Data merging forms?

Hi
I'm wanting to send out a whole lot of PDF forms for checking and possible updating. I know how to enter data into a single PDF form from a .txt file, but is there a way of doing this for all the records in the database in one step (as one would do when Data Merging in InDesign)?
The idea is that the clients can check that their information in the database is up to date, and change it if they need to.
And then following on from that, is there a way to automate the emailing stage? I'll have hundreds of forms, each with unique client info, that need to be emailed to the respective clients. If it helps, one of the fields will contain their email address.
Any ideas would be appreciated.

Well, for one - what happens in your Forms 11g version of your form?
954226 wrote:
Hi All,
I am facing some problem in Forms 11g while merging the data into Word file, the data should be merge into word file.
but it's working properly in Forms 10g, now we'r migrating Form 10g to Forms 11g.
I think this is a problem with Web utility, so please Help me to rectify this Issue.
Thanks in Advance.
Your description of the problem ( or rather - lack of description) doesn't help. Are you getting any errors? Have you looked at the Java Console to see what errors (if any) are displayed there? Can you read data from your Word file?
Craig...

Similar Messages

How to create multiple editable PDFs from data merged Indesign file

Hi
This is quite complicated but I'm hoping someone can help me and hoping I can explain it too!
I am working on a project for a client. She wants to send 150 people a 6 page PDF with fields to complete and return to her.
She has an Excel spreadsheet with some of the fields completed already so these will be Data Merged into InDesign CS6.
The short version of the question goes like this:
Can you automate the process so that once all the data is in the InDesign file, it can then create a PDF every 6 pages all in one go?
For those still interested, the long version of the question goes like this:
I have created 3 pages in InDesign with fields to complete and used the 'Data Merge' facility to add the Excel info.
I have created 3 more pages with blank fields to fill in.
Then I have made all fields editable using the 'Buttons and Forms' facility in the Interactive menu.
Then I have created an interactive PDF. Then I have opened that PDF in Adobe Acrobat X Pro and saved it as 'Reader Extended PDF' and 'Enable Additional Features'
I now have an Editable PDF with half the fields filled in and half blank to be filled in and this can be saved and returned.
Now, this would be great if it was only one or two. But I need to create 150 different versions and this is just for the Pilot study. If all goes well, this will go to 5,000 people and I can't be creating 5,000 seperate PDFS!!
At this stage, I am just focussing on the 150. So again, going back to the original question, is there a script that could be written either to break up the 1st PDF every 6 pages into 150 different PDFS? Is there even a way of extending that script to Save as Reader Extended etc? Is there a simple idea that I'm missing? Are there any ways to do this? I can use 'Created Merged Documents' to make 150 x 6 pages in Indesign so can anything be done from there?
Any advice greatly appreciated
Thanks
G

Hi Akash,
1) Pass the three header data in header table. 2) Pass all the item data in item table. here explain where you struck.
Regards,
Madhu.

[CS5.5/6] - XML / Data Merge questions & Best practice.

