Prepare Your InDesign Package in Print Brand Templates

Upload your Print Brand Templates using the Template Creator. The Template Creator allows you to upload InDesign packages to create your Brand Templates.

The InDesign files need to meet specific requirements. In the steps below, you can find more information on preparing, checking, and uploading your InDesign package.

Process Overview

  1. Prepare your InDesign File
    • Prepare text frames
    • Prepare images
    • Prepare shapes
    • Prepare colors
    • Prepare fonts

  2. Create an InDesign package.

  3. Follow the checklist to see if your package has been prepared correctly.

  4. (Standard template users only) Send your template to your Implementation consultant /Customer Success Manager.

  5. (DIY users only) Upload your package to Bynder.

  6. (DIY users only)If your template does not look as desired, see Troubleshoot your templates.

What is a Template Creator template?

Your InDesign file might contain text frames, shapes, and images. These elements must be prepared according to the guidelines to appear well in print and when uploaded to Bynder. A Template Creator template mainly consists of four elements.

Script labels

Script labels are used to indicate whether an object in your template is editable or not. The elements with a script label are editable and, therefore, dynamic. The ones without are static and not editable.

Text frame

A text frame is an element with text inside. Depending on whether the text frame has a script label, the text inside can be edited by users.

Image frame

An image frame is an element with an image inside that must be linked to an image file in the Images folder. Users can edit the image inside depending on whether the image frame has a script label.

Backgrounds and shapes

Background and shapes can be used as static elements in the template.

  • Backgrounds and shapes cannot have a script label if you use the Template Creator. 

Prepare my InDesign package.

Text frames

Create a text frame. More information on creating a text frame can be found here.

  • Make sure that your text layers do not include image frames. Use separate layers for text and image frames.
  • If the text should be editable for end users, add a script label to the text frame.


Apply a paragraph style to the text frame.

You can apply a character style to the text frame or a background color for a text frame. 

Make sure the requirements below are met.

  1. Two text frames cannot overlap each other.
  2. Your text frames are not grouped with any other objects. If they are, select the whole group in InDesign, right click and choose Ungroup.
  3. The text is not vectorized. If your text is static, flatten it into an image instead of vectorizing it.
  4. The text frame does not have more than one column.
  5. Text frames are not linked.
  6. Text in your text frames is aligned from the top, not the bottom when using the Template Creator.
  7. Make sure you do not use padding or inset spacing.
  8. Ensure the gutter value in the text frame options is always set to 0.

Create text frame with background color

  1. Create a text frame.
  2. Create a rectangle shape and place it over the text frame. Make sure you do not create an extra text frame.
  3. Fill the rectangle with color.
  4. Click right-click on the rectangle. Select Arrange > Send to Back.

Apply Paragraph Styles to Your Text

Each paragraph in a text box needs a paragraph style. This also includes paragraphs within text frames that are not editable by end users. Paragraph styles ensure the text shows as desired in print and on a template. If you do not apply styles to the paragraphs in the text frames, the template created in Bynder will use the default style, which most likely does not align with your desired look and feel.

If the template also needs to work with non-Roman languages, create an individual paragraph style for each language that uses a different font. The font files also need to be included in the Documents Font folder of the InDesign package.
We recommend creating a separate template for languages typed from right to left—for example, Arabic.

  1. Click and click on the paragraph.
  2. Open Window > Styles > Paragraph Styles.
  3. Click on the paragraph style you want to apply.
  4. Make sure your paragraph style defines the following properties:
    • Font family
    • Font style
    • Font Size
    • Leading 
      • This is important since leading determines the line height in the template editor.
    • Case
      • Only Normal and all caps are supported

    • Kerning & Tracking

    • Bullets & Numbers

Set up bullets and numbering.

  1. Select Bullets as List Type.
  2. Select the regular bullet character. Other bullet characters are not supported.
  3. Configure the Left indent, which specifies how far the lines after the first line are indented.
  4. The First Line indent specifies where the bullet is positioned. Set a negative indent or make it equal to the Left indent value.
    • We advise setting the exact opposite of the Left indent.
    • If you configured 10mm for the left indent, set -10 mm for the first line indent.
  5. Select Numbers as List Type.

  6. In the Format field, select the preferred numbering format.

  7. Configure the Left indent, which specifies how far the lines after the first line are indented.

  8. The First Line indent specifies where the number is positioned. Set a negative indent or make it equal to the Left Indent value.

