How does Desktop Publishing (DTP) make or break financial documents?
As the finance industry becomes more unpredictable with the current macroeconomic environment, competition will only remain fierce. Analysts are working extra hard to understand new subjects happening in new, unfamiliar market spaces, like virtual banking. As a result, they need to produce an unprecedented amount and frequency of financial documents today.
Apart from following strict regulatory requirements, financial reports need to pull data from different sources in various formats. Each document is a mix of texts and numbers, with numbers on markets, simulations, and estimations all embedded within chunks of text. Adding multi-language on top makes it even more complicated. As existing finance document types also demand daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, biannually, and annually productions; it is not hard to imagine how difficult it is to consume, let alone produce.
How has Desktop Publishing (DTP) become even more essential to financial institutions?
Financial documents are critical to the reputation of financial institutions. They are often the decision-making tools for investors and clients. Therefore, the information displayed must be clear, accurate and in a reader-friendly format. While that is the goal, formatting immense texts and graphics proves to be a challenge with limited internal manpower and time.
Financial document layouts are seeing an increased demand for adaptation according to clients’ and industries’ needs. That includes printed materials (brochures and leaflets) and online content (interactive and HTML) in various formats. Without the support of designers and quality assurance specialists who can professionally assemble and carefully review details to ensure accuracy, winning the market proves to be difficult.
And that is where desktop publishing (DTP) comes into play.
What is Desktop Publishing (DTP), and how does it improve the presentation of financial reports?
Desktop publishing (DTP) is the formatting and finalizing of a document for publication.
As straightforward as it sounds, formatting financial reports is a challenge due to the volume, the frequency, and the turnaround time. Here are several tips to improve the quality of your financial document design and financial document layout with those constraints:
1) Use the right software for the right task
Word is a software made for copywriter to do text creation and editing. The design properties in word is very limited because it is not made for designers or typesetters. It is not for design templates, therefore it is very difficult to manipulate.
2) Seek professional help on building powerpoint (PPT) decks
We all know how to create PPT documents, but very few of us know how to use the sophisticated functions available. Contracting professionally trained partners can improve the quality of the materials. In turn, they can enjoy better designs and a shortened turnaround time.
3) Define distribution channel at an early stage
Soft-copied materials must be thoughtfully planned. The company needs to decide if the materials will be interactive. They need to know if it will be read on mobile or desktop. For example, the design elements created for an A4 PDF might not be usable later on the web. It may require HTML development instead. The designer can only suggest the most cost-effective production process if they know how the material will be read and distributed ahead of time.
Financial institutions should stay on top of the fast-moving global market at all times. They should be spending their time on the latest financial insights and providing analyzed data to their investors and clients. It makes no sense for them to spend time formatting their document templates.
Therefore, outsourcing the formatting work to a trusted desktop publishing (DTP) provider is the real solution.
At DataSource, we provide a one-stop integrated solution specifically for financial institutions. We have recently helped an investment firm rebrand their existing deck into another sister investment firm, resulting in a completely different page layout, beautifully presented with new logos and color references.
Our professionally trained team provides translation, design, and layout development services. We can help create new design templates, do photo touch-ups, and fulfill different aspects of localization. Our clients can also enjoy technological tools that many other language service providers do not use. That is why global investment firms and one of the largest global banks recognise us their reliable partner.
By partnering with us, our clients can focus on content writing. We promise materials that are high-quality, fast, and accurate. Most importantly, we’re not here to impose our processes. Instead, we adapt to our clients’ needs. We continuously respond to new trends and requests, and we see that as our valuable strength.
Stay competitive with your executions by having a partner like us. Learn more about our desktop publishing (DTP) services here and see how we specifically assist those in the financial sector here.
