1 - Introduction ~5 mins
Finish the proposal properly
Your Something Real proposal is nearly ready to leave your machine. Before anyone else sees it, you need to check how it will look on paper or on someone else's screen, choose basic print settings if you need a hard copy, and export a finished PDF you can actually send. This lesson locks in the habit of keeping both an editable file and a finished send version.
If you do not have {{code:03_proposal_draft}} yet, tell your teacher and use {{code:print_practice_sample}} for today's PDF habit. You will attach the real proposal PDF when that file exists.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Use Print Preview to check final appearance before printing or exporting
- Set page range, copies and basic print settings
- Export a finished document as PDF and explain when PDF is the right send format
- Keep both editable and PDF versions of the proposal
Warm-up
Imagine a work experience supervisor opens your proposal and the last line is cut off, the image has jumped onto its own page, and the header shows an old project name. In your head: what is the one check you wish you had done before you hit send?
2 - Key Concepts ~6 mins
These four ideas sit behind every finished document you send for your Something Real project, a Key Assignment, or a Work Experience pack.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Print Preview — a full-page view of how the document will look when printed or exported, before you commit | It catches cut-off text, awkward page breaks, and header mistakes that the editing screen hides | Print Preview shows your cost table split across two pages; you fix spacing before you export |
| Print settings — choices such as page range, number of copies, and which printer to use (when one is available) | They stop wasted paper and stop you printing twenty pages when you only needed page 1 | You only need the one-page cover letter, so you set the page range to 1 |
| PDF export — saving a portable copy of the document that keeps your layout fixed and opens the same way on almost any device | The recipient sees your layout, not a reformatted mess, and cannot easily overwrite your original working file | You email {{code:03_proposal_draft.pdf}} to a club treasurer; their phone shows the same layout you checked |
| Editable file vs finished send file — keep the working document (Word or Docs) and a separate PDF for sending or printing | You can still edit tomorrow, while the person you send it to gets a stable finished version | Keep {{code:03_proposal_draft}} for edits; send {{code:03_proposal_draft.pdf}} to a real recipient |
When PDF is the right send format
- Send a PDF when the document is finished enough for someone else to act on (proposal, letter, CV, or Key Assignment evidence).
- Send a PDF when layout must stay fixed, or when the other person may not have your word processor.
- Keep editing in the original Word or Docs file; do not treat the PDF as your only copy.
- Check PDF file size after export if you used large phone photos earlier: a heavy PDF can bounce from school email.
3 - Step-by-step Task ~15 mins
Follow the steps for your suite to open the file your teacher assigned, check it in Print Preview, try basic print settings, and export a PDF. Your teacher will tell you whether to use your real {{code:03_proposal_draft}} or the ready {{code:print_practice_sample}} today. Use the sample if you are catching up; use the real proposal if it is already in good shape.
4 - Common Issues ~4 mins
Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Print Preview shows a blank page or missing image | Scroll every page in the preview. Go back to the document, click the image, check it is still there, then reopen Print Preview. Large images sometimes need a moment to load online. |
| I cannot find Download as PDF in Word Online | Open {{menu:File -> Save as}} and look for Download as PDF. If it is missing, try {{menu:File -> Export}} or scan the File menu for Download as PDF. PDF is always under File, not under the Home tab. Match what your teacher showed on the projector if labels differ by school account. |
| The PDF downloaded to Downloads, not my portfolio folder | That is normal in a browser. Rename the file {{code:03_proposal_draft.pdf}} or {{code:print_practice_sample.pdf}}, then move or upload it into Project Portfolio > {{code:03_documents}} in OneDrive or Google Drive. On a Chromebook: Files > Downloads > select the PDF > Move to Drive (or upload to OneDrive) > Project Portfolio > {{code:03_documents}}. Your teacher can run a 30-second whole-class "find and move" demo if several people are stuck. |
| There is no printer listed | Skip the physical print. Export the PDF instead. Print settings skills still apply the next time a printer is available. |
| My keyboard shortcut for print does nothing | Click inside the document first, then try {{kbd:Ctrl+P}} (Windows/Chromebook) or {{kbd:Cmd+P}} (Mac), or use {{menu:File -> Print}}. |
5 - Independent Practice ~20 mins
Independent Practice
- Open your Project Portfolio → {{code:03_documents}}. Open the file your teacher assigned: {{code:03_proposal_draft}} or the ready {{code:print_practice_sample}}.
- Run Print Preview and check the three items: full headings, no sliced tables or images, correct header.
- If something is wrong and you already know the fix from earlier lessons, fix it and preview again. If you do not know the fix, note it for your teacher and still export the PDF — both files today is enough to succeed.
- Export the matching PDF and name it exactly {{code:03_proposal_draft.pdf}} or {{code:print_practice_sample.pdf}}.
- Move or upload that PDF into {{code:03_documents}} so it sits beside the editable file. Confirm both files are visible there (not only in Downloads).
- Tell your teacher if the real proposal PDF is still owed next class. Wait for the board checkpoint: your teacher initials only when both editable + matching PDF are in {{code:03_documents}}.
- The editable file ({{code:03_proposal_draft}} or {{code:print_practice_sample}}) is still saved and opens for editing
- Matching PDF sits in {{code:03_documents}} beside the editable file (teacher can see both)
- You checked Print Preview (or the opened PDF) for cut-off text, sliced tables or images, and wrong header details, and noted or fixed what you could
- You could hand the PDF to a real recipient today without apologising for layout you already spotted
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