The Dynamic Content Panel

The Dynamic Content panel is usually displayed automatically when you launch InDesign, on the right hand side of the application.

If the panel does not appear, you can display it by clicking the Dynamic Content menu, and then selecting Show Window > Dynamic Content.

If you do not have an InDesign document open, or if your document does not contain dynamic content, the Dynamic Content panel shows the following:

Once clicking the icon on the panel, a dialog box opens where you can link your document to a data source file, a counter, a plan, or manually define objects (content objects, variables and input data fields).

After the document is linked to data, content objects are automatically created from the linked data fields and displayed in the Dynamic Content panel.

The data column shows the content object value after a rule has been applied, if a rule exists. (This column can be shown or hidden from the Preferences dialog.)

You can rearrange the order of the content objects, variables and input data fields on the panel by simply dragging and dropping them. Multi-select objects and drag them all at once.

You can also sort the panel items alphabetically by name, type or group. This can be done by right-clicking the panel and selecting Other Actions > Sort by Name, Type or Group, or from the panel's Options menu .

The order will be saved in the plan and in the exported CPKG.

Filter the panel to display the required elements

From this list you can filter the panel to show content objects, variables or input data fields:

Choose the element type

Choose the type of content objects, variables or input data fields that are currently listed in the panel.

By default, all types are listed. To filter the list and focus on a specific type (for example, graphic content objects or string variables), select the relevant type from the list:

Filter by group

Groups help you better organize the elements you are working with. For example, create a group of all content objects that are related to the recipient’s physical location, including street address, zip code, city, state, country. You can filter the panel to display content objects or variables of a specific group, thus filtering out the elements you don’t need to work with.

To assign a content object or variable to a group, simply right-click it on the panel and from the menu select Group, and then point to the required group.

If no groups have yet been created, select New Group and give the group a name. The object will be assigned to the new group. Multi-select content objects or variables to assign them all at once.

Proof settings

Proof settings are used to proof your document.

First, set the dropdown list to a data source, a proof set, content or input data samples, and link to the relevant file. Then use the record selection field to preview the document with actual data, by browsing through the records or by entering the number of a specific record you wish to preview.

Visibility icons

The Dynamic Content panel also includes the following visibility icons:

Set active spread visibility

Opens the Dynamic Visibility dialog, so you can assign a visibility content object to the active spread.
Indicates when the active spread includes visibility content objects.

Set active layer visibility

Opens the Dynamic Visibility dialog, so you can assign a visibility content object to the active layer.

Indicates when the active layer includes visibility content objects. The icon will be the color of the active layer.