Data Mege Multiple Records Question

[stucats]

Short version: I am trying to create a multiple record layout via data merge and have 2 of the records set up in different orientations....is this possible?

Long version: I have to merge 5000 postcards with unique addresses and set them up on 12x18 sheets to print, and in order to fit 6 up, i have to arrange 2 sideways. I'm not sure how to word it properly to find out how to do it, any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[Om Nath Jha]

Hi stucats,

Here's a comprehensive help article for Data merge: Merge data to create form letters, envelopes, or mailing labels in Adobe InDesign

I believe a multiple record data merge should be ideal in this case.

Regards,

Om

[SJRiegel · Accepted solution]

If each card on the page is a unique address, DataMerge will not be able to handle this. DataMerge relies on an absolute uniform grid pattern of the records which it generates from a single instance on the page.

There are InDesign Plugs Ins available for sale that can handle this kind of layout, so if you will be doing this often they might be worth the investment.

--the only workaround I can think of that would allow you to do this with InDesign's built-in Data Merge would be to change your source data so it had five records per row.

[stucats]

Thanks for your help!

[MW Design]

You can do this with a bit of manual labor and using the InlineMerge script and using threaded frames...but I have no idea what your data is like, any design elements, the size of these postcards, etc.

I also assume you are doing the printing yourself? Because if not, I would be wanting just a single page the size of the cards in reader order. I would then impose those on the max size sheet I wanted/needed to use. Waste from max-fitting issues is just part of the job. But I would arrange them as tight as I could.

So here's a couple screen shots from doing the above suggestion: