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Many users store data, such as customer records or product information, in a file outside of BarTender, such as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, an database, or a text file. If you want to use this data, BarTender can pull the information directly into any , text object, or encoder object on your . These external data files are collectively known as databases. This topic describes the steps to follow to connect to a database and pull information into an object on your template.
To connect to a database
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On the File menu, click Database Setup. Alternatively, click the 
icon on the main toolbar. One of the following occurs:
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If you have not previously connected to a database, this operation launches the Database Setup wizard.
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If you are currently connected to a database, this operation opens the Database Setup dialog. Click the icon to launch the Database Setup wizard.
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On the initial page of the Database Setup wizard, select the type of file that your data is stored in, and then click Next.
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Follow the steps in the wizard to complete the connection setup for the selected file type. At the end of the wizard, click Finish to open the Database Setup dialog.
After you are connected to a database, the information that is stored in the file can be used to populate barcodes, text objects, or encoder objects on your template. The simplest way to pull in this information is to use the Data Sources pane of the Toolbox.
To link an object to a database field
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Click Data Sources in the Toolbox to display the Data Sources pane.
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Expand Database Fields to display all available fields in your database.
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Drag the database field that you want to the barcode, text, or encoder object that you want.
If the Live Database Navigator feature is enabled at the bottom of the design area, your data will be displayed directly on your template. Otherwise, click Print Preview on the File menu to view your data.
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