print design - Overlapping text with InDesign's data merge

I'm trying to set up a book of song lyrics with a two-column layout. I'd like to pack as many songs as a page as will fit, so I tried doing a data merge with multiple records per page.

This works great, but wastes space because it forces only one song per column:

Since each song has a different length, I tried making the lyrics section a variable height using Auto-Sizing:

But when I do that, the resulting document overlaps a lot:

Is there a way to use auto-sizing height but have it not overlap?

Answer

Wellp... You can still use Data merge, or at least part of it. The data merge functionality just will not output the text the way you want.

This method is similar to just placing a text document.

What you need to do:

1. 
   

   Install the InlineMerge.jsxbin script

   
   
   
   
   1. Install InlineMerge script by Loïc Aigon. Download link is at the bottom of that article.
   
   
   2. I also put the script at the bottom of this answer.
   
   
   3. In Indesign, open panel Window > Utilities > Scripts....
   
   
   4. Expand folder named: User.
   
   
   5. Right click the User folder and choose Reveal in finder.
   
   
   6. In finder, open Scripts Panel folder and stick the script file there.
   
   
   7. When you return to indesign, you should see the script in the Script panel, inside the User folder.
   
   
   
   
   


2. 
   

   Set up the document:

   
   
   
   
   1. First of all, setup the Indesign Data merge
      
      
      
      • Select the data source
      
      
      • or
      
      
      • Update data source
      
      
      
      
      
   
   
   2. Edit your master page to have actual columns
      
      
      
      • Layout > Margins and columns...
      
      
      • This will help with the text flow later.
      
      
      
      
   
   
   3. Make a text frame that fills one of the columns and fill it with your Data merge placeholders.
   
   
   4. Give the Data merge placeholders appropriate Character styles or Paragraph styles
   
   
   
   5. 
      

      Save the current document, just in case...

      
      
      
      
      • The script works in relatively desructive way, as it makes all the changes to your current document. You can undo it, but it's worth it to save just in case. Especially if it crashes, or you just can't wait for it to finish.
      
      
      
      

      Document should look something like this:

      
      

      

      
      
   
   
   
   

Run the script:

When you're ready to run the script, select the text frame and double click the script in the Scripts panel.

Note that the script may easily choke if you have more than, say... 500 lines of data. If you wait it out, it should pull through eventually.

You'll probably end up with something like this:

The text will obviously overflow your text frame, so click the red + on the bottom right and then Shift+click the column on the right.

Pressing shift will tell Indesign to make as many pages as is required to fit all the text.

Now from this moment on, you can use the Paragraph styles created earlier to style the text and tighten the text flow with the Keep options if necessary.

---

The script: inlineMerge.jsxbin

@JSXBIN@ES@2.0@MyBbyBn0AHJAnASzgbiNjFjSjHjFiJjOjUjPiJjUiQjMjFjBjTjFiDjPjOjUjSjPj
MjMjFjSByBNyBnAMAbyBn0ACJPnASzNjDjPjOjUjSjPjMjMjFjSiBiQiJCFWzGiPjCjKjFjDjUDPzKj
DjMjFjBjSiDjBjDjIjFENyBnAMTbyBn0AEJVnABjzJjTjPjVjSjDjFiEjPjDFfnbfOWbyYn0ABJYnAE
XzFjDjMjPjTjFGfjzHjUjFjNjQiEjPjDHfRBXzCiOiPIfjzLiTjBjWjFiPjQjUjJjPjOjTJfffACzDh
BhdhdKjHfjzJjVjOjEjFjGjJjOjFjELfnnnJganABjHfnbfJgbnABjzTjEjBjUjBjNjFjSjHjFiTjPj
VjSjDjFiGjJjMjFMfnbf0DzANCgczMjDjIjFjDjLiDjPjOjUjFjYjUONyBnAMgebyBn0AEOhAbyhGn0
ABZhGnAFcfAUzCjcjcPUPUPUPCzChdhdQXzGjMjFjOjHjUjIRfXzJjEjPjDjVjNjFjOjUjTSfjzDjBj
QjQTfnndAhzBhBUXzHjJjTiWjBjMjJjEVfXzOjBjDjUjJjWjFiEjPjDjVjNjFjOjUWfjTfnnCzChBhd

