Synchronizing with a data source

You can update the text in a document from a data source on either a field by field basis or across a whole document.

• Synchronize Field - Select the field or fields you would like to synchronize by highlighting text containing the data field in your InDesign document. When the text is highlighted, click on DataLinker’s “Synchronize Field” button in the lower left hand corner of the palette. Any changes made in the data source will be automatically updated in your document.
• Synchronize Document - Click on DataLinker’s “Synchronize Document” in the lower left hand corner of the DataLinker palette to have new information from all fields in the data source updated throughout the entire InDesign document.

Note: There are also menu items for Synchronize Field or Synchronize Document in the flyout menu of the DataLinker palette, as well as under the DataLinker menu.

The Importance of the Key Fields for Synchronizing Data

The key field that you define when creating a data source is critically important when synchronizing data. DataLinker looks for that key field in the data source in order to synchronize. If the key field ever changes for a record, DataLinker won’t be able to synchronize any more. This is why it is important to choose a key field whose data will never change in the data source.