5 common font management issues Monotype Fonts will help you fix.

Spending too much money.

Lacking visibility on what fonts have been purchased where or needing file access for multiple people means you may well end up paying for the same thing multiple times. Worse, you could unknowingly use fonts without a proper license – a very annoying and costly issue to fix. With Monotype Fonts, you can do everything from one platform: grant access to your teams, organize font files, assign tags to them to make it crystal clear what’s used where, sync fonts to third-party platforms to ensure consistency for your teams, and feel secure that all your production fonts are properly licensed. Opting for a Monotype Fonts subscription is a cost-effective solution that centralizes font assets, eliminates redundant purchases, and ensures long-term budgetary efficiency.

Creative standstills. 

When it comes to font issues, creative teams are often on the front line. Without a centralized font management system in place, collaborative work can become disjointed and inefficient, and the risk of font inconsistencies can grow – meaning reworks are often needed. Additionally, if you’re buying fonts one at a time, then chances are that those are the fonts your creative team will be working with on every single campaign. So, the creative options are somewhat limited, especially long-term. All our subscription options come with unlimited prototyping capabilities, meaning your creative team has the freedom to experiment and push boundaries – and with over 150,000 to choose from, the options are pretty much endless. This vast catalog is paired with intuitive search and discovery options to make finding the right font a breeze. 

Monotype Fonts offers a centralized hub for all your creatives, wherein you define their access and they can design away safe in the knowledge that they have the files they need. What’s more, through our desktop app, designers can automatically sync their fonts to the programms they use most (check out a full list here). This means streamlined workflows, reduced time spent searching for fonts, and time for your creatives to focus on doing what they do best: creating.

Disrupted workflows

Like any management issue, font management has a direct impact on workflows and, by extension, your productivity as a brand. And it’s not just for the creatives either…  It can impact pretty much every department, and that’s why it’s so vital to get it right.

• Admin: With a proper management system in place, your admin team in charge can effortlessly monitor and control font usage, pre-approve fonts, assign roles, grant access, etc., ensuring transparency and accountability within the organization.
• IT: Decentralized font management is a major security risk. Whether you’re using free fonts or sourcing font files from uncertain sources, you’re exposing yourself to the risk of corrupted files and malware. Storing your files in one secure place ensures they’re all in the correct format, and you know exactly where they come from. This centralized approach alleviates significant pressure on IT teams, reducing the time and effort required to address preventable—and sometimes irreversible—security incidents.
• Legal: no more back and forth with the legal team to make sure something is compliant, imagine that! Designed with companies like yours in mind, our EULA is all-encompassing and caters to all your font needs.

Brand inconsistency

As a brand, your image and identity are everything, and consistency is key. Decentralized font management complicates this, with employees sometimes working with different file formats, outdated fonts, different styles or weights, etc., all of which can result in a disjointed visual identity, in turn leading to a lack of trust and lower adoption rates.

Similarly, if your fonts are inconsistent, then chances are the files are a mess. By  “mess,” we mean you probably have too many – think about your digital experience: is your website taking a little longer than it should? Or perhaps your app is much heavier than it could be? The problem might be due to your fonts. Poor font management and poorly organized files often result in having way more font files than you need, or files that are much heavier than they should be, causing havoc in your digital spaces. Through our platform, you can ensure consistent access for all your team members, minimize disruptions, foster smoother collaboration, ensure consistent file formats, and, crucially, eliminate design inconsistencies and the need for costly and time-consuming reworks and revisions.

Compliance problems

Fonts can be tricky to get your head around, and font licensing even more so. Unfortunately, the trouble is that these complexities make misuse and accidental infringement more likely. But don’t fret; we’ve made licensing simple and clear: storing all the information you need in one place so that you know exactly what you can use, where, and when.

What’s more, in an ever-changing world, we know that brands like yours need flexibility, and our EULA makes room for that, too. Depending on your needs, you’ll have a certain number of production fonts covered by your agreement. But that doesn’t mean you must stick to those specific ones forever. Your contract won’t name any fonts; rather, it will outline how many you can have a license for – from there, it’s up to you, and you can change out your font choices four times a year. And in the event that something doesn’t seem quite clear, you have a team of experts on hand to assist you. And not simply for licensing but for all your font queries. Whether through tutorials or personalized assistance, our team is your team.

Bottom line: No matter how you look at it or what particular issue you might be facing, opting for a centralized command center like Monotype Fonts will help alleviate it. It will also enhance collaboration, streamline workflows, and ensure your brand remains consistent across all touchpoints. More than a platform, it’s an all-encompassing service with a qualified team of experts on hand to help no matter your font need or query, be it legal, design, or product-related.