# Master Pages

## Creating Headers and Footers

You can create headers and footers in single topics or include them in Master Pages and apply them to many topics at once. Master Pages can be created for both online help and to provide headers and footers for your Printed Documentation. Whilst you can use a single Master Page for both purposes, it is more likely you will want to use specific pages for each.

## Master Pages for online help

The Master Page can also include body content that will default into new topics when created.

It is a cause of common confusion to think that a change to the content in the Body Placeholder will update previously created topics, it will only affect subsequently created topics. It is only changes to the header and footer in the Master Page that will affect existing topics.

## Master Pages for printed documentation

Any text in the Body PlaceHolder section will be ignored when using the Master Page for Printed Documentation.

An example of a Master page appears below showing the United States Even Pages version of the Headers and Footers for Printed Documentation as seen in the Design Editor.

Note you can include many resources in Headers/Footers including tables, links, graphics and variables but not snippets. A new shortcut toolbar makes it easy to add items to the Master Page.

How to use Master Pages with your printed documentation is described in the Printed Documentation topic.

## Creating Master Pages

First go to the Output Setup pod, right-click Master Pages > New Master Page. (The Output Setup pod was called the Project Setup pod in earlier versions of RoboHelp.)

Then use the shortcuts in the toolbar above the Master Page. You can also use Insert > Fields to insert various options such as the Date or Project Title.

| From left to right, the icons represent: Edit Header Edit Footer Insert Page Number Insert Chapter Name Insert Topic TOC Placeholder Insert Breadcrumbs Placeholder Insert Body Placeholder Format Placeholder