    • We advise to set the exact opposite of the Left Indent.

    • If you configured 10mm for the left indent, set -10 mm for the first line indent.

Character color

Character colors Need to be defined in Swatch colors first.

  • Check whether you have a paragraph style not used for any text placeholder.
  • If so, ensure that after your InDesign package has been created, you manually copy the font file of this paragraph style to the Document Fonts folder. Copying the font file allows you to still select this paragraph style for a placeholder at a later stage using the Template Editor available within the portal. Font files that are not copied over cannot be displayed.
  • Make sure the requirements below are met.

    • All text within the template should have a paragraph style applied to it, regardless of whether or not the text is editable to the end user.

    • Soft returns (Shift+Enter) should not be used in the placeholder text, as the uploader will not recognize these. Use the leading value to control for space between paragraphs. To determine if a document has soft returns, click Type > Show hidden characters. Soft returns are marked with the following character:

    • Different paragraphs in a single text field can have different paragraph styles. Each paragraph in a text frame should have a paragraph style. This is crucial, especially if paragraphs have different colors, fonts, font sizes, font colors, or any other differences.

    • The names of paragraph or character styles cannot contain hyphens.

    • Make sure that your paragraph styles are not aligned to the grid. If you want a larger space between two paragraphs, add an empty line in between. This empty line also needs to have a paragraph style applied to it.

    • Ensure your paragraph styles are not hyphenated, as our editor uses HTML that does not recognize hyphenation.

    • Make sure you don't use the Basic Paragraph style. Use one of your custom paragraph styles instead.

Why do I only see the 'Basic Paragraph' style?
If the name is [Basic Paragraph], the paragraph does not have a style, and you need to apply an existing paragraph style or create a new one.

  1. To create a new style, right-click on the name and select Edit [style_name].
  2. Enter the style details, provide the name, and save.

What do I do when a plus sign shows in my paragraph-style name?
If the name displays as [style_name]+, it means that some changes have been made using InDesign's control panel, which has yet to be saved as a part of the paragraph style.

  1. Right-click on the name and select Edit [style_name].
  2. Update the style details and save.
    • You can remove the changes you made to the paragraph style via the control panel by right-clicking on the name of the paragraph style with the + sign and selecting.
  3. Apply "paragraph style name" and Clear overrides.
  4. Changing the existing paragraph style changes the formatting of every paragraph using this style. Sometimes, creating a new paragraph or character style is better.

How do you verify whether a paragraph style has been applied?
You can easily verify that a paragraph style has been applied by selecting another paragraph in the text frame and applying the style you created or updated. If the style displays correctly in the new paragraph, it's good to go.

Character Styles

Sometimes, you might want to apply special formatting to one or several words in a paragraph. Then, you could set a character style for these words. Unlike paragraph styles, character styles are not obligatory. Only apply a character style when certain characters in a paragraph need a different style.

  1. Click and select the text you want to apply the character style to.
  2. Open Window > Styles > Character Styles.
  3. Click on the character style you want to apply.
    • If your character style is for color, the only thing you need to determine within the character style is which color to use.
    • If your character style is for anything else (bold, italic, etc.), you will need to determine font, and font size & leading for the style to work after the upload.

Images

Add an image to your template. Check out InDesign's help center for more information on adding images.

  • Make sure that your image layers do not include text frames. Use separate layers for text and image frames.
  • Add a script label to the image if you want the image to be editable.

Follow these instructions if you want an editable image with a shaped edge.

  1. Image frames always need to be rectangular.
  2. However, if you want your editable image to have a shaped edge, you need to use other elements to hide the parts of the image that should not show up.
    • For example, if you want an image to have a cut corner, place a rectangle on the corner to hide it.
  • Ensure the placeholders of editable images have 'Fitting' enabled in InDesign.
    • Click on the image in the InDesign file and go to Object > Fitting. Select Fit Content to Frame.
  • The Fit Content to Frame setting only applies to the placeholder images in InDesign. Images added in the portal by end users don't need to be in the exact dimensions of the frame.
  • If a linked image has a script label, you need to ensure that the image and image frame are the same size. To do this right, right-click on the image and choose Fitting > Fit Content to Frame.
  • Make sure all transformations from images with script labels are cleared. So for editable images, do not apply zooming or rotation to the image in the InDesign file.
  • Right-click on the image and click Transform>Clear transformations.
  • To ensure that the images touching the edge of the page come out well in print, please ensure that bleed is added to these images or shapes. This means that the images or shapes should extend beyond the edge of the page. Click on the image and make them wider so they go over the edge of the page.
  • If you want your editable image to have a shaped edge, place a shaped element on the image. For example, if you want an image to have a cut corner, place a rectangle on the corner to hide it.
  • Make sure all transformations from images with script labels are removed. So, for editable images, do not apply zooming or rotation to the image in the InDesign file.
  • Make sure your images are not grouped with any other objects. If they are, select the whole group in InDesign, right click and choose Ungroup.

