Data Merge Manager for In Design

[jhilla]

Does anyone know or have a step by step process to do variable data printing with Adobe software. I'm sick if using Word, it turns PDFs in to rubbish.

Any help or direction would be great, Google directed me to the Adobe website but it was for In Design CS.

Thanks

[flrazor]

What version(s) of Adobe programs are you running?

Here's the online help file for CS3 data merge in InDesign:
http://livedocs.adobe.com/en_US/InDesign/5.0/help.html?content=WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-6c3c.html

InDesign has a Data Merge palette under Windows > Automation > Data Merge that has some simple instructions. You'll need a database file of some kind to start with (CSV works perfectly, if you use Excel, save your file as CSV). use the palette to select your database, then most of the rest is drag & drop into your text fields once you get your database linked to the document. After a few times using it you get used to the process.

I'm glad to help with more specifics if you have further questions.

[a cat *miaow*]

Data merge in InDesign is sweet.. The only thing you need to watch for is it can sometimes be a bit to 'smart' with rerunning text (if your dynamic text is within a text block). Can end up with things moving around a bit too much.