We want the text to flow downwards so also select the arrow pointing downwards underneath the Auto-Sizing drop down. To do this we go to Text Frame options – Auto size and select (for the purpose of this design) Height only. InDesign can adjust the size of the text box so that no text becomes overset. For example Project 1 has a short project description and Project 2 has a long project description. The content from the excel file that we are using has variable content length. This is accessible from the top menu under Object – Text Frame options. Text Frame Options contains a few features such as Column width flexibility, balancing, Inset Spacing, Vertical Justification, Baseline options and Auto-Sizing. #4 Optional: Change any text boxes to Auto size height, width or both under text frame options. Finally make sure to group everything so the design layout is maintained. Make sure to use paragraph styles and character styles to allow changes to be made in future updates to the document. So use text boxes, tables, image boxes, lines, colour etc.
At this step we just want to create the design and layout. The data merge design is something that will take tweaking to get right. #3 Set up your data merge design – use paragraph and character styles to make changes later on easier. Anything that is going to be data merged needs to be on the main page otherwise it won’t work. You can use master pages for the layouts and content you don’t want duplicated on the same page. #2 Open up your prepared InDesign file – this should include your designed master pages. If not the different sheets will be separate CSV files. If you have multiple sheets of data try and consolidate them to one. Make sure you have your headings across the top and records underneath as shown.Įxport your data to a CSV format (comma delimited file). To data merge an image we need to place the link to the image in the CSV file and provide the heading In Excel this should be typed as The ‘ provides a resolution to an Excel bug where it doesn’t recognise by itself. This could be an introduction or an image etc.
#Indesign data merge excel mac
In this example I am using Microsoft Excel in Windows however, these steps should be similar to Numbers in Mac OS.Īdd any data you’ll need in the data merge onto the spread sheet.įor any content you do not want duplicated on the page, add it to the master page. #1 Get all the dynamic information in a CSV file So if there are page elements you want on the pages that don’t need to be part of the merge, move them to the master page. If the other objects on your page prevent more than one record from fitting (such as a big background image), data merge will behave as if it’s producing a single record layout because the document can’t accommodate more than one record per page. Everything on the document page – even if it has no data placeholders in it – will be duplicated in the merge process.Having two or more pages restricts data merge to single-record mode. A multiple record data merge can only be produced from a single page InDesign document.IMPORTANT: Rules for multiple record data merge It is a complex technique that can create great – looking informational design when used correctly.
#Indesign data merge excel how to
csv or the final merged InDesign file, if you still hapen to have double or tripple word spaces.In this tutorial we’ll show you how to data merge multiple records from a spread sheet (Numbers or Microsoft Excel) into a document with InDesign’s data merge feature. Sounds complex, but it is pretty fast and easy once you get the hang of it.ĮDIT: Do a find/replace for multiple spaces and convert them to single spaces in the. Then you can just datamerge this single column. Then delete the original colum A/B/C as the new column D has the merged title/name. One can then copy the formula and paste special (formula only) onto all the records (row 2 to 1300 etc). This formula will put a word space between each column. (Presuming that A1 is the title and B1 is the given name and C1 is the family name). Use the formula to combine row 1, column A/B/C into the newly inserted working column. So insert a new column to work in (say column D). In Excel/OpenOffice/NeoOffice the formula to merge three columns together is as follows: Another way that I have dealt with this is to combine the title and name fields in the spreadsheet, before doing the data merge.
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