Shapes

Shapes can be used as decorative elements or to shape images.

  1. Add a shape. Check out InDesign's help center for more information on adding shapes.
  2. Apply a gradient to your shape.

  3. Make sure the shapes in your template do not have script labels when using the Template Creator. This does not apply to templates handled by our Professions Services department.

  4. Make sure graphic frames are not used, as they are not supported.

  5. Make sure the shape is not configured as a text frame.

    • To do this, right-click on the shape and choose Content > Graphic or Unassigned.

    • Ensure that all shapes with color around the edges of the page slightly extend over the edge to avoid a white line between the edge and the shape when printed.

    • Make sure your shapes are not grouped with any other objects. If they are, select the whole group in InDesign, right click and choose Ungroup.

Colors

Make sure you define color styles for the colors you use.

  1. Go to Window > Color > Swatches to define a color. If your printer requires it, specify a color profile in Edit > Color Settings.
  2. Gradients are supported as long as you make use of gradient swatches. Read more about it here. The gradient feather effect is not supported.

Fonts

When you use bold versions of fonts, make sure to call them fonts (space) Bold—for example, Arial Bold.

 

Create an InDesign package

An InDesign package contains a PDF with a preview, an INDD file, an IDML file, and Links and Documents folders.

  1. Navigate to File> Package.
    • Make sure that you select to include the PDF and IDML files.

Checklist

Make sure you follow the checklist before you upload your InDesign package to Bynder.

Note: If the InDesign file is prepared incorrectly, the template will not display correctly either.
Open the IDML file from your package.

  • When your File opens, check that all your paragraphs have a paragraph style. See Styles.
  • Make sure that your layers do not include both text and image frames. Use separate layers for text and image frames.
  • Check that text frames and text do not overlap.
  • Check that the text in the text frames is aligned to the top and does not have padding or spaces above or under the text. See Paragraph style requirements.
  • Make sure all character colors for text are defined in a paragraph or a character style.
  • Ensure that editable elements such as text or images have unique script labels. See Script labels.
  • If you want the images or shapes that touch the edge of the page to come out well in print, make sure that bleed is added to these images or shapes. See Image requirements.
  • Make sure color swatches are defined for colors. See Colors.
  • Make sure that your template does not have invisible layers. If there are unnecessary objects or layers in your template, do not hide them but remove them.
  • Ensure the fonts you find in your package's Document fonts folder are .otf or .ttf. Also, make sure they are linked to the InDesign file.
  • If the font is not linked, it has a pink background in the InDesign file.
  • Check that all the images are in the Links folder, which you can find in the package. Also, ensure the image names do not contain spaces or special characters.
  • (Optional) You can check your InDesign file against our Business rules File. You can find it in the Learn More section.

Upload Your InDesign Package to Bynder

You can easily upload your template to Bynder using the Template Creator. Templates with gradients are supported. Make sure you have this feature enabled for your account. 

Who can upload an InDesign package?

  • Users with the following right(s) can:
    • Upload a POD template
    • Manage templates
  1. Zip your InDesign package and give it a meaningful name.
  2. Go to Settings > Brand Templates> Template Management.
  3. Click InDesign package uploader
  4. Drag and drop your zipped package onto the site.
  5. Depending on the package size, the upload might take a moment. If the upload takes too long, verify the File and try again.

  6. When the package converts, you can find the ready template at https://YourPortalURL.com/settings/templates.

Custom Development Features

If you are a POD user and upload templates to Bynder, you might have particular wishes regarding your templates. We can implement customizations to select the text color, such as auto-sizing and dropdowns. Contact your Custom Success Manager to learn more about this feature and any associated costs.

 

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