Automatically Creating Personalized PDF Files With Data From a Spreadsheet

Are you creating PDF files with personalized information from a spreadsheet or database? For example, PDFs with a different name and picture for each student in a yearbook? More generally, are you interested in Variable Data Printing (VDP)?

Enfocus Switch can automate VDP for you. It makes it easy to automatically create PDF files with personalized information!

Enfocus Switch is compatible with Mac and Windows, and with its user-friendly “workflow” builder, it will take you less than 30 minutes to create the following automation flow, giving you extra time to focus on new prospects and other work.

What you need

• A database or spreadsheet file
• HP SmartStream Designer
• An InDesign Template folder
• An Enfocus Switch workflow

If you don’t have HP SmartStream Designer or a database or spreadsheet file then please contact us as there might be an other way to create your personalized PDF files.

Database or spreadsheet file

This is the file that will contain the details per job.  It can be .csv or .excel or it can be a database. In this example, we use a CSV file.

We need the name, the logo and the picture to be different per PDF file, and we have all of the info we need in the following columns and rows.

HP SmartStream Designer

With HP SmartStream Designer Suite Software, you can create design templates and enjoy the power of variable data printing. Please find full information here.

An Adobe InDesign Template folder

Make sure that all your Adobe InDesign packages are located in this folder. It is also important that the name of the InDesign file and package folder matches the name of the CSV file.

For example: the input file is called 123.csv, the InDesign package is called 123, and your InDesign file is called 123.indd

Enfocus Switch workflow

This is a simple example: a CSV file is the input and the person responsible receives an email as soon as the PDF is ready.

Configuring HP SmartStream Design VDP Configurator

Setting the Output Format and setting the Template folder, this is the folder that contains your InDesign packages.

One you’ve set those Properties, place the InDesign template packages in the correct folder and drop your CSV files into the input folder. Then sit back and enjoy instant, automated VDP through the power of Enfocus Switch and HP SmartStream Designer!

Solution Benefits?

Saving time! There’s no longer any need for you to open InDesign manually and work through the HP SmartStream Designer options in the menus. While the PDF files are being created, you have time to focus on the next task on your list!

Please contact us today if you are interested in seeing a demo of this workflow or if you would like to see other functionality from Enfocus Switch.