General resources
Workshops
- Active indexing: creating indexes for eBooks, a workshop with four modules offered through the Society of Indexers (UK). ASI members can contact ASI for the code to receive a 22% discount.
- Embedded Indexing Skype-based workshop offered by Kevin Broccoli, kevin@bim.net
Articles, chapters, and presentations
- “Index Zero; Frequently Asked Questions about Embedded Indexing“, Pilar Wyman, Key Words, vol. 33, no. 2, Summer 2025, pp. 21-22.
- “E-book Indexing update“, Pilar Wyman, Walter Greulich, and Glenda Browne, Continental Connections International Indexing Conference, Berlin, Germany, 2022 (updated Spring, 2024). View the most updated Matrix Flowcharts or download them as a zip file.
- “Working the Embedded Flow: E-book Matrix Flowchart Update 2022,” Pilar Wyman, Walter Greulich, and Glenda Browne, Key Words, vol. 31, no. 1, Spring 2023, pp. 22-26.
- “Working the Embedded Flow: Matrix Flowchart Update 2022,” Pilar Wyman, Walter Greulich, and Glenda Browne, Key Words, vol. 30, no. 4, Winter 2022, pp. 22-25.
- Hyperlinks Report, Barry Campbell, 2023 (WIP). Hyperlinks to PDF pages and bookmarks work differently depending on hardware and software used. This affects usability of large indexes to bulletins and journals. This survey shows some of the differences. A set of requirements is proposed which will remove the differences in behaviour and better support not only linked indexes, but general users needing to access content within PDFs. Cooperation is sought from indexers, authors, publishers and software developers to make the changes happen. The survey will be repeated in March 2024.
- “How to be the Interface between Publishers and Digital Indexing techniques,” Terry Casey, Jan Wright, and Pilar Wyman, ASI Conference, Cleveland, OH, April 28, 2018
- “A Comparative Look at Embedded Index Entry Encoding in Selected Publishing Systems,” David K. Ream, Key Words, vol. 24, no. 4, Winter 2016, pp. 18-24.
- “Jumping on the Embedded Indexing Bandwagon… or Should I?,” Lucie Haskins The Indexer, vol. 34, no. 2, 2016, pp. 54–59.
- “Does Embedded Indexing Have a Future,” Cheryl Landes, The Indexer, vol. 34, no. 2, 2016, pp. 59–63.
- “What’s Going on with Embedded Indexing? The Way Forward,” Steve Ingle, Key Words, vol. 23, no. 11, December, 2015, pp. 151–153.
- “What’s Going on with Embedded Indexing? Ebooks and the Future of Indexing(—ers),” Steve Ingle, Key Words, vol. 23, no. 11, November, 2015, pp. 127–138.
- “Future Publishing Technologies and Indexes,” James Lamb blog, February 11, 2011.
- “Embedded Indexing Software,” Glenda Browne and Jon Jermey, The Indexing Companion, Port Melbourne, Victoria: Cambridge University Press, 2007, pp. 183–186.
- “Myth of the Reusable Index,” Bill Johncocks, The Indexer, 2005, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 213–217.
- “The World of Embedded Indexing,” Jan C Wright, in Diane Brenner and Marilyn Rowland (eds.) Beyond Book Indexing: How to get Started in Web Indexing, Embedded Indexing, and Other Computer-Based Media, American Society of Indexers, 2001, pp. 3–12.
Additional resources
- Lucie Haskins’s Resources on embedded indexing
Specific formats
CUP-XML
(For non-CUP XML, see under XML.)
- “No, Not Embedded Indexing: CUP-XML, Elsevier, OUP et al,” Maureen MacGlashan, March 2013.
- “CUP-XML Unique Numbers and MS Word,” James Lamb, February 20, 2004.
- “XIndex: A Cautionary Tale,” Denise Sutherland, The Indexer, vol. 31, no. 2, 2013, pp. 66–67.
FrameMaker (Adobe)
Software tools
- FrameMaker (Adobe) – excels in text-based page layout/design. Used to write and publish long technical documents such as instructions or manuals. Current versions are subscription based only.
