Linking provides a "synchronization"
workflow between Subject Matter Experts (SME) who retain authorship of
the FrameMaker or Word document and authors who need that content in their
project.
Importing allows content to be created from existing documents but with
no ongoing link. The workflow is otherwise very similar.
Many authors choose to Import content from Microsoft Word or Adobe FrameMaker into their RoboHelp projects. This is perfect for workflows where the original document is no longer necessary and importing is a one-time action.
However, there are scenarios where SMEs retain "ownership" of the original document and because it changes frequently, it would help the RoboHelp author to "Link" rather than Import the document.
If you are using the Adobe Technical Communication Suite, you can Link FrameMaker documents to your RoboHelp projects as described below under Linking.
If you have RoboHelp as a standalone application you still have the Import workflow available. With that, you can take advantage of the same style mapping and topic-splitting features as the FrameMaker file is imported and converted.
The "live linking" process is the same for both Microsoft Word or Adobe FrameMaker documents. Below, you can see how both Word and FrameMaker documents can been linked to the project. The originals may be on a network share, SharePoint, or other location that can be shared between SME and author.
The green icon in the first screenshot shows the two documents are up to date. The next image shows a yellow "caution" icon which tells the RoboHelp author that the SME has made a change and the project needs to be updated to remain "in sync".
There is an example of a linked Word document in the Employee Care 3 sample project.