Concept
The process of creating multi-page and multilingual product catalogs can be described in one word: time-consuming. With a traditional, manual approach to this task, several challenges must be addressed:
- a high number of errors requiring repeated corrections
- long lead times for new publications, resulting in less up-to-date data
- linear costs for multilingual catalogs, leading companies to limit the number of language versions produced
- lack of integration with other media, meaning the effort put into preparing the catalog does not reduce the workload for publishing on a website
The solution to these problems is implementing the concept of DTP automation. Such a system is often integrated with the Adobe InDesign DTP application. The automation tool can either be a standalone application or an InDesign plugin. The document production process follows a similar pattern: external data is queued and imported into the DTP application, where it is combined with pre-prepared templates. The available options and logic for matching templates to incoming data determine the potential of the software used. The end result is a fully editable document. Importantly, the content within the document remains linked to its source and can be automatically updated at any point during the document’s production. This minimizes the risk of publishing outdated or simply incorrect information.
Data sources
To consider any scenario of DTP composition automation, it is essential to provide structured product data. The larger the portion of the catalog’s content delivered in this form and the higher the quality of this data, the greater the level of automation that can be achieved. What data can serve as a source? In its simplest form, these are primarily XLS/CSV files. Other sources might include SQL databases or a company’s ERP system. However, the best results will undoubtedly be achieved by preparing and exporting data from a PIM system.
Full automation
Achieving an automation level above 90% is an extremely challenging task and seems almost impossible. However, it turns out that this goal can be accomplished. One of the tools enabling this is the software from our partner, Amirada. Integrated with the PIM product database, the amirada.design module performs several tasks. Initially, it handles publication layout planning.
Next, data from the database is directly imported into the InDesign application. Here, the most complex process of matching templates to incoming content takes place, achieving a level of complexity that is absolutely unattainable with other tools. Finally, embedded references, tables of contents, and indexes in the document are automatically updated. All of this can be repeated for any language layer with a single mouse click.
Partial automation
If the publication budget does not allow for the use of more advanced tools or the catalog’s characteristics require many manual adjustments to photographic material (e.g., catalogs with office supplies), partial DTP automation becomes a good solution. For this, we use the EasyCatalog plugin from our partner, 65bit.
The main benefits of this solution include a short implementation time, the elimination of manual copy-paste processes, easily modifiable templates, and seamless content updates in documents. For well-defined data structures and uncomplicated layouts, the pagination option also allows for the automatic generation of multi-page documents using this method.
Benefits
Reducing catalog production time
With well-prepared templates and high-quality input data, the volume of produced publications poses no cost limitations. There are no restrictions on more frequent updates or increasing the number of created documents.
Any number of language versions
Subsequent language versions of a publication do not have to mean a linear increase in the required budget. Automating the document production process and supporting translation processes within the PIM system reduces costs to a fraction of those for the base language.
Elimination of human error
Dynamic linking of InDesign documents to the data source relieves the DTP operator from the tedious process of placing content into the publication. By eliminating “copy-paste” tasks, errors typically caused by employee fatigue are drastically minimized.
Data consistency
Using the same data for document production as in other media, whether in product websites or PDF documents, ensures consistency in the presented information. Customers will undoubtedly appreciate this.
Improvement in the quality of presented content
DTP composition automation also leads to higher quality documents. Relieved from tedious and repetitive tasks, the graphic designer can focus solely on better content alignment and final corrections. Additionally, basing production on predefined templates ensures the full potential of paragraph, character, and object styles is utilized.
Automatic data updates in documents
At the end of the entire automation process, there is always a fully editable Adobe InDesign document. Thanks to the dynamic linking of individual frames in the document to the source data, most of the data can be updated at any time.
Updating product prices at the last minute before sending documents to print is no longer a problem.
DTP automation scenarios
Scenario A - Quasi-database product data sources
If the CMS system allows for the export of product data externally and this data has a clear, well-defined structure, there is nothing to prevent it from being used for automatic placement in DTP program documents. This dataset can also be supplemented with data from quasi-database sources, such as Excel files.
Benefits:
- No need for tedious data copying
- Higher data quality, fewer errors, shorter correction times
- Automation level of 50%
Points to consider:
- CMS systems typically do not store graphic files intended for use in printed publications (high resolution, CMYK color space, transparency, vector files)
- The category hierarchy is tailored to the website, which often does not align with the chapter and subchapter hierarchy of a product catalog
Scenario B - ERP System as the Source of Product Data
Most online stores on the market are integrated with the company’s ERP system, which provides basic and logistical data. In some cases, this dataset is expanded with technical product attributes, marketing descriptions, and photographic material. This data stream can also be used for automating InDesign document production. A single data source ensures consistency in marketing communication with the customer. Depending on the completeness of the product data passed to the DTP application, a very high degree of automation can be achieved.
Benefits:
- Full consistency of product names, descriptions, and technical data between the website and printed publications
- High data reliability due to the use of existing control mechanisms and advanced access rights in the ERP system
- Automation level of up to 90%
Points to consider:
- ERP systems are poorly adapted to managing multiple hierarchies used in diverse media. Planning publication structure can be very difficult or even impossible
- Lack of source-side management for large sets of technical attributes
- Multilingual content passed from the ERP system may not be complete
Scenario C – Multichannel Publishing Based on a PIM System
Using a dedicated tool like a PIM system for product information management opens up entirely new possibilities for streamlining work on print-ready product publications. Currently, there is no better tool on the market that, like a PIM system, can transfer a complete set of marketing and technical product data, including all required graphic files, to a DTP application—in any number of languages.
Benefits:
- Full consistency of product names, descriptions, and technical data between the website and printed publications
- High quality of product data, completeness, and richness of presented content
- Multilingual capabilities
- Automation level of up to 99%
Points to consider:
- Implementation of a new IT system within the company may be required
- Changing some existing habits and work patterns will be necessary
