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Importing excel into Indesign

Community Beginner ,
Mar 29, 2021 Mar 29, 2021

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Last year, while working on my GASB report I was able to import the fonts and "styles" applied by my accounting department directly into the InDesign file.  This year when importing I am back to all "styles" being eliminated (color changes to gray, and fonts to default.)  I have tried formatted, unformatted, and formated once,  Tabbed will not work. 

 

I updated from Adobe CC 2020 to Adobe CC2021

Running Windows 10 Pro

Files are in Excel 2016 (Standard)

TOPICS
Bug , Import and export , InCopy workflow

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Community Expert ,
Apr 14, 2021 Apr 14, 2021

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Hi Michael,

does it still work with InDesign 2020?

Did something change with the source of the Excel files, maybe after an update of Excel 2016?

 

Can you post a sample Excel file that is not working for you with InDesign 2021?

Put it on Dropbox or a similar service and post the downlaod link.

 

Thanks,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Community Beginner ,
Apr 14, 2021 Apr 14, 2021

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I have attached a portion of the files.  Here along with a PDF version of the file.  I used the "color" to verify that everything was brought in with the correct formats.  When I open the file from 2019 today it works correctly in Indesign 16.1.  However, when I tried to bring in files for the 2020 report the format and colors did not import.  I could not see a difference in the excel file from last year to this year.  

 

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8hv4vykilnscvth/AABZgiMXb-tH3wGsTkpVQzJCa?dl=0

 

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Community Expert ,
Apr 15, 2021 Apr 15, 2021

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Hi Michael,

thank you for the files!

 

I had success to place all the Excel files formatted, that are stored in the 2020 folder.

2020 - e Pension Expenses-Outflows & Inflows.xlsx for example. I loaded your table and cell styles to a new document, selected your custom table style in the Table Style panel before placing, checked the option to see the Import Options and went this way: Formatted Table, Table Style: Your custom table style was auto-selected:

 

ExcelImport-2020-Files-1.PNG

 

Hit OK and the result was this:

ExcelImport-2020-Files-2.PNG

 

Another table, a larger one in file size, required a second step. This was 2020 - b GASB 68 Employer Allocations NO DECIMALS97-2003.xlsx. InDesign suddenly asked me if I want to speed up placing by changing "Formatted Table" to "Unformatted Table":

 

ExcelImport-2020-Files-3.PNG

 

This dialog popped up. Where the default butten is set to "Yes". That means: The table will be placed unformatted!

ExcelImport-2020-Files-4.PNG

 

Maybe you or someone else checked [x] Do not show again and hit the "Yes" button before?

That would mean that tables will be ALWAYS placed unformatted if a certain file size or complexity will provoke the message you disabled with the "Do not show again" checkbox.

 

ExcelImport-2020-Files-5.png

 

 

So this is my assumption what went wrong on your side. If I deny this offer and press "No" the table is placed formatted:

ExcelImport-2020-Files-6.png

 

So how can one bring back this dialog so that there is a chance to say "No"?

Go to your InDesign Preferences > General and press this button that says "Reset All Warning Dialogs":

 

ExcelImport-2020-Files-7.png

 

 

All tests done with my German InDesign 16.1.0.20 on Windows 10.

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Community Beginner ,
Apr 15, 2021 Apr 15, 2021

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Thank you,  this corrected the issue.  I am very grateful for your expertise.  

 

Regards,

Michael 

 

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Community Expert ,
Apr 15, 2021 Apr 15, 2021

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Pure speculation:

Could also be, that with InDesign 2021 this intermitting dialog with answer "Yes" is the default. Also for smaller Excel files where the dialog is not exposed. And you have to come accross a more complex Excel file to have a chance to switch to button "No".

I first had issues to place the Excel files from the 2020 folder formatted as well.

But after some tries it finally worked.

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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Community Expert ,
Apr 15, 2021 Apr 15, 2021

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Hi Michael,

you should do a feature request, that the default button of that message is set to "No".

 

This dialog and its wording, the default button that is set to "Yes", which in fact means a negation of a decision you made in the Import Options before, in combination with this checkbox [ ] Do not show again is a very, very bad UI design decision. In fact a UX accident. Feels like a trap. Hm. Or could that be a bug?

 

Voice your concerns at Adobe InDesign UserVoice:

https://indesign.uservoice.com/

 

Regards,
Uwe Laubender

( ACP )

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