Atypical data merge table layout

[Kelebek]

I hope I can explain this clearly.
I want to do a data merge, but my layout wouldn't be symmetrical. So in this diagram each number is the record number, page two would be identical starting with record 57. Placement position is very important as these are for printing and cutting. I assume I can't make each one a seperate table because then it will start at #1 on each table instead of following on from the last. How can I achieve that please?

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Kelebek]

Each record will have 3 fields, none of which follow any logical order. 

Sorry I should have been clearer about that. 

It's to create shade cards. There's currently 1800 records but as I aquire more colours that grows. As the new colours can't just be stuck at the end, but put in between existing records, each time I get new colours I have to write 100s of these things out, hence my appalling handwriting. I need to automate this somehow before I go mad! 

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Kelebek]

1 minute ago, lacerto said:

Do you have an existing Publisher document that shows some of the data and the exact layout?

With a text flow, you could easily create a system where you have a text block including the three data "fields", and the flow from one frame to another that would be controlled by paragraph that forces break to the following frame. That would allow you to place entries in between. The text flow would also allow images when importing from a Word document.

No. The current document I have has no text. It's in both .pdf and .studio format. I print it, then send it to my cutting machine. 

I haven't created my data yet, because I wanted to make sure I could achieve this before I typed out 1800 records. 

In each of the text boxes next to each shade circle will be brand, code and colour. So - 

Polychromos

185

Indigo Blue

For a merge I was simply going to do a 3 column excel sheet A) brand B) code C) colour

[anto]

You can create a similar layout. Does the position of numbers matter on a page?

 

 

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Kelebek]

6 minutes ago, anto said:

You can create a similar layout. Does the position of numbers matter on a page?

 

 

I've done an example but I keep getting a server error when I try to upload it 🤦🏻‍♀️ Pic so that's the 3 data fields. 

[Kelebek]

1 minute ago, lacerto said:

Thanks, I am not familiar with the .studio format and cutting workflows but the currently drawn shades can probably be converted to a bitmap format like .jpg or .png. I assume that that the shades should be part of the merge? If it is just 1,800 or so data records (e.g. in an Excel sheet), that could easily be imported to Word, the table converted to text where each field would be tab separated and each record paragraph separated. Then you would have the paragraph formatted with frame break and convert tabs to line breaks (or however you wish to format the data).

My point is that if you do it with data merge, you need to remerge each time you will have changes. Merged document itself is a pain to edit.

No, the shades need to be done manually after printing, I'd never get them accurate enough on my printer even with my calibration spyder. So the circles are left blank. Example

I've never done what you've explained there, but working it through my head, I think it makes sense. I think I could probably make that work. Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! 

[anto]

You can add so many fields as you want

 

[lacerto]

Obsolete.

[Kelebek]

1 hour ago, lacerto said:

You're welcome. Here is a clip that shows the idea, and an updated Publisher document which has 1,800 records in place for demo and a paragraph style ready for editing.

 

tableflow.afpub

After having flown the data, you could well maintain the database directly in Publisher (add records in between if needed, delete and edit existing cards, etc.)

Wow, above and beyond! Thank you so very much!