Data Merge With Multiple Entries

[defaultvv548wmzx0s1]

Hello, 

I'm working on a program and I have over 400 student names, majors, etc that I have to include. I have all the information broken out in separate columns in an Excel doc. I need for every entry to be formatted in a certain way as follows and set in mixed weights. Here is an example:

First & Last Name 
Major 
Thesis Advisor:
First & Last Name

I also need the individual text boxes threaded between pages within the document. Is Data Merge the best approach to resolve this? And if so, how should my Excel doc be formatted? 

Thanks for your help! 

Joel 

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

You could do something a little simplier (although it doesn't sound simple just reading it...):

1. Save your Excel file as tab delimited. 
2. Open in Word and replace the tabs with returns using Replace.
   • Be SURE to keep any empty fields for now.
3. Place in InDesign (auto-flow text with a shift-click during place).
4. Create your InDesign styles for each line. For example: 1_StudentName, 2_Major, 3_Advisor, 4_AdvisorName.
5. Then go back and set the Next Style setting in the paragraph style (1_StudentName's next style is 2_Major, 2_Major's next style is 3_Advisor, etc.) IMPORTANT: The last style should loop back to the first: 4_AdvisorName's next style is 1_StudentName.
6. Select all your text and right-click on the 1_StudentName style and select Apply "1_StudentName" then Next Style.
7. Finally, run the GREP Find/change to remove multiple returns.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@defaultvv548wmzx0s1

A bit different version of what @Dave Creamer of IDEAS suggested:

Copy&paste or place - but do not link - your Excel file. 

To each column - apply separate ParaStyle. 

Convert Table to Text - with BOTH separators as "paragraph". 

Run GREP or regular Text Find&Change - double enter -> single enter.