Fellow Countrymen (and women),
I work as a graphic designer for a large outlet chain retailer which is constantly growing our base of centers. This growth has brought a workload that used to be manageable with but two people to a never ending sprint with five. Much of what we do is print, which is not my forte, but is also generally a disorganized, ad-hoc affair into which I am wading to try to help reduce overall strain.
Upon picking up InDesign I noted the power of the simple Data Merge function and have added it to our repetoire in mass merging data sources. There are some critical failures I see in this as a tool going forward for our purposes, however:
1) Data Merge cannot handle information stored and categorized in a singular column well. As an example we have centers in many cities, and each center has its own list of specific stores. Data merge cannot handle a single column, or even multiple column list of these stores very easily and has forced us into some manual operations to concatenate the data into one cell and then, using delimiter characters, find and replace hard returns to seperate them.
2) Data Merge offers no method of alternate alignment of data, or selection by ranges. That is to say: I cannot tell Data merge to start at Cell1 in one column, and in another column select say... Cell 42 as the starting point.
3) Data merge only accepts data organized in a very specific, and generally inflexible pattern.
These are just a few limitations.
ON TO MY ACTUAL DILEMMA aka Convert to XML or not?
Recently my coworker has suggested we move toward using XML as a repository / delivery system that helps us quickly get data from our SQL database into a usable form in InDesign.
I've watched some tutorials on Lynda.com and havent yet seen a clear answer to a very simple question:
"Can XML help to 'merge' large, dynamic, data sets like a list of 200 stores per center over 40 centers based off of a single template file?"
What I've seen is that I would need to manually duplicate pages, linking the correct XML entry as I go rather than the program generating a set of merged pages like that from Data Merge with very little effort on my part. Perhaps setting up a master page would allow for easy drag and drop fields for my XML data?
I'm not an idiot, I'm simply green with this -- and it's kind of scary because I genuinely want us to proceed forward with the most flexible, reliable, trainable and sustainable solution. A tall order, I know. Correct me if I'm wrong, but XML is that beast, no?
Formatting the XML
Currently I'm afraid our XML feed for our centers isnt formatted correctly with the current format looking as such:
<BRANDS>
     <BRAND>
          • BrandID = xxxx
          [Brand Name]
          [Description]
          [WebMoniker]
          <CATEGORIES>
               <CATEGORY>
                    • xmlns = URL
                    • WebMoniker = category_type
          <STORES>
               <STORE>
                    • StoreID = ID#
                    • CenterID = ID#
I dont think this is currently usable because if I wanted to create a list of stores from a particular center, that information is stored as an attribute of the <Store> tag, buried deep within the data, making it impossible to 'drag-n-drop'.
Not to mention much of the important data is held in attributes rather than text fields which are children of the tag.
Im thinking of proposing the following organizational layout:
<CENTERS>
     <CENTER>
     [Center_name]
     [Center_location]
          <CATEGORIES>
               <CATEGORY>
                    [Category_Type]
                    <BRANDS>
                         <BRAND>
                              [Brand_name]
My thought is that if I have the <CENTER> tag then I can simply drag that into a frame and it will auto populate all of the brands by Category (as organized in the XML) for that center into the frame.
Why is this important?
This is used on multiple documents in different layout styles, and since our store list is ever changes as leases end or begin, over 40 centers this becomes a big hairy monster. We want this to be as automated as possible, but I'd settle for a significant amount of dragging and dropping as long as it is simple and straightforward. I have a high tollerance for druding through code and creating work arounds but my co-workers do not. This needs to be a system that is repeatable and understandable and needs to be able to function whether I'm here or not -- Mainly because I would like to step away from the responsibility of setting it up every time
I'd love to hear your raw, unadulterated thoughts on the subject of Data merge and XML usage to accomplish these sorts of tasks. What are your best practices and how would you / do you accomplish these operations?
Regards-
Robert

From what I've gleaned through watching Lynda tutorials on the subject is that what I'm hoping to do is indeed possible.
Peter, I dont disagree with you that there is a steep learning curve for me as the instigator / designer of this method for our team, but in terms of my teammates and end-users that will be softened considerably. Even so I'm used to steep learning curves and the associated frustrations -- but I cope well with new learning and am self taught in many tools and programs.
Flow based XML structures:
It seems as though as long as the initial page is set up correctly using imported XML, individual data records that cascade in a logical fashion can be flowed automatically into new pages. Basically what you do is to create an XML based layout with the dynamic portion you wish to flow in a single frame, apply paragraph styles to the different tags appropriately and then after deleting unused records, reimport the XML with some specific boxes checked (depending on how you wish to proceed).
From there simply dragging the data root into the frame will cause overset text as it imports all the XML information into the frame. Assuming that everything is cascaded correctly using auto-flow will cause new pages to be automatically generated with the tags correctly placed in a similar fashion to datamerge -- but far more powerful and flexible.
The issue then again comes down to data organization in the XML file. In order to use this method the data must be organized in the same order in which it will be displayed. For example if I had a Lastname field, and a Firstname field in that order, I could not call the Firstname first without faulting the document using the flow method. I could, however, still drag and drop content from each tag into the frame and it would populate correctly regardless of the order of appearance in the XML.
Honestly either method would be fantastic for our current set of projects, however the flow method may be particularly useful in jobs that would require more than 40 spreads or simple layouts with huge amounts of data to be merged.

