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Window Envelopes
Is There One Easy Way of Formatting and Folding Letters for Them?
Dixie has a question for you: Do you think there is one type of window envelopes?! If you do, Dixie is here to disappoint you. Looks like almost every company uses its own type. Maybe this is a little exaggeration, but you can easily find at least a dozen of variations.
So What do You Do?
Well, the easiest way would be just not to use window envelopes, right? That very often might not be an option, of course. So for those of you who really need to use this modern type of envelopes Dixie could suggest choosing a standard that everyone in your company would use. But… What if the envelopes you decide to use as a standard are unavailable at times or just plain disappear?! Do you think it’s unlikely? Dixie wouldn’t bet on it.
So Dixie suggests you just learn the basics of formatting any letter for any window envelope. And of course she will help.
First she wants you to know that there are two
Major Types of Window Envelopes
Dixie won’t bore you with format peculiarities of different types of window envelopes. But the one thing you need to know (and most of you probably do) is that such envelopes can have one or two windows. This is what one might call a MAJOR difference!
Go directly to see the images of 1-window and 2-window envelopes to see for yourself.
The Easiest Way to Create a Letter Template for the Window Envelope
Dixie assures you, it is not complicated at all. Take a sheet of paper and fold it in thirds. If you want Dixie’s advice on what paper to use check out the Paper for Business Letters page. Get a window envelope. Remove the plastic from the window/windows on it. Insert the sheet of paper in the envelope the way you intend to insert your letter after you are done. Dixie warns you, it’s different from just folding paper for simple envelopes.
You need to use brochure folding method in this case, either z-fold or tri-fold (z-fold is more common). The one third of the letter facing you in the images below is the part of the letter which will be seen from the window in a 1-window envelope or from the windows in a 2-window envelope.
z-fold |
tri-fold |
Notice that Dixie has reduced the size of the images, but in reality the paper of course should be the right size for the envelopes (see Paper for Business Letters page for details).
Now draw around the window/windows with a pencil (Dixie is sure you do realize you would draw on the inserted paper, right?!).
Remove the sheet and measure the position of the window/windows, then use paragraph formatting or a text box or frame to position your address for a 1-window or addresses for a 2-window envelope correctly.
Dixie has samples of the envelopes for you here:
1-Window Envelope
Below Dixie suggests you look at the sample of the upper third of the letter folded for the window envelope.
A Letter Ready to be Inserted in a Window Envelope
You actually can use the above sample for both 1-window and 2-window envelopes. Or rearrange the return address making it a part of the letterhead for a 1-window envelope (see an example of a letterhead Dixie gives you on her Indented or Semi-Block Letter page).
And now look at the window envelopes with the inserted letters. Don't they look great?! An exact match!
Addressed 1-Window Envelope
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