XXRfXzJjTjFjMjFjDjUjJjPjOYfjTfnndBnnhUCzKjJjOjTjUjBjOjDjFjPjGZXzBhQgafXYfjTfjzJ
iUjFjYjUiGjSjBjNjFgbfnnnnCZXzGjQjBjSjFjOjUgcfXgafXYfjTfjzJiDjIjBjSjBjDjUjFjSgdf
nnnnnJhJnABjFfXWfjTfnfJhKnABjzLjTjPjVjSjDjFiGjSjBjNjFgefXgafXYfjTfnfZhMnAFct0DN
ChNzVjDjIjFjDjLiEjBjUjBiNjFjSjHjFiDjPjOjUjFjYjUgfNyBnAMhPbyBn0ACbhRn0ACJhRnASzD
jEjPjDhAAXWfjTfnftJhSnASzCjEjNhBBXzTjEjBjUjBiNjFjSjHjFiQjSjPjQjFjSjUjJjFjThCfVh
AfAnftghUbyBn0ACJhWnAEXzQjVjQjEjBjUjFiEjBjUjBiTjPjVjSjDjFhDfVhBfBnfZhXnAFctABnz
BjFhEnbyBn0ABZhanAFcfAChA40BiAhB4B0AiAACANChczOjDjIjFjDjLiTjFjMjFjDjUjJjPjOhFNy
BnAMhebyBn0AGJiAnASzFjNjBjUjDjIhGAAnnftOiCbyiEn0ABZiEnAFcfACQXRfXzKjDjIjBjSjBjD
jUjFjSjThHfjgefnndAnJiHnAEXzNjDjSjFjBjUjFiUjFjNjQiEjPjDhIfezEjUjIjJjThJfnfJiJnA
BXzIjGjJjOjEiXjIjBjUhKfXzTjGjJjOjEiHjSjFjQiQjSjFjGjFjSjFjOjDjFjThLfjTfneLhchcib

icjMicjVidhLhehefJiLnAShGAEXzIjGjJjOjEiHjSjFjQhMfjHfnfnffZiNnAdCQXRfVhGfAnndAFc
fFctABhG40BiAABANCiPzZjDjPjOjGjJjSjNiVjOjDjFjSjUjBjJjOiTjFjMjFjDjUjJjPjOhNNyBnA
MiRbyBn0ABZiTnAEjzHjDjPjOjGjJjSjNhOfRBFeiGiOjPhAjEjBjUjBjNjFjSjHjFhAjTjQjFjDjJj
BjMhAjDjIjBjSjBjDjUjFjSjThAjGjPjVjOjEhONiEjPhAjZjPjVhAjSjFjBjMjMjZhAjXjBjOjUhAj
UjPhAjLjFjFjQhAjPjOhAhfff0DNCiUzSjDjIjFjDjLiEjBjUjBiNjFjSjHjFiGjJjMjFhPNyBnAMiW
byBn0ADJiYnASzDjMjLjThQAEXzLjHjFjUiFjMjFjNjFjOjUjThRfEXzJjFjWjFjSjZiJjUjFjNhSfX
zFjMjJjOjLjThTfjFfnfnfnftliabyidn0ABOidbifn0ADOifbyjCn0ABZjCnAFcfAUPCQXzGjTjUjB
jUjVjThUfVzCjMjLhVfBXzMiMiJiOiLifiNiJiTiTiJiOiHhWfjzKiMjJjOjLiTjUjBjUjVjThXfnnC
QXhUfVhVfBXzRiMiJiOiLifiJiOiBiDiDiFiTiTiJiCiMiFhYfjhXfnnnnnJjEnABjMfEjzEiGjJjMj
FhZfRBXzIjGjJjMjFiQjBjUjIhafVhVfBffnfZjFnAFctACQXzIjMjJjOjLiUjZjQjFhbfVhVfBnneD