Multiple indesign files for product brochure one data merge file

I have multiple indesign files for product brochure and there are price changes for various products.
attached is a screen shot of the folder where all the indesign files are located as you can see each one has been laid out as a spread.
Rather than opening each individual indesign file to amend prices can i quickly? or is there a way of compliling all documents into one file and quickly updating the price with the data merge file.
thanks in advance.

Absolutely not.
(1)     PDF/VT-1 files must also be PDF/X-4 files. The “create PDF via distillation of PostScript” method precludes this since PostScript supports neither live transparency nor color management.
(2)     The efficiencies of PDF/VT-1 require use of Forms XOjects and Image XObjects in the PDF file. That requires direct PDF creation that you get from PDF export. This is not available via any route that uses stink'in PostScript as an intermediary.
(3)     Adobe most strongly endorses PDF creation from InDesign via the export function, not printing to PostScript and distilling. Such PostScript is optimized strictly for printing and not for PDF file creation.
          - Dov

Data Merge questions

We are using MS Mail Merge to populate existing forms. We have 250+ different MS Word .docx forms that have different information in different places. We are serving the mail merge data from a database throught a VB.Net program and it's working well. As most probably know, the process is to map mail merge fields onto the form using Word and then populate them through the application based on the form and information the end user needs.
We want to do the same thing with PDF documents. I've been poking around this site and the internet and am confused about what is available to do this. Data Merge seems to kind of do the same thing, but through files instead of a database. I see some functions in this and other Adobe SDK's, but I'm not clear on which would be the one I'd need. And it would need to be programmable with VB.net.
Or do I need an aftermarket SDK to do this (hope it's okay to ask that question here)?

You might want to look into some of the third party catalogue plugins for ID.

Data Merge - Multiple Records on 1 Page

Ok, I've searched the forum for this question. There are still similar answers, but my issue is unique.
I am trying to make an invoice that shows how many services they bought, how much those services cost and how much they owe.
I exported a CSV file of 1,500 customers from a separate program.
The issue is that the .CSV file sorts each service on a different row.
E.G.
          A                   B                    C               D          E          F
1   Service 1     John Smith     12345 street     city     state     $100.00
2   Service 2     John Smith     12345 street     city     state     $25.00
3   Service 3     John Smith     12345 street     city     state     $50.00
4   Service 4     John Smith     12345 street     city     state     $75.00
5   Service 1     Jack Brown     12345 street     city     state     $100.00
6   Service 2     Jack Brown     12345 street     city     state     $25.00
7   Service 1     Mary Johnson 12345 street     city     state     $50.00
8   Service 1     Nick Stewart    12345 street     city     state     $75.00
(colors just indicate different clients)
Rows 1 - 4 needs to be on one page, 5 - 6 on the next page and so forth. Is there a way to filter it so similar files get sorted onto the same page? All rows with "John Smith" would be filtered in sequence onto the same page. Does anyone know how to do this?

CarrionMisery wrote:
Ok, I've searched the forum for this question. There are still similar answers, but my issue is unique.
I am trying to make an invoice that shows how many services they bought, how much those services cost and how much they owe.
I exported a CSV file of 1,500 customers from a separate program.
The issue is that the .CSV file sorts each service on a different row.
E.G.
          A                   B                    C               D          E          F
1   Service 1     John Smith     12345 street     city     state     $100.00
2   Service 2     John Smith     12345 street     city     state     $25.00
3   Service 3     John Smith     12345 street     city     state     $50.00
4   Service 4     John Smith     12345 street     city     state     $75.00
5   Service 1     Jack Brown     12345 street     city     state     $100.00
6   Service 2     Jack Brown     12345 street     city     state     $25.00
7   Service 1     Mary Johnson 12345 street     city     state     $50.00
8   Service 1     Nick Stewart    12345 street     city     state     $75.00
(colors just indicate different clients)
Rows 1 - 4 needs to be on one page, 5 - 6 on the next page and so forth. Is there a way to filter it so similar files get sorted onto the same page? All rows with "John Smith" would be filtered in sequence onto the same page. Does anyone know how to do this?
As Peter S. notes, your database program needs to output the data differently. It's possible that InDesign's Data Merge isn't the best approach for the best control over the final form of this material.
For example, you may find that you need a total of all invoices for that customer at that address in that time period, so you'd have to reprogram the database output for that result. Perhaps you'd need more detail about the individual items and sub-items on each invoice, so again, reprogram. And, you may find that you want more control over the typographic appearance of the information on the page. Back to the drawing board again!
Exporting from the database to InDesign Tagged Text is an alternate approach that may be useful, and exporting to XML is another. James Maivald's book on XML for InDesign Users has good examples. I'm not aware of any specific material on tagged text, but InDesign's Help should have some information that could get you started. Google searches for InDesign XML database output, and InDesign tagged text database output, are two useful search phrases.
HTH
Regards,
Peter
Peter Gold
KnowHow ProServices

