Create a partially editable document in Indesign 2024

[Rare_Moon24]

Hello, so I was wondering if it was possible to create a document in Indesign and export it in such a way that only the text inside can be modified or cancelled. I have a friend, who has limited computer knowledge (she is 52 years old) that asked me to create a menu for her bar, but I want to make it so that in the output file she can modify her products as she wants without touching the images or the overall structure of the menu. That way she can independently change up the content as she likes without having to ask me every time to do it for her. Is it possible to create it? If so, how? Thank you.

[Derek Cross · Accepted solution]

She would have to subscribe to InDesign to be able to make changes to the document.. Depending on the design an Acrobat form might be a possibility, otherwise, consider creating the document in Powerpoint. Presumably, she has that application on her computer.

[TᴀW]

It is possible by creating an interactive PDF form. You would design your document as usual, and wherever you want to allow your friend to enter their own information, create a text field in InDesign.

Then export the document as an interactive PDF.

Now your friend can open this document in Adobe's PDF Reader (best to use the official desktop [not tablet] version) and make changes and print out as needed.

The process can be improved by the use of a third-party tool such as FormMagic, which allows you to specify all formatting options (including colour, alignment, default text, and properly embedded fonts) for these editable text fields, directly in InDesign. But it's a convenience, not essential.

In fact, one of our clients is using it for exactly this purporse, which is what made me think of it. Check out the 2nd rec on this page: https://www.id-extras.com/products/formmagic/

[jane-e · Accepted solution]

@Rare_Moon24 

She can use InCopy and you can give her permissions to change only certain parts.

https://helpx.adobe.com/support/incopy.html

Jane

[BobLevine]

There is nothing you can do that doesn't come with a learning curve. Instead of telling us what she can't do, tell us what she can do.

BTW, what does her age have to do with it?