From PDF style guide to online brand manual in five steps

You have a style guide as a PDF, somewhere in a folder. The logo in it is no longer the latest and the templates live in three different places. Here is how to turn it into an online brand manual in five steps.

MerkBrouwers team28 September 20263 min read

Step 1: Gather what exists

Do not start by designing, start by gathering. Find the latest version of the PDF, the logo files, fonts, templates and examples of recent material. Ask colleagues which files they use too: there often turn out to be versions of their own in circulation.

Put everything in one folder. You will see straight away where the duplicates and outdated versions are.

Step 2: Choose the right version of each part

Go through the folder and decide which version of each part is the official one. One primary logo, one set of colour codes, one font for headings and one for text. Do not throw old versions away right away; put them aside in an archive.

This is also the moment to resolve contradictions. Does the PDF list different colour codes than the website? Pick one and record why.

Step 3: Set up the structure

An online brand manual works best with a fixed, recognisable layout. We usually use:

Brand: mission, core values and tone of voice.
Logo: variants, use and what not to do.
Colours and typography: with codes to copy.
Imagery: photography, illustrations and icons.
Templates and files: everything to download.

Step 4: Decide who may do what

In a PDF everyone sees everything. Online you can control that. Colleagues see the basics and the templates, the agency also gets the source files, and a printer receives only the logo in the right colour mode through a share link.

Also think about who may make changes. One or two administrators is enough. More administrators means more chance of versions drifting apart.

Step 5: Launch it and point to it

A brand manual only works if people know it exists. Send a short email with the link, add the link to your intranet and email signature, and point to it from now on instead of emailing loose files.

Remove the old PDF from shared folders, or replace it with a document that only contains the link to the online manual. That stops old versions from circulating.

How much time does it take?

For a small brand, gathering and choosing is most of the work, often a few hours. The transfer itself is quick once the structure is in place. With MarkBase you can also simply send us your old PDF: we will transfer it for you.

In short

Gather everything first, design afterwards.
Choose one official version of each part and archive the rest.
Use a fixed layout and control who sees what.
From now on point to the link, not to loose files.

Try it free for 30 days with your own brand. We will transfer your old PDF for you.

View pricing

Visual identity, brand identity and brand guidelines explained Typefaces in your visual identity: choose, record and share Which visual identity templates does your team really need?Checking brand consistency: a brand check in one afternoon

Try it free for 30 days.

No payment details needed. Add your brand and see for yourself whether it works for your team.

Start 30 days free Or request a demo first