Have you ever had to set up a catalog, a set of coupons or ads that are basically repetitive and have data stored in a database or spreadsheet?
If you’re currently working on this type of project, you are so in luck because InDesign will automate the creation of these sections of data! All you need to do is set up the source properly and create a template for the data in InDesign. You’ll never go back to Mail Merge again!
A little disclaimer before we get started: These coupons are for example purposes only and they are completely fictional. Don’t try to use these codes!
Data File Setup
The first line of your spreadsheet must be field (variable) names. The order of data from column to column in your spreadsheet need not be the same as what you will use in InDesign. The only part that matters is the field names at the top of the columns need to correspond to the information in those columns.
You can also specify pictures or even other files to be imported into InDesign. In your spreadsheet, make the field name (title at the top) @Name, with Name being whatever you want to call the field—images, pictures, logos, etc. Then in the rows below, list the file name and path to the file if necessary. Use a \ for Windows and : for Mac to denote directories. Remember to put a \ or : before the name if using a document relative path, \hallmark\logo.jpg or :hallmark:logo.jpg for example, otherwise InDesign won’t be able to find your image. Read more specifics about naming in the Live Docs.
Finally, export your file as a tab-separated (will be a .txt) or comma-separated (.csv) file.
Now to InDesign
Open InDesign and create a new document. For the document dimensions, use the size that the final page will be (as opposed to the size each data area will be). For example, if you have a coupon book and you want all the pages to be 6” x 6”, with two 4” x 2.5” coupons per page plus some extra padding, then make your document 6” x 6”.
Now you want to pull up the Data Merge panel by going to Window>Automation>Data Merge.
In the panel flyout>Select Data Source and choose the file you exported from your database. Now the field names you created at the top of the file will appear in panel.
NOTE: You only need one instance of the coupon template on the page! It doesn’t matter where you put it. Everything on the page will be a part of the template. Create graphic frames for images and empty text boxes for text areas.
To insert images, select the graphic frame, click on the image field name you create in Data Merge panel. You’ll see the graphic frame populated with a placeholder, <<field name>>.
To insert text, click in text frame and add field names by clicking on field name in Data Merge panel. You can add extra static text manually outside the <<field name>> placeholder. For example if you wanted to add a SAVE before a placeholder called <<percent>> or some kind of disclaimer to the bottom of each coupon.
Create the Merge
Now your template is all set up and you need to create the actual merged file. Easy! Go to the Data Merge panel Flyout>Create Merged Document.
In this dialog box, you’ll find three tabs (in CS3 at least). In the first tab, Records, you’ll probably want to choose All Records and then under Records per Document Page drop down menu, select Multiple Records.
In the next tab, Multiple Record Layout, you’ll find options for how the record should be laid out on the page, including the way the records will go (go across rows first or down columns first), vertical and horizontal space between record sets, etc. It’s really helpful to use the preview checkbox at the bottom.
Now this part is a little strange, to me at least: the Multiple Record Layout doesn’t work if you have a multiple-page document! There are some easy ways around this, including making the data merge template a separate file and then importing that into your multiple page document after you’ve created the merge.
There’s one more tab in the Create Merged Document dialog box, the Options tab. This has options for how pictures are imported. For fitting, I like to choose Fill Frames Proportionally and check the box to Link to Images (just like you normally would when importing images). You may also want to check the box to Remove Blank Lines for Empty Fields.
Click OK, wait a few minutes and… magic! You have just saved yourself loads of time formatting, importing and arranging text. Now go take a siesta. For all that hard work, you deserve it. And hang on to the files for a few hours, just so they think it took you a lot longer 
What Else?
What else can you use data merge for? Tons of things!
- Mailing labels (you’re probably used to that idea from MS Word)
- Personalized letters, postcards, etc (i.e. “Dear Lauren, …”)
- Catalog items
- Contact directories
- Directional signage
- Nametags
- Sponsor information posters (gee, can you tell I work on a lot of events?)
The list could go on! What types of projects have you used data merge for? Do you have any tips or advice for working with this awesome InDesign feature?
Final Notes
If you need more advanced data merging capabilities, there is an InDesign plugin by EM Software called InData.
PLEASE REMEMBER: These coupons were for example purposes only and they are completely fictional. Don’t try to use these codes!
Do you need more help with InDesign? Feel free to leave a comment below, contact me or head over to Lynda.com and sign up for their InDesign Tutorials. It’s only $25/mo for unlimited access! This is a resource I use myself and I highly recommend it.
Note: This post contains affiliate links. Please use them in an effort to Support Creative Curio. Thanks!
Great! I always knew I could do so much more with InDesign. Thank you! Can you set a frame for the image? I mean does it crop the images or do the need to be a fixed size? Can you set up as many fields as you like?
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Wow, this is fantastic. I had no idea you could do this. I really need to learn more about InDesign!
Thanks Lauren!
Great tip, Lauren. I was also unaware of such a feature with InDesign, so thanks. Hope all’s well today.
Sander,
You can have as many fields as you like (as far as I know! I’ve not read anything about limits). You just have to make sure to set them up in the database/spreadsheet first. The images will be imported depending on the settings you use in the Options tab of the Create Merged Document dialog (last screenshot). You can always adjust them if you really need to once the new merged document is created.
