Supported Data Sources for CorelDRAW Print Merge

CorelDRAW's Print Merge utility enables users to generate personalized documents, certificates, labels, and marketing materials by combining static artwork with dynamic information. This article details the supported external file formats and data connection types that integrate with CorelDRAW's Print Merge tool, including delimited text files, ODBC-compliant databases, spreadsheets, and native manual entries.

Comma-Separated Values (CSV) Files

CSV files are the most common and reliable data source for CorelDRAW print merges. In a standard CSV file, values are separated by commas, and the first row typically defines the field names (such as "FirstName", "LastName", or "Address"). CorelDRAW parses these files rapidly, making CSV the ideal format for high-volume jobs like sequential numbering, badge printing, and serialized labeling.

Delimited Text Files (TXT and RTF)

Plain text files formatted with specific delimiters can be directly imported into the Print Merge wizard:

  • Tab-Delimited Text (.txt): Fields are separated by horizontal tabs instead of commas. This is useful when the text contains commas within the data fields (such as addresses or monetary values) to prevent parsing errors.
  • Rich Text Format (.rtf): CorelDRAW accepts RTF files formatted with delimiters, allowing basic text formatting to be recognized during the import process.

ODBC Data Sources

For enterprise or complex data workflows, CorelDRAW connects to external databases using Microsoft Open Database Connectivity (ODBC). By selecting an ODBC data source, you can connect directly to:

  • Microsoft Excel Workbooks (.xlsx, .xls): While Excel files are often converted to CSV for simplicity, configuring an Excel sheet as an ODBC source allows direct linking without pre-exporting.
  • Microsoft Access Databases (.mdb, .accdb): Enables the import of structured tables and queries directly into print merge layouts.
  • SQL Server and Oracle Databases: Users can query enterprise network databases to import customer lists, inventory catalogs, or dynamic production records.

Manually Created Data (CorelDRAW Data Source)

If an external file is unavailable, CorelDRAW allows users to build a data source directly inside the application. The Print Merge wizard provides an interface to define text and numeric fields, input data row by row, and configure automatic numeric sequences. Data created manually can be saved as a CorelDRAW data source file for future use.