InDesign link to database

[s***@adobeforums.com]

I haven't purchased InDesign but am possibly doing so. Can it link to an SQL server, pull and refresh data to a document,putting the data directly into graphs and tables? Can it import Excel/Word tables and keep the properties and formulas?

[R***@adobeforums.com]

direct connection to SQL server - no
you can use XML files generated from SQL database

you can import Excel/Word files - but if you try to refresh these files - you
lose all formatting made in InDesign ...

... but I have commercial tool which update contents of table from Excel without
loosing formatting - and helps with importing data from Excel, too.

robin

[Jens Schulze]

Stephanie, there are various Plugins available, e.g. SmartCatalog from
Woodwing and EasyCatalog from 65bit. The latter is the tool we field
for our catalog production. As far as I know both companies provide
time-limited trial versions, so test which will fit best your needs.

Jens