This instructional manual was designed to teach basic skills for editing text and images in Adobe InDesign. The "Northern Utah Native Connection" is a non-profit organization that works with the AmeriCorps Vista program. I worked with them as a member of a group project.

1. How To Use
Adobe InDesign
NORTHERN UTAH
NATIVE
CONNECTION
STUDENT + SCHOOL + FAMILY + COMMUNITY

2. Table of Contents
What is InDesign?.......................................................................................... 1
How can I edit or create text?........................................................................ 2
How can I edit or replace an image?.............................................................. 5
How can I change the document settings?.................................................... 8
Are there any other resources?...................................................................... 10

3. What is InDesign?
InDesign is a documentation software that is similar to Microsoft Word,
but InDesign creates documents at a more professional level rather than
academic.
With Adobe InDesign, you can create almost any kind of document. You
can create print documents such as brochures, flyers, novels, business cards,
magazines, and letterheads. You can also create online documents such as
ebooks and e-readers by creating .epub files. These, of course, only a few of
the options available to you in InDesign.
This instructional manual will merely skim the surface of what InDesign can
do for you and the Northern Utah Native Connection. Its sole purpose is to
teach three basic concepts for revising previously created documents.
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4. How can I edit or create text?
While InDesign is very similar to Microsoft Word in the documents it
produces, InDesign’s ability to create more professional documents also
makes it a little bit harder to create the documents.
In Microsoft Word, you can highlight a portion of the text to edit or replace it,
and you can type by clicking anywhere on the page; InDesign isn’t that simple.
But don’t let that keep you from using InDesign. InDesign can be a tool for
credibility. If you produce professional, high-quality documents then people
are going to assume that you are professionals. Isn’t that what you want?
The following pages will provide you with step by step examples of how to edit
or create text in InDesign.
2

5. 1
2 & 3
Editing
text
1 Select the type tool
2 Select the text that
you would like to edit
by clicking inside of
the text frame box
3 Make revisions as
necessary
Note:
The text tool must be
selected to edit the
text
3

6. 2
3
1
4
Creating
Text
1 Select the type tool
2 Click and drag on
the page to create a
text frame
3 Fill the text frame
with text
4 Use the type and
paragraph options at
the top of the screen
to customize your
document
4

7. How can I edit or replace an
image?
As your organization continues to grow and age, your images could also be
growing old. It’s important to know how to replace or edit an image so that
you can make the content of your documents current and conventional.
When you are revising your documents ask, “how long has this image
been here, and is it still relevant to my organizations goals?” Think of your
audience and what you want them to see when they see your company
documents.
Remember, if you put time into your documents, your audience is more likely
to take the time to hear what you have to say.
In this section, you will have two brief tutorials on editing images and
replacing images.
5

8. 1 & 2 3 4
Editing
Images
6
1 Double click on the
image after the two
rings appear (this will
activate the image)
2 Right click on the
image
3 Select “Edit
Original” to edit in
Photoshop
4 Select “Edit With”
to use an alternative
program

9. 2 & 3
4
1
Replacing
Images
7
1 Select the image
that you wish to
replace
2 Select “File”
3 Select “Place” and a
dialog box will appear
for you to choose your
file
4 In that dialog box,
a check mark should
be in the “Replace
Selected Item” section

10. How can I change the
document settings?
When InDesign is creating a new document a document dialog box will
appear that will give you the opportunity to adjust the size, margin, length,
orientation, column amount, and other document options. After you have
created a document, it’s a little bit harder to adjust these overall settings.
To adjust the size, length, orientation, and bleed sections of the document
you can use the document setup option. To adjust the document settings you
will need to select the Type Tool that is mentioned in the first section of this
manual “How can I edit or create text?”
This section will show you how to access the document setup dialog box to
adjust the size, length, orientation, and bleed sections of your document.
8

11. 1 & 2
3 Changing
Settings
1 Select “File”
2 Select “Document
Setup”
3 Make the
necessary document
adjustments
Note:
Use the Type Tool
options to create or
revise indentations,
columns, and spacing
settings
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12. Are there any other
resources?
Adobe understands that their products are unfamiliar to many, so they have
provided multiple ways of learning how to use their programs. The most
beneficial is their continuing “Classroom In A Book,” series. These books not
only give you instructions on how to do something in an Adobe program, they
also provide you with documents and files that you can edit step-by-step with
the book. However, that is not the only resources you have. I have listed two
categories of resources below: free resources and purchased resources.
Free resources:
Adobe.com
YouTube Instructional Videos
Purchased Resources:
Lynda.com tutorials
Adobe InDesign “Classroom In A Book”
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