Note: This feature uses InDesigns standard behaviour when handling multiple records per page. It still has limitations and some recorded bugs (on Adobe’s side). We recommend using multiple merge with existing layout.

When to use this mode

• You have a layout document with one page.
• You have elements on your page to be repeated automatically.

When not to use this mode

• If you need custom styling in the merge
• If you need hyperlinks
• If you like to use multiple setups
• If you like to use Automator actions
• If you like to use GREP text actions
• Basically … if you like to use any advanced feature of MyDataMerge

Prepare the layout

• Make sure you only have one page in your document, spreads turned off.
• Prepare your layout with every placeholder you need and move it to where you need it – leave enough room for the duplicates to be generated.

Note: Every element on the page will be duplicated – make sure to remove anything else from the page (put it on the master page for example).

Requirements

• The placeholder text can be located in any text frame, along any other text
• You can choose any text you like (a-z, 0-9, _-)

Make sure that even the longest text from your datasource will have enough room in the text frame provided, or overset text will be produced.

You can add Hyperlinks dynamically to your placeholders, no matter if its a text, image or QR-Code placeholder. After applying hyperlinks, a reader can click on the element to open the hyperlink.

Note: Hyperlinks will only work if you export to InDesign files or interactive PDF files.

How to add Hyperlinks

Hyperlinks are part of a setup – this gives you the full advantage of a setups flexibility (e.g. to apply different hyperlinks to the same placeholder based on conditions). To add a hyperlink, open the placeholder in the editor and click the hyperlink icon [1] to open the hyperlink panel. Then enable the hyperlink [2] and start with your configuration:

Shared Hyperlink destination
This is only useful if you have multiple hyperlinks with the same target and need to continue working with your InDesign layout. With this option turned on, only one hyperlink target will be created in your layout document and be shared for multiple hyperlinks. With this option turned off, a new target will be created for each hyperlink.

Highlight
Selects the highlight effect of the hyperlink

PDF Display
Selects the kind of frame around the hyperlink. Selecting “Visible Rectangle” will unlock the options below to further style the frame.

Width
The width of the rectangle (thin, medium or thick)

Format
The format of the rectangle (solid or dashed)

Color
The RGB color of the rectangle. All RGB swatches (and only RGB) from your document are imported automatically and will be selectable next to “Document default”.

Configuration

The configuration button opens another editor to configure the hyperlinks content. You can select a hyperlink type and edit every item like a text placeholder to inject data into a hyperlink.

A text placeholder will inject text from various sources into your layout in the merge process.

These sources can be one or a combination of:

• Datasource content (Changes for each record)
• Static text (Always the same)
• Sequence (Different types of counting numbers)
• Automator workflow (for editing outside of MyDataMerge – learn more here)
• Custom (java-)script (learn more here)

To add an element, open the placeholder by double clicking it (or click the pen icon), then add an element by clicking the plus icon:

Add the element and the appropriate editor will open (e.g. datasource element):

Once you selected or entered the required data, the element becomes valid (green check)

Once every placeholder is valid, you are able to export.

Notes:

• You can combine different elements here by adding them (plus icon above the eye icon) and drag & drop them up or down. The result will always be shown in the preview on the right.
• Additionally every element has some settings (gear icon) which will provide a wide range of tools to transform your data (e.g. strip whitespaces, add space before or after and so on)

If you want to export to Adobe InDesign files go to export > filetype and select the preferred filetype from the dropdown.

You can set a static filename in Export > Filetype > “Static filename” field.

With static filenames, every file will get the same name and a counting number will be attached. For example if you define static filename to be “mydatamerge” then files will be named like this:

• mydatamerge_1
• mydatamerge_2
• mydatamerge_3
• and so on

Please note that static filenames only allow a-z, 0-9, – and _ characters. Other characters will be removed or replaced.

Go to Export > Multiple records and active “MR per page (generate layout)”. If you cannot select, please check again if your layout matches the requirements.

On the gear icon on the right, you can define the grid (direction and distances of where the duplicates should go to)

Note: Pay attention on correct unit formatting – if no unit entered, the documents unit settings apply. If value is formatted wrong, 0 is applied. You can also apply the values manually in Adobe® Indesign® by selecting ‘Do layout settings manually’ on export.