Merging excel file for photobook

Hi,

For a client I need to make a photo album, they gave me an excel file with all the names that need to go under group photos and individual photos. As the database is not definitive I want to link the name tags and photos to excel. In the coming weeks I'm getting more photos and names. I want all the names and photos to be updated in the excel file and that InDesign updates the information. ie, a spelling mistake, solve it in excel and it updates all places where that person is mentioned. Data merge is not giving me the option to let indesign place multiple records in an unpredictable fashion (every page is unique). I want to place frames and then tell indesign what column to pick its data from (like data merge).

It's about 600 individual shots and 75 groups, so clicking or placing and typing the names one by one is not an option, deadline is too short and too many chances for mistakes. Also it's corporate so I expect a lot of changes are going to be made before printing.

Thanks