Adobe InDesign Essentials: Setting Up Multi-Page Documents Correctly

1) Decision checklist before creating a file

Multi-page documents stay clean when the foundational settings match the final output. Before you click Create, decide the items below so you avoid rework like reflowed text, wrong bleeds, or inconsistent page numbering.

Output intent: Print vs Digital

• Print: Use when the document will be commercially printed or exported as press-ready PDF. This intent defaults to print-friendly settings (e.g., facing pages often enabled, units in mm/in, and typical print preview behavior).
• Digital: Use for on-screen reading (PDF for screen, interactive documents). This intent tends to default to pixel-based thinking and may encourage single pages rather than spreads depending on your workflow.

Page size and orientation

• Confirm the trim size (final cut size) from the printer/client brief (e.g., A4, Letter, 6×9 in).
• Choose Portrait or Landscape based on layout needs (tables, wide images, or reading flow).

Margins (inside/outside) and facing pages

• Decide whether the document is a booklet/book (usually Facing Pages ON) or a single-sided handout (Facing Pages OFF).
• For facing pages, plan Inside margin larger than Outside to account for binding creep and readability near the spine.

Bleed and slug

• Bleed is extra artwork beyond the trim so images/blocks can print to the edge. Common values: 3 mm (many regions) or 0.125 in (US). Always confirm with the printer.
• Slug is a non-printing area outside the page used for notes, job info, versioning, or color bars. Use it when a printer/workflow requests it.

Primary Text Frame decision

• Enable Primary Text Frame when you expect a continuous story flowing through many pages (reports, books). It creates a main text frame on master pages that can auto-flow as pages are added.
• Leave it off for layouts where text is mostly modular (posters, catalogs with many independent text blocks) or when you want full manual control.

Measurement units

• Pick units that match your production context: mm for most print workflows outside the US, inches for US print, pixels for screen-first work.
• Keep units consistent across the team to avoid rounding errors and miscommunication.

Baseline grid preferences

• Use a baseline grid when you want consistent line alignment across columns and pages (especially in text-heavy documents).
• Decide early: baseline grid increment typically matches your body text leading (e.g., 10 pt type on 14 pt leading → grid increment 14 pt).

Page numbering conventions

• Decide whether numbering starts on the cover or after front matter (common: cover unnumbered, page 1 begins on first right-hand page of the main content).
• Plan if you need Roman numerals for front matter (i, ii, iii) and Arabic numerals for main content (1, 2, 3).
• Confirm if the first page should be right-hand (recto) in facing-page documents.

2) Step-by-step new document setup

Use this workflow to create a multi-page file with professional defaults that won’t fight you later.

Step 1: Open the New Document dialog

Go to File > New > Document. In the New Document dialog, start by choosing the correct Intent (Print or Digital).

Step 2: Set number of pages and starting layout

• Number of Pages: Enter an estimate. You can add/remove pages later, but starting close helps with master page planning.
• Start Page #: Set to 1 unless you already know the document begins later (e.g., if you are creating only a chapter that starts on page 57).
• Facing Pages: Enable for books/reports that will be read as spreads; disable for single-page exports or single-sided layouts.

Step 3: Choose page size and orientation

• Select a preset (A4, Letter, etc.) or enter custom Width and Height.
• Choose Portrait or Landscape.

Step 4: Configure margins and columns

• Set Margins based on content density and binding needs. For facing pages, pay attention to Inside vs Outside.
• If you already know the layout grid, set Columns now (e.g., 2 columns for a report). If unsure, leave at 1 and adjust later.

Practical example (facing-page report):

• Top: 15 mm
• Bottom: 20 mm
• Inside: 22 mm
• Outside: 15 mm

Step 5: Set bleed and slug

• Expand the bleed/slug section (often labeled Bleed and Slug).
• Enter bleed values (e.g., 3 mm on all sides) if any element will run to the edge.
• Enter slug only if needed (e.g., 10 mm top for job notes).

Step 6: Decide on Primary Text Frame

• Enable Primary Text Frame for long-form text that should auto-flow through pages.
• Disable it for highly modular layouts.

Step 7: Confirm measurement units (before you build)

If the dialog shows units you don’t want, change them now to avoid entering values in the wrong unit system. If you can’t change units here in your version/workspace, you can adjust immediately after creation (see next sections).

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3) Document setup adjustments after creation

Even with planning, you’ll sometimes need to adjust the file after stakeholders confirm specs. InDesign allows safe changes if you know where to look.

