Can I get pages to work with .csv files?

Question

Level 1

8 points

Can I get pages to work with .csv files?

I'm trying to use the pages mail merge feature! I have data in a CSV file and I'm on a mac using Pages.

This is what I've discovered so far;

Pages needs a .Numbers file to pull data from for the mail merge feature. So I take my CSV file, open it with numbers, save it as a .Numbers file and then go back to Pages to use the mail merge feature, but I get an odd error message, so I must not be converting right (or something).

The error reads as follows; "Please select a Numbers document that has one or more named header columns and one or more rows of data." The CSV file has 20 contacts in it, so I'm not sure what it's asking for exactly, because in the .Numbers file I have 20 rows with data.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Or perhaps they could point me to a reference manual of sorts?

Thanks for your time!

S.o.t.S.

iWork Pages-OTHER

Posted on Apr 25, 2011 2:26 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Peggy

Level 8

41,847 points

Apr 25, 2011 2:44 PM in response to nathan222

When you import a .csv file into Numbers there is no designated header row. There may be a row with column titles that you can convert to a header row or create a new header row & type in column titles. In Numbers, select the top row then hover the cursor until you see a tiny down-facing triangle. Click on the triangle & choose convert to header row. To add a header row, use the format bar.

Reply

Answer 2

nathan222 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 25, 2011 2:46 PM in response to Peggy

Thank you so very much!

Reply

Answer 3

nathan222 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 25, 2011 3:01 PM in response to Peggy

Peggy, I figure you've got more important things to do than to take me by the hand through this process, so is there a manual somewhere on this?

I got the mail merge to work, but only with the first row of data.

Reply

Answer 4

Apr 25, 2011 3:25 PM in response to nathan222

Nathan,

We don't mind walking through it with you. It would be great if you could give us a screen shot of Numbers with your merge table and the Sheets pane showing.

Jerry

Reply

Answer 5

nathan222 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 25, 2011 3:37 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

Thanks Jerrold, here's what I have.

This is the Numbers document

This is the Pages sheet

These are the "options" selected for merging and then I click merge...

and then the output of just one.

Reply

Answer 6

Apr 25, 2011 3:48 PM in response to nathan222

Nathan,

In your LInk Inspector, I don't see any merge fields defined.

Jerry

Reply

Answer 7

nathan222 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 25, 2011 3:49 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

Should there be? They appear in the second photo.

Reply

Answer 8

Apr 25, 2011 3:52 PM in response to nathan222

Yes, there should.

They should be defined here:

Merge Field and Target Name should have corresponding entries.

Jerry

Reply

Answer 9

nathan222 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 25, 2011 3:55 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

Alrighty, I do have fields in there now.

Reply

Answer 10

Apr 25, 2011 4:19 PM in response to nathan222

That's better 😉

To diagnose this, try pulling out just the necessary columns and making a new slimmer merge table. It could be that you're overloading something there with all the data extraneous to the merge.

Make your new merge table the first one in the list in the Sheets Page. (Drag it to the top)

Jerry

Reply

Answer 11

nathan222 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 25, 2011 4:54 PM in response to Jerrold Green1

I pulled out all but the columns I'm using (being name, account, address) and I got the same result. I think it has to do with how I start the mail merge?

Edit > Mail Merge > Merge

That's the current path I use to "engage" the merge feature.

Reply

Answer 12

Apr 25, 2011 5:15 PM in response to nathan222

That's the correct way to Merge. Are you sure you are getting only one record merging? Your output document has only 1 page?

Jerry

Reply

Answer 13

nathan222 Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 26, 2011 9:15 AM in response to Jerrold Green1

Ah... Yes, it got all of them. Thank you much!

I'm used to mail merge with open office, where it opens a new sheet for each new letter, rather than adding it all into one sheet. But it's working fine and I didn't know it! Thank you very much for your help!

Reply

Answer 14

Apr 26, 2011 9:48 AM in response to nathan222

You will find a Section Break between merge records.

Jerry

Reply