Level 1
InDesign Lite
A single day on the essentials — documents, text frames, images and a print-ready PDF, without the depth of the full Essentials course.
$650ex GSTLearn more
Level 3
Adobe
2 days
Adobe InDesign Advanced Course
Adobe InDesign Advanced at a glance.
- Duration
- 2 days, 9:00am – 4:00pm
- Price
- $990 per person, ex GST — purchase orders welcome
- Delivery
- In person, or live online with a facilitator
- Where
- Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney — or online
- Prerequisite
- InDesign Essentials
- Class size
- Small — everyone practises out loud more than once
- You take away
- A printed workbook, exercise files, and your own notes
- In-house
- Available for teams of four or more, at your office or ours
What you'll learn.
- Books, chapters and synchronised styles
- Data merge
- Interactive PDF and hyperlinks
- Preflight, packaging and talking to a printer
Course overview.
Books, data merge, interactive PDFs, preflight and packaging for a commercial printer.
The 2 days works through 14 modules and 132 individual topics, from Defaults and preferences to Bonus material – introduction to interactive PDFs. Each module is taught then practised — you do the thing rather than watch it done — on our exercise files, and on your own where you are able to bring them.
Groups are kept small enough that everyone gets hands on the keyboard, and the facilitator is in the room the whole time rather than dropping in. You leave with the workbook, the exercise files and notes in your own words.
Full course outline.
Every module we cover, and the topics inside each one. This is the same outline as the downloadable PDF — expand a module to see what sits under it.
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1Defaults and preferences4 topics
- Defaults at application and document level
- Fixing glitches and crashes
- Setting preferences to suit you
- Resetting defaults and preferences on corrupt files
-
2Long documents13 topics
- InDesign Book files (.indb) explained
- Building a Book file and adding documents
- Setting the style source and synchronising documents
- Keeping parent pages in sync
- Section markers for sections and numbering
- Text variables and their presets
- Building a running head from variables
- Nesting child parent pages under a parent
- Keep options to hold headings with their paragraphs
- Generating a table of contents
- Configuring the TOC style
- Adding tab leaders to TOC entries
- Preflighting, packaging and exporting books
-
3Libraries and snippets4 topics
- Storing graphics, text and pages in libraries
- Reusing, sharing and positioning snippets
- When to choose a library over a snippet
- Sharing assets through CC Libraries (Creative Cloud Libraries)
-
4Advanced text controls15 topics
- Rules above and below a paragraph
- Making text span or split columns
- Borders and shading on paragraphs
- Setting up conditional text
- Using the Indent to Here character
- Adding story jump lines
- Adobe Fonts, previously Typekit
- Stopping unwanted word breaks
- Controlling word spacing in justified text
- Inserting footnotes
- Autosize options for text frames
- Balancing columns
- Aligning text to the baseline grid
- Dynamic spelling as you type
- Running the Check Spelling command
-
5Data merge4 topics
- Pairing the database file with the InDesign file
- The data merge process step by step
- Image fields in the data source file
- Merging multiple records and images
-
6Styles in depth9 topics
- Loading existing styles
- Grouping styles into folders
- Removing overrides from styled text
- Spotting overrides with the Style Override Highlighter
- Setting up Next Style
- Running Next Style over existing text
- What nested styles can do
- Assigning keyboard shortcuts to styles
- Finding styles with Quick Apply
-
7Bullets and numbering5 topics
- Setting up bulleted and numbered lists
- Swapping and styling bullet characters
- Building multi-level lists
- Restarting or continuing list numbering
- Setting up defined lists
-
8Find/Change and GREP6 topics
- The Find/Change tabs for text, GREP, glyph and objects
- Searching for and replacing words
- Finding and replacing text formatting
- Clearing multiple spaces, tabs and returns
- Pattern-based searching with GREP
- Writing GREP expressions for alphanumeric strings and patterns
-
9Preflight profiles and output previews6 topics
- Finding and fixing preflight errors
- Building your own preflight profiles
- View options in the Links panel
- Checking colour separation plates on screen
- Checking ink coverage
- Adjusting inks in the Ink Manager
-
10Advanced layout options29 topics
- Splitting the window to compare
- Navigating with Power Zoom
- Rotating the spread view
- Colour labels on pages
- Doing sums in panels and dialog boxes
- Duplicating with Step and Repeat
- Combining calculations with Step and Repeat
- Placing multiple images in a grid with Gridify
- Spacing objects with Live Distribute
- Options for fitting frames
- Auto-Fit for frame contents
- Adjusting space with the Gap tool
- Sampling colour with the Color Theme tool
- Switching image layers on and off
- Setting Object Layer Options
- Mixed page sizes and the Page tool
- Building multi-page spreads
- Bringing in comments from PDF files
- A look at the PDF Comments panel
- Reflowing with the Adjust Layout command
- Generating captions from image metadata
- Static captions versus live captions
- The text wrap options
- Telling a frame to ignore text wrap
- Preferences that affect text wrap
- Deep-etching images with clipping paths
- Edit Original for images in the Links panel
- Bringing in Word formatting and styles
- The autoflow options
-
11Object styles and anchored objects17 topics
- A tour of the Object Styles panel
- Building object styles
- Object style categories
- Applying an object style
- Clearing object style overrides
- Changing an object style
- Breaking an object's link to its style
- Bringing in object styles
- What anchored objects are for
- Anchoring an object, method 1
- Anchoring an object, method 2 (preferred)
- The Inline and Above Line options
- Custom Anchored Object settings
- Showing anchored object markers
- Shifting or resizing an anchored object by hand
- Releasing an object from its anchor
- Anchored objects inside object styles
-
12Linked content, alternate and liquid layouts6 topics
- How linked content works
- The link options
- Keeping linked content up to date
- Setting up alternate layouts
- How liquid layouts adapt
- Choosing liquid page rules
-
13Vector shapes9 topics
- A look at the Stroke panel
- Changing a stroke
- Creating dashed lines
- Start and end shapes on a line
- Applying corner options
- Combining shapes with the Pathfinder panel
- Turning text into vector graphics
- Running Type on a Path
- Generating QR codes
-
14Bonus material – introduction to interactive PDFs5 topics
- Adding hyperlinks and URL hyperlinks
- Building page navigation buttons
- Placing video files
- Exporting an interactive PDF
- Checking the result in Acrobat
Who it is for.