iYiNiMnAShVBEXzDjQjPjQhcfVhQfAnfnffZjJnAFcfAChQ40BiAhV4B0AiAACANCjKzTjDjIjPjPjT
jFiEjBjUjBjNjFjSjHjFiGjJjMjFhdNyBnAMjMbyBn0ACJjOnABjMfEXzKjPjQjFjOiEjJjBjMjPjHh
efjhZfRDFeiJiUjIjFhAjTjDjSjJjQjUhAjDjPjVjMjEjOhHjUhAjSjFjBjDjIhAjUjIjFhAjEjBjUj
BjNjFjSjHjFhAjTjPjVjSjDjFhAjGjJjMjFhOhAiQjMjFjBjTjFhAjMjPjDjBjUjFhAjBhAjGjJjMjF
jLfFcfffnfZjPnAdCQjMfnnbFcfFct0DNCjQzWjHjFjUiEjBjUjBjNjFjSjHjFiTjPjVjSjDjFiGjJj
MjFhfNyBnAMjSbyBn0ABZjUnAjMf0DNCjVzJjMjPjBjEiQjSjFjGjTiANyBnAMjXbyBn0AEJjZnABjz
QjJjOjUjFjSjBjDjUjJjPjOiQjSjFjGjTiBfXzUjVjTjFjSiJjOjUjFjSjBjDjUjJjPjOiMjFjWjFjM
iCfXzRjTjDjSjJjQjUiQjSjFjGjFjSjFjOjDjFjTiDfjTfnfJjanABjzLjSjFjEjSjBjXiQjSjFjGjT
iEfXzMjFjOjBjCjMjFiSjFjEjSjBjXiFfXiDfjTfnfJjcnABXiCfXiDfjTfXzOiOiFiWiFiSifiJiOi
UiFiSiBiDiUiGfjzViVjTjFjSiJjOjUjFjSjBjDjUjJjPjOiMjFjWjFjMjTiHfnfJjdnABXiFfXiDfj

Tfncff0DNCjezLjVjOjMjPjBjEiQjSjFjGjTiINyBnAMkAbyBn0ACJkCnABXiCfXiDfjTfjiBfnfJkD
nABXiFfXiDfjTfjiEfnf0DNCkEhINyBnAMkGbyBn0ADJkInABjHfEXzDjBjEjEiJfXSfjTfRBFcfffn
fJkJnABXzLjGjBjDjJjOjHiQjBjHjFjTiKfXzTjEjPjDjVjNjFjOjUiQjSjFjGjFjSjFjOjDjFjTiLf
jHfncffJkLnAEXzJjEjVjQjMjJjDjBjUjFiMfjgefRBXgafXzFjQjBjHjFjTiNfjHfff0DNCkMzOjTj
FjUjVjQiEjBjUjBiNjFjSjHjFiONyBnAMkObyBn0AIJkSnASzGiEiNiPjQjUjTiPAXzQjEjBjUjBiNj
FjSjHjFiPjQjUjJjPjOjTiQfjHfnffJkTnABXzRjDjSjFjBjUjFiOjFjXiEjPjDjVjNjFjOjUiRfViP
fAncffJkUnABXzKjMjJjOjLiJjNjBjHjFjTiSfViPfAnctfJkVnABXzQjSjFjNjPjWjFiCjMjBjOjLi
MjJjOjFjTiTfViPfAnctfJkWnABXzMjEjPjDjVjNjFjOjUiTjJjajFiUfViPfAndKfJkYnABjzHiEiN
iQjSjPjQjTiVfXhCfjHfnfJkZnABXzOjSjFjDjPjSjEjTiQjFjSiQjBjHjFiWfXzUjEjBjUjBiNjFjS
jHjFiQjSjFjGjFjSjFjOjDjFjTiXfjiVfXzNiTiJiOiHiMiFifiSiFiDiPiSiEiYfjzOiSjFjDjPjSj

