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Hello,
I am creating a technical document which requires me to combine text (from
Word docs), data-based graphs (mostly from stat programs like Stata/SPSS, but
also some Excel graphs), and reports from Access.
In the past I have used a Word master document, or sometimes an Office
Binder, as the "foundation" document for mixing all these text sources to
produce a single report document. The reports are conceptually similar to a
"book layout" with several chapters, each illustrated by tables and graphs
(mostly bar charts and line graphs). But, with all but the simplest reports,
these documents become very cumbersome to work with.
I am considering moving to a page-layout progam such as Adobe InDesign as
the base for combining my various source materials. In considering this I am
hoping for some input from other users.
Does anyone have suggestions for how to streamline the updatable layout of a
Word document which contains numerous graphs?
Would using XML make my task any easier? I am only slightly familiar with
XML, and have used it a little only in Excel. But, I am wondering if an
investment of my time in learning XML would pay off by making it
substantially easier for me to create reports with material from
multi-sources in Word, and/or in combining Office output with other program
output in a page lay-out application such as InDesign.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
I am creating a technical document which requires me to combine text (from
Word docs), data-based graphs (mostly from stat programs like Stata/SPSS, but
also some Excel graphs), and reports from Access.
In the past I have used a Word master document, or sometimes an Office
Binder, as the "foundation" document for mixing all these text sources to
produce a single report document. The reports are conceptually similar to a
"book layout" with several chapters, each illustrated by tables and graphs
(mostly bar charts and line graphs). But, with all but the simplest reports,
these documents become very cumbersome to work with.
I am considering moving to a page-layout progam such as Adobe InDesign as
the base for combining my various source materials. In considering this I am
hoping for some input from other users.
Does anyone have suggestions for how to streamline the updatable layout of a
Word document which contains numerous graphs?
Would using XML make my task any easier? I am only slightly familiar with
XML, and have used it a little only in Excel. But, I am wondering if an
investment of my time in learning XML would pay off by making it
substantially easier for me to create reports with material from
multi-sources in Word, and/or in combining Office output with other program
output in a page lay-out application such as InDesign.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.