Changing selection criteria

[Gerry Cornell]

I am using Word 2000 and Excel 2000 with Windows XP on a standalone computer.

I have a Word Form Letter, which is intended to and does work with an Excel database. The system is set up to provide remittance advice notifications for faxing to suppliers to tell them when a payment is being placed in their bank account. I have about 200 suppliers and on average make 80 payments each month. Each time a payment is to be made I amend the Excel database, mainly for two dates and the amounts to appear in each letter. I also enter a number in the database column with the header name "SORT". All the payments to be made on a particular day are given the same "SORT" number, which differs from any numbers used earlier. I delete all SORT numbers at the end of the month and start again.

The system is based on an earlier one used with an old version of Microsoft Works, which worked with Windows 98SE but is not supported by Windows XP; hence the migration to Word / Excel. No problems with Excel but I am encountering problems with the Word contribution to the process. I have got it to work three times but the updating of the Word / Excel link is like trying to find your way around in total darkness.

The first problem is that when I open the Word Form Letter it immediately tries to find the Excel database. Usually it fails and then tries to force me to show it where the database is located. It does not usually remember the path or even the file type. On some occasions it finds the database and assumes I want records with the same sort number as before when what I want to do is to amend the number so that I find new records.

From my limited understanding I feel I need to be able to access and amend the search criteria and then get Word to link to the Excel database. However, it is taking 30 minutes plus to accidentally get to the position when I can merge and print the letters.

Would some kind soul please detail the steps needed to complete this procedure with more certainty and obtain a quicker result.


~~~~~~

TIA.

Gerry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FCA
(e-mail address removed)
Stourport, Worcs, England
Enquire, plan and execute.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Gerry,

Could you confirm, please that this really is Office 2000? It sounds an awful lot like
Office XP (Word and Excel 2002). If you're not sure, go to Help/About in either
application and look?

I don't want to confuse you by starting to discuss the interfaces in 2000, which
differ quite a bit from Word 2002

I am using Word 2000 and Excel 2000 with Windows XP on a standalone computer.

I have a Word Form Letter, which is intended to and does work with an Excel

database. The system is set up to provide remittance advice notifications for faxing
to suppliers to tell them when a payment is being placed in their bank account. I have
about 200 suppliers and on average make 80 payments each month. Each time a payment is
to be made I amend the Excel database, mainly for two dates and the amounts to appear
in each letter. I also enter a number in the database column with the header name
"SORT". All the payments to be made on a particular day are given the same "SORT"
number, which differs from any numbers used earlier. I delete all SORT numbers at the
end of the month and start again.

The system is based on an earlier one used with an old version of Microsoft Works,

which worked with Windows 98SE but is not supported by Windows XP; hence the migration
to Word / Excel. No problems with Excel but I am encountering problems with the Word
contribution to the process. I have got it to work three times but the updating of the
Word / Excel link is like trying to find your way around in total darkness.

The first problem is that when I open the Word Form Letter it immediately tries to

find the Excel database. Usually it fails and then tries to force me to show it where
the database is located. It does not usually remember the path or even the file type.
On some occasions it finds the database and assumes I want records with the same sort
number as before when what I want to do is to amend the number so that I find new
records.

From my limited understanding I feel I need to be able to access and amend the

search criteria and then get Word to link to the Excel database. However, it is taking
30 minutes plus to accidentally get to the position when I can merge and print the
letters.

Would some kind soul please detail the steps needed to complete this procedure with

more certainty and obtain a quicker result.
Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep 30 2003)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply in the
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[Gerry Cornell]

Cindy

I am using Word 2000 and Excel 2000; both part of Office 2000 Professional.



~~~~~~


TIA.

Gerry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FCA
(e-mail address removed)
Stourport, Worcs, England
Enquire, plan and execute.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Gerry,

I am using Word 2000 and Excel 2000; both part of Office 2000 Professional.

Right. OK, let's see what we can sort out (forgive the pun):

1. Everything you describe make sense to me, except that Word is unable to find the data
source when you re-open the main merge document. I can't recall ever having any
difficulties with this in Word 2000... Unless the document was damaged.

2. So, the first thing I'd like you to do is
- copy the main merge document text, EXCEPT for the last paragraph mark
- paste it into a new document
- set up the merge (Tools/Mail merge) and execute it
- save and close this new, main merge document
- Close Word
- Start Word again and re-open the main merge document

Does it find the data source file with no problem? If yes, then we know the original
main merge doc is damaged, and my advice would be to set the page formatting, etc. of the
new document so that you can use it from here on in.

3. Saving some time/steps with the sorting and filtering.
Yes, Word will remember what "Query options" were used the last time the merge was
executed. From the developer's point of view, this is a no-win situation, as some want it
that way, and others the way you'd prefer

4. My suggestion:
- use Excel's Data/AutoFilter to view only those records in Excel which you want to
merge
- in Word, go into Query Options, select this "Sorting" field, and set it to "Not
blank".

This will bring across only the records you're viewing in Excel, and it would
function the same no matter what you've selected in Excel. IOW, you'd not have to go into
Word's Query Options each time.

database. The system is set up to provide remittance advice notifications for faxing
to suppliers to tell them when a payment is being placed in their bank account. I have
about 200 suppliers and on average make 80 payments each month. Each time a payment is
to be made I amend the Excel database, mainly for two dates and the amounts to appear
in each letter. I also enter a number in the database column with the header name
"SORT". All the payments to be made on a particular day are given the same "SORT"
number, which differs from any numbers used earlier. I delete all SORT numbers at the
end of the month and start again.
which worked with Windows 98SE but is not supported by Windows XP; hence the migration
to Word / Excel. No problems with Excel but I am encountering problems with the Word
contribution to the process. I have got it to work three times but the updating of the
Word / Excel link is like trying to find your way around in total darkness.
find the Excel database. Usually it fails and then tries to force me to show it where
the database is located. It does not usually remember the path or even the file type.
On some occasions it finds the database and assumes I want records with the same sort
number as before when what I want to do is to amend the number so that I find new
records.
search criteria and then get Word to link to the Excel database. However, it is taking
30 minutes plus to accidentally get to the position when I can merge and print the
letters.
more certainty and obtain a quicker result.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep 30 2003)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or reply in the
newsgroup and not by e-mail