Trying to create hang tags, 6-up, 8.5 x 11 with vdp

Question

I have bought 6-up hang tags on 8.5 x 11 sheets. I need to have information that is the same on every tag and then I have to have a different number appear on each one consecutively 1-1000. They are for a parking authority to hang in cars. I have an InDesign file created, six up, and have put text boxes where I want the numbers to appear on the master page. Here is where my problem starts. The help instructions are greek to me, because I've never done any kind of data merge before. When I merge them, each page comes out with "page 1" 6 one's, "page 2", 6 two's etc. I need them to be 1-6 on page one, 7-12 on page two.... can anyone help? I've been trying to do this for two days and I can't seem to get it. Thanks!

Answer 1

You have two ways  to go here (well 3, b ut two are almost the same).
The first method doesn't use data merge, but uses the 6-up master you've already got. For that, thread the number text frames, assign a paragraph style that includes "Start in next frame" as part of the style definition (under Keep Options) and just place the text file that is your number list. This presumes each number is a separate paragraph.
The second is to use Data Merge and merge multiple records per page, whcih sounds like what you've been trying. The reason it isn't working is that you have set up multiple instances of the merge data placeholders. To do multiple records, you must have only one set of placeholders. ID will duplicate them as it does the merge according to the spacing parameters you set in the merge options. Understand that ID will duplicate everything, so the spacing is determined by the bounding box that surrounds everything on the template page. This also presumes one number per record
The third method would be to use Data Merge with a text file that contains 6 numbers per record. You can use the master you set up, but this time the frames for the numbers must not be threaded. Drag a field tag for each of the six numbers into one of the frames. Merge as one record per page.
I use the last method to number tickets that I print N-up becasue it allows me to quickly make a number list that has the numbers stacked (i.e 1 is on the first sheet, 2 on the next sheet, etc, until I get to the bottom of the stack, then I start a new sequence through the stack. I use a ream cutter to cut the tickets apart and I don't have to sort them, which saves a lot of time if I need to have them in order. You can do this with a one-number-per-record file, too, but it takes more time to set up the list. I use Excel and let it auto-fill the columns after entering the first three numbers so it sees the pattern, add a row field names above the columns, then save as .csv or tab delimited text.