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1. Open a folder for the project brief #
Create a folder called project-brief on your computer. In Zettlr, choose File → Open Workspace… and select that folder. You should see it in the file manager after indexing completes. The workspace instructions describe this as opening an ordinary folder.
For this example, keep the brief and any supporting files together. That gives you a clear source location when you later revise the PDF. You don't need several workspaces, a project export or a note-linking system to make a one-page document.
2. Create the Markdown source file #
Choose File → New File…, select the project folder and name the file checkout-brief.md. Alternatively, right-click the folder and choose New file…. The file-creation documentation confirms both routes.
The result should be a new document tab and a file in the folder you chose. A filename ending in .md identifies the editable source. Keep the later PDF beside it with the same base name so there's no mystery about which draft produced the handout.
3. Write a brief with headings and a short table #
Use this original sample as the structure:
| Line to enter | Purpose |
|---|---|
# Checkout review brief | Document title |
## Goal | First section heading |
Make delivery costs clear before payment. | One-sentence goal |
## Review questions | Second section heading |
- Can a guest see the delivery cost? | First review question |
- Does the total update after changing the address? | Second review question |
## Next decision | Final section heading |
Agree on the delivery-cost message before changing the layout. | Concrete next action |
Enter each row's text as its own line. Leave a blank line between a heading and its paragraph or list. The example contains no real client information. Replace the questions with your actual project details after the export workflow makes sense.
The writing guide documents headings, links and formatting shortcuts. You should see a document with recognizable sections, not one long unformatted paragraph. Keep the source simple for the first export; add images and complex tables after you know where the output goes.
4. Save and check the source location #
Save the document with Ctrl+S on Windows or Linux, or Cmd+S on macOS. Check that checkout-brief.md exists in your project folder. This is the version you'll edit when someone requests a change.
In a November 2025 discussion, a writer couldn't tell where Zettlr saved files. Maintainer Hendrik Erz explained that workspaces are ordinary folders and that Open Workspace lets you choose one. If you lose track of the document, check the opened folder in your file manager instead of creating a second draft with the same name elsewhere.
5. Export Markdown to PDF using Simple PDF #
Click inside the brief so the correct tab has focus. Choose File → Export…, or press Ctrl+E on Windows/Linux or Cmd+E on macOS. The export popover should show the current filename.
Under Format, choose Simple PDF. Set the destination to Current directory so the output sits beside the source, then choose Export. The official export instructions explain the filename check, profile selector and destination choices.
You should now have a PDF for the brief in the same folder. Simple PDF uses HTML-based printing. A LaTeX-based PDF profile follows a different route and can require extra software; it isn't necessary for this plain document.
6. Review the exported file as a reader #
Open the PDF outside Zettlr. Read the whole brief, including the last line. Check that the title fits, list items remain separate and no text is cut off at a page edge. If you included links, follow them in the PDF reader you expect recipients to use.
The editable source and delivered PDF serve different purposes. A change to the Markdown won't update an already exported PDF. After a revision, export again and confirm the date or filename of the file you're sending. For a review round, a name such as checkout-brief-review-2.pdf is easier to distinguish from an old attachment.
7. Use print preview for a quick second look #
Press Ctrl+P or Cmd+P to open Zettlr's print preview. The printing documentation explains that this uses the internal HTML representation, while other exports can use Pandoc. It's a handy second look at the document's structure, but inspect the actual PDF before sending it.
If you need to print on paper, use the print icon in that preview. If a recipient needs a different layout, revise the source or the export settings and produce a new PDF. Avoid making parallel text corrections in several output files; that makes the next revision harder to reconcile.
Known problems when the editor and export disagree #
A diagram turns into a code block
A June 2025 Mermaid report describes a diagram appearing as text in an export even though the editor displayed it. For a handout, use an exported diagram image in the document when the chosen export route doesn't render the diagram. The flowchart guide covers creating a diagram with a visible exported result.
The file seems to have vanished
The workspace discussion above explains the source of this confusion: files live in the opened folder. Check the actual path and open the correct workspace. For an exported PDF, check the popover's destination too. Temporary directory and Current directory put output in different places.
Troubleshooting #
| Problem | Likely cause | What to change |
|---|---|---|
| Exported the wrong document | Another tab had focus | Click inside the brief and confirm its filename in the popover |
| Can't find the PDF | Destination was temporary or another folder | Choose Current directory for the next export |
| PDF export asks for LaTeX | Selected a typesetting profile | Choose Simple PDF for this example |
| PDF shows yesterday's wording | Reviewing an earlier exported file | Export the saved revision and open the new output |
| Image disappears after moving the source | Relative path no longer reaches the file | Keep the image with the document and check its relative path |
The export workflow confirms that relative paths are interpreted from the document's containing folder during a single-file export.
Variations for the next document #
Add a flowchart to the handout
Create the diagram separately, export an image and place it in the project folder. Insert that image in the Markdown, then check its size in the PDF. Keep labels readable at the final page size. The free flowchart tools shortlist helps choose a diagram editor.
Keep a research notebook beside the brief
Store source notes separately from the one-page deliverable. That lets the brief remain short while the evidence stays available. Obsidian and Joplin are alternatives when linked notes or notebooks dominate your work; the Obsidian vs Joplin comparison explains that choice.
Send editable work with its attachments
Zettlr's TextBundle or TextPack export can package Markdown with referenced images. Consider that route when another person needs to continue editing, instead of sending a PDF and expecting them to reconstruct the source. Check the package contains the assets the document actually uses.
Completion checklist #
- The Markdown source is saved in the intended folder.
- The export popover showed the correct filename and Simple PDF profile.
- The PDF exists at the chosen destination.
- Every heading, list and final line is readable in the exported file.
- Images and links work in the recipient's likely reading workflow.
- The file you're sending contains the latest approved wording.
Next steps #
For a notebook workflow, compare Obsidian and Joplin and review the offline note-taking picks. Keep the final brief separate from the research used to write it.
Related reading #
8 Best Free Markdown Editors for Articles and Notes, Zettlr vs MarkText: A File Editor or a Writing Workspace?, Tool details, Other options.
