Indesign - convert Doc A to Doc B style

Jim.niceone

New Member
Hi all, need some help.
I have to convert a whole bunch of brochures set up in an old brand style to a new brand style in Indesign.
What is the best way to do this?

The new InDesign files have been set up with Master pages, guides, Style sheets and colours etc, but I'm not sure of what is the best/quickest/easiest way of getting the old content into the new style.
Should I just copy and paste from the old into the new and apply the type styles, colours etc. or do I copy the new style guides etc into the old!!!

The old docs are a different size and layout (square 210x210) while the new ones are A4.

This is for a company where I have got a short contract to do this, and i feel way out of my depth, due to speed and quality of the work needed. So I feel under pressure and want to do a good job of rebranding the files, so would appreciate any guidance on whats the best way of doing this.
 
Bring the old content into the new layouts.

You could start by saving the new layouts as InDesign Templates. Then each time you open a template it will open as Untitled. And from here you can apply all the new styles and master pages, and save to a new file.

This way you don't need to worry about messing up any new templates.

If you need to edit the Template files for any reason, you can, by going to File>Open and choose the Template file, then select the option for Original.

It's all much of a muchness, do whatever way you feel is comfortable for you.
 
Thats good advice about saving as templates, thanks! Last thing I need is to mess up the new files!!
So, best way to bring the old content in. Would you just drag the old pages into the new template or would just copy and paste the text/images etc?
When i copy and paste the old content in, it brings the old paragraph styles with it and then it gets confusing which style is which, i.e. header (from old style) to header (new style).
I know what you mean by doing whatever you feel is comfortable, so many different ways of doing the same thing. Its just that i feel my way, which is to select the text from old doc and copy it, then paste it into new one, then apply the styles to it, seems to be take me ages to do, and is a bit fiddly. But may be the more i do it, the quicker and easier it will be.
As i said, feel out of my depth and a bit stressed about it, bur suppose I just need to get stuck in.
thanks again for your advice.
 
In the old template, I'd put all the styles into a Folder, you can create a folder for the styles in the Paragarph and Styles panels.

Then you can safely move the old content to the new. I wouldn't transfer pages, but copy and paste.

Once you copy and paste the Folder of styles will travel with you. You can then systematically delete from the old folder and then when prompted you can replace from the new styles.

Same goes with character styles.
 
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