Migration guide · Final Draft
Switch from Final Draft to Inkwell
Final Draft remains a production-office standard. Import its FDX into Plot, name the baseline, and export FDX or PDF at the next handoff. This guide covers that first session.
First-hour path
Switching is a file you can name, not a weekend of retyping.
- 1Export
FDX from the revision you mean to keep.
- 2Open Plot
Create the shared project before anyone rewrites.
- 3Import
Read the summary. Warnings are decisions, not noise.
- 4Name it
A save point is the rollback if the first pass fails.
- 5Handoff
Export PDF or FDX when production asks — not before.
- Step 1
Export FDX from Final Draft
In Final Draft, save or export your script as .fdx. If you use revision mode, export the revision you want to continue in Inkwell — locked-page semantics may need a fresh save point after import.
- Step 2
Create an Inkwell account and open Plot
Sign up at Inkwell, open Plot, and start a new screenplay project or open an existing one you want to replace.
- Step 3
Import via Import / Export
In the Plot editor toolbar, open Import / Export and choose Final Draft (.fdx). Review any import warnings — edge-case elements surface here rather than silently dropping.
- Step 4
Name a save point before you edit
Before changing a line, create a save point — e.g. Imported from FD — Mar 12. That immutable snapshot is your rollback if the first rewrite goes wrong.
- Step 5
Export PDF or FDX for your next handoff
When production needs a file, use the same menu to export PDF (reads) or FDX (systems). The export reflects the version you are on — save points make that explicit.
Will I lose formatting on import?
Standard screenplay elements map into Plot. Complex production metadata may warn on import — check the import summary before continuing.
Can I keep using Final Draft part-time?
Yes. Many writers draft in Inkwell and export FDX for coordinators. Round-trip when you control the handoff; avoid editing the same file in both tools without a named version.
What about revision colors and locked pages?
Pro includes the full production lifecycle: revision colors, locked-page numbering, A-pages, breakdowns, and production exports stay tied to the same structured screenplay and save-point history.