Merge data

Last updated on Jun 2, 2026

Learn how to merge data to create personalized documents in Adobe InDesign.

With date merge in InDesign, you can easily create lots of personalized documents like letters or labels, just by connecting a spreadsheet to your template. You add placeholders for names, addresses, or images, preview how everything looks, and then let InDesign do the rest. It’s a quick way to transform one design into hundreds of custom versions, all with just a few clicks.

Before you begin

Prepare your data source file in a supported spreadsheet format.
Create column headers in the first row (for example, Company_Name, Address, City, State, Postal_Code).
For image fields, prefix the column name with an @ symbol (for example, @Photo) and enter full file paths to the images.
Save the file in a supported format: comma-delimited (CSV), tab-delimited (TXT), or semicolon-delimited text.

Open or create your target document.

Select Window > Utilities > Data Merge to open the Data Merge panel.

Select Data Source.

Insert text placeholders:

Use the Type tool to select inside a text frame.
Select a field name in the Data Merge panel to insert it at the cursor.
Format the placeholder text using character and paragraph styles. The merged content will inherit this formatting.

Insert image placeholders:

Create a graphics frame using the Rectangle Frame tool.
Drag an image field from the Data Merge panel into the frame.
Add placeholders for each text and image field.

Preview the merged data:

Select Preview in the Data Merge panel to view how records appear.
Use the navigation arrows to move through records.
Adjust text frames, image frames, or layout spacing.
Turn off Preview to return to placeholder view.

Set content placement options:

Select Content Placement Options in the Data Merge panel.
Configure image fitting and enable removal of blank lines for empty fields.
Select OK to save the settings.

Create the merged document:

Select Create Merged Document in the Data Merge panel.
Select All Records or specify a range in the Records tab.
Select Single Record for full-page layouts or Multiple Records for layouts such as labels or cards.
Set margins, spacing, and row or column order if using Multiple Records.
Verify image fitting options in the Options tab and select Remove Blank Lines For Empty Fields if your data includes optional fields.
Select OK to generate the merged document.

Tip

To skip creating an intermediate InDesign file, select Export to PDF from the Data Merge panel menu. This generates a more efficient PDF by reusing static layout elements.

Create print and digital materials with InDesign
Design impactful ads, magazine and book layouts, and more.

Open the app

Data merging overview

Data source files overview

Learn

Learn with step-by-step video tutorials and hands-on guidance right in the app.

Community

Join discussions, find answers, learn from experts, and share your knowledge.

Adobe Home

Access your favorite Creative Cloud apps, services, file management, and more.