📚 Help Center

Everything you need to go from manuscript to published book. Browse topics below or search your question.

🔍
🚀 Getting Started
Formatrix is AI-powered book formatting software for self-publishing authors. You upload your manuscript (Word, PDF, or plain text), choose a template, and Formatrix instantly generates a professionally designed, publish-ready book — complete with cover, table of contents, page layouts, and export files for Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, or any other platform.

It's built for:
  • Authors writing workbooks, journals, business guides, and nonfiction
  • Fiction authors who want polished novel layouts
  • Children's book creators
  • Anyone who wants to skip paying a formatter $500–$3,000
  1. Sign in or create a free account.
  2. From your Dashboard, click New Book (or go to App).
  3. Drag and drop your file or click to browse. Supported formats: .docx, .doc, .pdf, .txt.
  4. Enter your book title and author name, then click Upload.
Formatrix automatically parses your manuscript into chapters and sections. If your file is a .docx, heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2) are used to detect chapter breaks. For plain text, double line breaks create sections.
  • .docx / .doc — Microsoft Word (recommended; preserves headings)
  • .pdf — PDF (text is extracted; formatting not preserved)
  • .txt — Plain text (double line breaks = section breaks)
  • .jpg / .png — Cover image upload for design reference
Maximum file size: 20 MB.
You can upload and preview any manuscript for free — no credit card required. You only pay when you're ready to download your finished book files (PDF for print, EPUB for e-readers, DOCX for editing). See Pricing for current rates.
✓ Free to upload and preview. Pay only to export your final, publish-ready files.
📐 Formatting & Templates
Formatrix includes templates for multiple book types:
  • Workbooks — reflection prompts, worksheets, action steps, chapter dividers
  • Business/Nonfiction — clean, professional layouts for guides and frameworks
  • Literary Novel — elegant fiction formatting
  • Trade Paperback — standard 6×9 or 5×8 layouts
  • Children's Book — illustrated layouts with image zones
  • Academic/Educational — structured layouts with callout boxes
Theme variations include Classic, Modern Coach, Academic, Minimalist, Bold, Elegant, Creative, Corporate, Playful, and more.
Yes. You can:
  • Switch between 10 visual themes with one click
  • Add custom Page Types (Reflection Prompt, Worksheet, Quote Page, etc.)
  • Upload a design reference image for AI-assisted style matching
  • Use AI to generate a custom cover, or use the "Surprise Me" feature
  • Edit content directly in the collaborative Manuscript Editor
Standard print trim sizes supported: 5×8", 5.5×8.5", 6×9", 7×10", 8.5×11". These match KDP and IngramSpark requirements. Select your trim size in the formatting options before exporting.
Click the Split button in the Manuscript Editor toolbar. The screen divides 50/50 — your editable text on the left, the formatted book preview on the right. Changes update in real-time as you type (with a small debounce). The LIVE badge in the preview confirms it's synced.
📤 Exporting Your Book
  • PDF (Print-Ready) — for KDP print, IngramSpark, or local printing. Includes bleed and crop marks.
  • EPUB — for Kindle, Apple Books, Kobo, and all major e-readers.
  • MOBI — legacy Kindle format (for older devices).
  • DOCX — editable Word document for final touches before submission.
All exports are generated in minutes and available immediately for download.
Yes. Formatrix PDFs are generated to KDP and IngramSpark specifications including:
  • Correct trim size with 0.125" bleed
  • RGB color (KDP compatible)
  • Embedded fonts
  • Optimized file size
⚠️ IngramSpark requires CMYK PDFs for print covers. Our interior PDFs use RGB which is KDP-compatible. For IngramSpark covers, convert to CMYK in Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Photoshop before upload.
Before exporting, click Checklist in the app. It verifies:
  • ISBN is entered and validated
  • Author name and title are filled in
  • Page count meets KDP/IngramSpark minimums (24 pages)
  • Cover is generated
  • Spec validation passed for your chosen platform
Green checkmarks mean you're ready to publish. Red items need attention before download.
📖 ISBN & Barcodes
No — you can format and export without an ISBN. But to distribute on KDP (your own ISBN), IngramSpark (required), or any bookstore, you'll need one.
  • KDP free ISBN — Amazon assigns one, but it locks you to Amazon-only distribution and shows "Independently published" as your publisher.
  • Your own ISBN — Purchase from Bowker (USA) at myidentifiers.com. Single: ~$125. 10-pack: ~$295.
Go to Publishing Compliance, select your book, and scroll to the ISBN Barcode Generator card.
  1. Enter your ISBN-13 (e.g. 978-1-234567-89-0). It auto-fills from your saved Print ISBN.
  2. Your EAN-13 barcode renders instantly in the preview.
  3. Click Download PNG or Download SVG to save it.
Use the PNG or SVG to place on your back cover in any design tool (Canva, Adobe, etc.).
Go to Publishing Compliance and scroll to the Spine Width Calculator.
  1. Enter your page count (it auto-fills from your book's metadata).
  2. Select your paper type (KDP B&W 60lb White, KDP Cream, IngramSpark 50lb Natural, etc.).
  3. Your spine width shows instantly in inches, millimeters, and points.
Use this measurement when setting up your cover wrap (front + spine + back) in your design tool.
✓ KDP recommends adding 0.0625" (1.6mm) tolerance to your spine width measurement for covers.
✏️ Manuscript Editor
In the Manuscript Editor, click Share in the top toolbar. Enter your collaborator's email and select their role:
  • Co-Author — Can edit content
  • Editor — Can make tracked changes and comments
  • Viewer — Read-only access
They'll receive an email invitation. Once accepted, they can work on the manuscript simultaneously.
Track Changes mode highlights edits so collaborators can review them before accepting:
  • Green text = new insertions
  • Red strikethrough = deletions
Click Accept All to apply all changes, or review them individually. Toggle Track Changes using the ✏️ Track button in the editor toolbar.
Click 🕐 History in the editor toolbar. A panel shows the last 10 saved versions with timestamps and the name of who saved them. Click any version to preview it, then click Restore to revert to that version. Your current work is auto-saved before restoring.
💳 Billing & Plans
Formatrix uses a simple per-book model:
  • $250 / book — One-time payment per project. Includes all export formats (PDF, EPUB, MOBI, DOCX) with unlimited re-exports after purchase.
  • Ultimate Pass — $474 total — 6-month subscription, one book per month. Best value for authors working on multiple projects.
Uploading, previewing, and editing are always free. You pay only when you export your final files.
If you purchased a book credit and haven't used it to export, contact us at support@formatrix.polsia.app within 7 days for a full refund. Once export files have been downloaded, refunds are not available. See our full Refund Policy.
One-time book credits ($250) do not expire. Ultimate Pass credits reset monthly and unused credits do not roll over to the next month.
🔒 Privacy & Security
Your manuscript is treated as sensitive intellectual property:
  • Encryption at rest — Manuscript text is encrypted in the database using AES-256-GCM. A raw database dump cannot reveal your content.
  • Auth-only access — All manuscript endpoints require authentication. Only you (and collaborators you explicitly invite) can access your content.
  • No AI training — Your manuscript content is NOT used to train any AI models.
  • HTTPS only — All traffic is encrypted in transit via TLS.
We will never share, sell, or publish your manuscript without your explicit permission.
Yes. You can delete individual manuscripts from your Dashboard at any time. To delete your entire account and all associated data, email support@formatrix.polsia.app with the subject line "Delete my account." We'll process your request within 5 business days.
💬 Still Need Help?

We're here for you

Can't find what you're looking for? Reach out — we typically respond within 24 hours (weekdays).

Email: support@formatrix.polsia.app