Design 101: 3 InDesign Tricks You Need to Know

Still making some or all of your clients’ documents or resources in Illustrator? Stop. Don’t get me wrong, it’s my absolute favorite Adobe program, but it’s not the right one to use for creating multiple page PDFs. Why? Because you’re wasting vast amounts of time creating things that can’t be automated in Illustrator and adding PDF interactivity post export. Not to worry, though, I can pretty much guarantee that you’ll absolutely LOVE InDesign more than you thought you did by the time you finish learning these 3 tricks.

Do 2 Things at Once

Web developers and coders can work in two places at once in the same file with Sublime Text… so why can’t designers have the same capability? FEAST YOUR EYES ON THIS! There’s a tiny button in the bottom right corner of your workspace you can click on to split your layout view. You can also access it by clicking Window from the top menu bar and selecting Arrange > Split Window. Reap the massive productivity benefits of the dual-layout workspace!

External & Internal Linking in InDesign? Can I Get a HOT TUB!

If you make multiple page PDFs in Illustrator, you might find yourself adding links manually via Adobe Acrobat. In InDesign, however, you can link anything (text or object) via the Hyperlinks window. This is an incredible time saver and if you need to change links later, you can easily do so via the Hyperlinks window. To apply a hyperlink to a piece of text or object, simply:

• From the top menu bar select — Window > Interactive > Hyperlinks
• Highlight the text or click on the object
• Click on the New Hyperlink button and enter in the URL
• Click OK and it’s created

You can also create different types of hyperlinks. You can internally link to jump to a different page in your document or you can add File, Email, Text Anchor or Shared Destination links as well. To create an internal link, simply:

• From the top menu bar select — Window > Interactive > Hyperlinks
• Highlight the text or click on the object
• Click on the New Hyperlink button and from the Link To option, select Page
• Specify the page number next to the Page option
• Select the Zoom Setting to be Fixed
• Make sure under PDF Appearance that the Type is Invisible Rectangle with no Highlight
• Click OK and it’s created

Use the Eyedropper Tool to Format Text

This feature has saved me loads of time in creating documents. Did you know you can use the eyedropper tool to auto-format text? Yes, in just a few clicks a text style will be copied and applied to any new text you’d like. Here’s how you can execute this trick too:

• Highlight the plain text you’d like to have styled
• Select the Eyedropper Tool
• Hover over the text style you previously created that you’d like applied to your plain text
  • You’ll notice that the cursor will display a small “T” next to it — this means it is going to copy and apply these text formatting styles to your plain text!
• Simply click and boom! You now have text formatting automatically applied by InDesign

InDesign can be a HUGE time saver if you know how to use it. Be a pro and use split layout view to multitask within your same document, master the art of hyperlinking and use quick text formatting with the Eyedropper Tool. You can cut the time of creating multiple page PDFs in half. NOW, how much do you love InDesign?

Kyle Christensen

Kyle is the Brand Director at Red Branch Media.

Kyle leads our Graphic Design Department at Red Branch Media. His ability to manage incoming tasks, collaborate with the design team, hit deadlines and keep our file storage system well-organized has helped to shape the design department clients love today. While he’s away from the branch, he spends his time playing drums, video games, cranking the latest emo, pop-punk and screamo songs on Spotify, drinking local Omaha brews, and enjoying life with his wife. Kyle has a BASA with a Concentration in Graphic Design and a Minor in Art History from UNO.