Learn how to seamlessly format Excel tables and graphs for Adobe InDesign. This section covers essential tips
and techniques to ensure your data visuals look sharp, consistent, and professional within your InDesign layouts.
Formatting Tables
Open Your InDesign Document
Launch Adobe InDesign and open the document where you want to insert the table.
Go to File > Place
Click File in the top menu, then select Place (or press Ctrl+D / Cmd+D).
Select Your Excel File
In the file browser, navigate to your Excel file (.xls or .xlsx), select it, check the box titled "show import options", and click Open.
Choose the Sheet/Table
If the Excel file contains multiple sheets, InDesign will prompt you to choose the sheet and the cell range you want to import. Select the desired content and click OK.
Click to Place or Drag a Frame
Click once on the page to place the table at its original size, or drag a rectangle to define the size of the text frame. Once place you can fit the table to the frame by right clicking on the table at selecting Fitting -> Fit Frame To Content.
Adjust Formatting as Needed
The imported table will appear inside a text frame. Use the Table and Cell formatting options in InDesign to adjust fonts, borders, alignment, and colors.
Update When Needed
To update the table later, you can relink the Excel file via the Links panel. InDesign does not auto-update, so manual relinking is necessary for changes.
Formatting Graphs
Open Your Excel File
Launch Excel and open the file containing the chart or graph you want to use.
Select and Export the Graph as an SVG
Click to select the graph.
Right-click and choose Save as Picture (on Windows) or Export (on Mac).
Choose SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) as the file format.
Save the file to a known location.
Open Your InDesign Document
Launch Adobe InDesign and open the document where you want to insert the graph.
Place the SVG File
Go to File > Place (or press Ctrl+D / Cmd+D).
Navigate to your saved SVG file and click Open.
Click to place it on your page or drag a frame to define its size.
Resize and Position the Graph
Use the Selection Tool (V) to move and scale the SVG. Holding Shift while resizing keeps the proportions intact.
Edit or Style the SVG if Needed
SVG files are vector-based and maintain crisp quality. You can also use Object > Object Layer Options to adjust visibility settings, or use Effects to apply shadows or transparency.
Link and Update
InDesign links the SVG file by default. To update the graph later, re-export the new version from Excel and update the link via the Links panel.
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