Place multiple columns (from a word doc) in a document?

Question

Hello,
I am trying to place a word document with three columns of text in an indesign document. I tried changing the settings to "three columns" but that didn't help, the document shows up as one long column that of course runs off the bottom of the page.
What setting am I missing?
Cheers,
James

Answer 1

Placing heavily formatted Word docs is always an issue. InDesign treats the text as a continuous string.
>the document shows up as one long column that of course runs off the bottom of the page.
Could you explain this a little more? Are you saying that InDesign is creating a frame that runs off the page, or that you get a single column with only some of the text and a red plus sign in the out port?
I suspect the latter. There are a number of ways to place text, and options for how to do columns, too. If you've set up the document with three column guides you can flow continuous text into three frames inside the columns. Hold the shift key while you click the loaded place cursor to autoflow all of the text from column to column, adding pages until all of the text is on a page.
If you selected use master text frame when you set up the document, or put frames on the page before issuing the place command, you'll see the loaded cursor change from a square corner to parentheses when you are over the frame and the text will flow into that frame, filling from the top. If there is no existing frame, InDesign will create one on the fly that fits the guide width and runs to the bottom margin guide, but the top of the frame will be where you click. Subsequent frames when you use autoflow will start at the top margin.
As Scott said, you can also set a text frame to hold multiple columns, if you prefer. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. Balancing columns is easier when they are in a single frame because you can adjust the frame size to affect all the columns at once.
Peter