Our approach to database publishing has always been to adapt as much as possible to the needs of your particular workflow. This means that we often use InDesign Server. But for other database publishing workflows, this simply does not work. So we give you more tools. One of those is the use of PDF templates or PDF scripting.
Advantages of PDF templates
First of all: they're FAST. Surely, InDesign Server has quite a good performance as well, but it is nothing compared to programming straight into PDF files. Even the overhead of the configuration of templates on top of the programming is negligible. For a business card this difference in speed really doesn't count for a lot. But being able to generate an entire product catalog of hundreds of pages in a couple of seconds is surely worth something.
Also: they are made for database publishing, whereas InDesign was made for creative publishing. Even InDesign itself has a lot of cool features for database publishing, and in a web-to-print environment like the FLO Suite obviously a lot of functionalites have been added on top of the InDesign templates. But still, PDF templates and their configuration were built completely for use as templates. This results in much more possibilities for fine-tuning and optimizing your templates.
While not applicable for all workflows, it's also a big advantage that the creation of PDF files is so easy. New integrators/developers can't easily learn the object model and the way of working of InDesign Server, since it is still essentially based on a desktop publishing solution. And they don't know the first thing about desktop publishing. The logic of a PDF file is much more suited for programmers.
Disadvantages of PDF templates
They aren't made with InDesign. InDesign (and by consequence also InDesign Server) contains enormous amounts of functionalities for desktop publishing. Since the output is going to PDF, most of these features can be re-created, but in some cases it is virtually impossible to simulate the fine work of Adobe's programmers. Language dictionaries (with the hyphenation rules) are a fine example of this.
Next up, a PDF template will usually result in a PDF file as output. Sometimes this PDF file is rendered to an image (e.g. for e-cards). But never is it possible to get the individual objects out of the file and start manipulating them locally. You can't export an InDesign package and use that for the final creative touch. So the PDF template always needs to be 100% accurate.
Types of publications
But even so, they can be used for a wide variety of output types. Corporate publishing of stationary, point of sales materials, catalogs and everything in between. In some cases the use of a template is more brand oriented (e.g. product posters). You make sure that everyone is using the same (and correct) house style. In other cases the point is to save time and money in the production process (such as large product catalogs). And in other cases they are more marketing orientated. Allowing local merchants to spread a message in a pre-defined format.
Workflow possibilities
The use of PDF templates for publications like product catalogs allow for some very new workflow possibilities. Rather than splitting up the processes of writing (or translating) product information and the creation/validation of the resulting catalog, much more of it can be done by the same persons. Product managers can be presented with tools in which they can execute all steps at once. Write a text, click a button, wait a few seconds for the entire catalog to be generated, check the impact of the text on the lay-out, and make corrections where needed.
And of course you always have the possibility to combine templates. This is a trick that many of our customers use for direct marketing campaigns. First, a user creates a brochure or flyer based on an InDesign template. And on top of that, more content is added for hundreds or thousands of end users with PDF templates. This way, direct marketing offers even more flexibility to the end users.