Hamish,
InDesign is such a powerful program. It’s pretty amazing! I’m learning new things all the time–I want to share them, but I don’t want this to turn into an InDesign blog, you know? I share the most useful stuff, though.
David,
You’re welcome! Yup, all’s well over here. It’s voting day!
I just gave data merge a try out with a series of standees I had to do, it was a piece of cake and saved me a ton of time.
Having had to do mail merges in MS word for postcards and a few other projects like name tags and coupons, Indesign’s datamerge is going to save me an enormous amount of headache.
Oh, very very lovely; I missed this little gem in InDesign.
Jerrol,
Thank you for the question about data merge that prompted this post! Seems people really like learning this feature exists!
Warren,
A gem indeed! Yay for InDesign
Oh, great tip! The merge tab is one of those ones I always saw and thought to my self “I should learn how to use that one day”.. so thanks for the lesson I was too lazy to give my self
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Thank you for this explanation. I have always wanted to learn about Data Merge as well as how to import XML data with InDesign.
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Alex,
LOL, you’re welcome! Data Merge is such an awesome feature. I find myself looking for projects I can use it on!
Rob,
I want to learn more about the XML features of InDesign, too. I’ll be sure to write about that when I do!
Thanks for the fantastic walkthrough – one quick question though, are you able to format the fields? For example, if you wanted to make all the company names bold font size 16, can you do that after adding that field to your template?
Kimberly,
Oh good question. I didn’t specifically address that did I? Yes indeed you can format the fields! In fact, you want to format them (with character and paragraph styles!) after you create the template with the < < text >> things. Just do everything you normally would to text. If you use styles, once you have your merged document, with a few clicks you can change all them if you need to.
Yes! Thank you. This is exactly what I was looking/hoping for. Goodbye Microsoft Word!!
I was trying to do a mail merge in ID CS3 and every time I tried to create the document it would freeze up. I have about 2500 names and adresses I am trying to merge. Is ID not set to handle large amounts or is something else wrong. I spent hours trying to get this to work because I know it will save me hours of time when I get it to work. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
Rose,
Hmm, I’ve never tried to use a list that large before. How long do you let it run before killing InDesign? Maybe it just takes a while? Is there any way you can break up that list? It may be better—and end up being faster—to run it several times in smaller chunks. You may want to try submitting your question to InDesign Secrets, too (they have A LOT more experience with ID). Good luck!!
Ok Thank you. I will try that next time. Actually I waited on it, but it would freeze up computer and program quit responding. I had done a trial one earlier and it worked, but this was a bigger file. I just printed it and printed address labels to put on this time, but I’m not giving up. I will figure this out yet.
I need to print postcards 4-up on 8.5×11 paper, but can’t seem to get the data merge to put a different record (company name, address, etc.) on each card when I create the document 4-up. 1-up works with data merge, but then I’m not able to print from InDesign or Acrobat 8 without the document being reduced in size. I followed the instructions for 2-up coupon above, but maybe need a little more information. Would LOVE to skip the mail merge and label printing/applying!
JRTate,
Let’s see if I can troubleshoot this without seeing the file… for the document you are working on, is it the final letter-size? It should be. Go ahead and lay out the info the way you want it to appear (where you place it in the document doesn’t matter). Only create a SINGLE instance of the postcard information. When doing the merge, be sure to select Multiple Records from the drop down menu next to Records Per Document Page on the Records tab. Then on the Multiple Record Sets tab, use the Preview checkbox for a WYSIWYG look at the spacing and increase/decrease the margins and space between rows/columns until you get it to look the way you want it to print out. I hope that fixes your problem!
I’ve got a similar problem to JRTate. I’m creating a church directory, using data in a .csv file. Despite selecting multiple records, I keep getting one record per page. My ID doc is one page, my source doc is one page. What else could be affecting this? I can’t figure it out. Thanks!
I could surely use some help. I am using InDesign CS3.
I have followed all the steps for Data Merge, but when I go to ‘Create Merged Document’ I have ‘All Records’ option checked but the ‘Records Per Document Page:’ is not highlighted for me to chose ‘Multiple Record’ from the drop down box.
What am I doing wrong?
I don’t want to have to do this manually
Bobby,
Check out the instructions on Adobe’s site. Maybe they will be more clear.
Very helpful article.
Thanks a lot.
Thank goodness for you! Just saved me from setting up 300 nametags by hand.
Gemma,
Awesome! Glad I could help.
This worked out great! One question though. How can I send individual documents to emails from merged Indesign documents?
Susan,
I’m not quiet sure what you mean. You want individual PDFs for each page? I know of no easy way to do that and I don’t think that’s what data merge was intended for, though it’s possible there is a creative work around. There might be a plugin out there that could help you, but unfortunately I wouldn’t know where to point you. Sorry! Try one of these videos. Maybe they’ll help? Good luck!
This is perfect for a mailer I’m planning. Out with MS Word Mail Merge – In with InDesign Data Merge. Thanks for the tip.
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