Numbering in InDesign

[Syphon]

Hey guys! I have a question about numbering carbonless forms in InDesign.

I have a form set up in InDesign and it needs to start at 00750.
Usually I use the auto page numbering in InDesign by setting the page number at the number the form starts at.
But InDesign page numbering only goes up to 4 digits (0750).

Any suggests on starting the numbering at 00750?
Is there something else like a plugin that will make this possible?

Joe
(not that Joe)

[pspdfppdfxhd]

Setup a .csv file in excel and use the data merge.

[pspdfppdfxhd]

Sorry, the data merge feature in InDesign linked to the excel file.

[AaronH]

Sorry, the data merge feature in InDesign linked to the excel file.

This is how we do it in our shop. We get these fairly regularly.

[scottrsimons]

And if you don't have Excel or can't figure out how to setup numbering, or just want an easy way to create a list, there is a site called 'textmechanic' '.com', that has a very easy way of creating listings. It's called 'Generate List of Numbers', under 'Numeration Tools' - 'Text Tools'. I can do it in Excel, but find this site sooo much quicker. Saves it out as a .txt, which you would be able to use with Indesign no problem.

[Joe]

[attach width=400 align=left]18919[/attach]    Enter a zero for the section prefix and your pages numbers will come out to 5 digits so if you get up above the number 9,999 it rolls to 6 digits like this 09999, 010000, 010001, etc...

So it isn't ideal if your numbers are ever going to exceed 9,999 (which is because InDesign documents are limited to 9,999 pages).

[DigiCorn]

On a Mac, you can use Numbers in place of Excel.

Set cell A1 to be "A"
Set cell A2 to be 00750 (go to the format tab, click on "Cell", go to Edit Custom format and set parameters)
Set cell A3 to be =sum$A2+1
highlight cell A3 and grab the yellow dot with your mouse and drag
export file as .csv
link to .csv in mail merge in InDesign

see screenshots

IF YOU'RE DOING MULTIPLE UPS (2-up, 3 up, etc.) THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE AS MANY COLUMNS TO SPLIT THE LIST FOR AS MANY UPS. (A, B, C for 3 columns, and column A might be 1-250, column b 251-500 and column C might be 501-750 for cut and stack).

[Syphon]

WOW!
Thanks guys for all the great ideas!

-Joe

[Skryber]

Joe's way is the best way, but you can also add a "0" before where you insert the page # with same font properties.

[StudioMonkey]

Most of the numbering jobs we do are DL tickets with a tear off stub, so each ticket has 2 numbers and they go 6 up on SRA3. 

I have tried to make this work in InDesign any number of ways and here's the problem;  to avoid collating individual tickets, sheet 1 has 001 top left, sheet 2 has 002 top left and so on.  This means you just have to restack the blocks of sheets as you cut them and all your tickets are in order.

If you have 100 tickets to do that's 17 pages, so the second ticket on the sheet is 0018 (the rest follow on as you would expect).  If you are doing 250 tickets the second ticket on the sheet is 0043.  So the numbers on each sheet change depending on the total number of tickets required.

I started to do a template for 100 tickets, then one for 250, but we get orders for 130, 300, any kind of number and each one would need a new template.

Even linking from different excel sheets won't work because you need to link to different boxes on the sheet depending on the total number of tickets required, so again you have a different template for each total number required.

Quite quickly I realised the folly of this approach and we now use a numbering program which takes your PDF artwork, steps it up and places the numbers correctly depending on the total required.  Much easier.

[DPSprint]

Have done this both ways above... we often have numbered work either variable data or NCR numbering.

Now that i have an imposition software that copes better with it, (i.e. imposition studio rather than preps 7 standalone) i set up the variable data using design merge in Indesign and openoffice... which is free of course (for the data file), create a merged pdf and impose that (cut and stack usually)
Simple...

Much better than Imposing and then numbering, which tires my brain trying to work it out!

[EyeTech]

There's a free script called Indy Number Generator that should perform that function...

http://www.indystimer.com/www/generator/

[MM]

Easy quick way:

Set up master page with page number (where you want your ticket number). Then lets say you want 500 tickets... just add 500 pages. Then print... Easy.

You can even set different wording before and after and how the numbers are displayed

[wonderings]

I setup my job in Indesign, then bring it into my imposition program, set it how I want for print. Then I use an easy and cheap (used to be free) program called Easy Numbering http://projects.gerryscuppatea.org/EasyNumbering/index.html

Do all my numbering with this software based on my imposition. Works great and relatively simple to use. Trying to do an imposed numbering job in Indesign just sounds like a headache.

Never thought about the method above, using a csv file. That would work if you have an imposition program as well. Number the job 1 up in Indesign, then export as a PDF and impose.