- IXGen – Indexing and marker management productivity tool for FrameMaker.
Articles, chapters, and presentations
- Matrix Flowchart: FrameMaker source files, from “E-book Indexing update“, Pilar Wyman, Walter Greulich, and Glenda Browne, Continental Connections International Indexing Conference, Berlin, Germany, 2022 (updated Spring, 2024).
- “Embedded indexing: Learning the Smart Ways to Index in Adobe FrameMaker and Microsoft Word,” Lucie Haskins, in: Janet Perlman and Enid L Zafran (eds.) Index It Right! Advice from the Experts, volume 2, American Society for Indexing, 2010, pp. 111–34. (book chapter)
- “Embedded Indexing” (FrameMaker and Microsoft Word), Lucie Haskins, Pacific-Northwest Chapter of ASI, 2006. (conference presentation)
- “Embedded Indexing,” Peg Mauer, in Sandi Schroeder (ed.) Software for Indexing, American Society of Indexers, 2003, pp. 83–98. [Word and FrameMaker]
- “Embedded Indexing, Peg Mauer, 2001. [Word and FrameMaker]
InDesign
Software tools
- InDesign (Adobe)– is widely used for large-scale print and digital media projects, handling graphics and sophisticated formatting styles. Current versions are subscription based only.
- InDesignConverter – Saves Word documents as InDesign tag files, also allowing the import of Word index entries into InDesign.
- Index-Manager – Dedicated indexing software which creates embedded index entries in Word, InDesign, or XML files.
- Kerntiff Publishing Systems IndexUtilities – A collection of scripts and plugins that help embed index markers in InDesign.
Articles, chapters, and presentations
- Matrix Flowchart: InDesign source files, from “E-book Indexing update“, Pilar Wyman, Walter Greulich, and Glenda Browne, Continental Connections International Indexing Conference, Berlin, Germany, 2022 (updated Spring, 2024).
- Embedded Indexing in InDesign, three one-hour presentation recordings, taught by Lucie Haskins, offered through the American Society for Indexing. 2014.
- Learning about KPS (Kerntiff Publishing Systems) Indexing-related Plugins for InDesign, one-hour presentation recording, taught by Lucie Haskins, offered through the American Society for Indexing. 2014.
- “Working Smarter, Not Harder with the KPS Indexing Plugins,” Lucie Haskins, The Indexer, vol. 31, no. 4, 2013, pp. 143–150.
- “Indexing in InDesign,” Lucie Haskins. 2012.
LaTeX
- LaTeX – a document preparation system for high-quality typesetting that includes features designed for the production of mostly technical and scientific documentation. It is available as a free software license.
- Matrix Flowchart: LaTeX source files, from “E-book Indexing update“, Pilar Wyman, Walter Greulich, and Glenda Browne, Continental Connections International Indexing Conference, Berlin, Germany, 2022 (updated Spring, 2024).
PDFs
- Matrix Flowcharts for PDF source files from “E-book Indexing update“, Pilar Wyman, Walter Greulich, and Glenda Browne, Continental Connections International Indexing Conference, Berlin, Germany, 2022 (updated Spring, 2024).
Word (Microsoft)
Software tools
- Word (Microsoft) – a widely used word processing program and text editor. Most recent versions are available for purchase only as part of the Office suite of products.
- DEXembed – Microsoft Word add-in to embed indexes, created in CINDEX, SKY Index, or MACREX into Word or DocBook XML.
- DEXter – Microsoft Word add-in to embed indexes directly in Word documents.
- Index-Manager – Dedicated indexing software which creates embedded index entries in Word, InDesign, or XML files.
- IndeXExploit – add-in for Microsoft Word users wanting to use embedded index entries to find information fast, and for professional indexers and others wanting to create and debug embedded indexes.
- Jutoh – activates indexes embedded into Word files.
- TExtract – semi-automated indexing software, which includes a Word embedding option.
- WordEmbed – converts an index created in CINDEX, SKY Index, or Macrex into a Word embedded index.
Workshops and videos
- Embedded Indexing in MS Word Online Workshop, originally developed by James Lamb, offered through the Society of Indexers (UK) only to members of SI and affiliated ICRIS indexing societies.
