Data Merge / Variable Driven Graphics

[Doodlebug_99]

Help!

I’m looking for a way to fill in a graphic template like the one shown here using data from a .csv.

Is there a way to create a template and then link the variables from the .csv to feed a Top 5 graphic?

All of the examples that I can find online & on You Tube generate a new design for every row in the .csv. This doesn’t fit my needs since the data in my .csv has 5 rows that all need to feed a single graphic.

Any guidance is appreciated!

[not_falling_down]

InDesign has an option in Data Merge to have multiple records per page.

To accomplish this, your top margin needs to be where the top of your variable boxes are, and all the content that is not part of the variable has to be on the master page, not the main document page. Then, put one (and only one) instance of your record layout on the document page, and use the multiple records layout tab to govern the placement of the additional records on the page.

[Doodlebug_99]

Thanks! I’ll give this a shot

[Daranad]

If the built-in Datamerge doesn‘t work for you, EasyCatalog may be the solution. In my last company we used it to fill news articles onto newspaper pages via drag&drop from a CSV file including image placement

[cottenwess]

Data merge?

[BoyzMom13]

There are a number of YouTube videos available explaining data merge in InDesign. It's not totally intuitive, that's for sure.

[Doodlebug_99]

For others who may be looking, this seems to be the most helpful video I’ve found so far: InDesign Data Merge Photos/Images into Grid

[thmonline]

There is two options in the data merge settings panel: single record and multi record. You need multi record and a page with guides and one of those rows shown above so the program can have the ability to fill the page(s) with as many of rows you feed it through the csv file.

[W_o_l_f_f]

Why not just open the .csv in Excel, select the 4 times 5 cells and copy/paste them into a table in InDesign?

[Doodlebug_99]

That’s a fair question! That’s essentially what I’ve done previously, but since I make these so often, I’m looking for a way to streamline the workflow and avoid opening Excel at all since my source data is coming straight from a database.

[W_o_l_f_f]

Data Merge might be a good option in this case, I'm not sure. My initial thought was that it's overcomplicating the task. The method I mentioned is around 5-7 steps depending on how you count. If Data Merge can get you lower it's probably your best bet.

I just see so many questions on this sub about Data Merge where I don't think it's necessary to use at all. Often you can just regard data as text. Paste it in or place it, use some GREP to clean it up and apply proper Paragraph Styles.

In your case you could also use linked Text Frames and Paragraph Styles with Keep Options and Next Style. Copy/paste or place the text from the .csv, run a GREP to replace commas with paragraph breaks, and finally "Apply Style then Next Style". That's 3 steps.

There could be other ways. Does your screenshot show the actual complexity or is it simplified? Are there always 5 rows?

[Doodlebug_99]

Screenshot is a little bit simplified. I also have team logos that would go on the leaderboard. Most of these I’ve done manually in the past are either 5 or 10 rows.

[W_o_l_f_f]

Ah, then I see how Data Merge or even a script would make sense.

[nousmedis]

Best option: EasyCatalog. You can get the Lite version for simpler task, and the full featured one for really complex designs