InDesign newbie - spreadsheet import

[By4Geoff]

Hello all,

I am a new user of InDesign, though an experienced user with Photoshop, so am familiar with Adobe 'design spaces' and menus.

Like Photoshop, there are so many ways of 'doing things', I am getting confused and not getting the results I was expecting.

My spreadsheet is 1500 rows of 4 columns and I'm looking to import it into InDesign over multiple pages. Ideally, it would be great to import it directly to an InDesign table, but from my readings, I gather that is not possible without scripting?

I have looked at Data Merge and Place, but neither seem to give me what I want.

I am not too concerned about formatting, as I'm happy to do that once I have it in InDesign

My main problems is that I cannot seem to get the spreadhseet to import with InDesign creating the multiple pages it needs to display it.  It just seems to try to dump it all into one text frame!

I do have other formatting problems, but I feel I could surmount these if I could just get the spreadsheet imported properly!

Can anyone give me a step-by-step guide on how to achieve what I want using the best method?

Fingers-crossed!

[BobLevine]

If it’s an Excel file, just use file > place and choose unformatted table. You can then do all the formatting in InDesign if you wish.

If it’s already formatted in Excel, then choose formatted table. Results will vary depending upon the complexity of the spreadsheet.

[By4Geoff]

Hi Bob,

Many thanks for your fast response.

I have tried this before and, while the Excel table imports fine, I can only see the first pageful of rows and InDesign does not create extra pages to continue the display of the rest of the rows.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,

Geoff

[vinny38]

In addition to Bob's answer, you can also want to go Preferences > File Handling > and tick "Create link for imported spreadsheets" (or something like that, i don't have English version)

Then, if you make any change in your original Excel (or other app) file, you can just update the link in Indesign. It's quite handy.

Note that if you chose to import formatted table, all formatting made in INDD will be replaced.

Also you said "My main problems is that I cannot seem to get the spreadhseet to import with InDesign creating the multiple pages it needs to display it. It just seems to try to dump it all into one text frame!"

I suggest you create primarly text frames in a Master page, then check Preferences > Text : turn "Autoreflow" on (end of article). This way, you can import your spreadsheet in a normal page and INDD will create the needed pages for you.

Hope that helps

[By4Geoff]

Hi, that worked!

I'm using InDesign CC (11.4.1.102), so the references weren't exact, but I got the gist!

In my prefences it is: Preferences > Type > Smart Text Reflow (End of Story)

Nevertheless I now have my spreadsheet nicely loaded into InDesign - thank you!

Geoff

[By4Geoff]

Hi,

Further to my previous response, I have now tried this again and I'm getting the same problem - just one page fills with data!

I must be missing something here.  Here's my workflow

New document

select master page (A) - create a text frame

select normal page

edit | preferences | file handling - ensure 'create links when placing text and spreadsheet files' is checked

edit | preferences | type... - ensure 'smart text reflow' is checked with 'add pages to end of story'

file | place... | check 'show import options' | select excel spreadsheet containing data required

import options: ensure all rows are selected, ensure basic unformatted table select

click in text frame on normal page

result: only one page is filled, no other pages are created.

This is so frustrating - what am I doing wrong?

Any help would be appreciated - I'm pulling my hair out here!

[vinny38 · Accepted solution]

.

Do you work with facing pages document?

If so, you must have two master pages A, create two frames, one in each page and thread them

[By4Geoff]

Thank you again! That's it! Linking the frames on the Master page did the trick!