- How to build an index in Word 2007, Dummies.com, Feb 26, 2009. (Video)
Articles, chapters, and presentations
- Matrix Flowchart: Word source files, from “E-book Indexing update“, Pilar Wyman, Walter Greulich, and Glenda Browne, Continental Connections International Indexing Conference, Berlin, Germany, 2022 (updated Spring, 2024).
- Walter Greulich’s Embedded indexing with Word article series:
- Part 1: how to monitor creation of an index, The Indexer, vol. 38, no. 2, June 2020, pp. 207-18.
- Part 2 – editing entries and making work easier by using macros, The Indexer, vol. 38, no. 3, September 2020, pp. 291-306.
- Part 3 – shifting method and field codes for cross-references and page ranges, The Indexer, vol. 38, no. 4, December 2020, pp. 381-398.
- Part 4 – page reference annotations and functional ebook indexes, The Indexer, vol. 39, no. 1, March 2021, pp. 85-100.
- Part 5 – locators other than page numbers, The Indexer, vol. 39, no. 2, June 2021, pp. 183-198.
- Part 6 – sorting and export of entries, The Indexer, vol. 39, no. 3, July 2021, pp. 263-282.
- “DEXembed, WordEmbed, and IndexDeconstructor,” Lucie Haskins, ASI Conference, San Diego, April 21, 2012.
- “Troubleshooting Those Horrible Microsoft Word Index Problems,” by Seth A. Maislin, March 2011.
- “Index Syntax in Microsoft Word,” Seth A. Maislin, May 2010.
- “Embedded indexing: Learning the Smart Ways to Index in Adobe FrameMaker and Microsoft Word,” Lucie Haskins, in: Janet Perlman and Enid L Zafran (eds.) Index It Right! Advice from the Experts, volume 2, American Society for Indexing, 2010, pp. 111–34. (book chapter)
- “Embedded Indexing” (FrameMaker and Microsoft Word), Lucie Haskins, Pacific-Northwest Chapter of ASI, 2006. (conference presentation)
- “Embedded Indexing,” James Lamb, The Indexer, vol. 24, no. 4, 2005, pp. 206–209.
- “Digging In for the Long Haul: How to Get a Handle on the Embedded Word Indexing Utilities Out There,” Lucie Haskins, Key Words, vol. 13, no. 2, April-June 2005, pp. 51-56.
- “Embedded Indexing,” Peg Mauer, in Sandi Schroeder (ed.) Software for Indexing, American Society of Indexers, 2003, pp. 83–98. [Word and FrameMaker]
- “The Trials and Tribulations of Embedded Indexing with Word,” Joanne Clendenen, in Sandi Schroeder (ed.) Software for Indexing, American Society of Indexers, 2003, pp. 83–98.
- “Embedded Indexing, Peg Mauer, 2001. [Word and FrameMaker]
XML
Software tools
- Index-Manager – Dedicated indexing software which creates embedded index entries in Word, InDesign, or XML files.
Articles, chapters, and presentations
- Matrix Flowchart: XML source files, from “E-book Indexing update“, Pilar Wyman, Walter Greulich, and Glenda Browne, Continental Connections International Indexing Conference, Berlin, Germany, 2022 (updated Spring, 2024).
- Introduction to Embedded Index Creation Using IXMLembedder, David K. Ream, offered through the American Society for Indexing, October 26, 2016. (Note: IXMLembedder is no longer available.)
- “IXMLembedder: What Does It Do and How Would You Use It?,” Lucie Haskins and Angela Howard, Key Words, vol. 25, no. 1, Spring 2017, pp. 17–24. (Note: IXMLembedder is no longer available.)
- “Publishing, XML and Indexers,” Nic Gibson, The Indexer, vol. 30, no. 1, 2012, pp. 44–46.
- “XML Indexing,” Michele Combs, The Indexer, vol. 30, no. 1, 2012, pp. 47–52.
Other
- “Indexing with PageMaker,” Jan C. Wright, in Sandi Schroeder (ed.) Software for Indexing, American Society of Indexers, 2003, pp. 83–98.