InDesign Data Merge

[ATDesignslv]

Hello everyone,

I am trying to do a data merge and having trouble. Below you can see a screen shot. I am trying to get the first row of data to repeat down the page but move down the source file a row. How can I do this?

Thanks for your help,
Alex

[ATDesignslv]

Bump … Can anyone help me out with this?

Thanks for your help,
Alex

[CraigB]

Maybe I’m not understanding, but it looks, to me, that the spreadhseet is overly complicated. You could simply have 2 columns. ID Code and Color Name, then you can have it repeat fine using multiple records per page. Like so:

[HotButton]

Craig is right, your data structure is wrong. His demo is spot-on.

Data Merge won’t read the data column by column the way your setup would require. It only reads the data record by record, that is, row by row. For example, your entire Row 2 is the “record” for unique item PC914. Each column in Row 2 is another field Data Merge can populate for/from (the record pertaining to) PC914.

You need a separate record (row) that delivers each unique item.

[ATDesignslv]

I am normally quicker to understand. So my columns are now set up this way

Now when I try to do multiple records it still repeats the same thing over and over.

Am I just dense and not seeing the simple fix?

[CraigB]

it is hard to tell, you should have one, and only one instance of text filled with the data on your page, and then use the multiple records dialogue box to repeat that text box (you can see how there is a place to add space between the columns and rows).

If you see on my example I have one circle and one text box. Then when I preview multiple records layout it handles the duplication of the series of data for me.

[CraigB]

Make sure too select “multiple records” under the “Records” tab for how many records per page.

I can also tell you have duplicated your data field box because you have 1,1,1 in the data merge dialogue. it should just say 1