Word query

[RandBlade]

Sorry if this is really basic/silly but I'm getting stumped.

Trying to design an A5 booklet, which basically is printed Landscape A4 with 2 columns of Portrait text (complicatedly formatted using tables etc) on each page. Printed on both sides of paper. So 1 sheet of A4 will ultimately have 4 pages of text on it. Never done this before, anything I've ever printed has always been A4.

My problem is that I've designed two layouts to start with to be symmetrical (one using tables, one with this columns) but when I print either method, its left-centred. So the text on the right "page" is either really close to the border in the middle when you fold the paper in two, or even beyond the middle originally. Any idea on how to do this, or am I barking up the wrong tree? I had considered designing each page as a separate page and setting it to print 2-per-page but then the font wouldn't be as I've designed it and it'd make printing odds and evens a nightmare.

Is it likely that the left-centred nature is the printer and not the file at fault?

Using columns I have basically set my page Layout as:
Custom Margin: 1.5cm on each edge
Column Spacing: 3.1cm (thinking it'd be 1.5cm on each side again with .1 for the fold)
Column Width: Equal distance of what's left (11.8cm)

While experimenting I've ticked the option to have a line between the columns and upon folding the paper using a ruler that's coming out 0.9cm left of the fold.

If it makes a difference, once finished I'll probably save this as both the original (for future editing) and as a PDF (for printing).

[Timbuk2]

Just go to:
- Page set up
- Margins tab (1st tab)
- Landscape Layout
- Pages: Multiple Pages: 2 pages per sheet.

Prints two A5 pages portrait per A4 sheet landscape. Just tried and works fine.

[RandBlade]

Good solution potentially, better than how I was doing it. However two problems:

1: When I set it on the printer to Manually Print Both Sides (which normally makes it print half the pages, then you put back in to print the reverse half) it instead chose to print everything without waiting.
2: Its still left-centered. I've taken a photo to show what I mean, while playing with the layout I've just put written "Page (Number) (what the page will be)" and so you can see the cover page with 6 sheets in total not 3. There's no left margin at all to the second half in fact the P is on the wrong page and the a is on the fold itself.

[Timbuk2]

1. I take it you're using an inkjet, non-reversible type printer? I'm only used to office laserjets which print both sides as a matter of course, so not that familiar with settings to manually print both sides.

2. Margins settings, no? Make the left margin bigger?

[Khendraja'aro]

Use Publisher or similar DTP programs. Word is not meant for layout.