Speeding up Data Merge

My company has really embraced the variable data craze, with one problem. It takes far too long. I've been primarily using InDesign's Data Merge function, but I routinely get system lockups and InD crashes even when merged the simplest of documents. I often find myself having to split the file into several small (less than 1000, or sometimes, less than 500) pieces in order to get the merge to complete. This is a huge ordeal when dealing with lists over 10,000.
These haven't been very complex documents, for the most part; usually some text and a graphic or two, like a signature or a PDF form.
However, we've done one very complex merge, a very nice peice with lots of color, and it took - and this is no exaggeration - over 30 hours to complete the PDF export.
There's got to be a better way, doesn't there? Will throwing RAM and/or new processors at the problem help much? I'm running CS3 on a G5 with 1GB RAM (yeah, I know, but I don't control the purse strings).

I've found a neat method to avoid this kind of InDesign bulkiness. Basically, you can use the Watermark feature of Acrobat 8 to take a PDF of only the variable data, on otherwise blank pages, and add the PDF of the static text as a watermark background on every page.
You can even nudge the watermark image around until the variable and static areas match up precisely, then apply it to all pages (or a subset, or odd/even pages only, etc.)
I use InDesign's Data Merge and Text Variables for some complex labels that are driven by a spreadsheet, and it's been sometimes unreliable. The Acrobat watermark feature can go a long way to making it more reliable I think.
Darryl

IDCS6/IDCC MACOSX 10.6 and up: Inability to create tagged PDF during "Export PDF" in Data Merge

I have a rather odd question concerning an obscure feature of InDesign but have to ask it concerning a somewhat over-engineered solution to an ongoing problem. I will try to give an abridged version but forgive me if I ramble...
I have a solution that splits a large PDF based on bookmarks in the document. The InDesign file doesn't use bookmarks itself; but has paragraph styles that have been tagged using the expert tagging feature of the paragraph style. Once in Acrobat, I am able to make new bookmarks from structure and voila... bookmarks that were based on tags.
For this solution to work, a checkbox in the General window of the export PDF dialog box called "Create Tagged PDF" needs to be checked
This checkbox is normally available when exporting PDFs from InDesign. However, when attempting to export PDF from the Data Merge panel, the dialog changes.
The parts highlighted in green I expect to change; but the red change is unexpected and for my purposes, fouls up what I'm trying to do.
I should stress that if the data merge file is merged to one large new InDesign file, then this problem doesn't happen. However, the amount of data that I'm dealing with (tens of thousands of records) would take too much time and be double-handling.
Is this greying out of the checkbox a glitch; is it intentional; or am I missing something?
Concerning alternative ways of making bookmarks from a data merged PDF:
I have tried using manual bookmarks applied to form fields and only the actual words that were made as a bookmark appear in the PDF;
Merging to a new InDesign file is not an option given the record lengths that I work with (from 10,000 - 100,000)
Acrobat does have a way of automatically tagging an untagged document; however the results have been less than desirable so far.
There are a few third party applications for Acrobat that allow dynamic bookmarks based on type in certain positions, but many of these applications are Windows based. Mac compatible PDF-SAM looks promising but have had no testimonials on whether or not tasks like mine are possible.
Colin

Can also confirm that too Uwe. I thought those particular issues may just have to do with using the default [High Quality Print] setting... but no, Create Acrobat Layers and Include Hyperlinks can't be done regardless of how sophisticated the options within the export Adobe PDF dialog box (during data merge) is.
I know this is a user-to-user forum but from time to time I see Dov Isaacs on here and was hoping he may have some insight. Even if the answer still remains that it can't be done, at least I can then consider more alternatives for this uncanny and frustrating procedure.
Colin

Dose Indesign CS3's Data Merging List not surpport double byte language?

