Also called a slug line, it's not something that usually appears in your finished document but is more like extra information used for identification and for tracking what changes a piece has gone through. Slugs are tracking devices for revisions, organizations, and to keep track of which version of a file or project is the most current. They may appear on draft or intermediate versions (such as on a Website) but usually the slug is removed from the final version of the project.
Some desktop publishing software, such as Adobe InDesign, have specific tools for creating slugs although they might not all use the term slug. The slug will be information located outside the trim line of the document. In this way, it shows up when editing the digital files but after printing the slug gets trimmed away. In Adobe InDesign, the slug location is set in the same dialog box as for the bleed, both are items that appear outside the trim area of the document.
Other Slug Meanings
Slug or slug line has many other definitions that are related to layout and publishing.- Slug it is a part of a script that provides instructions that aren't part of the actual dialog (Stage instructions for the actors, for example) and it's an abbreviated title/author information on pages after page 1 in manuscripts submitted to publishers.
- In typography and printing, you may also encounter the term slug used to refer to the space occupied by a single line of type (including leading) or the strip of lead (in metal type) used to put space between paragraphs of type.
- A byline in a newspaper story is another meaning for slug line.
- In blog publishing, a slug is often a shortened version of the blog title that appears in the URL (see Using Permalinks in Wordpress).
- Some types of ads or advertising inserts in a magazine or newspaper may have a visible slug that clearly identifies the material as an advertisement so it is not mistaken for editorial content.
