Planner You Choose to Make!
If you prefer, you can watch my video tutorial, or you can keep scrolling for step by step written instructions.
Step 1: Program Needed to Create the Digital Planner Template
The program you need for this tutorial is Keynote. Keynote is a free app which comes preloaded on most (if not all) Apple products. If you are using Windows, you will be able to access Keynote by creating an iCloud account. You will need your Apple ID (don’t worry, you can get one by going to Apple ID).
Once you have your Keynote app open, select Classic White. Technically, you can select any of the presentations available, but the Classic White gives you the ability to be completely creative without anything being in the way. Now, click ‘Create’ and the bottom right-hand side of your screen.
Step 2: Setting the Proper Page Size
To set the proper page size, click on ‘Document’ located in the top right-hand side of your screen. Next, click on the dropdown menu of ‘Slide Size’ and choose ‘Custom Slide Size…’. A pop up box will appear in the middle of your screen titled ‘Set a custom slide size for your slideshow’ and two boxes labeled width and height. Input 2388 for the width and 1638 for the height and click ‘OK’.
To remove the scrolling option on your screen (you want to remove this), click on the dropdown menu of ‘Zoom’ and select ‘Fit Slide’. You will have to repeat this process one more time because when you select ‘Fit Slide’ the first time, it will auto select ‘Auto-Center’.
Step 3: Editing the Slide Layout
When creating a template, you don’t want to edit the presentation itself. Instead, you want to edit the master copy. By doing this, you are giving yourself the ability to reuse slides without having to recreate each slide from scratch. This will help when you are making lots of digital planners.
To edit the slide layout (the master copy), click on ‘Format’ in the upper right-hand corner. Then click on ‘Edit Slide Layout’. This will bring you to the part of the presentation that shows you the 15 slide templates that are available for each presentation. Delete all of them EXCEPT the cover slide and the blank slide. Now delete everything on the cover slide.
Step 4: Creating the Background Image of Your Digital Planner Template
To add the background image to give the illusion that your planner is laying on a table of sorts, click on the dropdown menu under ‘Background’ (you should still be under ‘Format’ located in the upper right-hand corner). Choose ‘Image Fill’, then select ‘choose’. A popup window will appear (your finder if you are on a mac). Choose what image you want from your files to be your background. This will be the background for each slide.
Step 5: Setting Up the Cover
Now that you have your background complete, you can start building the planner. You will start by clicking on ‘Shape’ located at the top-center of the page. You will want to select the ‘Rounded Rectangle’ since most planners aren’t pointy at the four corners. Now move the small square to the top of your presentation (leave a little space between you shape and the top).
The easiest way to get the shape and size you want is to select ‘Arrange’ (top right corner) and input the size you want in the ‘Size’ section. You want the width to be 1075 pt and the height to be 1500 pt. You will also want the position set at 1211 pt for X and 69 pt for Y. Your corner radius should be set at 25 pt.
Step 6: Creating the Cover Image
To add an image to the cover for your planner, select ‘Style’ (upper right corner). Under ‘Fill’, choose ‘Image Fill’, then select ‘choose’. A popup window will appear (your finder if you are on a mac). Choose what image you want from your files to be your digital planner cover.
Optional: Most digital planners have binder rings of some kind. You can add some at this point by clicking on ‘Media’ and selecting binder rings from your files. Binder rings are available to purchase from multiple vendors in Etsy.
Step 7: Creating Your Digital Planner Template’s Tabs
Creating the tabs is an easy process. Click on ‘Shape’ in the top-middle of the page and select ‘Rounded Rectangle’. Change the color of your rectangle by selecting ‘Fill’ and ‘Color Fill’. Make the size of your tabs 155 pt in width and 126 pt in height by going to ‘Arrange’ and “Size’.
Now add a shadow by going back to ‘Style’ and selecting “Drop Shadow’ in the dropdown menu under ‘Shadow’. Your shadow settings should reflect the following: Blur – 4 pt, Offset – 5 pt, Opacity – 14%, and Angle – 119.1°. Duplicate your tab 11 times and line them up along the right side of your planner. You should have 12 tabs altogether. Select all of the tabs and send them behind the cover by clicking on ‘Arrange’ and ‘Back’. A little under half of your tab should be visible.
Now add the months to your tabs by clicking on ‘Text’ (top middle of screen). Place the text box over the first tab and rotate it so the word is displayed sideways. Enter the word ‘Jan’ or ‘January’ and size it how you want it to appear. Duplicate that text box for all of the tabs.
Step 8: Creating the Inside of Your Digital Planner Template
The first step in creating your digital planner is to duplicate the whole first slide. You can do this by right-clicking on the slide in the left side panel and select ‘Duplicate’. One the new slide, delete the binder rings (don’t worry, you can add more soon). Add another rounded rectangle (‘Shape’ up top). The size for this rounded rectangle is 1062 pt for width and 1486 pt for height. Center this rectangle on top of the cover.
To add paper to your digital planner template, add a square to your design. The size for this paper should be 1029 pt for width and 1465 pt for height. The position should be 1232 pt for X and 88 pt for Y. Add a shadow to give your planner a more 3D appearance. Shadow settings should reflect the following: Blur – 4 pt, Offset – 5 pt, Opacity – 50%, and Angle – 315°. Duplicate your paper twice (the position: paper 2 – 1027 pt/width and 1464 pt/height; paper 3 – 1025 pt/width and 1463 pt/height).
Now it’s time to duplicate everything you just created (minus the tabs). Move the new side to position 128 pt for X and 69 pt for Y (remember, this is located under ‘Arrange’). Change the position for each of the papers: paper 1 – 151 pt for X and 88 pt for Y; paper 2- 152 pt for X and 88 pt for Y; and paper 3 – 153 pt for X and 88 pt for Y). Move your tabs forward so they are behind the paper.
Optional: Now is the time to add your binder rings to the center of the planner. You can add some at this point by clicking on ‘Media’ and selecting binder rings from your files. Binder rings are available to purchase from multiple vendors in Etsy.
Step 9: Making the Tabs in Your Template ‘Move’
Now to give your planner a little more realistic feel to it. You are going to give your planner the illusion of pages turning by ‘moving’ tabs from the right side to the left side of your planner. Before you start moving your tabs, you must duplicate slide number 2. Select all 12 of your slides and the text on them, duplicate them, and move them to the left side of the planner and move them behind the paper. Once the tabs are moved, flip the words so they are readable.
Now that you have the tabs on both sides of the planner, duplicate the slide 11 times (you should have 12 total. Once for each month of the year). Starting on the first slide with tabs on both sides, delete January’s tab from the right side and delete all tabs EXCEPT January on the left side. On the next slide, delete the January and February tabs from the right side. On the left side, delete all tabs EXCEPT the January and February tabs. Repeat this process for the remaining 10 slides. The 12th slide should have all of the tabs on the left side and none on the right.
Step 10: Saving Your Template
Your digital planner template is now complete. At the bottom of your screen, click ‘Done’. You should be taken back to the presentation, where all you will see is your cover slide. Make sure you save this template somewhere safe (ex. One drive, keynote, external hard drive) and duplicate it before making any changes.
Get My Printable Step-By-Step Instructions on How to Create a Digital Planner Template
I would love to see your digital planner template and any other fun little projects you were inspired to do! If you make one, please share a photo on our Facebook page or tag me on social media with #victoriscreations.