Conversions between Word and InDesign

Word to InDesign,

Since MS Word is a word processing program, it does not have the ability to assign and display all the typographic attributes that a more sophisticated page layout program such as InDesign. When your “final” Word manuscript is imported into InDesign, it will first undergo routine clean-up (replace: dash dash with em-dash, dash to en-dash, straight quotes to typographer’s quotes, multiple returns and spaces to singles, trailing white space, etc). If the book contains an index, cross-references or footnotes, their conversion will be examined for accuracy and adjusted if necessary. Then page layout and font selection will take place, followed by assignment of style attributes to the various paragraph types throughout the book. The original Word manuscript is now no longer a Word document.

Any subsequent attempt to import a “newer” Word manuscript (to which changes have been made) would require the “newer” manuscript to be formatted again from scratch, just as was the previous final manuscript. It is therefore very important that your “final” Word manuscript be the final one you submit.

When InDesign formatting has been completed and you receive a PDF for proofing and mark-up, you must use the PDF to indicate what changes are to be made. If, for some reason, you can't or don't want to mark up the PDF, let us know before attempting another procedure. You must not simply make changes to your original "final" manuscript to produce a "newer" Word manuscript (for the reasons mentioned above).

then, InDesign to Word . . .

InDesign has the ability to export a book text file to an RTF format which can be read by, and converted to Word. InDesign style names will be maintained and revealed in the Word Styles list. However, since Word is unable to use some higher level InDesign style settings, the appearance of the resulting Word book file may look quite different from the InDesign produced book and print-ready PDF files. Also, since Word does not have the ability to import and convert some InDesign markers, any index markers, cross-reference tags, etc will have been lost.

This can be a useful function if the book is to be extensively changed, or if it is to be passed on for translation to a different language.

. . . and back to InDesign

Since the new Word file has been stripped of some of the higher level InDesign attributes, importing it back to InDesign would be similar to importing the original Word manuscript. Fortunately, the original InDesign style names will have been kept, but the actual attributes assigned by Word might likely be quite different. 

The task wouldn’t be as difficult as starting from scratch, but some style and formatting assignments may have to be re-done. As mentioned above, this may be a reasonable procedure if the manuscript is to receive a major overhaul where it would be easier to work with a new manuscript than it would to make changes to the original “final” manuscript now in InDesign format. This would especially apply if many changes were made to the document while previously in InDesign format.

When making changes to this imported file, formatting (particularly character formatting) should be avoided other than the use of the InDesign paragraph styles listed in the Word Style list.

There is another factor that may make the process unfeasible. If the original manuscript contained index or cross-reference markers, they would no longer exist. They would have to be re-entered into the Word document. As you may know, this can be an onerous task.

So, although there is a solution to most problems relating to revisions, it is best to have your first final manuscript as close to perfect as you can get it, then make subsequent changes to the draft PDF sent to you for proofing.