Data Merge

Hello, I work for Pok鑼卪on making strategy guides.

In the video games, each ''creature'' has a set of stats, info and moves it can learn that are associated with it. (Please take a look at the attached file.)

I have recently just discovered and have been extensively testing the Data Merge feature (WOW! You can imagine my life before this.) SO amazing.

This particular page was created by hand (181 out of 492) manually inputting information. Now, I know better.

I can get Indesign and Excel to communicate enough for it to show everything except for the the ''moves'' on the right hand side of thr page.

My question is essentially this: is there a way for me to automate the moves as well? Currently, the moves all exist as separate Excel documents. And all that information is too big for a cell to hold. Is there a way to do this?

Data Merge

If you have CS3 or CS4 you could try making sparate data merge documents for the moves, then place thoise documents into the first set of docs you made for the characters. Without seeing the excel files it's a little hard for me to understand the structure.

Data Merge

You could also invest in a dedicated merge plugin or app. Quite a few around which will work with merging data into multiple fields in a doc.

I'm kind of confused though, the moves (the area on the right?) look like the only area on the page that uses data merge. What other region were you referring to for data merge?

As I mentioned before, there are 490+ Pok鑼卪on.

If I were to set up the Excel sheet for this, it would need fields for: (from top to bottom)

閳?Name of Pok鑼卪on

閳?Pok鑼卍ex Number

閳?Picture of Pok鑼卪on

閳?Pok鑼卪on Type 1

閳?Pok鑼卪on Type 2

閳?Height

閳?Weight

閳?Gender

閳?Items

閳?Abilities

閳?Description

閳?Evolution Chain

閳?Egg Group

...you get the idea. Essentially, everything on this page is unique to this character.

And then on the right hand side of the page are the moves which are individual for each.

My thought for the moves as data fields is that I would rather not just because of the amount of time required to format the 490+ files. If possible, to be able to use as is, would be ideal.

I will look into a merge plugin. This might be the solution I need.

Got it. Two better known companies are em software and woodwing. I'm about to purchase an app call DesignMerge. I saw it in action at a trade show and folllowed up with a one-to-one webinar. The company also lowered the price substantially enough for me to take the plunge. One of the things I like best is that the purchase price included 1 year of support.