Page numbers wonky data merge to PDF - Known issue?

Forum|Forum|7 months ago
July 17, 2025
2 replies
335 views

I have a document with page numbers on the master. If I data merge to a ID file everything is good. If I export directly to a PDF my page numbers get whacked. If I pull the page numbers off the master it works fine both ways.

The pages should go i, ii, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 when they go wonky I get i, ii, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1 And its like this in 3 files so something is whacked.

Any ideas other than the obvious answer to just put them in the doc??

Mike Witherell

Community Expert

Hi Gigi,

Your example files don't have any data merging going on; so I cannot comment comprehensively, but...

Here a a couple of things to bear in mind: You cannot place data fields on both parent pages and document pages both. To merge properly, you must apply a parent containing data fields to the first page of the document. Or else build on the first page of a 1-page document. That page cannot be a left-hand page. So I recommend you make a 1-page document of single pages; not left and right hand spreads. After you generate a merged document, you can go back and change the pages to become facing-page spreads, if you need to. Also, readjust Numbering & Section Options.

Mike Witherell

G

GiGiTexasAuthor

Known Participant

Hi Mike, thanks for the reply, I don't think any of that applies.

The file(s) do have 1 data merge field - in the document page, first right hand page <<companyName>>. Its all I am merging, not a complicated merge - I have been doing them for many years, and much more complicated. I did forget to provide the test .csv file so I uploaded it just now.

The data field is on the document page, only thing that is on the parent is header, logo, page numbers. Unless page numbers are considered data fields, but I am going with that is bogus as it works fine that way if I create a new document with the merge. And I have done it that way in past work.

I have an even more complicated data merge bug I have found, but the thought of typing up a post that people could understand leaves my test files on my desktop 🙂

Mike Witherell

Community Expert

Hi Gigi,

Would you like to share the document so that we can experiment with it?

I would also like to point out that you cannot have specific page numbering sections before the data merge. Only after.

Mike Witherell