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WendyOkada
WendyOkada
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Adding rows to linked Excel tables in InDesign

Aug 10, 2012 1:57 PM

Hi there, I have figured out how to link Excel documents to tables in InDesign, but is there a way to add additional rows to the tables in InDesign?  If I do that, whenever the Excel link is updated, it deletes the new rows I've added.

 

We have data that goes in the cells below the linked table and it needs to be in the table so that they'll resize automatically when longer or shorter data is pulled in (vs. just being a totally separate text box/table outside of the linked one).

 

Help!

1184 Views   10 Replies   Latest reply: WendyOkada, Aug 10, 2012 3:06 PM
 
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  • Peter Spier
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    1. Peter Spier,
    Aug 10, 2012 2:10 PM   in reply to WendyOkada
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    Have you tried adding blank rows to the table in Excel and using a named range?

     
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  • WendyOkada
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    2. WendyOkada,
    Aug 10, 2012 2:13 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    Hi, yes, I did add blank rows but the difficulty is that for each instance (20+) the cells below vary, and are also "tagged" with variable data tags (so it brings in outside data via an xml feed) so that's only done in InDesign and not in excel... Therein lies my dilemma.  Ideally if I could be "free" about what text, cells, etc. I can put in below the linked cells, that'd be lovely.

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    3. Peter Spier,
    Aug 10, 2012 2:20 PM   in reply to WendyOkada
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    How about nesting two tables into the cells of a two row/one column table in ID?

     
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  • WendyOkada
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    4. WendyOkada,
    Aug 10, 2012 2:28 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    But the links won't work in a table already created in InDesign - they only seem to work when you place the original table link from Excel.  Is there a way to place a linked Excel table INTO a table in InDesign?  I haven't succeeded in that... please advise!  Thanks!!

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    5. Peter Spier,
    Aug 10, 2012 2:33 PM   in reply to WendyOkada
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    I actually almost never work with tables, especially linked ones, so I'm basically spitballing here. Bob is more likely to know if this is doable, and how.

     
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  • WendyOkada
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    6. WendyOkada,
    Aug 10, 2012 2:36 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    Okay, thanks for trying!

     
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  • Bob Levine
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    7. Bob Levine,
    Aug 10, 2012 2:46 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    Can’t say I’ve ever tried placing a table into a table but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work.

     

     

     

    Bob

     
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  • Peter Spier
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    8. Peter Spier,
    Aug 10, 2012 2:55 PM   in reply to Bob Levine
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    I just ried, and it doesn't seem to link....

     
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  • Bob Levine
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    9. Bob Levine,
    Aug 10, 2012 2:58 PM   in reply to Peter Spier
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    What if you placed it, cut it, and then copied it?

     

     

     

    Bob

     
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  • WendyOkada
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    10. WendyOkada,
    Aug 10, 2012 3:06 PM   in reply to Bob Levine
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    I think it loses the linked properties. 

     
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