Release: DocsFlow 3.13.1 for InDesign 2021-2023
This patch release fixes problems with auto-PDF, link updates, and the export dialog.
Release: WordsFlow 3.11.2 for InDesign 2021-2023
This patch release addresses problems encountered in the field.
Release: InCatalog 2.29.3 for InDesign 2021-2023
This release fixes Clear All Links and addresses an ODBC connection problem.
Release: WordsFlow 3.11.1 for InDesign 2021-2023
This quick release fixes a rare problem with relinking Excel spreadsheets.
Release: DocsFlow 3.13 for InDesign 2021-2023
This release introduces automatic PDF exports, adds scripting support, and fixes slow PDF exports.
Welcome, NENPA 2023 attendees!
And welcome, NENPA attendees’ print production folk! This is for you.
The Em Software “news flow” duo of plugins for Adobe InDesign—WordsFlow and DocsFlow—enable direct links from stories in layout to the original articles, whether in Word or Google Docs, respectively.
Release: WordsFlow 3.11 for InDesign 2021-2023
This release provides control over normal placement, introduces automatic PDF exports, and addresses a few recent issues.
Release: InData 2.19.2 for InDesign 2021-2023
This patch fixes a problem with picture downloading.
Release: DocsFlow 3.12.1 for InDesign 2021-2023
This patch mainly fixes a mislabeled menu item in the Links panel’s DocsFlow menu.
Release: WordsFlow 3.10 for InDesign 2021-2023
This release adds advanced merge options to the Import Options dialog and fixes a number of problems.
Release: DocsFlow 3.12 for InDesign 2021-2023
This release mainly adds advanced merge options to the Import Options dialog.
Release: InData 2.19.1 for InDesign 2021-2023
This patch addresses various licensing issues.
Release: InCatalog 2.29.2 for InDesign 2021-2023
This patch addresses some licensing issues.
Release: WordsFlow 3.9.1 for InDesign 2021-2023
This patch fixes compatibility with Adobe’s InDesign 2023 18.1 Windows release.
Release: InCatalog 2.29.1 for InDesign 2021-2023
This patch fixes compatibility with Adobe’s InDesign 2023 18.1 Windows release.
Release: DocsFlow 3.11.1 for InDesign 2021-2023
This update fixes problems with link status updating and Google Drive drag and drop.
Release: WordsFlow 3.9 for InDesign 2021-2023
This release improves Word imports and fixes problems with Unicode and ODT export.
Release: InCatalog 2.29 for InDesign 2021-2023
This release primarily adds support for InDesign 2023.
Release: InData 2.19 for InDesign 2021-2023
This release mainly adds support for InDesign 2023.
Release: DocsFlow 3.11 for InDesign 2021-2023
This release mainly adds support for InDesign 2023.
Release: WordsFlow 3.8 for InDesign 2021-2023
This release mainly adds support for InDesign 2023.
Release: WordsFlow 3.7.1 for InDesign 2020-2022
This patch mainly addresses a problem with export creating damaged links.
Release: DocsFlow 3.10 for InDesign 2020-2022
This release adds hyperlink style mapping and improves emoji support
Release: WordsFlow 3.7 for InDesign 2020-2022
This release adds hyperlink style mapping and emoticon support, and fixes issues with document corruption, image quality, text wrap, and more.
Release: InData 2.18.1 for InDesign 2020-2022
This patch fixes hyperlinks for email addresses and fileexists for URLs.
Release: InCatalog 2.28.1 for InDesign 2020-2022
This patch fixes a crash when updating with ODBC.
Release: InCatalog 2.28 for InDesign 2020-2022
This release adds high resolution previews for auto-downloaded pictures, “smart” picture updating, a progress bar, and more.
Release: InData 2.18 for InDesign 2020-2022
This release adds high resolution previews for auto-downloaded pictures and support for QR codes.
Release: WordsFlow 3.6 for InDesign 2020-2022
This release improves the quality of Word imports and exports, and enhances product reliability.
Release: DocsFlow 3.9.1 for InDesign 2020-2022
This patch improves performance and fixes a few problems.
Release: WordsFlow 3.5.1 for InDesign 2020-2022
This patch addresses performance problems when working with large files.