Adjust page size, orientation, margins, bleed, and slug

Go to File > Document Setup to change:

• Intent-related document properties (where available)
• Page size and orientation
• Bleed and slug

To adjust margins and columns, use Layout > Margins and Columns. This separation is important: Document Setup handles the page and output areas; Margins and Columns handles the internal layout guides.

Change measurement units

Go to Edit (Windows) / InDesign (macOS) > Preferences > Units & Increments and set:

• Horizontal and Vertical units (mm, inches, points, pixels)
• Optional: set stroke units if your workflow needs it

Tip: You can type values with units into fields regardless of the current unit display (e.g., type 0.125in into a mm document). InDesign converts automatically, which is useful when a printer spec arrives in a different unit.

Set baseline grid for consistent typography

Go to Preferences > Grids and configure the baseline grid:

• Start: often set to the top margin (or 0 relative to top of page, depending on your standard)
• Increment Every: match your body text leading (e.g., 14 pt)
• View Threshold: set so the grid appears only when zoomed in enough to be useful

Then, in paragraph formatting, align body text to the baseline grid when needed. Use it selectively: body text often aligns; display headings may not.

Update facing pages and spine logic

If you created the document with the wrong facing-page setting, you can change it in File > Document Setup by toggling Facing Pages. After switching, verify:

• Left/right master page items still sit correctly (inside/outside)
• Margins reflect inside/outside logic
• Any spread-based artwork still aligns as intended

Primary Text Frame after the fact

If you didn’t enable a primary text frame initially, you can still build a robust text flow by creating a main text frame on the master page and threading it, but it won’t behave exactly like a primary text frame in every workflow. If your document is long and text-driven, consider enabling it early to reduce manual threading.

Page numbering conventions and section control

Use the Pages panel to control numbering and sections:

• To start numbering at a specific page, create a section and set the starting number.
• For front matter, set numbering style to Roman numerals; for main content, start a new section with Arabic numerals.
• In facing-page documents, ensure the first page of the main section starts on the correct side (typically right-hand).

Practical example (book-style numbering):

• Front matter: section starts at page i (Roman)
• Main content: new section starts at page 1 (Arabic) on a right-hand page

4) Common setup mistakes and how to fix them

Mistake: Wrong intent (Print vs Digital)

Symptoms: unexpected defaults, unit confusion, export settings not matching expectations.

Fix: Adjust document setup and preferences to match the real output: confirm page size, units, and bleed. Also verify export presets later in your workflow. The key is aligning the document’s physical specs (size/bleed) with the final deliverable.

Mistake: No bleed (or incorrect bleed)

Symptoms: edge-to-edge images get trimmed with white slivers; printer rejects the PDF.

Fix: Go to File > Document Setup and set bleed (e.g., 3 mm). Then extend any background images/blocks to the bleed guides, not just to the page edge.

Mistake: Facing Pages off for a book (or on for a single-sided document)

Symptoms: inside/outside margins don’t behave; masters feel wrong; spreads are awkward.

Fix: Toggle Facing Pages in Document Setup. Then revisit Margins and Columns to ensure inside/outside margins are correct and check master page items for left/right placement.

Mistake: Margins too small (especially inside margin)

Symptoms: text feels cramped; content disappears into binding; poor readability.

Fix: Increase inside margin via Layout > Margins and Columns. If the document is already designed, adjust carefully and re-check text reflow and page breaks.

Mistake: Using the wrong measurement units

Symptoms: entering values feels error-prone; inconsistent spacing; team members interpret specs differently.

Fix: Set units in Preferences > Units & Increments. When receiving mixed-unit specs, type explicit units into fields (e.g., 12pt, 3mm, 0.125in) to avoid conversion mistakes.

Mistake: Baseline grid not matching body text leading

Symptoms: lines don’t align across columns/pages; baseline alignment causes uneven spacing.

Fix: In Preferences > Grids, set baseline increment to match the body text leading (or a clean divisor). Then apply baseline alignment only to paragraphs that should lock to the grid.

Mistake: Page numbering starts on the wrong page or wrong style

Symptoms: cover shows “1”; main content starts on a left page; front matter numbering is inconsistent.

Fix: Use Pages panel sections: set Roman numerals for front matter, then start a new section for main content with Arabic numerals at 1. If needed, insert or reorder pages so the first main page lands on the correct side in facing-page documents.

Mistake: Primary Text Frame choice causes extra manual work

Symptoms: text doesn’t auto-flow as pages are added; frequent manual threading; overset text surprises.

Fix: For long documents, rebuild the main text flow around a consistent master-page text frame strategy. If you can still switch to a primary text frame workflow early, do it before heavy layout work; otherwise, standardize threading and page-add behavior to prevent breaks.