: How to Best Create Templates for Clients to edit the content/copy The Big Question What is the best (possibly a software application) to create Documents (e.g PDF Brochures, Business Portfolios,

@Candy945

Is this Solution just bonkers?

Word > Dropbox > Indesign. Auto'magically

Using a combination of the following: Word - Dropbox - Indesign with WordsFlow plugin. Dont know what WordsFlow is? click to find out -quite useful

If I set up a word document per page or possibly text area of an indesign layout, I then place linked doc via Wordsflow to indesign. While Storing these documents over dropbox so there is one copy on my desktop and one on the clients (same copy). He updates word and I hit update linked file.

This way Im still involved but can charge a very small fee for simply clicking update links in Indesign save and send. This removes the responsibility and time of editing the content throughout large documents.

Thoughts anyone?



About WordsFlow

WordsFlow’s auto-merge removes the pain

WordsFlow ends the headaches. When you place the original Word or Excel file (or any text file), WordsFlow asks InDesign to keep a link to the file.

When you or anyone else updates that file (locally or in a shared-file situation), InDesign will notice that the link’s source has changed, and allow you to update it using the usual mechanisms. (For example, you can double-click on the link-changed status icon.) WordsFlow then kicks in, and, instead of replacing the placed story wholesale, it magically merges the changes in the new file contents with all the existing changes to the current InDesign story. (We call this a “merge-update.”) So you never lose any of your hard work, while WordsFlow saves you hours of manual merge drudgery.

WordsFlow doesn’t require any special configuration or extra steps to do its magic–just install the plug-in and use File > WordsFlow > Place with WordsFlow… and proceed using the normal Place dialog. WordsFlow then works behind the scenes, while you continue with your existing InDesign workflow, now super-charged. And your collaborators need no special software or configuration changes–they continue to work exactly as they always have.

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@Caterina889

There are really only 3 solutions....


Client purchases and learns the software you use (InDesign,
Illustrator, etc) - Watch font licenses here. You can't legally just give clients fonts you use in many instances.Therefore the client will also need to purchase font licenses for themselves. - In addition, I charge for native files. So there is that added cost as well.
You use software the client has and knows (Word, Powerpoint, etc) This is often not an option on my end. I don't have the time to spend reconstructing items in a less-than-designer-friendly application. Sure you can go the Indd -> PDF -> Word route, but that's always unstable and requires a lot of fiddling in my experience. In addition, I'd be laughed at by my print providers (who would reject the files) if I provided Word files for press - no cmyk, no resolutions, etc.
You can use PDF forms in some cases. This can be really difficult to
do however due to the nature of the PDF forms (single or multi-line no text wrapping, etc). It is possible to set
up some areas, such as addressing to allow the client to input their
own information. However, this is not a viable solution if the
client wants to edit a single word in the middle of a paragraph.
With Acrobat Pro some text editing can be done in standard PDFs, but
again, the amount of editing is generally not as thorough as clients
would like.


I've run into the same requests. I traditionally explain items 1 and 2 above without actually providing option 3.

If the request falls into item 3 for me - 1 or 2 lines of text and that's all that is needed - I'll use option 3 and send the client the PDF - beyond that I don't suggest the PDF form to the client. And if asked to allow more PDF form input, I explain why it's not a viable option in many cases.

Generally, with a conversation about software costs and print requirements, the clients come to the conclusion that it much more cost effective to have me make that small edit than to purchase software, fonts, and educational materials. And I simply don't have the time to dedicate to constructing press files in Word or something similar (in addition to explanations as to why Microsoft products aren't designed for professional print production use).

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