How to Convert an Illustrator File Into a (PSD? PDF?) File With Editable Text and Embedded Fonts

[Ashlee33164247kbxf]

This is pretty specific, but I'm hoping someone can offer some insight!

TLDR: I need a way to send something with text that can be edited on a client's computer while retaining the fonts and font attributes that I set.

- I am working in Illustrator to design some labels for a client. 

- After I pass the files off to the client, I would like the client to be able to make edits to certain fields. 

- The designs have to be very specific fonts (activated from Adobe fonts) and some have been stretched or had leading/kerning adjusted, and it's important that those changes be retained.

- The clients are open to obtained any programs or software needed, but I'm trying to avoid sending them an Illustrator file because they are not designers an want it to be as simple as possible.

What I have tried:

- Exporting from Illustrator as a PDF and using the text edit function in Adobe Acrobat to change the text. The problem is that some of the text has a stroke around it, and the stroke becomes a separate object for some reason when exported as a PDF. So the text is editable, but the outline of the previous text stays behind it.

- Saving the Illustrator file as a Photoshop file with editable layers. This seemed to work perfectly, but some of the files do not retain the fonts that I used. If there is a way to embed the fonts when saving from an Illustrator file to a Photoshop file, that would be great.

[Kevin Stohlmeyer]

Hi @Ashlee33164247kbxf you need to look into a Fillable Form in Acrobat. You can designate the text areas that they can edit. That is the only way you can allow users to edit certain areas without the need for full CC/Acrobat Pro.

Photoshop has nothing to do with this kind of workflow.

[Ashlee33164247kbxf]

@Kevin Stohlmeyer Thanks for the resonse. That would definitely be the easiest way to allow them to edit text, but I have not been able to get text in a fillable form to look the way I need it to look. I have to exactly match the look of labels that they already have, and it is requiring, for one thing, strokes to be added to some of the text to adjust the weight to match. I cannot find a way to add strokes to text in a fillable form, and when I add strokes to text in illustrator and then export the file to a PDF and edit the PDF with Acrobat Pro, it leaves outlines of the original text. If I could figure out how to solve either of those two options, I'd go the PDF route. 

[Kevin Stohlmeyer · Accepted solution]

What you are asking for is not possible without just giving them the actual production file with the fonts (not embedded) and they would need access to software to edit.

[Ashlee33164247kbxf]

@Kevin Stohlmeyer Thank you. I was beginning to think that was the case, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. The clients are willing to obtain Adobe software if need be, so I think I will end up packinging my Illustrator files, sending them over and coaching the client to edit the desired fields.