How to speed up PDF generation in InDesign

Report · Oct 31, 2022

One of the main tasks that we do in our office is:

A. Merging an original InDesign file (approx 7.5Mb) with a CSV file;

B. Exporting that resulting merged document into a PDF file

During export, we've tried different Adobe PDF Presets: (High Quality Print, Press Quality, Smallest File Size, PDF/X-4, etc.) The "Smallest File Size" preset seems to be the fastest although not by much. It generally takes 3-5 minutes to create the merged document which seems a bit slow.

But the real sluggishness is when we export that merged document into PDF format. It takes anywhere from 4-8 minutes and the resulting PDF is only about 2.3Mb in size.

We've tried this on multiple machines. One is an iMac 3.5Ghz Quad Core i7 processor with 32Gb of 1600Mhz DDR3 RAM. The other is a Macbook Pro with 2.6 Ghz 6-core i7 processor and 16Gb 2400 Mhz DDR4 RAM. There's not really thimble's worth of difference in the export time. They pretty much run neck and neck and, when they don't, either one might outperform the other.

Anyway, I have two questions:

A. Is there anything I can do to speed up this process? It takes HOURS of our day for one staff member to create these PDFs. And most of that time is spent just waiting for the machine.

B. What part of the computer is most integral to this kind of task? In other words, if I choose to get a new Mac before the end of the year -- and had to choose -- would I want to go with the fastest processor...or the most RAM? Which would give us the biggest boost in speed for this kind of work?

Thanks in advance. I appreciate your help and would be happy to provide more information if it will help give a better answer.

Report · Nov 03, 2022

@tonyrush have you had any improvements or updates?

Report · Dec 12, 2022

Network files and images were already mentioned.

Another trouble candidate would be fonts - e.g. if your machine is loaded with thousands of fonts, or if the document somewhere refers to missing fonts that have to get substituted. In such a case I've watched InDesign burning some (ehm) time with TypeKit nowadays known as Adobe Fonts even when the option was disabled in CC general control. Not sure whether that is still a problem, could also depend on the mood of the used servers.

You can also attempt to track down the offending subsystem. From Application >> Utilities launch the Activity Monitor app of OSX and target InDesign. Perform your export and somewhere into it where the lengthy operation is likely showing, sample the process. This should give at least some impression in what component (i.e. plug-in file) the time is spent. Like with crash dumps, upload the result to a pastebin service or alike and share the link.

Report · May 14, 2024

No solutions, but watching this thread because I have the same issue.

Doing a postcard data merge, I've taken out all the graphics and created the merged INDD files to be text only overprints. I have 8 INDD files each with 4,000 pages (half of which are blank) and each file is taking a half hour to create a single PDF.... IF it creates a PDF at all, before it crashes.

Running a 3.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5, 40 GB memory and saving to the internal hard drive.

I know the Data Merge in InDesign is buggy, but it seems to be getting worse.

Thanks for letting me sit in 🙂

It's always been slow, but recently it's practically non-functional.

Sherry Baker

Report · May 14, 2024

@sherry @ Lacy & Par

Can you split to smaller files? Like 1000 pages max? Or even less.

InDesign is still single-thread application - so GHz counts - not number of cores.

Can you show your design? Maybe instead of DataMerge - Text could be imported in a different way?

Report · Aug 12, 2024

I can't show the design as it is a certificate with monetary value, but it's basically a card with a 20 character alphanumeric serial "number". There are 8 certificates per page, with each certificate having its own field. The certificate itself is not part of the merge. Each page contains just 8 serial numbers and header information containing text variables (file name, page numbers, that sort of thing)

I have been splitting the files to 1000 pages per set because it is a tiny bit faster and helps mitagate crashes so I only lose 1 of the 12 files created, not the entire thing; but it's still not ideal.

Not sure how text could be imported without a merge.

Sherry Baker

Report · Aug 12, 2024

Sherry @ Lacy & Par

Can you confirm what exactly do you have in the data file?

If just S/Ns - then, you could create Master Page with 8x TFs, thread them together, then just place TXT file with one S/N per line - reflow.

Report · Aug 12, 2024

For 20,000 to 100,000 records? I don’t know how this would be an improvement. That seems more like the kind of thing data merge was created to avoid. Especially since the certificates need to be in cutstacks.

Sherry Baker

Report · Aug 12, 2024

Sherry @ Lacy & Par

It doesn't matter how many records.

Not sure what's the problem with cutstacking?

If it's:

1...2

3...4

5...6

7...8

Then like I've suggested - you need to create 8s TFs on the Master:

[]... []

thread them and place TXT file with your S/Ns.

Report · Aug 12, 2024

It isn't:

1...2

3...4

5...6

7...8

The numbers flow down through the stack, not across each page.
It's closer to the attached, only 8up not 4up; and 1000 sheets not 40.

Looks like the threading of the text blocks would take longer than the merge.

Sherry Baker

Report · Aug 12, 2024

Sherry @ Lacy & Par

But in that case - you still need to "mix" your S/Ns, right?

Do you have one placeholder that InDesign is duplicating 8th times on each page?

Report · Aug 12, 2024

I have an spreadsheet with 8 columns. Each column represents one cut stack that is consecutive. Each line of the spreadsheet represents one record (for the purpose of the data merge). There are 8 numbers per record.

In InDesign, I have 8 placeholders corresponding to a column fields 1 - 8. When the file is merged, each new page generated has 8 certificates that are consecutive within the stack, just like the spreadsheet. Stack one will have records 1-1000, Stack two will have records 1001-2000, Stack three, records 2001-3000... and so forth.

Sherry Baker

Report · Aug 12, 2024

Sherry @ Lacy & Par

Yeah, That's one way to do it.

You could export this file with "enter" as both record/row and column separator and use my idea.

Effect would be the same.

I'll do a test - what will be quicker - just for fun.

Report · Aug 12, 2024

Sherry @ Lacy & Par

4000 numbers as "0000000000":

DataMerge - 31s

Place - 111s

This doesn't include generating PDFs - just importing the data...

Dell Inspiron 7559

Processor Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700HQ CPU @ 2.60GHz, 2601 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)

Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 16.0 GB

Report · Aug 12, 2024

Sherry @ Lacy & Par

The one thing that DataMerge offers is automatic importing of images and generating QR codes - for just text - it can easily be done without DataMerge.

But everything depends on the layout.