Create and manage assignments

Last updated on Jun 2, 2026

Learn how to use assignment packages in Adobe InDesign to organize and share content with InCopy users.

Create assignments to organize content for collaboration with InCopy users. When you create an assignment, InDesign generates an assignment file (ICMA) and a content folder with exported InCopy story files (ICML), which can be shared through a network location or as an assignment package.

Save your InDesign document to ensure all changes are preserved.

Select the text frames, graphics frames, or other content you want to include in the assignment.

Select Window > Editorial > Assignments.

Select the panel menu icon, then select New Assignment.

In the New Assignment dialog box, enter the assignment name, specify the user assigned, and set assignment options.

Select OK.

To add content to existing assignment files, select additional frames in your document, then drag them onto the assignment name in the Assignments panel, or select Add to Assignment from the panel menu.

Move content between assignments

Save the InDesign document.

In the Assignments panel, select the arrow to the left of the assignment name to display its contents.

Select an item in an assignment.

Do one of the following:

Drag the content from one assignment to another.
Move content to an existing assignment. Select Add to Assignment from the Assignments panel menu , and then select the desired assignment.
Create a new assignment as you move content. From the Assignments panel menu, select Add to Assignment > New and then set options in the New Assignment dialog box.

For short assignment lists, dragging content items between assignments or to the Unassigned InCopy Content section is faster than using menu commands.

Select Update All Assignments from the Assignments panel menu.

Delete assignments

Deleting an assignment removes it from the document and file system and moves its content to Unassigned InCopy Content.

In the Assignments panel, select one or more assignments.

Select Delete Assignment from the panel menu.

Note

If an InCopy user has an assignment open when you delete it in InDesign, an alert message notifies them that the assignment has been deleted. However, the content files are not deleted and can be updated without loss of changes.

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Design impactful ads, magazine and book layouts, and more.

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Set up assignment packages for InCopy workflows

Relink or unlink assignment files

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