If the formatting or styling of a DesignMerge variable text link is unexpectedly changing after an update or merge, review the following conditions: 

LINK RULE

Is a link rule that applies a character and/or paragraph style assigned to this variable text link?

One way to confirm this is to select the variable text link in the document, and then open the DesignMerge panel (DesignMerge > View > DesignMerge Panel). The panel will display which settings are assigned to the currently selected text link.

If a link rule is assigned, you can see which actions it will apply by opening the Rules dialog (DesignMerge > Setup > Rules).

VARIABLE LINK FILTER SETTING

Is the variable link set up to apply a filter?

To confirm this, open the Variable Links dialog (DesignMerge > Setup > Variable Links). Select the name of the assigned variable link in the list on the left side of the Variable Links dialog to display that variable link's settings on the right side of the dialog. Confirm the Filter setting is appropriate.

For example, if the data that is being merged into this variable link does not contain any text in a tagged text format, choose None for the Filter setting.

If the data does contain tagged text, confirm the appropriate Filter has been selected. Then review the data in the data file to confirm the tagged text has been entered correctly to provide the desired results. 

MULTIPLE FORMATS

Have some characters in the variable text link been styled differently than other characters in the text link?

Please note that DesignMerge will apply the same format to all characters that are merged into a single variable text link. The formatting that was applied to the first character of the variable text link before it is updated or merged is the format that will be applied to all characters that are merged into that variable text link.

To style some characters differently than others, either separate the data into multiple fields in order to use more than one variable text link in the document, or add styling instructions in a tagged text format to the data in the data file and then set up the variable link to apply the appropriate filter.  

PARAGRAPH GREP STYLE

Is the text link assigned to a paragraph style that applies a GREP style?

Please note that if the paragraph style is applying a GREP style and the updated/merged content no longer matches the requirements of that GREP style, then the formatting/styling will be automatically changed by the update/merge process.

PRICES?

If the variable text link is merging price data, is a DesignMerge price style assigned to this variable text link?

One way to confirm this is to select the variable text link in the document, and then open the DesignMerge panel (DesignMerge > View > DesignMerge Panel). The panel will display which settings are assigned to the currently selected text link.

If a price style is assigned, you can see which actions it will apply by opening the Price Styles dialog (DesignMerge > Setup > Price Styles).

STILL A MYSTERY?

If reviewing the above conditions does not resolve this, please contact Meadows Technical Support.