SEC Form 4

FORM 4 [ ] Check this box if no longer
subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form
5 obligations may continue.
See Instruction 1(b). UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C.  20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIPFiled pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility
Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 OMB APPROVAL
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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person^*
Gable, Robert     L. (Last)                      (First)                      (Middle) 500 Main Street
c/o Legal Department (Street) Groton, MA     01471-0001 (City)                      (State)                      (Zip) USA 2. Issuer Name and Ticker
    or Trading Symbol

New England Business Service, Inc.   NEB 3. I.R.S. Identification
    Number of Reporting
    Person, if an entity
    (voluntary)
4. Statement for
    (Month/Year)

    November 4, 2002
5. If Amendment,
    Date of Original
    (Month/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
           X          Director                           10% Owner
                        Officer                             Other

Officer/Other
Description                               7. Individual or Joint/Group
    Filing (Check Applicable Line)

X   Individual Filing
      Joint/Group Filing

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1. Title of Security     (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date     (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction     Code     and     Voluntary     Code     (Instr. 8) Code  |  V	4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed (D) Of     (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)         Amount      |         A/D         |         Price	5. Amount of     Securities     Beneficially     Owned at     End of Month     (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Owner-     ship     Form:     Direct(D)     or     Indirect (I)     (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of      Indirect      Beneficial      Ownership     (Instr. 4)
Common Stock Par Value $1.00	11/04/2002	A |	482.000(1)   |           A           |   $22.820	14,410.000	D
Common Stock Par Value $1.00				3,000.000	I	By Spouse

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

(over)
SEC 1474 (3-99)

Gable, Robert L. - November 2002

Form 4 (continued)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security     (Instr. 3)	2. Conver-     sion or     Exercise     Price of     Deri-     vative     Security	3. Transaction     Date     (Month/     Day/     Year)	4. Transaction     Code     and     Voluntary (V)     Code     (Instr.8) Code | V	5. Number of Derivative     Securities Acquired (A)     or Disposed (D) Of     (Instr. 3,4 and 5)	6. Date Exercisable(DE) and     Expiration Date(ED)     (Month/Day/Year)   (DE)     |     (ED)	7. Title and Amount of     Underlying Securities     (Instr. 3 and 4)	8. Price     of     Derivative     Security     (Instr.5)	9. Number of     Derivative     Securities     Beneficially     Owned     at End of     Month     (Instr.4)	10. Owner- ship Form of Deriv- ative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)	11. Nature of       Indirect       Beneficial       Ownership       (Instr.4)
Options (Right to Buy)	$22.820	11/04/2002	A |	(A) 3,000.000 (2)	11/04/2003 | 11/03/2012	Common Stock Par Value $1.00 - 3,000.000	$22.820	3,000.000	D

Explanation of Responses :

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations.
        See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note:   File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient,
            See Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not
required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number. /s/ Michelle R. Palermo-Murphy
________________________________            11-04-2002    
** Signature of Reporting Person                         Date

Michelle R. Palermo-Murphy as Attorney-in-Fact for
Robert L. Gable

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SEC 1474 (3-99)

Gable, Robert L. - November 2002

Form 4 (continued)

FOOTNOTE Descriptions for New England Business Service, Inc. NEB

Form 4 - November 2002

Robert L. Gable
500 Main Street
c/o Legal Department
Groton, MA 01471-0001

Explanation of responses:

(1)   Represents shares granted pursuant to the Company's Stock Compensation Plan.
(2)   The share options vest in full on the first anniversary date following the grant date. The options are granted pursuant to the Company's Stock Compensation Plan.

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