EjTiQjFjSiQjBjHjFiZfnfJkanABXzPjSjFjDjPjSjEiTjFjMjFjDjUjJjPjOiafXiXfjiVfXzLiBiM
iMifiSiFiDiPiSiEiTibfjzPiSjFjDjPjSjEiTjFjMjFjDjUjJjPjOicfnfABiP40BiAABANCkbzMjN
jFjSjHjFiUjFjNjQiEjPjDidNyBnAMkdbyBn0ACJkfnAEXzQjTjFjMjFjDjUiEjBjUjBiTjPjVjSjDj
FiefjiVfRBjMfffJlBnAEXzMjNjFjSjHjFiSjFjDjPjSjEjTiffjiVfnf0DNClCzKjHjFjUiUjFjNjQ
iEjPjDjANyBnAMlEbyBn0ABZlGnAjHf0DNClHzIjSjVjOiNjFjSjHjFjBNyBnAMlJbyBn0AJJlLnASz
JjMjBjTjUiJjOjEjFjYjCDXRfXSfjTfnftJlNnAEXiOfehJfnfJlPnAEXidfehJfnfJlRnASzIjOjFj
XiJjOjEjFjYjDEXRfXSfjTfnffJlTnASzHjOjFjXiEjPjDjTjEGEXzGjTjQjMjJjDjFjFfEXhRfEXhS
fXSfjTfnfnfRCFdACzBhNjGVjDfEVjCfDnnffnftOlVbylXn0ABZlXnAFcfACQXRfVjEfGnndAnJlan
AEXGfjHfRBXIfjJfffJlcnABXzIjDjPjOjUjFjOjUjTjHfjgefneAfllebmAn0ADJmAnASzDjQjHjTj
IBEXhRfEXhSfXiNfVzIjNjFjSjHjFiEjPjDjJfFnfnfnfflmCbmEn0ADJmEnASzGjUjFjNjQiUiGjKA

XgafXzKjUjFjYjUiGjSjBjNjFjTjLfVzCjQjHjMfCnffJmFnAEXiMfXzLjQjBjSjFjOjUiTjUjPjSjZ
jNfVjKfARCXzFiBiGiUiFiSjOfjzPiMjPjDjBjUjJjPjOiPjQjUjJjPjOjTjPfXgafXzPjJjOjTjFjS
jUjJjPjOiQjPjJjOjUjTjQfjgefffOmHbymJn0ABJmJnABXjHfXgafXjQfjgefVzJjTjFjQjBjSjBjU
jPjSjRfHnfACzBhejSXRfVjIfBnndAnASjMCEXhcfVjIfBnfnffJmMnAEXGfVjJfFRBXIfjJfffASjJ
FEXhcfVjEfGnfnffAIjJ4F0AiAjE4G0AiAjC4D0AiAjR40BhAjK40BiAjI4B0AiAjM4C0AiAjD4E0Ai
ABHANCmOnftZmRnAVCfFAGiV4E0AiAC4F0AiAF40BiAH4B0AiAge4C0AiAM4D0AiAAGANCmSnftJmUn
ABXzLjHjFjUiJjOjTjUjBjOjDjFjTfVBfyBNyBnAMmUbyBn0ACOmWbymYn0ABJmYnABXzIjJjOjTjUj
BjOjDjFjUfjBfEjBfnfnfACzDhdhdhdjVXjUfjBfjLfnnnZmbnAXjUfjBf0DNCmcnfJAnASzViNjFjS
jHjFiJjOjUjPiJjUiQjMjFjBjTjFiWjJjFjXjWyBNyBnAMAbyBn0ARJCnASzBjXjXAEjzGiXjJjOjEj
PjXjYfRCFeGjEjJjBjMjPjHFeQiJjOjMjJjOjFiNjFjSjHjFhAiWhRhOhQftnftJEnABXzFjXjJjEjU

