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Faisca1978
Faisca1978
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Template software

May 20, 2012 12:05 PM

Tags: #indesign #printing #templates #brochures

I am wondering if anyone knows of a software for which I can create a template and then the client can modify the content. Sort of like a CMS website, but this is for printing. I don't want to use Word, and it needs to be for PC, any ideas?

2081 Views   16 Replies   Latest reply: DerekC1000, May 21, 2012 12:31 AM
 
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  • Peter Spier
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    1. Peter Spier,
    May 20, 2012 12:21 PM   in reply to Faisca1978
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    What sort of content are you talking about? Your description is pretty vague. I take it the client doesn't have InDesign?

     
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  • Faisca1978
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    2. Faisca1978,
    May 20, 2012 12:58 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    Yeah, I know. No, the client doesn't have inDesign. So, basically, I would design it, and then they want to have the template and change the content at their discretion. Basically, they sell photocopiers, and they would change the image and copy as per their clients' needs. So I would place it on Word or some other software. I'm not crazy about Word, as I don't find it very reliable, and that's what I was hoping for suggestions... some other software that's not Word or Publisher.

    Does that make more sense?

     

    Thanks,

    Natalia

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    3. Peter Spier,
    May 20, 2012 1:02 PM   in reply to Faisca1978
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    Not much help. What sort of document is this? How will it be used? How much needs to change?

     
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  • Faisca1978
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    4. Faisca1978,
    May 20, 2012 1:06 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    It's a tri-fold brochure. The front and back will be static, not replaceable design. The interior "columns" will have changeable content, same as two of the other columns outside.

    Those columns will have the information for different photocopiers. So they can replace the title, image and copy as they see fit for each client they are sending the brochures to.

    LMK if you have other questions...

    As you can imagine, this is a first for me.

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    5. Peter Spier,
    May 20, 2012 1:25 PM   in reply to Faisca1978
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    Frankly, I think they should have you set up one brochure for each product.

     
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  • Faisca1978
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    6. Faisca1978,
    May 20, 2012 1:30 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    Yeah, I agree. But it's not my client, it's someone else's client, I just do the design end, wasn't brought into the convo.

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    7. Peter Spier,
    May 20, 2012 1:43 PM   in reply to Faisca1978
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    I've never heard of a system for doing things like this, but I live a sheltered life. Good luck.

     

    Actually, maybe I should say talk to your client about the practicality of what they are asking, and maybe on the quality of the product such a system, if one could be found, would produce. Clearly this company does not have anyone on staff with design skills or they wouldn't be sending it out. Perhaps they'll listen to someone telling them that this is the face of their company that is being presented to the customer, and they want to have a professionally designed and beautiful face, not a cookie-cutter shoe-horned in a box solution.

     
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  • DerekC1000
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    8. DerekC1000,
    May 20, 2012 2:41 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    One work-around you might consider is that you could set up the leaflet in InDesign with high design values (nice typography, colour graphics, etc) and leave spaces for your customer to personalise with his own text. Then convert the document into a form with text spaces for him to add his text. The  method you use will depend on which version you have - the latest version of InDesign - CS6 - has introduced new form features. You can then supply your customer with an interactive PDF to which he can add some simple text, though no additional graphics, and he can then print out copies on his desk-top printer.

    Derek

     
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  • Faisca1978
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    9. Faisca1978,
    May 20, 2012 2:44 PM   in reply to DerekC1000
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    Thanks, Derek. That would almost work if it wasn't because they need to add graphics as well. So, basically, they would want "containers" such as a div on a site, to add the title, graphic and text to go with the product.... maybe I should just say no... hahaha

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    10. Peter Spier,
    May 20, 2012 2:50 PM   in reply to Faisca1978
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    Actually, thinking about this, I suspect it could all be set up with a web-based front end feeding into InDesign Server, but no doubt they want it cheap, too.

     
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  • DerekC1000
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    11. DerekC1000,
    May 20, 2012 2:51 PM   in reply to Faisca1978
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    Well I hesitate to mention it on this forum, but would Microsoft Publisher (£85 on Amazon) do the trick?

     
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  • [Ariel]
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    12. [Ariel],
    May 20, 2012 3:13 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    " I suspect it could all be set up with a web-based front end feeding

    into InDesign Server,"

     

    Something like this?

     

    http://printui.com/

     

    Ariel

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    13. Peter Spier,
    May 20, 2012 3:17 PM   in reply to [Ariel]
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    I'd say that's pretty much what I had in mind.

     
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  • Faisca1978
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    14. Faisca1978,
    May 20, 2012 4:13 PM   in reply to DerekC1000
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    They wanted to stay away from Publisher, Derek, as they didn't find it very user friendly. Thanks, tho

     
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  • Faisca1978
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    15. Faisca1978,
    May 20, 2012 4:13 PM   in reply to [Ariel]
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    Ariel, that might just be it. I'll look into it in more depth and I think that could work.

     

    N.

     
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  • DerekC1000
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    16. DerekC1000,
    May 21, 2012 12:31 AM   in reply to Faisca1978
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    I don't know it myself but again if cost is an issue, it might be worth looking at Page Plus:

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Serif-PPX5USDPRT-PagePlus-X5-PC/dp/B00422MRGC/ ref=sr_1_4?s=software&ie=UTF8&qid=1337585240&sr=1-4  - only £22 and for PC!

    Derek

     
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