Publisher - Data Merge / Spreadsheet Questions - Member Directory

[Slaphappy]

Hello!

I've got a question and I am hoping someone here can help get me started / point me in the right direction - either with an existing resource or some tips on where to start! Using Affinity Publisher on Mac OS (latest version of both Publisher and MacOS).

I am re-designing and updating a member directory for a church - their last one was from 2016, so everything is changing. But I'd like this new one to be something that's relatively easy to maintain, update, and reprint each year going forward. I am assuming the best way to do this would be with Publisher's data merge capabilities and an exerternal spreadsheet they maintain (so I can export as a CSV and merge into the Publisher doc that I'll keep myself).

I've attached an image of the 2 of the 3 types of sections in the directory to give you an idea of what I'm looking to do.

First section: An alphabetized (last name, first) grid layout, with each cell containing a photo, followed by the names of the people in the photo underneath - Parent(s) with last name on one line, with first names of kids below. I am hoping the photo can be brought in with a path to the image in the CSV like possible in InDesign?

Second section: An alphabetized (last name, first) grid layout, with each cell containing the names of the family members, their email(s), physical address, and phone number(s).This needs to start on a new page, regardless of where the first section ends. And it will be separated alphabetically by each letter of the alphabet, but only if it exists. IE. I don't want a title section for "X" if there are no entries that start with X (See attached image for example from last directory - I'd like each letter to follow the previous one as in the picture).

Third Section: A list of birthdays followed by anniversaries separated by each month. This will start on a new page, regardless of where the first section ends.

I learn quick and I'm technically savvy, I just don't really know where to begin here - I'm reading up on data merge capabilities and watching some videos, but I'm struggling to figure out some of the more complicated things. Is this possible with Publisher? I'm happy to set up the Excel spreadsheets as required to generate the CSV files properly etc.

Thanks in advance,
Mike

Edited February 11 by Slaphappy
including details about version of Publisher I'm using.

[bbrother]

2 hours ago, Slaphappy said:

I am hoping the photo can be brought in with a path to the image in the CSV like possible in InDesign?

Yes. To link images you can provide either absolute path (see example below) or relative to the data source's or saved document's file location.

Examples of absolute paths used in Data merge:

• MacOS: /Users/username/Desktop/ProfilePics/my_picture.jpg
• Windows: C:\Users\username\Desktop\ProfilePics\my_picture.jpg

 

2 hours ago, Slaphappy said:

I just don't really know where to begin here - I'm reading up on data merge capabilities and watching some videos, but I'm struggling to figure out some of the more complicated things. Is this possible with Publisher?

I think with the help of Data Merge Layout tool it's posible.
What more complicated things do you have trouble with?

The official Affinity tutorial on Data Merge and Data Merge Layout Tool will help you better understand this feature (Youtube link bellow)↓

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aU98GmaQsFQ

[anto]

In Publisher, it is very difficult to do this if you have fields of different lengths for different records, or some are missing.

You can do something like this.

The best way to do this is in Word. You can merge the data in Word, and then paste the text document into Publisher and edit it further.

I asked for the function of merging data in a single text frame, but since no one pays attention to wishes, it may or may not be implemented in 20 years. Рublisher doesn't know how to work with these types of catalogs and dictionaries.

So I would do it in Word to save time and then in Publisher.