New course Collaborative Workflows for Editors and Designers
We’re very happy to announce that our long-time friend, collaborator and world-class designer/trainer Anne-Marie Concepción of Seneca Design has released a course Collaborative Workflows for Editors and Designers on LinkedIn Learning, which includes two chapters respectively on getting started with WordsFlow and DocsFlow.
You know a collaborative workflow can benefit your editing and design teams, but how do you set it up inexpensively and effectively? In this course, instructor Anne-Marie Concepción walks you through a number of free solutions that allow mixed-platform designers, writers, and editors to work concurrently on a single publication, whether they’re on-site or remote. She shows best practices for local network servers, as well as for shared, local folders from Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive/SharePoint, and Creative Cloud files. You’ll learn ways users can concurrently edit a file in Photoshop, Illustrator, Word 365, Google Docs, InDesign, and more. She presents detailed steps to set up and use an InDesign and InCopy workflow, so editors can open InDesign layouts in InCopy and write to fit. Anne-Marie also covers in-depth solutions that allow publishing teams to link Microsoft Word [WordsFlow] and Google Docs [DocsFlow] to live InDesign layouts, allowing for concurrent design and editorial development.
The good news is that, even if you don’t have a LinkedIn Learning (originally lynda.com) account, the link above gives you a free 30-day trial, which should be more than adequate to take advantage of this course.
Note that you can skip directly to the WordsFlow and DocsFlow chapters to learn more about how to use them, though you’d be wise to view the earlier chapters for a cornucopia of collaborative workflow knowledge.
Release: DocsFlow 3.9 for InDesign 2020-2022
This update improves Google Docs compatibility and adds a Deactivate License button.
Release: WordsFlow 3.5 for InDesign 2020-2022
This update improves compatibility with Word files and adds a Deactivate License button.
Release: InData 2.17 for InDesign 2020-2022
This release improves scripting support and fixes problems when applying parent pages.
Release: InCatalog 2.27.1 for InDesign 2020-2022
This patch fixes issues with path extraction and HFS-style paths.
Release: InData 2.16.1 for InDesign 2020-2022
This patch fixes a problem when working with HFS-style paths.
Release: WordsFlow 3.4.1 for InDesign 2020-2022
This patch fixes a rare problem with link updating.
Release: DocsFlow 3.8 for InDesign 2020-2022
This release allows Microsoft Word documents to be placed and linked directly from Google Drive.
Release: InCatalog 2.27 for InDesign 2020-2022
This release adds support for InDesign 2022 and discontinues support for some older versions.
Release: InData 2.16 for InDesign 2020-2022
This release adds support for InDesign 2022 and discontinues support for some older versions.
Release: DocsFlow 3.7 for InDesign 2020-2022
This release adds support for InDesign 2022 and discontinues support for some older versions.
Release: WordsFlow 3.4 for InDesign 2020-2022
This release adds support for InDesign 2022, for importing endnotes as static text, and for WPS Office.
Release: InData 2.15 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release adds user-specified snapshot file types and fixes problems with finding files.
LA InDesign User Group: Data Merge with InDesign
The LA InDesign User Group’s October 21st meeting will feature Em’s own Joe Mathia presenting Data Merge with InDesign, as an online event.
From the overview:
You’re probably familiar with the word processing mail merge function that allows you to send personalized letters to a number of people. In this presentation, Joe Mathia will explain how to use InDesign’s somewhat similar Data Merge function, a capability built into InDesign straight out of the box. Learn how to create personalized letters, envelopes, mailing labels, even catalogs with images.
But as powerful as the InDesign Data Merge function is, it has limitations. Joe will describe those limitations, and show how InData and InCatalog, two plugins from Em Software, expand the boundaries, taking InDesign automation to new levels. For instance, InData’s English-like scripting language, allows you to build conditional rules, including or excluding fields based on the presence or content of other fields, including one or more graphics per entry based on picture availability, etc.
Follow up
The recording is here on Vimeo: Data Merge with InDesign.
Free InData online seminar with Laurie Ruhlin
Laurie Ruhlin will be presenting a no-cost InData online webinar on James Wamser’s Words of Wisdom series. From the overview:
Laurie will be showing how she took data and images from a Walsworth customer’s database and flowed it into an InDesign layout using Em Software’s InData, an InDesign plugin. She started by redesigning the catalog, then worked to get the data and images ready to flow. She created the InData Prototype, which allowed her to flow and format hundreds of catalog items from an Excel Spreadsheet and images located on a shared server into her InDesign document in minutes.
