Text formatting in connection with MsExcel file

Hi @Roberto_Giussani,

Thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you are trying to use InDesign and MsExcel to create a catalog with tables containing text in different languages, and you want to be able to switch between the languages without changing the formatting of the text. While this is certainly possible, there are a few things to keep in mind.

First, it's important to make sure that the text in the Excel file is properly formatted for use in InDesign. Specifically, you should make sure that the text is formatted using character styles rather than direct formatting. This will help ensure that the text maintains its formatting when imported into InDesign.

Next, you can link the Excel file to InDesign by going to File > Place, selecting the Excel file, and choosing "Show Import Options." In the Import Options dialog box, make sure to select the appropriate options for your needs, such as whether to import all sheets or just a specific sheet and whether to import text only or both text and tables. You can also specify which character style to apply to the imported text.

Once the text is imported, you can use InDesign's Conditional Text feature to create different versions of the catalog for different languages. To do this, you would create a new condition set for each language and then use the Conditional Text panel to hide or show the appropriate text for each language.

As for whether newer versions of InDesign can fix the formatting issues you're experiencing, it's possible that they may have improved the import options or other features that could help. However, without more specific information about the formatting issues you're encountering, it's hard to say for sure. In general, though, it's always a good idea to make sure that your text is properly formatted and that you're using the most up-to-date software versions available.

Please let us know if that helps. I am also keeping the discussion open for our experts who might want have more suggestions for you.

Thanks,

Harshika