Polished Posters: Indesign Formatting Essentials

This section covers the essentials of saving and exporting in Adobe InDesign.
Learn how to efficiently save your work and export files for print.

Saving a Document 

• Go to the File menu: In the top-left corner of the screen, click on File.
• Select Save or Save As:
  • To save your document with the current name and location, click Save.
  • To save a new copy or for the first time, click Save As.
• Choose the save location: In the dialog box, choose the folder or location on your computer or external drive where you want to save.
• Name your file: Enter a name for your InDesign document in the "File Name" field.
• Choose the file format: InDesign saves files by default in the .indd format. If needed, you can change the file type by selecting from the "Format" dropdown (for example, PDF, IDML, etc.).
• Click Save: Once you’ve chosen the location and file name, click the Save button.
• Confirm settings (optional): If you are saving as a different format (like .idml or .pdf), a dialog box may appear with additional options. Adjust these as needed, then click OK or Save.

Packaging a File

Packaging a document in Adobe InDesign means gathering all the necessary files—such as fonts, linked images, and the InDesign file—into a single folder. This ensures that everything needed for printing or sharing is included and can be easily transferred or archived. Packaging a file is the best way to move a file from computer to computer without losing fonts or images, while still allowing editing.

The steps to package a file in Adobe InDesign:

1. Go to the File menu: In the top-left corner, click on File.

2. Select Package: From the dropdown, choose Package.

3. Review the Package Summary: A dialog box will appear showing a summary of the document, including fonts, linked images, and other necessary details. You can review any missing elements or warnings.

4. Choose a save location: Click the Folder... button to choose where you want to save the packaged folder. This will be the location where InDesign will store all files related to your project.

5. Set packaging options:

   • Copy Fonts: Choose whether to include the fonts used in the document. If you don’t have the font files, you may not be able to package them.
   • Copy Linked Graphics: Decide whether to include the images and linked files used in the document.
   • Update Graphic Links in Package: This option ensures that the linked files are updated before packaging.
   • Create Report: You can choose to create a report file that lists all the linked files, fonts, and images, which can be helpful for tracking.

6. Click Package: After choosing your settings, click the Package button.

7. Confirm the packaging: InDesign will ask you to confirm that you’re ready to package. Click Continue.

8. Check the folder: Navigate to the folder where the package was saved. Inside, you will find a folder containing:

   • The InDesign file (.indd)
   • All fonts used
   • All linked images and graphics
   • A PDF report (if selected)
     
     

Your document is now packaged and ready for transfer!

Exporting for Print

Exporting for print in Adobe InDesign involves converting your document into a print-ready format, typically a PDF. This ensures that your colors, fonts, and images are preserved with high quality for professional printing.
 

Steps to export your InDesign document as a print-ready PDF:

1. Go to the File menu: In the top-left corner, click File.

2. Select Export: From the dropdown, choose Export....

3. Choose save location and name: In the dialog box, select where you want to save the PDF and give it a file name.

4. Select PDF (Print): In the "Save as Type" or "Format" dropdown, choose Adobe PDF (Print).

5. Click Save: After selecting the format, click Save.

6. Adjust PDF settings:

   • In the "Export Adobe PDF" dialog box, select a preset. For professional printing, use a preset like High Quality Print or Press Quality.
   • General settings: Choose whether to export the entire document or just selected pages.
   • Compression settings: Adjust image quality and compression to ensure high-quality print output.
   • Marks and Bleeds: If your design has bleeds, make sure to check the “Use Document Bleed Settings” box to include the bleed
     
   • Output settings: Select the correct color conversion settings (e.g., CMYK for print).
      

7. Click Export: Once all settings are adjusted, click the Export button.

Your PDF is now ready for printing, containing all necessary elements in a high-quality, print-compatible format.