Data merging overview

Data Merge in Adobe InDesign combines a document with a data file (CSV or TXT) to create many personalized versions of the same layout. This method supports content such as letters, envelopes, or labels that share the same design but use different text or images. Data merge, also known as mail merge, is a common term.

How data merge works

Data merge separates your content from your layout, allowing you to work more efficiently and resolve issues as they arise:

• Data source: The file that contains all variable information arranged in rows and columns. Each column represents a field, such as a company name or product price, and each row represents a complete record. InDesign supports comma-delimited (CSV), tab-delimited (TXT), or semicolon-delimited files, which are spreadsheet files saved as plain text. The first row must contain the field names used in the layout.
• Target document: An InDesign file that includes data-field placeholders along with boilerplate content, text, and other elements that remain the same in every merged document.
• Merged document: The final InDesign file that repeats the boilerplate content from the target document for each record in the data source.

Data Merge panel

The Data Merge panel is available from Window > Utilities. It shows the name and type of each data field. If you have placed data fields in your document, the panel also shows the page numbers where those fields appear.