Please help?
Dose Indesign CS3's Data Merging List not surpport double byte language? But Indesign CS2 works well with Chinese Language!
Thanks
David

I just did a test, in IDCS3 with a mixed English/Traditional Chinese/Simplified Chinese/Korean tab-delimited text file, and after some coaxing, it worked like a charm.
1) I did it with a Unicode-encoded tab-delimited text file. When I went to "Select Data Source," I checked the "import options" box so that I could specify that the text file was Unicode. (What encoding is your data merge source file?)
2) When I hit Preview, I realized that I'd set the generic form letter in a font that had no Korean support, so I had to select an appropriate font with Korean glyphs. (Are you using a font in ID that has Chinese support? I assume so.)
So, yes, Data Merge works with Chinese characters. I didn't test it with csv, but I will if you're stuck using it. If you're starting with an Excel file, it's not hard to get it to spit out a tab-delimited Unicode text file.

Using Data Merge to Create a 508 Compliant Document

I've been tasked to create a 508 compliant document from an existing InDesign document. This is a document that uses Data Merge to fill in a form along with 2-3 photos, and a location map. Each photo and the map need to have Alt Text descriptions. I know how to apply Alt Text in the structure panel. I would like to add Alt Text to these graphics in the document I am using to create the merged document. When I do so then create the data merged document it drops all of the Alt Text. Does anyone know a remedy for this problem?
I appreciate any input. Thank you.
-Ben

Australia doesn't have section 508 so I'm not quite sure what is required by law... but if it's a line of type such as a description, should be do-able.
Two ways:
1) If the images have a description or a title in the IPTC metadata, the data merge frame containing the image could simply have a caption containing either the description or title on another layer (that is possible from captions) and then that layer is toggled on/off depending on what output is required
2) Much the same as above, but instead of using the IPTC metadata, this uses an additional field in the datamerge database. A textbox is put above the image (again, in another layer) and that textbox contains the description from the datamerge database. Just as in the previous solution, the layer is toggled on/off depending on what output is required.
Or am I barking up the wrong tree and need a layman's definition of what section 508 requires?
Colly

Data merge?

I've been trying to find information on what I need and I can't find the answer. So I'm here hoping someone has done this before. It seems easy enough but I cannot for the life of me figure it out.
Okay so what's going on is my boss is creating an excel document with information that he wants in a good design. I went to InDesign to create a document that looks good but I'm having trouble with the data merge to input the information correctly. There are multiple columns and multiple rows that need to be put into one page. For instance (in the spread sheet) you have column A, B and C and column B has rows 1, 2 and 3. Rows 1, 2 and 3 are all different. I need all that information to be on one page. The data merge wants to do multiple pages per row.
Essentially i'm asking can I take a spreadsheet and input all the data from the rows and columns into one page.
Any advise or direction would be appreciated. Thanks.

This isn't the design but my working document trying to get what I'm looking for and hope it can illustrate what I mean. So my boss will use the spreadsheet above (it has special formulas to calculate various things). You can see how column A of the spreadsheet has only one row and for the document will only have one field. But column B has 5 rows of different information and you see the document itself requires all that information as well. (I was messing around with the import form data in a .pdf and that has not produced workable results, but that is why the fields are interactive objects currently)
Is this feasible? Is this something ID can do? My real problem is having to simplify this for my boss so all has to do is fill in a spreadsheet as that is his preferred workspace.

