Need advice on Desktop Publishing

[cbellfleur]

For the next three years, it will be my job to put out the annual "Yearbook" for an organization I belong to.  This mainly consists of a member directory, but also includes lists of National, State, District, and local officers and the program schedule for the current year.  In the past, it has been done in "Word" but the lady who did it for the

Comments

[sstormwatch]

Sounds less like a desktop publishing software except for the final product, and more like either a database program, or a spreadsheet program to act like a database program. The reason I state this is that the database program is where your information would reside, and be updated and changed as needed. It can connect various aspects of info as needed

[cbellfleur]

I think someone else keeps the master membership list for our chapter. That's something I need to look into. My job is to put out the directory with updates she forwards to me. Right now, it's in a Word file that looks just like last year's booklet.

I agree about the database. That would work for the members list, but not for the other pages that have to be included.

Understand, though, this is an organization that, until a very few years ago, kept the state membership records on index cards!

[sstormwatch]

Ah, I understand.

While I don't have suggestions, there is a review sheet that might help with insight.
http://desktop-publishing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/

You might find more in-depth reviews by doing "desktop publishing software review" on a search. Good luck finding one that works best for you.

[vikingsparrow]

If that's all that's going to be in the file, then there's no reason to use something other that Word...especially if you have to pass it off to other people to review. I was a tech writer for many years and passing off a file that was in some other format other than Word was always a challenge. Unless you have a fancy layout or lots of graphics, do yourself a favor and keep it simple. (FWIW, I have no love of Word...I often call it the tool of the devil, but it works fine on simple jobs.)