SMS Manual - Word to PDF or InDesign to PDF

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
February 2, 2023
2 replies
945 views

Hi. We have a large (600+ page) SMS manual with procedures that needs to be recreated. A procedure company built us a procedure template in Word with macros. An InDesign expert recomended importing the procedure to InDesign, building the TOC, bookmarks and links and then exporting to PDF. However, it seems that all of this can be done in Word. I use Word, InDesign and PDF but I have never built an SMS manual.

1. Is there a benefit to going through InDesign vs doing it all in Word?

2. This manual will change as procedures and etc are updated. Is there a way to revise the TOC as changes are made without redoing the entire TOC?

3. Does InDesign support macros? Could the Word document with macros be used in InDesign?

Thank you!

This topic has been closed for replies.

Randy Hagan

Community Expert

If it's already in MSWord, and you can live with the design template you've got in MSWord, I'd leave it in MSWord. And I say that as someone who knocks out books with InDesign on a regular basis.

The moment you place that dynamic MSWord document into InDesign, you're essentially creating a snapshot in time. If you want a live, revising ToC or to gain the full benefits of your MSWord macros, you want to leave it in MSWord.

Hope this helps,

Randy

L

Lori5ED9Author

Known Participant

Thank you! Are there issues when exporting Word to pdf? When I build forms, I use InDesign and export to pdf. My co-worker said she has issues with keeping the formatting when exporting from Word to pdf.

BobLevine

Community Expert

Why don't you try it and see? That's really going to be the best way for YOU to know if works well for YOUR NEEDS.

That said, IME, the Word to PDF export works better on a Windows machine for interactive documents. There might still be some tweaking needed in Acrobat but I see no reason to get InDesign involved here.

kglad

Community Expert

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post if it helps you get responses.

L

Lori5ED9Author

Known Participant

Thank you

kglad

Community Expert

(sure. now let's hope an indesign expert can help answer your questions.)

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