Variable Data Tips

Personalization Considerations

Database files may be submitted as Excel (Mac or PC) or as a tab delimited text (ASCII) file and a printout of the database file furnished. For a larger database, over 500 records, please furnish at the minimum a print out of the column/field header names and 10 records. One database file should be furnished unless otherwise specified, multiple database files can incur additional charges.

Database fields are limited to one type of information per field and only one line of copy per field (for example, the address should not be stacked; street address with a hard return followed by the city, state zip). The person’s name should be in the name field, address in address field, secondary address (suite number, building name) in secondary address field, city in the city field, state in the state field, zip in zip field, etc. You should not substitute fields, for example, do not put the company name in the address field, the company name should have it’s own field.

If you require a prefix, such as Mr./Mrs./Ms./Miss, that must be supplied as a field or included in the name field. If the first name only will be appearing as a separate item (i.e. Dear John,) there must be a separate field for first name and a separate field for the last name.

When variable pictures are to be used a code field needs to be in the database. For instance, everyone with the number 1 in the code field gets a girl clown picture, everyone with the number 2 gets a boy clown picture. Be aware that existing fields can also be used as a code field. For instance, you are only targeting people in IL and NY (therefore the only states in the state field are IL and NY and no other state is listed in your database) and you want everyone in IL to get a Chicago skyline and everyone in NY to get a New York City skyline, the state field would act as your code field.

We are here to answer any questions or concerns. Please call for our help in preparing your database correctly.