1. Prepare the Excel sheet
Print Merge reads the first row as field names, so keep the header simple.
| NAME | NUMBER | SIZE |
|---|---|---|
| ARUN | 7 | L |
| FAIZAL | 10 | M |
| PRAVEEN | 23 | XL |
- One player per row, no blank rows, no merged cells.
- Names exactly as they should print. Print Merge does not change case.
- Sort by size if you plan to merge each size separately.
- If your CorelDRAW cannot read .xlsx, use File, Save As, CSV UTF-8 in Excel.
2. Load the fields
- Open your jersey design in CorelDRAW.
- Go to File, Print Merge, Create/Load Merge Fields.
- Choose Import text from a file or an ODBC data source, and pick your Excel or CSV file.
- Check that NAME, NUMBER and SIZE appear as fields and the preview shows your players. Finish the wizard.
3. Place fields on the design
The Print Merge toolbar now lists your fields. Select NAME, click Insert Print Merge Field, and click on the jersey where the name goes. Do the same for NUMBER. Set font, size, colour and alignment on the inserted fields the same way you would style normal text; centre alignment keeps short and long names balanced on the back.
4. Merge and check
Click Merge to New Document. CorelDRAW makes a new document with one page per record. Page through and look for names that cross the name area or touch the number. Fix those by hand: select the text and reduce its size, or reduce character width in the Text properties.
If the order has several sizes with different print areas, run one merge per size from a filtered sheet, adjusting the template between runs.
5. Export the pages
Use File, Export, choose JPG, and export each page at the resolution your printer needs, often 150 to 300 DPI for sublimation. Rename each file with the player and size, for example L_ARUN_7.jpg, so the operator can print without opening CorelDRAW. More detail: exporting jersey files for sublimation.
Where Print Merge stops
- No automatic fitting of long names per size.
- One layout for every record, so sizes with different areas need separate merges.
- Shorts and sleeves need their own merges.
- Export and file naming are manual.
For one-off orders that is fine. If you do team orders every day, a roster tool such as AJILE handles those steps for you; see AJILE vs Print Merge.
Fixing common Print Merge problems
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Fields show the first record on every page | You printed or exported the template, not the merged document | Use Merge to New Document and export from the new file |
| Strange characters in names | File encoding | Save the CSV as UTF-8 and use a font with those characters |
| Leading zeros vanish (07 becomes 7) | Excel stored numbers as numbers | Format the NUMBER column as Text before typing, or type an apostrophe first ('07) |
| Empty pages at the end | Blank rows in the sheet | Delete empty rows below the last player |
| Wrong field order | Columns renamed after loading | Reload the merge fields after changing the sheet |
| Long names overflow | Same font size for every record | Fix those pages by hand, or merge each size separately |
Handling several sizes with Print Merge
Print Merge uses one layout for every record. If your kids' shirts have a narrower name area than adult shirts, filter the sheet by size, save one file per size group (for example kids, S to L, XL and up), and run a separate merge from a template set to that group's name area and number height. It takes longer to set up, but it stops long names spilling off small shirts.
How long it takes
For an 18-player order, Print Merge removes about 6 minutes of typing compared with doing it by hand. Checking, exporting and renaming still take roughly 45 seconds a piece, so the order takes about 13 to 14 minutes for the backs. Add the same again for shorts or fronts with numbers. If that is most of your day, see how AJILE compares.
Questions
Where is Print Merge in CorelDRAW?
File, Print Merge, Create/Load Merge Fields. In some versions the commands sit under File, Print Merge, and a Print Merge toolbar appears once fields are loaded.
Can Print Merge read .xlsx files?
Newer CorelDRAW versions can import Excel files directly. If yours cannot, save the sheet as CSV (comma delimited) or tab-delimited TXT.
Why do my merged names show the wrong characters?
The data file encoding does not match. Save the CSV as UTF-8, or use Unicode text, and use a font that has the characters.
Can Print Merge change the font size per jersey size?
No. Every record uses the same layout. Make one merge per size, or resize long names after merging.
Corel's own walkthrough: creating variable data printing files. Menu names can differ slightly between CorelDRAW versions.
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