InDesign/InCopy CS3

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Todd Hagler on July 9, 2008 at 4:09pm

I've used the InDesign/Incopy workflow for some time now. As creative director for a custom publisher I've set up a live edit workflow for a group of five designers and eight editors in a cross platform environment (design on Macs, editors on PCs).

Our experience was nothing but positive. We transitioned designers over from Quark to InDesign, updated all of the company fonts to OpenType format, and introduced InCopy to the editors. Everything went amazingly well. Our creative team produces more than 200 custom titles per year and the time savings alone was invaluable. The live edit workflow also helped to improve interaction between editorial and design.

One helpful tip for any large group implementing InDesign/InCopy: include phone extensions in User names. Under Assignments > User; have each team member set their user name to include their first name and phone extension (Toddx3541). That way, if another team member needs access to a file and someone else has it checked out--they'll not only see who, but have the proper phone extension handy in case they need to contact them.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Teree Caruthers on July 9, 2008 at 4:47pm

Thanks Todd! That's a great tip about the the phone extensions. Question: are your editors adding copy to InDesign templates through InCopy or are they editing pages that have already been designed? And how much editing/proofing are editors doing in InCopy? I ask because we also publish about 150 different custom titles each year with about 6 editors and 5 designers. We also have two remote editors (we're testing the CS3 assignment packaging tool) Our staff editors are also out of the office for several days each month --without access to the server and thus InCopy files. We want to go to a paperless editing/proofing workflow but we're having trouble getting away from the multiple back-and-forth between editor and designer --even after initial edits are made in InCopy. Any suggestions? BTW- we circulate four different proofs in house for each of our titles...

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Todd Hagler on July 9, 2008 at 6:31pm

Right now, editorial comes into design as either a Word document or InCopy file (which should be well edited and fairly clean before going to layout).

Every new magazine starts from the InDesign template and the designer will set up the issue and then import the editorial, place photos and illustrations, etc. As the initial layout for each feature or department is completed it gets assigned back to the editors. Ideally, only small corrections or copy fitting should be needed - although there still seems to be more editing going on than I'd like.

Our goal is to achieve a paper light workflow. But like you, we've experienced the challenge of multiple back-and forth between edit and design. I think the secret is to get everyone to feel as if each time they touch a file, that it's the last time they'll get to see it. That it's their only chance to get it right. The ease of the live edit workflow leads to too many people thinking "oh, I'll just fix it later."

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Teree Caruthers on July 10, 2008 at 1:28pm

Yes, we get a lot of "I'll fix it later..." Do you use staff copyeditors? And at what stage in production? We currently have editors copyediting and then after two rounds of internal proofing of the layout, we send it to an external proofreader. I'm looking at shaking up that process and hiring copyeditors to edit content before it's brought into design/production.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kevin Convertito on July 21, 2008 at 12:00pm

you'll always need that final proofreading after design/production...in-house proofreading would probably save you lots of turn-around time, but it sounds like you might just be unnecessarily adding another round to the front of the process...This reminds me of one function I use with caution in InDesign—the letter keys for switching tools—seems to add more accidental random T's and V's to previously copy-edited texts...my $0.02

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Paul Chernoff on July 31, 2008 at 4:42pm

Are you using InDesign and InCopy out of the box or are you using a workflow program such as WoodWings Smart Connection (Pro or Enterprise) or K4?

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jan Hall on January 22, 2009 at 11:47am

Looking for several freelancers who are good typists and work in InCopy. Having InMath a plus but not required. Write right away to Jan Hall at jhall@EisemannCommunication.com .---Jan

▶ Reply to This