Interactive PDF is a separate export filetype, for PDFs meant to be used on screen – where clickable links and interactive elements matter, not just print fidelity.
In the export settings, open Format and choose Interactive PDF as the filetype. This keeps on-screen behaviour alive – most importantly the clickable hyperlinks your merge generates with the hyperlink node.
📷 Screenshot [NEU]: Export → Format with Interactive PDF chosen
Choose by where the file will be used: a printer wants standard PDF; a reader on a screen benefits from interactive.
Export a file per record as an image or vector instead: Exporting to PNG, JPG, or EPS