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Barcodes in Adobe InDesign Data Merge

  • This tutorial shows how to create barcodes in Adobe InDesign using an Excel file as data source.

Step 1. Create barcodes in Excel

  • Click on Addins > Code 128 Options.

  • Select Code 128 ACode 128 B, or Code 128 C. This ensures our barcodes are created with only one font.
  • Do not select Code 128 Auto.

  • Close the window.

  • Open the Excel file with data to convert or enter the values. Our example has the following data:

  • Using your mouse, select the cells to convert to barcodes.
  • Click on Selection To Barcodes.

Step 2. Save the file in CSV UTF-8 (Comma Delimited) format

  • Click on File > Save As
  • For InDesign versions older than 2022 Select CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) and enter the name of the file: Mail Merge Data.csv.
  • For exporting for use in Macintosh or for  InDesign 2022, select "Unicode Text (*.txt)".
  • Close EXCEL. Otherwise, InDesign will not import the file. 

  • Contents of our saved file:

Step 3. Start Data Merge in Adobe InDesign

  • Click Window > Utilities > Data Merge

Step 4. Select Data Source

  • Right-click the panel menu icon and click Select Data Source...

    NOTE! 
    Close EXCEL before importing the file. If the file is open, InDesign won't open it. 

  • Browse for the file we saved in step 2 and click Open.

  • The fields are now shown in the Data Merge panel.

Step 5. Add Data Fields to label

  • Drag the field names onto the label area.

Step 6. Set Barcode Font

  • Select the Barcode field on the label and change its Font Name to BCW_Code128B_2 and Size to 24 pt


Step 7. Create the Merged Document

  • Click on the Create Merged Document button at the bottom of the panel.

  • Select which records to merge and click OK. We are selecting All Records here.

Ready!

  • The Merge is now complete.