jIjZfXzNjQjSjFjGjFjSjSjFjEiTjJjajFjafVjXfAndmIfJFnABXzNjBjMjJjHjOiDjIjJjMjEjSjF
jOjbfVjXfAneEjGjJjMjMfJHnAEXiJfVjXfARDFeKjTjUjBjUjJjDjUjFjYjUjLfFeYiQjMjFjBjTjF
hAjTjFjUhAjUjIjFhAjTjFjQjBjSjBjUjPjSffJInASzMjTjFjQjBjSjBjUjPjSiDjCjYjcBEXiJfVj
XfARDFeMjEjSjPjQjEjPjXjOjMjJjTjUjLfXzKjTjFjQjBjSjBjUjPjSjTjdfjzZiNjFjSjHjFiJjOj
UjPiJjUiQjMjFjBjTjFiTjFjUjUjJjOjHjTjefffnffJJnABXYfVjcfBndAfJLnASzLjCjVjUjUjPjO
iHjSjPjVjQjfCEXiJfVjXfARBFeFjHjSjPjVjQffnffJMnASzMjDjBjOjDjFjMiCjVjUjUjPjOkADEX
iJfVjffCRDFeGjCjVjUjUjPjOjLfFeGiDjBjOjDjFjMffnffJNnASzLjNjFjSjHjFiCjVjUjUjPjOkB
EEXiJfVjffCRDFeGjCjVjUjUjPjOjLfFeDiSjVjOffnffJPnASzDjTjFjQkCGEXiJfVjXfARBFeFjQj
BjOjFjMffnffJQnABXzGjIjFjJjHjIjUkDfXjafVkCfGndCfJTnASzJjTjJjHjOjBjUjVjSjFkEIEXi
JfVjXfARDFeKjTjUjBjUjJjDjUjFjYjUjLfFeSlJjXjXjXhOjMjPjJjDjBjJjHjPjOhOjDjPjNffnff

JUnABXzJjBjMjJjHjOjNjFjOjUkFfVkEfIneGjDjFjOjUjFjSfJWnABXzHjPjOiDjMjJjDjLkGfVkAf
DNyBnAMWbyBn0ABJYnAEXGfjjXfRBFdAff0DNCZnfJgbnABXkGfVkBfENyBnAMgbbyBn0ABJgdnAEXG
fjjXfRBFdBff0DNCgenfJhAnASzJjXjJjOjEjPjXiBiQiJkHFWDCzEjTjIjPjXkINyBnAMhCbyBn0AB
ZhEnAEXkIfjjXfnf0DNChFzMjHjFjUiTjFjQjBjSjBjUjPjSkJNyBnAMhHbyBn0ABZhJnAXzEjUjFjY
jUkKfXYfjjcf0DNChKnffZhNnAVkHfFAJjX40BiAjc4B0AiAjf4C0AiAkA4D0AiAkB4E0AiAkH4F0Ai
AzCjHjQkL4H0AiAkC4G0AiAkE4I0AiAAJANChPnftJhRnABXjTfVjWfyBNyBnAMhRbyBn0ACOhTbyhV
n0ABJhVnABXjUfjjWfEjjWfnfnfACjVXjUfjjWfjLfnnnZhYnAXjUfjjWf0DNChZnfJAnASjeyBWDDj
dARCFeNiSjFjHjVjMjBjShAiTjQjBjDjFFePiDjBjSjSjJjBjHjFhAiSjFjUjVjSjOfzNiSjFjHjVjM
jBjShAiTjQjBjDjFkMFeBhAzPiDjBjSjSjJjBjHjFhAiSjFjUjVjSjOkNFeBNnftJEnASzRiNjFjSjH
jFiJjOjUjPiJjUiQjMjFjBjTjFkOyBENyBnAMEbyBn0ACJGnASzDjBjQjJkPAWDBzDjSjVjOkQNyBnA

