Switching screenwriting software sounds worse than it is. Your scripts aren't locked inside Final Draft: every one of them is already an .fdx file on your computer, and ScriptFlo opens .fdx files. The words, the scene headings, the characters and their dialogue all come across.
A few things don't, and it's better to know them before you move a script you care about. This guide covers both.
The short version: In ScriptFlo, choose File, then Open, then Import Script, and drop in your .fdx file. Your text and screenplay elements come across. Your title page, text styling (bold, italic, underline), scene numbers, script notes and revision marks don't, so keep your original .fdx and spend five minutes on the check below.
Before You Start
You don't need to export anything from Final Draft. .fdx is Final Draft's own file format, so the script you've been saving all along is the file you'll import. Find it on your computer (Final Draft's File menu shows recent scripts if you're not sure where it lives).
Keep that original file. Importing makes a copy in ScriptFlo and never changes your .fdx, so if anything looks off you still have the source.
Import Your Script
- Start a ScriptFlo account. The 14-day trial needs no card, and importing works during the trial.
- Open the importer. In the editor, choose File, then Open, then Import Script.
- Add your .fdx file. Drag it into the window or click to choose it. Fountain (.fountain) and plain text (.txt) files work the same way.
- Check the preview. ScriptFlo shows each line with the element it was read as: scene heading, action, character, dialogue, parenthetical, transition or shot. Skim it before you commit.
- Import. The script opens in the editor, saved to your account.
What Carries Over, and What Doesn't
| From your .fdx | In ScriptFlo |
|---|---|
| All your words | Carried over |
| Scene headings, action, characters, dialogue, parentheticals, transitions, shots | Carried over as the same elements |
| Title page | Not imported. Re-enter it on ScriptFlo's title page (two minutes). |
| Bold, italic, underline | Not imported. The text arrives plain. |
| Scene numbers | Not imported |
| Script notes (ScriptNotes) | Not imported. Copy any you need before you switch. |
| Revision marks and colored pages | Not imported. Import a clean draft. |
| Dual dialogue | Not supported. Check those exchanges after importing. |
| Act breaks and custom elements | Arrive as action lines. Retype act breaks as ScriptFlo act elements. |
The Five-Minute Check
Run through these once after your first import. On a typical feature, it takes about five minutes.
- Fill in the title page: title, your name, contact details.
- Search for scenes with dual dialogue and fix those exchanges by hand.
- Look for words you had in italics or underlined (emphasis, foreign dialogue, titles) and decide whether they still need marking.
- Scroll the first few pages in Script Preview to confirm the page layout looks right.
- If you used act breaks, retype them as act elements so the structure views pick them up.
Working With Final Draft Users
You don't need to talk your co-writer, producer or competition into switching. When someone asks for the Final Draft file, choose File, then Export As, and pick Final Draft. They open it in Final Draft like any other .fdx. The same limits apply on the way out: styling, scene numbers and notes don't travel, so for anything going to a reader or a competition, send the PDF instead. That's what most of them ask for anyway.
For a side-by-side look at the two tools, including price, see ScriptFlo vs Final Draft.
Common Questions
Will importing change my Final Draft file?
No. ScriptFlo reads the file and makes its own copy. Your .fdx stays exactly as it was.
Can I import a whole folder of scripts at once?
Not yet. Import one script at a time; each one takes under a minute.
What about Final Draft templates and custom elements?
ScriptFlo has its own film and TV formats, so you won't need Final Draft's templates. Custom elements arrive as action lines.
Does ScriptFlo's AI train on my imported scripts?
No. Your scripts are never used to train AI models.
Jonathan Haar · Founder, ScriptFlo
Software Engineer, aspiring screenwriter