Data Merge to Separate Multipage PDFs

[Drew_Keefer]

I'm using data merge in InDesign (Version 15.0) on a file with two pages in the InDesign file, and I'm changing text on both pages. Is there a way to export the merged documents to separate PDFs, both consisting of two pages? Right now in the "Export to Adobe PDF" panel, I'm selecting "Create Separate PDF Files." This ends up creating a separate PDF file for each page, giving me a folder like the following:

- Merged_01    |   (Page 1, first row of data)

- Merged_01(1)    |    (Page 1, second row of data)

- Merged_02     |    (Page 2, first row of data)

- Merged_02(1)    |    (Page 2, second row of data)

Is there anyway to get something like this as an output:

- Merged_01    |    (Page 1 & 2, first row of data, a multipage PDF)

- Merged_02    |    (Page 1 & 2, second row of data, a multipage PDF)

[patMorita]

You cannot handle that directly with Indesigns data merge afaik. You can either use custom scripts to do the export part or external software. We use MyDataMerge for Mac where you can also add custom filenames from database.

[Laubender]

Hi Drew,

could be done. Below is the workflow. If needed we can discuss details later:

[1] Do your merge to one big document.

[2] Create a table of contents on contents that is on every odd page only.

You already may have contents from the merge that would fit in this category.

The formatting of the TOC could be "invisible", no fill for the text for example.

Or the frame of the TOC could only touch the first page of your document.

[3] Export the whole document to PDF with the option enabled that bookmarks are created out of the TOC.

[4] Split your document in Acrobat Pro to chunks using the bookmarks as dividers. The naming could be done in the split options. A base name like "Merged_" plus a counting number with one or two leading zeros.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Laubender]

Of course you can also work without any bookmarks and split the PDF in chunks of two pages using Acrobat Pro.

View > Tools > Organize Pages

Click Option Split to get some new tools.

Configure Output Options. You can define a target folder.

If the original name of the PDF is "Merged" you are nearly good to go, just add an underline to this base name.

The next thing you will do is:

Split by [ Number of pages ] [ 2 ] Pages

Then press button Split. That's it.

A success message will tell the result. In my case I had a 12 pages PDF file that was split to 6 files:

If you then feel the need to convert the results to PDF/X do so using Acrobat's Preflight profile actions.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

[Miko VIcin]

I don't know who you are. But thank you so much. God bless you. I love you