Make sure your headings (e.g., recipe names) use a consistent paragraph style such as Recipe Title or Heading 1.
Since InDesign does not directly create index entries from paragraph styles, use a script to automate inserting index markers based on that style.
Here’s how:
Download a Script: Use the IndexBrutal.jsx (See File Attached to this article it is Indexmatic3try script or a similar one like Index from Paragraph Style.
Install the Script:
Open InDesign.
Go to Window > Utilities > Scripts.
Right-click User and choose Reveal in Finder (Mac) or Reveal in Explorer (Windows).
Drop the .jsx script into the Scripts Panel folder.
Run the Script:
In InDesign, double-click the script from the Scripts panel.
Select the paragraph style you want to index.
The script will automatically insert index markers for each paragraph styled accordingly.
Now that you have index markers added:
Go to Window > Type & Tables > Index.
Click Generate Index.
Customize styles and formatting as needed (as shown in your screenshot).
Click OK to insert the index.
If you don’t want to use a script:
Go to each paragraph using the desired style.
Place your cursor there.
Open the Index panel.
Click New Index Entry.
Confirm topic and click Add All.
But this is time-consuming without automation.
— you should unzip the file first.
Unzip the downloaded script file (.zip)
Right-click the .zip file you downloaded and select “Extract All” or use a tool like WinRAR or 7-Zip to extract it.
This will give you a .jsx file (JavaScript for InDesign).
Find your InDesign Scripts Panel folder
On Windows:
C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\<Version>\en_US\Scripts\Scripts Panel
On Mac:
/Users/<YourUsername>/Library/Preferences/Adobe InDesign/<Version>/en_US/Scripts/Scripts Panel
Drop the .jsx file into that folder
Simply move the unzipped .jsx script into the Scripts Panel folder.
Restart InDesign (if already open)
Run the script
In InDesign, go to Window > Utilities > Scripts
Open Scripts Panel, find your script, right-click and choose “Run Script.”
Open your InDesign document.
Highlight the text (e.g., recipe titles) that you want to appear in the index.
Go to the Paragraph Styles panel (Window > Styles > Paragraph Styles).
Click New Paragraph Style, name it something like Recipe Title or Index Entry, and click OK.
Apply this style to all the text you want included in the index.
Unfortunately, InDesign doesn't automatically generate an index based on paragraph styles. You must first convert styled text into index entries using a script or manual tagging.
Place your cursor inside each text block with the paragraph style you want indexed.
Go to Window > Type & Tables > Index.
Click “New Index Entry” (the + icon).
In the dialog box:
Choose the entry name (usually the same as the paragraph).
Choose whether it’s a main entry or subentry.
Click Add All if you’re indexing a consistent term throughout the doc.
Click Add then Done.
You can automate the process of converting paragraph-styled text into index entries using free scripts like:
IndexMatic2 by Marc Autret (paid but powerful)
Let me know if you want help installing and using a script.
Go to Layout > Table of Contents… if you want to make a TOC (not an Index).
For an actual Index, go to Window > Type & Tables > Index.
In the Index panel, click the Generate Index icon (bottom-right icon).
Configure options:
Include page numbers
Suppress duplicates
Sort alphabetically
Click OK – a new index is generated as a separate text frame.
Place the index where you want it in your document (usually at the end).
If you edit or rearrange your content, revisit the Index panel and click Regenerate Index to reflect any changes.
Re-apply styles if new entries are added.
Use consistent naming: “Macaroni and Cheese” not “Cheese, Macaroni and”.
Group by main ingredients, categories (e.g., “Desserts”), or themes (“Southern Classics”).
Double-check that your styled text matches visible recipe titles.