For the question about nested TOC, I just discovered that the problem I was experiencing was only related to iBooks (the other readers work right), and I found a thread about it, clarifying the fact that iBooks nested TOC is limited to only 2 levels. If there are no news about this, my only question remaining is the main question of the thread.

I understand. It’s all clear.
I’m not considering (yet) to rebuild the catalogue because at the moment there aren’t the conditions to think about it.
I just wanted to check the possibility of some in between solution, in order to test some automated functionality on a small part of the whole data, without upset the entire work (with raising costs, and issues).

In my ignorance i thought so:
I have a table in indesign with code column filled with data and price column empty, both of them with respective tagged styles. I make the system match data on xls file for column styled code, and, since into indesign layout every row in a table correspond to the row in excel, it can (maybe) get the precise price associated to a specific (matched) code, and put it in the associated cell. And eventually creating and maintaining a dynamic link.

…..have I dreamed it all?

After all, it wouldn’t be a bad features for indesign to export table data creating an external, linked file. Like an embedded image that become unembedded.

Hi Loic,
thanks for your answer.
Well, the big, big problem is that currently the client is unable to coordinate and conveying the updated data in digital format, because it’s a distributor of many different productors, and it defines the new articles to be distributed just the month before I will start to work on the catalogue. I think they don’t have time to ask for digital data and update their CMS or anything else.

They scratch, cut and paste over the older printed version. It’s a very strict deadline, and the only digital data that comes in handy is the pricelist with the full codelist, in the final phase.
This is the situation, unless they’ll decide to radically change their organization.

Going back to your proposal, does Easy Catalog let only link from datasource to indesign? Or make it even possible in the “reverse” way I need, creating new, dynamic connections?

Riccardo