Connection Pro 4 for InDesign
Smart Connection Pro builds on InDesign and InCopy's power by expanding the feature-set with those features that are needed to manage publications in medium to large workgroups with up to 30 users.
Flexible publishing structure
Smart Connection Pro has an easy to use interface. While still using a generic file-server, it organizes files with a more database-oriented approach. It uses concepts that you’re familiar with like publication, issue, section, and basket. You can set up a publication structure according to the guidelines and needs of your company or organization even using your own terminology.
Separating design from content
With its check-in, check-out features, Smart Connection Pro effectively separates the work of the designer from that of the editor. By doing so, Smart Connection Pro enables a simultaneous workflow. An InDesign user can’t change the text of a document when an editor is working on it in InCopy. Text that is sent to InCopy can’t be modified in InDesign for as long as it is checked out. In fact, as long as text is in use by an editor, the only thing an InDesign user can do is change the design of the frames that will hold the locked text. An editor can’t change design elements in InCopy because the designer is in charge of the InDesign document. Messing up publications has become virtually impossible.
File Previews
Smart Connection Pro’s preview panel shows you a preview of your stories or images. This lets you efficiently select the right files, eliminating the need to undo accidental placements, saving your valuable time.
Flexible and powerful workflow features
A basket-oriented approach allows editors and designers to identify steps in the workflow. For example, when copy is ready to be corrected, you can send your text to a basket you define as “Revision round.” In fact, this is an automated communication paradigm, and is one way that of Smart Connection Pro prevents errors during the production process. Another example is, editors and designers can send each other short instant messages or add annotation notes to a text element.
The Smart Connection Pro “Send to Next” button available in InCopy allows editors to automatically send text to the next basket in the workflow you have set up.
Easy to use non-distracting interface
The Smart Connection Pro panel automatically updates its status icons as copy and design status of a document or an article changes.
The Smart Connection Pro panel can be configured to show just the information you need at any moment. This prevents editors from being distracted from their work by interface elements that change, yet are irrelevant to their work.
Publication hierarchies
With its configuration tool, Smart Connection Pro allows you to tailor the levels of hierarchy to work intuitively with your workflow. Stages of the workflow can be renamed as needed and as a project evolves.
Flexible file content
With Smart Connection Pro you’re freed from the “one file per document” straightjacket. Instead, you can have as many or as few text elements per file as you want or need. Smart Connection Pro allows you to have one file per article, per spread or per publication. For example, to accommodate flexibility in your newspaper or statutes in a legislatory publication, you might opt for a file per article approach. On the other hand, if you’re publishing a manual, one file per chapter might be the way to go. The possibilities are virtually endless.
Features:
- Integrated workflow solution
- Publication oriented workflow
- Publication oriented interface
- Assigning stories
- Editors can work on contents while designer is working on layout.
- Write to fit functionality with Adobe InCopy including revision tracking, editorial notes, text statistics
- Integrated direct messaging
- Everything at your fingertips with thumbnail view
- Overview of your work with the SCPro placed element palette
- Protection features to safeguard you from errors
- Flexible publication structure to fit any publisher
- Scalable, cross-platform solution
- Automated workflow
- Configuration tool
Collaboration benefits
- File based workflow system.
- Easy to use, highly customizable publication oriented user interface.
- Parallel production with support to work together on single pages.
- Improved communication with direct messaging.
- All assets including workflow information available at your fingertips.
- Versioning of stories.
- Cross-platform customizable solution.
Layout benefits:
- Page layout reserved for designers.
- Controlled text access, but full design control.
- Easily send design updates to editors.
Editing benefits:
- Write to fit the layout.
- Instant page preview.
- Revision tracking.
- Write to fit without the need for the InDesign layout file (with the optional Remote module).
- Error Prevention
- XML based, enabling instant web-publishing
