TIP 2: If you still have trouble linking the spreadsheet to the data merge, click and drag all active fields in the spreadsheet and then go to File>Print Area>Set up Print Area.

(Don’t worry, we’ll wait for you to catch back up.) TIP 1: If InDesign is not letting you access the spreadsheet do not pass go, do not collect $200–head back to Step 2 and make sure you converted your file to a CSV. Then click “Select Data Source…” and locate the CSV spreadsheet you’d like to use. In your InDesign navigation ribbon, go to Window>Utilities>Data Merge.Īfter your Data Merge window pops up, click the drop down menu in the top right corner. For Mac Numbers, go to File>Export to>CSV. TIP : Easily convert your MS Excel workbook by going to File>Save As>File Format: Comma Separated Values (.csv)>Save. This will be helpful when you’re assigning data in InDesign. Delete any extra additional sheets other than the sheet you will be using from the spreadsheet. Make sure to give each column a title that makes sense for the below fields.

For this example, you can see we’re using a totally legit contact list comprised of some of our closest contacts. Wow, this is a cakewalk…amirite!? Step 2: Prep and Finalize Your SpreadsheetĬarefully organize your variable data in a spreadsheet like MS Excel or Mac Numbers.

LEARN MORE Step 1: Open the InDesign File You’d Like to Data Merge. If you’re using a presorted mailing, save yourself from a migraine and let us handle the merging process. This type of mailing requirements is less complicated than a presorted mailing like Standard Presort or Presort First Class. Some computers have a harder time handling the merging process and the last thing we want is to find out you’ve been pulling your hair at your desk in a panic.Īlso, please note that this example uses First Class postage. In fact, depending on file size and variable data list length, you might be better off just sending us the spreadsheet to populate for you. PLEASE NOTE:Before we begin, let us preface this tutorial by saying that you don’t have to set up your files for data merge before sending us your file to print digitally. To continue to extend that empowerment to you, we put together a tutorial on how to merge variable data in InDesign. We are fans of empowerment through understanding here at Delzer. Data merging is just one of the many things you can accomplish with this program.

InDesign is a powerful desktop publishing software application that has so many capabilities it’s sometimes easy to overlook what all it can do. This process automatically populates a document’s fields from a CSV file produced in a spreadsheet like MS Excel or Mac Numbers. I haven't tried the Macintosh version yet, however I'm not that keen to try it just in case I'm introducing weird issues with a Mac type file on a PC environment.If you’re familiar with the differences between offset and digital print, you’re aware that digital print is best for projects that:Ĭontent that’s constantly changing, such as mailing addresses, is handled using variable data merging. If I use the CSV or CSV (MS-DOS) format the special characters get changed (e.g. Please fix the file, select a file that contains records, or select a supported file type '. The CSV UTF-8 file retains this 'special' character data, but InDesign rejects the file and tells me ' The data source file you selected either has no records or is not a supported file format. There are many such symbols I use, and whilst sometimes I add these via the Character Map function in System Accessories, but most usually via the keyboard (for instance, a key combination such as ' Alt+0188' creates a ¼ symbol on a PC). I have some cells which have 'special' characters such as the degrees sign '°', or a plus/minus sign '±' (e.g. In amongst the myriad options for saving the data, Excel provides me with these options for saving files into a CSV format:ĭepending on which of those options I use I am finding either the data becomes altered by the CSV format, or InDesign rejects the format. I'm using InDesign CC on a Windows 10 PC, and using Excel 2016 to generate data for a Data Merge operation in InDesign.

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