Data Merge Breaking Rows Into Multiple Records

[paigelaino]

Hello! 

Let me start by saying I use data merge pretty often and I don't have anything weird going on like images, so this is a total mystery to me. I'm not even trying to have multiple records show up on the same page. It's an easy peasy data merge. 

So I have a spreadsheet with 133 columns (woof I know) and only 4 rows. See screen shot. 

I have no trouble importing the document; all the fields show up correctly and I was able to successfully build the (rough version) of the final document I want to merge. See Screenshot. 

The problem happens when I preview the entries. Instead of getting 4, I get 36! All of the data is mismatched and scattered across all these records. I've checked and it's nothing to do with there being blank cells. It's totally arbitrary.

I remember there used to be an option for something like "read rows across" or something to that effect, but I can no longer find that import option. I've tried also importing as a txt file (I'm using csv) and that doesn't help either. Could it be an issue of not having enough data? I'm really getting frustrated here! 

[patMorita]

Try create a new indesign document. Copy all stuff over and re-create the data merge. There's a known bug that might occur here.

[paigelaino]

Thank you for the response! I did this, but I'm having the same issue. When you mean copy, do you mean just copy the text I have already written with the merge fields? That's what I did but I'm just making sure! Any information you could provide about the bug would be super appreciated. Thanks again! 

Just going to include another screen shot to full explicate what I mean by the fields are not aligning correctly. 

 

[Peter Spier]

Try doing the merge without doing a preview.

[Peter Spier]

But start with a new, clean document, not a copy, to be sure you haven't introdcued the bug.

[paigelaino]

Thanks! So can I copy the text over or just have to start from scratch?

[Peter Spier]

My recollection is that once a data merge file has been damaged by the bug that appears when previewing (and I'm going back to CS6, so this bug may be different) you need to recreate the merge template from scratch.

For what it's worth, if you absolutely need to do a preview, it used to be OK to imediatley UNDO after the preview, but most times merging is so quick I don't see a reason to bother with a preview -- just do a  merge and check it.

[paigelaino]

Hi Peter,

Thank you SO MUCH for your continued help. Unfortunately, a new document and just going straight to merge still resulted in 36 very janky merges. Really not sure what to do! 

[Peter Spier]

Are you able to share the data file?

[Peter Spier]

And a copy of the template so we can see waht you are doing, exactly.