CorelDRAW Help | Create a form document

Create a form document

Once your data source is ready, you need to set up the form document. The form document serves as a template for the merged document, and it can include standard drawing elements as well as merge fields (also known as ‘data fields’.) During the merge process, the merge fields are populated with data from the source.

When inserting merge fields, you can choose from several available data types: text, image, and QR code.

Text fields

Text data fields can be inserted within artistic or paragraph text or as standalone objects.

An example of text data fields inserted in paragraph text

A text object can contain one or more text merge fields. You can manipulate a print merge text object like any other text object. For more information about working with text, see Add and manipulate text.

Image fields

To add an image data field, you must select a placeholder graphic. It is a temporary image that will be replaced with actual images during the data merge. It also serves a design purpose by defining a space and location in the drawing where the actual images will be inserted at a later point. When you know the dimensions of the images for the data merge beforehand, you can choose a placeholder image that matches the dimensions of your artwork. If the images for the data merge have different dimensions than the placeholder image, you need to decide how to fit them into the bounding box. CorelDRAW offers several options to control the size of graphics in the merged document. With the Actual size option, the image is not resized and is placed in its original location.

An example of an image that has been inserted at its actual size

The Fit proportionally option resizes the image so that its longest dimension fits inside the bounding box. The image is not distorted, and its aspect ratio is preserved. The entire image is visible, but there may be empty areas in the bounding box.

An example of an image that has been scaled to fit proportionally into the bounding box

The Fill proportionally option resizes the image so that it fills the bounding box without being distorted. The image aspect ratio is preserved. The bounding box is full, but there may be parts of the image that fall outside the bounding box and are not visible.

An example of an image that has been scaled to fill proportionally the bounding box

With the Stretch to fill option, the image is resized and distorted so that it fills the bounding box. The image aspect ratio is not preserved. The bounding box is full, and the whole image is visible.

An example of an image that has been stretched to fill the bounding box

You can manipulate a print merge image object like any other bitmap object; for example, you can crop it, add perspective to it, shape it with an envelope, place it into a PowerClip frame, apply color masks, special effects, and change its color and tone. For more information about using bitmaps in CorelDRAW, see Work with bitmaps. If you choose to insert an image at its actual size, any sizing and scaling adjustments made to the placeholder image will be ignored.

QR code fields

To insert a QR code field, you need to select a QR code type and choose any relevant options. Depending on the QR code type, some fields are mandatory. For example, if you intend to add an SMS QR code field, you need to provide a phone number as a requirement. CorelDRAW offers two options to control the size of QR codes in the merged document. With the Actual size option, the QR code is not resized and is placed at its original size.

An example of a QR code that has been added at its actual size

The Fill proportionally option scales the QR code so that it fills the bounding box without being distorted. The image aspect ratio is preserved.

An example of a QR code that has been fit proportionally

You can manipulate a print merge QR code object like any other QR code object. For example, you can use the Properties docker to customize the pixel fill, the background fill, the pixel outline, as well as the pixel shape and corner roundness. For more information about QR codes, see QR codes. Note that you cannot make sizing and scaling adjustments to a QR code object that is inserted at its actual size.

CorelDRAW lets you set the reference point to use when positioning or scaling images and QR code objects within the bounding box. The reference point, also known as 'anchor point' or 'object origin', can be the center of a print merge object or any of the selection handles on the object’s bounding box. When an object is scaled, it is scaled relative to its origin point.

Examples of different alignment options for QR codes

Examples of different alignment options for images

Edit fields

You can change the column data associated with a merge field; however, it's important to note that the field type cannot be changed. For example, if you select an existing SMS QR code field, you can change it to an Email address field or any other QR code type, but you cannot change the QR code field to an image field. Apart from updating the column data for an image field, you have the option to substitute the placeholder image and modify its position and scaling preferences. In the case of QR codes, you can also alter their type, position, and scaling choices.

Identify, find, and replace data fields

You can easily identify merge fields on the drawing page with the help of blue selection handles. Additional information about merge fields can be found on the Status bar and in the Summary section of the Properties docker. In complex files with numerous objects and data fields, the Find and Replace docker is highly effective for quickly locating merge fields. For more information about finding and replacing objects, see Find and replace objects.

Blue selection handles identify a data field as a print merge object.

To create a form document

1 Open a drawing.

2 Do one of the following:

• To import or create a data source file, click File

Print Merge

Create/load Print Merge.

For information on importing and creating data source files, see Prepare a data source file.

• To modify existing print merge data, click File

Print Merge

Edit Print Merge.

3 After you finish configuring the data for the merge, click Continue.

4 In the Print Merge dialog box, perform a task from the following table.

To insert	Do the following
A text field	Enable the Text option. Choose a column name from the Data source columns list box. Click Insert Field. CorelDRAW places the merge field in a default position. To reposition the merge field, drag it to a new location on the drawing page.
An image field	Enable the Image option. Choose a column name from the Data source columns list box. In the Placeholder image area, do one of the following: • Click Browse . In the Open dialog box, choose the folder where the file is stored, click the file name, and click Open. • Enter a valid path. In the Align and scale area, choose a reference point to use when positioning or scaling the images within the bounding box. Choose one of the following scaling options to specify how to fit the images inside the placeholder container: • Actual size — inserts images at their actual size • Fill proportionally — resizes images so that they fill the bounding box without being distorted • Fit proportionally — resizes images so that their longest dimension fits inside the bounding box • Stretch to fill — resizes and distorts images so that they fill the bounding box Click Insert Field. Do one of the following: • Click the drawing page to maintain the dimensions of the file and position its top-left corner where you click. • Drag on the drawing page to position and resize the file. The import cursor displays the dimensions of the resized file as you drag on the drawing page. Notes: • Only bitmap images are supported. • Resizing and scaling a placeholder image that is inserted at its actual size is not supported.
A QR code field	Enable the QR code option. In the Type area, select a QR code type, and specify the required or optional fields that are relevant for your project. In the Align and scale area, choose a reference point to use when positioning or scaling the QR codes within the bounding box. Choose one of the following scaling options to specify how to fit the QR codes inside the placeholder container: • Actual size — inserts QR codes at their actual size • Fit proportionally — resizes QR codes so that they fill the bounding box without being distorted Click Insert Field. CorelDRAW places the merge field in a default position. To reposition the merge field, drag it to a new location on the drawing page.

5 Click a blank space in the document to deselect the print merge field you just inserted and repeat step 4 to insert additional fields.

To edit a merge field

1 On the drawing page, right-click a merge field, and click Update Field.

2 In the Print Merge dialog box, perform a task from the following table.

To edit	Do the following
A text field	Choose a column name from the Data source columns list box.
An image field	Modify any relevant settings, such as column name, placeholder image, alignment and scale options.
A QR code field	Modify any relevant settings, such as column name, QR code type, alignment and scale options.

3 Click Update Field.

To find and select merge fields

1 Click Edit

Find and Replace.

2 In the Find and Replace docker, choose Find Objects from the list box at the top of the docker.

3 Enable the Properties option.

4 Click Add Query, and then in the Find Objects dialog box, enable the Print Merge Fields check box under Object Types.

5 Enable the Type check box in the right pane of the dialog box, and choose one of the following options:

• Text — to search for text fields

• Image — to search for image fields

• QR code — to search for QR code fields

6 Click OK.

7 In the Find and Replace docker, click any of the following buttons:

• Find Next > or Find Previous < — to scroll through objects that meet the search criteria

• Find All or Find All on Page — to select all objects on the active page that meet the search criteria

• Edit Query — to modify the search criteria