Migrating from a PDF or Word Document Catalog

Here at Clean Catalog, we’ve helped clients transition from a wide range of course catalog platforms, from homegrown software to InDesign documents and everything in between. Most commonly, however, institutions approach us looking to migrate to our software from a static PDF or Word document format. These transformations are among the most dramatic we see, with accessibility, usability, and content management all improving drastically.

If your institution is considering moving from a PDF or Word document catalog to a web-based solution, check out the benefits you can expect and the streamlined transition process you’ll experience if you choose Clean Catalog software.

Improving Accessibility

Improving accessibility is one of the primary motivations behind institutions adopting an online catalog solution. Unlike static PDFs or Word documents, web-based catalogs are inherently more accessible for users with disabilities. In particular, Clean Catalog software meets WCAG compliance standards and is designed with accessibility best practices at the forefront.

Our catalogs can translate into hundreds of languages, utilize speech commands for those with physical disabilities, and reformat for those with visual impairments. These capabilities are just the tip of the iceberg! Our catalogs also feature responsive designs site-wide, automatic PDF generation for print-ready catalogs, and a reporting dashboard that consistently checks for accessibility errors. These tools deliver a level of accessibility that a PDF or Word document catalog could never afford.

Seamless Navigation and User Experience

Searchability is another area where our web-based catalogs shine. Static catalogs are notoriously difficult to navigate, often requiring users to scroll through extensive content to find the information they’re searching for. They lack search functionality and can be time-consuming to parse. In contrast, online catalogs speak the language of today’s tech-savvy students, who are familiar with modern database searches and site navigations.

On Clean Catalog sites, students can effortlessly browse through course offerings, filter content, and utilize a robust search functionality to pinpoint specific information. This fluid navigation encourages user engagement, making it easier for prospective students to explore academic offerings and for current students to plan their educational journey.

Benefits for Institutional Staff

Static course catalogs are often demanding and time-consuming for staff members to manage. Oftentimes, catalog edits have to be requested, then they are made by one document owner who exports a new version of the catalog. This process frequently leads to inconsistencies in content and a bottleneck in workflow. For this reason, staff members are often excited for an online catalog solution that can ease the burden of catalog management.

Clean Catalog software, in particular, has several built-in features that reduce the time and energy required to keep your course catalog up to date:

• User Workflows: Our platform supports customizable workflows, allowing staff to collaborate on content creation and approval processes efficiently.
• Revisions Portal: Acting as a safety net for your new content management processes, our built-in revisions portal allows you to view all past versions of each page of your catalog, including who made each change. You can always revert to a previous version if needed.
• Integration Capabilities: Clean Catalog software seamlessly integrates with Learning Management Systems (LMS) and Student Information Systems (SIS), ensuring catalog information remains synchronized and up-to-date across platforms. We can push and pull data at the cadence of your choosing.
• Catalog Staging: Institutions can stage their catalogs for upcoming academic years, enabling proactive planning and preparation. This also ensures no downtime for your current catalog while next year’s is being worked on.
• Content Templates: Standardized templates facilitate consistency across your catalog, ensuring your staff is publishing content that is complete and uniform catalog-wide.

The Transition Process

While the majority of institutions recognize the merits of online catalogs over PDFs or Word documents, the thought of transitioning from your current platform can be daunting. For this reason, we’ve thoughtfully designed our onboarding process to be as painless as possible for our clients.

Transitioning to Clean Catalog is a quick process, typically completed within 8 weeks, and it requires minimal lift from your staff. All of our catalog build-outs include a comprehensive transition package with no additional charge for:

• Build-Out: There are no hidden fees with Clean Catalog software. The actual catalog build-out is included in all new catalogs, and our team welcomes feedback on the design, format, and layout at every step of the way.
• Customizations: All catalogs can be customized to reflect your institution’s branding and style preferences, maintaining a cohesive institutional identity. Alongside the visual appearance of your catalog, the functionality and layout of the catalog site can be fully customized to your staff’s preferences
• Migration of Content: All existing catalog content, including courses, degrees, programs, policies, and archived catalogs, will be migrated to the new online platform at no added cost. Your institution simply sends us the current catalog in whatever format it’s in, and we take care of the rest.

Switching from a PDF or Word document catalog to a web-based solution can seem daunting, but it is a crucial step for accessibility and modernizing your institution’s publications. Clean Catalog software is designed specifically to make the transition process seamless and efficient. For more information on how Clean Catalog software can transform your institution's course catalog, visit our Buyer's Guide.