Preflight and Package an InDesign File for Translation or Print

The package folder lands in the translator's inbox and the first warning appears before they've opened a single file: missing font. Or the DTP operator receives a client's InDesign package, relinks everything, and finds three images still flagged as modified: packaged after a last-minute edit, links never updated. Or the printer calls to say two placed images are 96 PPI and there's no bleed on the document. Every one of these problems shows up in InDesign's Preflight panel before File > Package is ever clicked, if a structured preflight pass runs first.

This article covers how to build a custom preflight profile for translation and print handoffs, what the Package function actually collects and silently omits, which errors to block on versus flag, and the seven mistakes that reliably generate a revision round.

What the Preflight panel does, and why [Basic] is not enough

InDesign runs preflight continuously in the background. The coloured dot at the bottom-left of the document window reflects the current status against the active profile: green for no errors, red for one or more. Double-clicking the dot opens the Preflight panel. Most operators leave its profile set to [Basic].

[Basic] checks a short list: missing or modified links, missing fonts, overset text and a few others. It says nothing about image resolution, colour modes or bleed. A custom preflight profile defines what counts as an error for a specific output. A translation handoff and a print handoff need different definitions, so one profile for both does not work.

Building a custom preflight profile

Open the Preflight panel via Window > Output > Preflight. Open the panel menu and choose Define Profiles, then click + to create a new profile. Give it a clear name, such as Translation Handoff or Print Offset CMYK. Each check can be switched on or off on its own.

For translation handoffs

• Fonts: Font missing. Always on. A file with unresolved fonts cannot be meaningfully worked on by the recipient.
• Fonts with licence restrictions. Some fonts cannot be embedded or passed on. The Fonts panel of the Package dialog lists them; identify them before handoff so a substitution can be agreed in advance.
• Links: Links missing or modified. Always on. A missing link means a red question mark in the recipient's Links panel. A modified link means the placed image no longer matches the file on disk, a yellow warning triangle the recipient cannot resolve without the original source.
• Text: Overset text. Always on. Overset text decisions belong in the source file review, before the file goes to translation.
• Images and Objects: Image resolution. Optional. Set 150 PPI if the file will eventually go to print; skip it for screen-only deliverables to avoid false positives on web images.

For print handoffs

• All of the above, plus:
• Images and Objects: Image resolution, minimum 300 PPI. Required for offset; set 1200 PPI for 1-bit bitmap images. Low resolution cannot be fixed inside InDesign: the source image must be replaced.
• Color: Color spaces and modes not allowed. Flag RGB if the printer expects CMYK files. Unplanned RGB-to-CMYK conversion is a common cause of colour shifts at proof stage.
• Document: Bleed and slug setup. Set the bleed to the printer's specification, typically 3 mm. Missing bleed is rarely caught until the printer checks the PDF.
• Transparency. Ask the printer whether they accept live transparency (PDF/X-4) or need it flattened (PDF/X-1a), and choose the export preset to match.

Preflight error priority matrix

Not every preflight error warrants blocking a handoff. This matrix covers the most common errors and the response for each output type. Share it with the team as a triage reference.

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How to run the Package function

Once the preflight profile shows clean, or the remaining errors have been accepted and noted, run File > Package (Shift+Cmd+Alt+P on Mac, Shift+Ctrl+Alt+P on Windows). InDesign opens the Package dialog with several summary panels. Work through them rather than clicking straight to the next step: the Fonts panel lists fonts with licensing restrictions; the Links and Images panel flags anything still unresolved; the Colours and Inks panel lists every spot colour in the document. These panels are your final check before committing.

The Create Package Folder step has a set of checkboxes. They decide what gets collected and whether the recipient can open and work on the file without your help. The six below matter most.

What is inside the package folder

InDesign creates a self-contained folder with a predictable structure. Knowing what gets collected and what does not prevents the "but I sent you everything" exchange.

The Document fonts/ folder collects only the font styles used in the document, not the complete family. If the file uses Roboto Regular and Roboto Bold, only those two files are collected. Roboto Thin, Italic, and Condensed are absent. In a translation handoff, if a DTP operator on the receiving end applies a character style that references a weight not in the package, they get a missing font error that traces back to a gap at packaging. Font planning for multilingual DTP is a separate problem that should be resolved in the source file before it reaches this stage.

What to add beyond the package

The package folder is technically complete but contextually bare. The Instructions.txt that InDesign generates is a technical manifest: it lists fonts, inks and linked files. It says nothing about layer logic, style conventions or overset decisions. A plain-text or PDF README in the root of the package folder answers most of the questions that would otherwise come back by email.

For translation handoffs

• Target languages and any language-specific notes (RTL requirements, character set constraints)
• Which layers contain translatable text and which are locked and why
• Any known overset in the source and the agreed handling approach
• A short style map (which paragraph styles mark body text, headings, captions and footnotes), especially useful when the file uses named paragraph and character styles for translation
• Brand glossary or approved terminology list if one exists

For print handoffs

• Colour profile and paper: coated or uncoated, colour standard (for example Fogra51, Fogra39, GRACoL or SNAP)
• Spot colour callouts with Pantone references and any varnish or foil instructions
• Finishing notes: die lines, perforation and fold marks, especially if these live on separate layers
• A preflight report PDF showing a clean result against the print profile

Seven packaging mistakes that create revision rounds

1. Packaging with modified links still pending. Choose Update All Links from the Links panel menu right before packaging, so last-minute edits are caught.
2. Not checking Include IDML for translation handoffs. Most CAT tools cannot open an INDD; they import the IDML. Without it the translator has to ask for one, which costs a round of emails.
3. Ignoring font embedding restriction warnings. InDesign packages the file and shows a warning about restricted fonts that most operators click through. The recipient may not be allowed to use or embed that font, so agree a substitution before packaging.
4. Sending no README. Instructions.txt lists files. It does not explain layer logic, overset decisions, style conventions, or the agreed handling for any known issue. A two-paragraph plain-text brief saves multiple email threads.
5. Forgetting hidden layers. If Include Fonts and Links from Hidden and Non-Printing Content is unchecked, hidden layer assets may not be collected. The recipient enables a layer and finds broken links they cannot resolve.
6. Wrong PDF export preset for the included PDF. Include PDF (Print) uses the preset selected in the dialog, which may still be a screen or proof preset from the last export. Check it before packaging for print.
7. No post-edit preflight pass. If any text or layout edits were made after the preflight check and before packaging, run preflight again. A last-minute style change can introduce new overset; a replaced image can drop below the resolution threshold.

The short version

Open Window > Output > Preflight and build two custom profiles, one for translation handoffs and one for print, instead of relying on [Basic]. Export them as .idpp files for team consistency. Block on missing fonts and missing links in all cases; treat modified links as a hard stop for print and high-priority for translation. Run Update All Links from the Links panel menu right before packaging. In the Create Package Folder dialogue, always enable Copy Fonts, Copy Linked Graphics, and Update Graphic Links; add Include IDML for every translation handoff; add Include PDF (Print) for print jobs after confirming your export preset. Add a plain-text README to the package root, because Instructions.txt only lists files. Run preflight one final time after any last-minute edits, before you zip and send.

Further reading