Confident users who now maintain something other people depend on — and want to stop it breaking.
How it runs.
Two consecutive days, each roughly 9am to 4pm, with a facilitator in the room the whole time. You get a workstation each with the software installed, in a CBD training room in any of the six capitals, or live online on your own computer.
Dates
Upcoming Dates
The next scheduled Adobe InDesign Advanced dates, soonest first. If none of these work, tell us the city and we will let you know when the next block is released.
| Level | Date | Location | Delivery | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| InDesign Advanced | Wed - Thu 2 Sep - 3 Sep 26 | Remote East | Online | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Wed - Thu 2 Sep - 3 Sep 26 | Remote East | Online | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Wed - Thu 2 Sep - 3 Sep 26 | Sydney | In person | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Wed - Thu 2 Sep - 3 Sep 26 | Melbourne | In person | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Wed - Thu 16 Sep - 17 Sep 26 | Remote East | Online | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Wed - Thu 16 Sep - 17 Sep 26 | Brisbane | In person | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Wed - Thu 23 Sep - 24 Sep 26 | Remote East | Online | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Wed - Thu 23 Sep - 24 Sep 26 | Sydney | In person | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Thu - Fri 8 Oct - 9 Oct 26 | Remote East | Online | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Thu - Fri 8 Oct - 9 Oct 26 | Brisbane | In person | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Tue - Wed 13 Oct - 14 Oct 26 | Remote East | Online | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Tue - Wed 13 Oct - 14 Oct 26 | Sydney | In person | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Thu - Fri 29 Oct - 30 Oct 26 | Remote East | Online | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Thu - Fri 29 Oct - 30 Oct 26 | Remote East | Online | $990 | Book |
| InDesign Advanced | Thu - Fri 29 Oct - 30 Oct 26 | Melbourne | In person | $990 | Sold out |
By city
Adobe InDesign Advanced in your city
Venue, transport and the dates running there.
The rest of the category
All Adobe InDesign levels Other Adobe InDesign Levels
Level 2
InDesign Essentials
Documents, master pages, text frames, images and exporting a print-ready PDF.
$890ex GSTLearn more
Level 4
InDesign Interactivity
Buttons, animation, audio, video and fillable forms — turning a print layout into something people click.
$650ex GSTLearn more
Reviews
What people said about Adobe InDesign Advanced
Wizard courses run on the shared Nexacu schedule, so these are reviews of this course from people who sat it. Collected by Nexacu after the course and published as written.
Great knowledge of the software.Shared lots of tips and tricks I wasn't aware of that will make my job so much easier and more efficient.Would have liked some more creative tips & tricks as well.
Nicole
5 September 2025
Esteban was excellent - knowledgeable, engaging , and clearly passionate about the subject. I especially appreciated his strong focus on theory, which really deepened my understanding of the program and helped me see why certain tools and workflows work the way they do. The course was incredibly useful , and I'm leaving with new skills and much more confidence in InDesign.
Sophie
2 December 2025
Good trainer very helpful
Joey
2 December 2025
The extra theory provided around colour and resolution was very helpful.
Katie
2 December 2025
Esteban was great. Skillful, highly knowledgeable and helpful. Loads of industry insight and he remained very calm and cheerful throughout the IT issues encountered.
Ashley
2 December 2025
the variety of content was great and different levels
Cassandra
3 February 2026
Source: nexacu.com.au, read 27 August 2026. How feedback is collected.
Questions
Questions People Ask About This Course
Anything not answered here, call 1300 886 190 and ask a person.
How long is the Adobe InDesign Advanced course?
It runs for 2 days, 9:00am – 4:00pm, with a facilitator in the room the whole time. Nothing is pre-recorded and there is no platform to log into afterwards.
How much does Adobe InDesign Advanced cost?
$990 per person, excluding GST. That covers the course, the workbook and exercise files and the room. If four or more people from one organisation need it, an in-house day usually works out cheaper — tell us the numbers and we will price both.
Do I need any experience before this course?
Yes — this level assumes InDesign Essentials, or equivalent experience picked up on the job. If you are not sure, tell us what you already do and we will place you honestly, including telling you to book the level below.
Can I do Adobe InDesign Advanced online instead of in a classroom?
Yes. Every date marked “Live online” runs over video with the same facilitator and the same practice, in breakout groups rather than a room. You use the software on your own machine, so you leave with it set up the way you actually work.
Which cities do you run Adobe InDesign Advanced in?
Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, plus live online. Every venue is a CBD training room with a workstation for each person. If your city and date are not paired on the schedule above, ask — dates are released in blocks.
Which InDesign level should I book?
Work from what people already do rather than how long they have used it. The full course outline above shows exactly what this course covers, and the Adobe InDesign page lists every level in order. Still unsure? Call 1300 886 190 and describe a normal Tuesday.
Whole team on the same level? Run it in-house.
Your files, your templates, your workflow — the same course, taught against your own material.