Dynamic Endnotes in Book feature (from Multiple WORD Files to Multiple INDD Chapter Files)

[AnotherPowerUser]

InDesign Endnotes are holding us back! 

Our work

My team creates reports that are hundreds of pages with approximately 1,000 endnotes. We use the InDesign (2015) Book feature, with multiple chapters as separate files. Each chapter can have upwards of 100 endnotes. The compiled Endnotes are a separate file at the end of the Book. The Book feature updates page numbers (dynamic), but not TOC numbers, table numbers, figure numbers, or endnote numbers. Our workaround has been a very cool plug-in called Fnote for endnotes, and InSeq for tables and figures, both from Sonar Bookends. The plug-ins update all numbers sequentially according to the Book order. The TOC still has to be done manually.

Our process

Each Word file gets imported to InDesign, keeping the Word endnotes (dynamic - add or subtract an endnote, and INDD will renumber). Using the plugin, the endnotes are cut to a different INDD file, keeping them dynamic. 10 chapters, 10 endnote files. Once the Book is created and the INDD files are placed in order, the 10 endnote files get cut and pasted, in order, to a new composite file that will go in the Book. When "updated," all endnotes will dynamically be renumbered in the Book, as well as all references!

Our dilemma

Sonar Bookends has discontinued the endnote plugin!! The last was for Adobe CC 2019. We are upgrading to Adobe CC 2020. We have to upgrade the InSeq plugin, but what options do we have for dynamic endnotes!?!

HELP!

I was referred to a 2017 question that dealt with the same basic issue to avail:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/managing-multiple-sets-of-endnotes-in-a-document/m-p/9440363...

The answer from Adobe at the time was INDD was unable to do this. Word can do it, why can't INDD do it?

[tonyc97861821]

Dynamic endnotes in book.

Hello, working on a book with 15+ chapters, each with 100 to 250 endnotes that sit at the end of each chapter. The book deals with live issues, so is being currently and constantly revised.

Text is in Word, with dynamic endnotes. Can InDesign keep the dynamic links when text is imported from Word, in order to allow for updates to endnotes as situations develop? Nothing I read convinces me this can be done.

Please help.

[AnotherPowerUser]

Hello tonyc97861821,

    Yes. Indesign will keep the chapter endnotes dynamic. We now use this system for our reports and it works great. You can add and delete endnotes on the fly, even cut and paste before or after other endnotes. Make a test document and you will be surprised.

(Our big issue was to tie all endnotes in multiple chapters to one final endnotes section. This would have to be done in the BOOK utility, but it seems INDD has no interest in this feature.)

[tonyc97861821]

That's encouraging. Will give it a go.

Many thanks.

[Peter Kahrel]

There's a script for that. Go to https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/scripting.html, then look for "End Notes to End of Book Notes".

P.

[AnotherPowerUser]

Thanks P!

We would have tried this a few months back, but it turns out our team really likes chapter end notes. Makes them easier to find since we usually have a total average of 1k. I will definately keep this script in mind for future work!