Splitting threads without losing footnote numbers

[JooHan]

Hello InDesign Masters,

I come here seeking advice, defeated by a problem I can’t seem to resolve.

My Setup:

•Hardware: Mac Studio M1 Max, 64GB memory

•Software: InDesign 2025 & InCopy 2025

•OS: macOS Sequoia 15.1.1

Project Description:

I’m working on an academic journal (120 pages, 200+ footnotes) that I was asked to design. Initially, I received the text (in English) as a Word document. However, importing the text directly into InDesign didn’t handle the footnotes properly, so I had to manually insert them into the appropriate references in InDesign. It was a tedious process, but the end result was well-received.

Now, the client wants to publish the journal in multiple languages. They’ve provided editors and translators for each language, and we plan to collaborate using InCopy.

The Problem:

The footnotes are numbered sequentially throughout the journal, and my InDesign template has most text boxes threaded (with a few exceptions like block quotes and covers). When I export all stories for InCopy (Edit > InCopy > Export > Export All Stories), InCopy crashes and lags constantly.

The exported file size is 1.3MB, and I suspect the issue lies in the large amount of text and footnotes. Here’s what I’ve tried so far:

Attempts Made:

1. Breaking Threads:

I attempted breaking the threads into smaller sections to avoid loading all the text at once. However, this resets the footnote numbering. Manually resetting the footnotes for each text box is not ideal, as the varying lengths of translated text could completely disrupt the layout. (The journal includes images, tables, and figures scattered throughout.) This approach feels like redesigning everything from scratch, which I’d prefer to avoid.

2. Using Sections:

I experimented with adding sections at the start of each chapter, hoping it would affect how InDesign exports stories for InCopy. Unfortunately, this had no impact.

My Questions:

1. How can I edit long threaded text boxes in InCopy without crashes or lags?

(I’ve already tried resetting preferences and reinstalling InCopy, but it didn’t help.)

2. Is there a way to divide stories for InCopy without losing threading and footnote numbering?

3. Are there alternative methods to handle this workflow efficiently?

4. Is InCopy even usable for such projects?

(I’ve never seen a text editor perform like a Pentium 3 before! 😅, If there's a way to debug my template please let me know)

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @JooHan,

Thanks for sharing the details! Your project sounds ambitious, and I understand the challenges you're facing.  

To improve InCopy performance, try exporting assignment files instead of all stories at once (File > Export > InCopy > Assignment). This helps avoid crashes by reducing the workload. Additionally, set Display Performance to "Fast Display" (Preferences > Display Performance) and temporarily remove heavy assets like images during editing to reduce file size.  

To maintain footnote numbering across the document, use "Document Footnotes" (Type > Document Footnote Options > Numbering > Document). This ensures consistency even when text boxes are adjusted or exported.  

If InCopy continues to underperform, consider using PDF annotations or external editors like Word for translators, then re-import the content into InDesign.  

Let us know how this works for you!  

Best,  
Abhishek Rao

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@JooHan 

InDesign 2025 is EXTREMELY buggy - so downgrade to 2024.

If it won't help too much - split your document into smaller INDD documents and use Book option.