Crazy long rip times on Data Merge Documents

Hello Everyone,
I am digital printer and I am running to a strange problem with Data Merge. I am making a post card for a customer that needs addresses added to them. I do these kinds of orders all the time and usually I can just place the post card in Indesign cs6 and use date merge to apply the addresses. Typically this works easily and without any fuss. However I just created a new card in Indesign. Exported it as a pdf and then placed it back in indesign for addressing. Now when I try to print my card it is taking an hour and a half to rip the file on my Fiery Command Work Station. Typically a job like this will rip in no more than a minute or two. Does any one know what might be causing this? I have tried flettening the pdf in photoshop to maybe help simplify the file but no luck. I designed the card in Indesign cs6 on a mac running 10.7.5 and I am using Command Work Station 5.5 on Fiery , printing on a Xerox 700 digital press.

Absolutely not.
(1)     PDF/VT-1 files must also be PDF/X-4 files. The “create PDF via distillation of PostScript” method precludes this since PostScript supports neither live transparency nor color management.
(2)     The efficiencies of PDF/VT-1 require use of Forms XOjects and Image XObjects in the PDF file. That requires direct PDF creation that you get from PDF export. This is not available via any route that uses stink'in PostScript as an intermediary.
(3)     Adobe most strongly endorses PDF creation from InDesign via the export function, not printing to PostScript and distilling. Such PostScript is optimized strictly for printing and not for PDF file creation.
          - Dov

Tables & Data Merge

Does anyone know if the following listing can be done using data merge within tables or do I need a third party plugin?
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.frankjuval.com/clients/tables/DOC004.jpg" /></a>http://www.frankjuval.com/clients/tables/DOC004.jpg
<br />
<br />I've done both tables and data merge before but never in this scope.

It sounds like you have binding issues with your table. Can you send the form and instructions on how to recreate the problem to [email protected] and I will have a look when I get a chance.
Paul

Data merge into a PDF

Can you have a data merge that will allow 1 designed PDF to be automatically updated with names addresses and signatures?
The name and address is a .csv file and the signature is a .jpg
Any help would be great

will this work if the PDF pages are already created?
we are going to be provided about 300 already made PDF pages in which I need to do something like , put JSP or Java tags in a form field that will fill the form field with data that the tag queries for....

Applying Bolds and Italics while doing a Find/Replace on Data Merged content

Hi,
Wonder if you kind knowledgeable folks can help me with a Find/Replace question.
I am doing a data merge of a book contents into indesign, where my data merge file is a straightforward text csv file which is tab delimited. I have two (almost similar) things I would like to do to specific parts of the text but don't know how to achieve this.
- Firstly, I would like to preserve words/sentences with an 'italic' form but this is obviously lost in a csv file. Is there anyway I can mark these words in order that a find/replace can make this word italics. Im hoping there is a solution which resembles something like this;
eg. Book content is "The Word Italic needs to be adjusted".
Original content is amended to be "The Word $Italic$ needs to be adjusted", so that a dollar sign encapsulates the word to be made Italic.
Then I am able to data merge the csv file and somehow do a find/replace of words/sentences which are encapsulated by the dollar sign. Thus, doing a find/replace of all words/sentences which satisfy this condition and then apply italics to all words between the dollar signs.
- My other issue is I am using the '|' character in my text to determine the paragraph seperators. I then do a find/replace after importing the text to replace all instances of '|' to the paragraph seperator (a kind of $ symbol, a representative character from the pop-up menu to the right of the Change To box). This works fine, but I'd like to make the paragraph seperator to be a BOLD format so that it can distinguish better the seperating sections of text.
But this is different from my 'italics' issue above since I am trying to apply a BOLD format to the 'Change to' character, rather than something which exists in my original csv.
Hope I make sense but I'd be happy to provide screenshots etc (when I get home )
Best Rgds
L

two solutions.
for the italic solution, i'd say the OP answered his own question with one exception - don't use dollar symbols, instead use = or another character which isn't reserved by GREP.
the solution i would use for italics would be a GREP search once the merge is complete. have a look at the picture to see what i've done.
the second solution: GREP styles.
this assumes that the text will have a paragraph style assigned to it. make a character style called BOLD and within that style, the only thing to change is within basic character formats, make the font style bold. could even make the character another colour such as cyan so it is more easily idenfiable.
next, go to the paragraph style options, go to GREP styles and match the following screengrab
the advantage with a GREP style is that once the pipe symbol (|) is replaced, its bold GREP style character formatting is lost; and it means less post processing and no need for a second search of the text - it's all live.

Data merging forms?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for