MIbyBn0AEbLn0AEJLnASzKjDjPjOjUjSjPjMjMjFjSkRAEXjTfjBfnfnftJMnASzEjWjJjFjXkSBEXj
TfjjWfnfnftJNnASzFjTjFjUjVjQkTCWDAnftJOnASzPjJjOjJjUjJjBjMiEjPjDiDjPjVjOjUkUDXR
fXSfjTfnftJTnAEXiAfVkRfAnfgVbyBn0AFOYbgan0ADJganAEjzFjBjMjFjSjUkVfRBFeiNiUjIjFh
AjTjDjSjJjQjUhAjDjBjOjOjPjUhAjSjVjOhOhAiQjMjFjBjTjFhAjTjFjMjFjDjUhAjBhAjOjPjOhA
jBjOjDjIjPjSjFjEhAjUjFjYjUhAjGjSjBjNjFhAjBjOjEhAjSjVjOhAjBjHjBjJjOhOffJgbnAEXEf
VkRfAnfZgcnAnACQEXOfVkRfAnfnncfnOhAbhCn0ADJhCnAEjkVfRBFekLiUjIjFhAjEjPjDjVjNjFj
OjUhAjIjBjThAjOjPhAjEjBjUjBhAjNjFjSjHjFhAjTjPjVjSjDjFhAjGjJjMjFhAhAjPjShAjEjBjU
jBhAjNjFjSjHjFhAjQjSjFjWjJjFjXhAjJjThAjPjOhONiQjMjFjBjTjFhAjMjPjBjEhAjBhAjEjBjU
jBhAjNjFjSjHjFhAjTjPjVjSjDjFhAjGjJjMjFhAjPjShAjEjJjTjBjCjMjFhAjQjSjFjWjJjFjXhAj
JjGhAjOjFjFjEjFjEhOffJhDnAEXEfVkRfAnfZhEnAnACQEXgffVkRfAnfnncfnOhIbyhKn0ABOhKbh

Mn0ACJhMnAEXEfVkRfAnfZhNnAnACQEXhNfVkRfAnfnncfnACQEXhFfVkRfAnfnncfnOhTbyhVn0ABO
hVbhXn0ACJhXnAEXEfVkRfAnfZhYnAnACQEXhdfVkRfAnfnncfnACQEXhPfVkRfAnfnncfnOhebiAn0
ACOiAbiCn0ACJiCnAEjkVfRBFegdiFjSjSjPjShAjXjIjJjMjFhAjNjFjSjHjJjOjHhAjEjPjDjVjNj
FjOjUjTffZiDnAnACQEXjBfVkRfARBQNfjjefEXkJfVkSfBnfffnncfnJiGnAEjkVfRBFeEjEjPjOjF
ffACQEXkIfVkSfBnfnndBnABnhEnbyBn0ADJiNnASzNjGjJjOjBjMiEjPjDiDjPjVjOjUkWyBXRfXSf
jTfnffOiObiQn0ACJiQnASjEyBEXjFfEXhRfEXhSfXSfjTfnfnfRCFdACjGVkWfyBVkUfyBnnffnffl
iRbyiTn0ABJiTnAEXGfVzLjEjPjDiUjPiSjFjNjPjWjFkXfyBRBXIfjJfffASkXyBEXhcfVjEfyBnfn
ffACjSVkWfyBVkUfyBnnnJiXnAEjkVfRBCzBhLkYCkYXzEjMjJjOjFkZfjhEfnneCheheXzHjNjFjTj
TjBjHjFkafjhEfnnffJianAEXiIfVkRfAnfAHjE4F0AiAkS4B0AiAkR40BiAkU4D0AiAkW4E0AiAkT4
C0AiAkX4G0AiAAHANCibnftZienAVkPf0ABkP40BiAABANCjAnfnftJjDnAEXzIjEjPiTjDjSjJjQjU

kbfjTfREFeYiNjFjSjHjFiJjOjUjPiJjUiQjMjFjBjTjFhOjSjVjOhIhJhbjLfjLfXzNiFiOiUiJiSi
FifiTiDiSiJiQiUkcfjzJiVjOjEjPiNjPjEjFjTkdfffAEjW4B0AiAje4C0AiAkO4D0AiAB40BiAAEA
NByB