Letterheads, compliment slips etc. - what format?

[VelvetStrider]

I need to put together a set of branded stationary - letterhead, compliment slips etc., and I'm a bit unsure of the best programme to use to create them.

My business is creative, so they will have a very faint graphic in the background covering about half of the page, the logo and address at the top and possibly some text at the bottom of the page.

I use Libre Office to write letters, and prefer to print the whole thing at once rather than having a load of ready printed letterheads and overprinting with text.

Previously I have used Photoshop for this type of thing, and saved as a jpeg, but sometimes the formatting goes a bit strange and I'm sure there must be a better way of doing things. Should I stick with Photoshop and perhaps save in a different format, or use another programme? I have Adobe Illustrator although I have no idea how to use it!

Any advice gratefully received!

Hmm. I don't know Libre Office but if it works like MS Word there may be an option to create comp slips etc. I create a template to print as required.

For graphics I would create in Photoshop, save as a jpeg and insert that into the document where required. Use the word processor for text over the top.

Basically, use the program's for what they were intended because they don't do what you want if you try to do it all in one.

So do I save as a jpeg template (is that possible?) or pdf in Photoshop? Then open in Libre Office and type over?

It's the background image bit I'm confused about - the text/logo at the top is fairly simple but the main body of text needs to lay over the faint background image, not shunt the formatting around as I've had problems with in the past.

No, I'd create the template using Word, insert the graphics ie jpeg and save that entire document as a template. The formatting will be preserved as you would just then use the word processor for text. If you put the graphic on, set it as behind the text or no text wrapping anything you write in the document should just float over the graphic.

Oh ok, thanks, I'll have a play around and see what I can do in Libre Office - hopefully it offers the same functions as Word!