Why can't I have editable artwork?
My client is frustrated that they have to come back to me to make changes to their brochure (designed 5+ years ago). They want me to supply them with a Word file (.doc) so they can make their own edits without needing a graphic designer to make their changes (and then provide print-ready PDFs). It's completely infuriating to them to have to pay AGAIN for changes to the artwork we did in 2018 that is already paid for!
I understand that across the board, small businesses want to save money, but no matter how I tried to explain that it would take me 10 times as long to even try and recreate the artwork in Word, there would be no guarantee it would even print properly. I tried to explain that I use the design industry standard software (Adobe Creative Suite) and unless they had that same software, they wouldn't be able to open the file and edit it.
I did suggest they purchase Adobe Acrobat Pro, which would allow small text edits (which is all that is needed in this case), but I guess that by the time they have subscribed to it, they may as well have me edit and resupply the file.
The primary reason you cannot directly “supply” or save an InDesign file as a Microsoft Word document is that they use fundamentally different imaging and layout models. InDesign is a professional publishing tool with complex features like linked frames and master pages that Word, a word processor, cannot natively interpret. Word doesn't support advanced features (for printing properly) like CMYK (the colours used to print: cyan, magenta, yellow, black). It doesn't cope with transparency blending modes or bezier curves. There is no built-in “Save As Word” function in InDesign.
I could export my InDesign file to PDF, and then they could use Adobe Acrobat Pro to potentially convert that file to a .docx file, but trust me, reader, it would be MESSY.
So the frustration continues - I can't convince them of the value of having set their business up properly from the start (with a graphic designer) to encourage local clientele and to feel like an established and knowledgeable business from the get-go.
I'm a little sad that my service has no value to this particular client. They perceive my charging for my time to unarchive their artwork, make changes, and supply a print file that will definitely print perfectly as unfair since they already paid for the artwork years ago.
Ask ANY designer. Microsoft Word is a word processing tool. Not a design program. My reputation is on the line here, too. I will not supply a Word file because I cannot guarantee the outcome. It will be a shambles, and I know it.