Laurie’s presentations are always excellent, so we can’t recommend this more highly.
(Now that the webinar is finished, use this link to view the recording.)
Release: WordsFlow 3.3 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release adds highlight mapping and improves product stability.
Release: DocsFlow 3.6.1 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This patch includes fixes for page breaks and improves product stability.
Release: InCatalog 2.26.1 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release supports alternative currency formats and fixes problems with URLs and Apple silicon machines.
Release: InData 2.14.1 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This patch fixes problems with URLs, Apple silicon machines, and master page applications.
Release: InCatalog 2.26 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release adds URL-based picture imports and supports Apple silicon.
Release: InData 2.14 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release adds URL-based picture imports and supports Apple silicon.
Release: DocsFlow 3.6 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release mainly adds native support for Apple silicon.
Release: WordsFlow 3.2 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release adds support for Apple silicon and includes general product improvements.
See you at Creative Pro Week next week?
If you haven’t already signed up, we can heartily endorse the annual Creative Pro Week, which we’ve been attending as exhibitors for many years. This past year was virtual, and next week’s is the same, but we’re hoping to be back in person next near.
We can’t recommend this conference enough — you’ll always learn something, and have fun to boot with the talented and engaging speakers. (Caveat: many are friends of ours, so we’re biased. 😉 )
We’ll be “there” in our virtual booth — click on our sponsor link once you’re logged in to the site.
Release: Xcatalog 3.16 for QuarkXPress 2020 (end-of-life)
This release removes support for QuarkXPress 2018 & 2019 and concludes development for QuarkXPress.
Release: Xdata 4.12 for QuarkXPress 2020 (end-of-life)
This release removes support for QuarkXPress 2018 & 2019 and concludes development for QuarkXPress.
Release: DocsFlow 3.5 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release introduces a footnote/endnote option and improves Google Docs imports and exports.
Release: WordsFlow 3.1 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release adds a footnote/endnote import option and fixes a number of reported issues.
Release: DocsFlow 3.4 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release improves download quality and addresses usability issues.
Release: Xdata 4.11.1 for QuarkXPress 2018/2019/2020
This patch simply adds recognition of .dat files as valid data snapshots.
Release: InCatalog 2.25 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release enhances text-selection link editing.
Release: Xcatalog 3.15.2 for QuarkXPress 2018/2019/2020
This patch fixes a problem with updating data in a snapshot file.
Release: InData 2.13 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release makes it easier to work with InData’s header/footer references.
Release: WordsFlow 3.0.2 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This quick release improves WordsFlow’s built-in Word filter and addresses reported issues.
Release: DocsFlow 3.3.2 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This patch release improves the Import Options dialog and adds endnotes support.
Release: WordsFlow 3.0.1 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release fixes a crash and addresses Update Linked Document issues.
Release: WordsFlow 3.0 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
We’re thrilled to announce the official release of WordsFlow 3.0, which primarily introduces our new Microsoft Word import filter with advanced import options.
Release: Xcatalog 3.15.1 for QuarkXPress 2018/2019/2020
This patch fixes online connections with FileMaker Pro versions 7 through 11.
Release: InCatalog 2.24.1 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This patch mainly fixes online connections with FileMaker Pro versions 7 through 11.
Release: WordsFlow 2.19.1 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This patch simply tweaks how Above Line frames are exported.
Adobe blog: InDesign editorial + production magic with WordsFlow
Laurie Ruhlin (a crackerjack Chicago-based trainer / consultant / designer, and a long-time friend of Em Software) has written a fantastic overview of WordsFlow for Adobe’s blog:
InDesign editorial + production magic with WordsFlow
Her summary:
So there you have it. WordsFlow and DocsFlow (for Google Docs) allows my client to retain content control throughout the production process. They can use the program they feel comfortable in to make edits, and best of all, I “allow” them to do much of the tedious editing. I simply update or relink the Word file using WordsFlow, and instantly, those client changes are incorporated into my InDesign document. WordsFlow has greatly simplified my workflow and allowed me to keep my designer hat on, the one I love to wear!
