Recommended workflow for InDesign documents

Maintain a clean computer system

Over time, changes occur to software and hardware that can lead to performance loss and system problems. Defragmenting the hard disk, removing older versions of software, updating device drivers, optimizing memory, running virus protection utilities, and performing other maintenance tasks can prevent applications and files from becoming damaged. Performing these tasks regularly helps ensure that InDesign opens, displays, and prints documents as expected.

Create a project folder

Before you begin a project, determine which files you’ll need and how you’ll store them. Create a folder for storing your document and its linked files. InDesign maintains links to files you place in a document, but if a link is broken, InDesign looks for the file in the document’s folder. Storing a document and its linked files in the same folder makes it easy to move them from one computer to another. Storing files in one folder also ensures that InDesign finds the original graphics when printing a document. If InDesign cannot locate a linked graphic, it won’t reflect changes you make to the original graphic, and it may print the graphic poorly or not at all.

If your project consists of multiple documents (for example, chapters in a book), you may find it useful to create a project folder that contains a folder for each document and its linked files.

Consider using a template

Use a template if you frequently create similar projects. Templates let you create consistent documents more quickly while protecting the original file. For example, if you create a monthly newsletter, your template might include ruler guides, page numbers, the newsletter masthead, and styles you want to use in each issue. (See Use document templates.)

Open documents locally

Before you open a document stored on a network volume or on removable media, copy the document and any linked graphics to your local hard disk. The slower access time and data transfer rate of a network volume or removable media can cause data to become lost or corrupted, possibly damaging the document.

Solve problems before converting a file

Damaged Adobe PageMaker or QuarkXPress® files usually remain damaged when opened in InDesign. If an error or other unexpected behavior occurs with a converted file, open the original file in the source application and troubleshoot it for damage.

Save documents

Save documents frequently, and create backup copies of important files. You can clear unnecessary data from a document by using the Save As command. When you use the Save command, InDesign appends new information to the document but doesn’t remove outdated data, such as information about a deleted graphic. When you use the Save As command, however, InDesign completely rewrites the document, including only information about objects and pages currently in the document. A document that contains only necessary data occupies less hard drive space and redraws and prints more quickly.

Practice good design habits

• Create styles in a document. Creating styles with no documents open can cause duplicate styles to appear when you create a new document. To share styles in documents, save the styles and load them.

• Use appropriate fonts. When choosing fonts for a document, consider how you intend to format and print the text. InDesign works best with Microsoft® OpenType®, Type 1 (also called PostScript), and TrueType fonts. Damaged or poorly constructed fonts can damage an InDesign document or cause it to print with unexpected results, so use reliable fonts created by established font vendors. If you work with a service bureau, find out its font requirements.

• Avoid using too many text frames. Use as few text frames as possible to keep the document file size smaller and the layout easier to manipulate.

Be smart with art

• Use the appropriate graphics file format. When you create graphics for a project, consider how you plan to print the document. For best results, use native Photoshop and Illustrator files rather than converting them to EPS or TIFF. If you intend to print the document at a service bureau, ask the service bureau which graphic formats work best with the output device it uses. The service bureau can also advise you on the optimal resolution for images.

• Store graphics externally. When you import a graphic file, InDesign creates a link to the graphic by default. Linking helps minimize the file size of the document and improves the performance of InDesign. When you print the document, the original graphic file must be available and linked. If InDesign can’t find the original, the graphic may print as a low resolution preview or as a gray box.

• In some cases, it works better to transform (for example, skew or rotate) graphics before placing them in InDesign. When you print a graphic that is transformed in InDesign, InDesign sends the graphic to the printer in its untransformed state and then appends the transformation instructions to it. This process may cause longer print times and require more printer memory to perform the transformation.

Verify links and fonts before you print

To ensure that a document prints correctly, verify that all links are intact and all fonts are available. A link becomes broken if you delete, move, or rename the original graphic. Use the Preflight and Package features before handing off files to a service bureau.

For a video on creating documents, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0068.