Advice Please!
- Started
- Last post
- 31 Responses
- annaconda
Hi everyone,
So I have just designed a 50 page brochure in Indesign for a client (with four high res pics per page and an obscure font).
My client is now saying they would like an editable Word document to accompany the high res pdf. How can I explain to them that this won't be possible without it looking like I'm just outright saying no?
Or is it possible? I tried the pdf to word tool available online, but they have a size limit of 1MB (which isn't going to work!) and all the formatting and layout and typography was all messed up.
Thanks in advance for all help!
- brandelec0
what's the purpose of the word doc if they also want the high res pdf?
- annaconda0
they want to be able to edit it incase prices/product refs change, and they don't want the hassle of learning/getting Indd.
- brandelec0
you can design a template in word to best match the existing brochure, then you can explain that it cannot match the pdf so at least you 'showed' options
- bigtrick0
tell them that your indesign document inherently possesses not just text, but hours of layout work, which does not translate to word because word is just text and can't support the layout.
- jruggs0
Did they mention this to you this before the project commenced?
- dropdown0
I haven't read this but the first few lines seemed promising:
- also:
http://www.adobe.com…
dropdown - the first program is Windows only and even the Adobe thing messes up the format when exporting to a .doc file. Thanks anyway!annaconda
- Why export to .doc at all. Just update the pdf and save.dropdown
- also:
- harlequino0
Wasn't there a copy doc to begin with? You didn't just type all the text into InDesign, did you?
- annaconda0
no they didn't, they just casually asked after all the work was done. I'll have a go at laying out in Word, but I wouldn't have the first idea how.
I just don't want to seem rude by explaining to them it's not going to happen. Theor new idea is to export each page of the doc as a single pdf and then export each pdf in to a singular word file using that online tool.
looooooong.
- Its not about being rude. calmly explain to them the limits of word and how long it took you to lay it out.baseline_shift
- Morning_star0
Did you know this at the breifing stage? If not Fuck 'em.
- baseline_shift0
what does your contract say about handing over source files. They obviously want the word file to cut you out of future projects.
Also, giving fonts to people like this is illegal.
- blackisle0
I have recently outputted a pdf to word via arobat-- it turns all the text areas into fields....might be worth it if all they are changing is prices.
- blackisle0
as mentioned above, does not keep fonts
- annaconda0
Yeah - that's the idea. So if they need copy changes they won't need me to do them.
Is InCopy good for this sort of thing?
They own the font - they gave it to me - it's just a Mac version
- Morning_star0
We have a client that needs to add clients names, addresses and price details to Brochures that we produce. If you leave these places as editable fields in the PDF they can do what they want with them. However you are limited to universal fonts if they want to make sure that the client sees what they see.
- harlequino0
Maybe I am missing something here. But isn't an editable Word doc just what they would have given to you in the first place with all the copy?
Where did the copy come from?
- blackisle0
All you need to do is export your pdf doc in Acrobat 8 Professional as a Word doc and hey presto it will become a word doc.
- annaconda0
The copy came from many different excel files, not just one (which was time consuming in itself obviously)
Even when you export to a doc using Acrobat it messes with the type and layout. Tried numerous times.Thanks for all this advice btw
- tell the client to consolidate this process and then it would work?SlashPeckham
- dropdown0
http://www.adobe.com/products/ac…
If they're just changing text this is fine.
- grymes0
Making some parts "form fillable" in Acrobat might be an option, no?
- harlequino0
Excel files? So sounds like there's lots of charts and figures?
Sounds like you have a simple case of scope creep on your hands. Explain that this wasn't in the scope, here's what it costs to create a word doc, and boom. There you go. They may just say eff it, and have a monkey in their office do it.