(Find full information at http://emsoftware.com/wordsflow, where you can download and install the free, 15-day, full-featured trial plugin.)
Release: DocsFlow 3.3.1 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This patch fixes a problem with table borders and improves stability.
Release: InCatalog 2.24 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release adds support for InDesign 2021 and discontinues support for some older versions.
Release: InData 2.12 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release adds support for InDesign 2021 and discontinues support for some older versions.
Release: InData 2.11 for InDesign CS6, CC2018-2020
This release improves scriptability and adds a more direct way to use InDesign tagged text.
Release: DocsFlow 3.3 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release adds support for InDesign 2021 and discontinues support for some older versions.
Release: DocsFlow 3.2.2 for InDesign CS6, CC2018-2020
This patch release shows all Shared drives and improves stability.
Release: WordsFlow 2.19 for InDesign CS6, CC2019-2021
This release adds support for InDesign 2021 and discontinues support for some older versions.
Preview: WordsFlow 3.0 for InDesign CS6, CC2018-2020
We’re excited to announce the availability of WordsFlow 3.0 Preview, which introduces a new, custom-built Microsoft Word import filter with advanced import options. To take it for a spin, download an installer from the Previews for InDesign section of WordsFlow’s side-bar, drive it around for a bit, then let us know what you think!
Release: WordsFlow 2.18 for InDesign CS6, CC2018-2020
This release improves tracked-changes handling, InDesign’s Missing Fonts dialog, and product stability.
WordsFlow and DocsFlow make top ten Most Valuable Plugins
Issue 137 of InDesign Magazine published a rundown of the ten most valuable plugins for InDesign, compiled from a survey of their board of experts. WordsFlow is #4 and DocsFlow is #8.
On WordsFlow:
Em Software’s WordsFlow is a no-brainer; I use it and couldn’t live without it. I used to send a PDF to my client, have her mark it up with PDF commenting, then spend a couple of hours deciphering her notes, scratch outs, word changes, and other tiny issues. Now, I send my client the exported Word file, and she makes all the minor changes. When she sends it back to me, I relink it with WordsFlow. The two hours that I would have worked on the minor changes is done in about a minute. —Laurie Ruhlin
On DocsFlow:
I think DocsFlow is a miracle plug-in. I’ve used it for many client projects for years because it’s rock solid and it turns me into a rock star in my client’s eyes. “What? We can still have all our users editing all these Google Docs remotely and we’ll have no problems updating the publication with our changes? What a relief! Thank you!” —Anne-Marie Concepción
You can read the article online at InDesign MVPs: Most Valuable Plug-ins.
To help with reading the whole issue (and future issues), InDesign Secrets is also offering a $10 discount code for membership: MVP.
New Docs 2 Design plugin for Adobe XD
We’re proud as punch to announce our third and latest plugin for Adobe XD, Docs 2 Design.
This plugin provides a stellar solution to the problem of content collaboration between XD users and their stakeholders.
With Docs 2 Design (D2D for short), as an XD user, you can extract one or more artboards’ text contents with a click, packaged in various forms we call a “snapshot” (typically a spreadsheet). Each artboard’s image is captured on a sheet in the snapshot, with each text item indexed and labeled in the image for easy reference while adding or editing the text items’ content on the artboard’s sheet.
You can then share or send around the snapshot file for editing using your co-workers’ normal tools (such as Excel or any text editor), and with another click, update all text items from the edited snapshot.
D2D offers artboard “variants”—e.g., languages in a translation/localization project, or suggestions from different team members or groups. You can fluidly switch among variants to check designs with differing content.
D2D is ideal for sending out artboard content for translation or localization, for fleshing out “lorem ipsum”-ed designs with real content, for getting text content suggestions from various team members or outside stakeholders, or for generally managing a set of variant texts entirely within XD.
Your content is your own—no websites required nor involved—and D2D makes it easy to figure out what happened at each update or variant switch with its “X-rays.”
D2D comes in two forms, a free version that’s fully functional but with some limits on the number of artboards and variants, and a paid (licensed) version with no limits.
For more information, see the D2D product page, and for full operating instructions, see the user guide.
Release: WordsFlow 2.17 for InDesign CS6, CC2018-2020
This release gives exported Word files the same page formatting as the InDesign document, and improves product stability.
