Best practice logo formatting when importing to Microsoft Word

[StuArtsy]

Hey all,

I've got a question about implementing CMYK logo files into a Microsoft Word document. My colleague would like to print some Word documents with our logo. However, most applicable import file types convert colors to RGB or already are (PNG, WMF, EMF). I understand that TIFFS will bloat the size of the document substantially. 

What is the best practice in this use case for making sure logo colors are printed accurately in Microsoft Suite programs? Aside from producing the documents in the Adobe Suite itself, or creating a letterhead?

Thanks for your comments!

[Lumigraphics]

Have you tried inserting a PDF as an Object?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/add-a-pdf-to-your-office-file-74819342-8f00-4ab4-bcbe-0f3...

Office does not have CMYK support so this may not work, but I'd give this a try. EPS used to be the way to go but it is no longer supported. Just be aware- Office CANNOT print in CMYK.

[StuArtsy]

@Lumigraphics Thanks for your reply! Appreciate the suggestion. I did not realize that Microsoft Suite doesn't support CMYK. So essentially, folks who produce print collateral in Microsoft Word are resolving to have off-colors when printing?

I suppose the best pathway forward is to simply insist on producing the collateral in Adobe.

[Lumigraphics]

Nobody should be using Word for page design and offset printing. Do the writing in Word and place those files into InDesign or Illustrator so you can generate proper CMYK.

[StuArtsy]

I appreciate your time, thanks for eliminating that ambiguity for me!

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Most of the CMYK colors will fall within the RGB color range. Try taking your logo into Photoshop, dupe the image (make an unsaved copy), and convert it to sRGB. Compare the two side-by-side and see how off it is. Depending on how fussy one is, that may be good enough. 

PNG is the best overall format for Office apps.

[StuArtsy]

Thanks, I'll definitely try this out, if only to assuage any apprehension from my team.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Word is not designed for CMYK, full stop. Everything you import will be converted to RGB with a couple of exceptions

1. PDF - Some newer versions of Mac Word (not sure about Windows) can now import PDF files.

2. EPS, as obsolete as it is, ironically.

Both of these will still be internally converted in the Word file (in this case into an EMF wrapper) but do seem to retain the CMYK values.

Illustrator Does export EMF files, but this is not the same as what Word is doing with it, and only in RGB.

Regardless, Word only PRINTS in RGB* so you'd still have that issue. (*Edit. Windows version)

[StuArtsy]

Thank you for the reply! Great advice, all.

[Lumigraphics]

Office can no longer use EPS on Windows, I am not sure if it supported on Mac. PDF is now the best solution for embedding graphics.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Re: EPS on Mac. It is still supported, and it delivers CMYK properly through the print chain, but also if you Save the file as a PDF. Mac Word normalizes the EPS into an EMF file (basically a flattened pdf 1.3 file in a EMF wrapper). This is assuming the file was not linked when placed. A linked EPS file does not get normalized, so requires a PostScript printer to properly render. Printing to non-PS printer, as you should know, will get you only the low-res preview that Word displays, and in RGB.

AlL this is moot as there's no good workflow here for what the OP wants to do. Yes, in Mac Word, a PDF file (say a logo) can be added to a document simply like any other format (i.e Insert > Picture From File:). The caveat is there's no mechanism to select what bounding box you want, so it will be imported as the full page size of the PDF. Not ideal.

It's weirder with Windows Word. You must insert a PDF as an Object in a convoluted way, and even then, still at the full page size defined in the PDF.

Regardless, even if you are successful in placing a CMYK-base PDF/EPS, Windows Word converts everything to RGB in the print stream, including Saving as PDF, whereas Mac Word retains the CMYK colours.

[Lumigraphics]

I haven't done much with Word in a while. I actually was a contractor for Microsoft (an A-dash) working at Lincoln Plaza in Bellevue, WA supporting the Office 98 release. EPS was the one true way back then.

And agreed, I'm surprised their company doesn't have an RGB version of the logo anyway.

[CarnahanMary]

Open the vector logo in Illustrator or Indesign. 

Set the document color space to RGB instead of CMYK. 

Select the color swatches, and change their properties to RGB in this document.  

Export as RGB either JPG or PNG. That is compliant with Word and web use. 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

OR just leave the colors alone and export as PNG. 

PNG supports only RGB colors and grayscale, so the colors will be converted.

PNG is the best format for MS Office.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Beat me to it! 🙂