How can I mail merge so my stacks are in order when cut

[Kelly Crom]

I am setting up an ID card using mail merge. It is 8 up on a sheet. My data
is coming from an excel spreadsheet in alphabetical order. Is there a way I
can merge the data so when I cut down the stack of cards, all of the "1st"
position cards are in order(records 1,2,3,4,...), then all of the "2nd"
position, and so on? Instead of being in alpha order by sheet(records 1-8 on
sheet 1, 2-16 on sheet 2,...).

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

It wouldn't be all *that* challenging. A few moments in Excel and it could
be easily done.

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

No, my mother was quite specific about how to spell my name. It's one word,
capital A, and no e anywhere.

And I still say it could be easily done in a few moments. I only edit my
Excel lists in the .xls format, nothing else.

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

Can't see why it would be so hard to sort in xls, I do it all the time for
mailings...I sort by zip code then do the merge its then a simple matter to
separate the zip code areas for bulk mail.

No, my mother was quite specific about how to spell my name. It's one
word, capital A, and no e anywhere.

And I still say it could be easily done in a few moments. I only edit my
Excel lists in the .xls format, nothing else.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

JoAnne next time put both hands, elbows and feet in the mouth prior to
typing the next reply.

I challange you to try it using Excel - NATIVE no, not CSV, I mean XLS
and to make it simple just use a couple of thousand names.

(thought I had better put an 'e' on so you can learn to spell your name
correctly!!!

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

See? I'm not the only person who knows how to use Excel. And there's still
*a lot* I could learn about Excel.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Can't see why it would be so hard to sort in xls, I do it all the time for
mailings...I sort by zip code then do the merge its then a simple matter
to separate the zip code areas for bulk mail.

No, my mother was quite specific about how to spell my name. It's one
word, capital A, and no e anywhere.

And I still say it could be easily done in a few moments. I only edit my
Excel lists in the .xls format, nothing else.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

JoAnne next time put both hands, elbows and feet in the mouth prior to
typing the next reply.

I challange you to try it using Excel - NATIVE no, not CSV, I mean XLS
and to make it simple just use a couple of thousand names.

(thought I had better put an 'e' on so you can learn to spell your name
correctly!!!

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

What's even weirder (than I ...is that I find it WAY easier to do mail
merges with Excel & Publisher than with Word. I massage all the info first
in Excel, then do the merge...yes with xls.

AND...now that youse guys shamed into actually building the new machine that
was hiding under my desk...I've been fumbling about with XP Pro and other
junk...I'm contemplating whether I should install Pub 2000 or not. Whaddya
think?..any issues? Maybe I'll hit Powerball tonight.

See? I'm not the only person who knows how to use Excel. And there's still
*a lot* I could learn about Excel.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Can't see why it would be so hard to sort in xls, I do it all the time
for mailings...I sort by zip code then do the merge its then a simple
matter to separate the zip code areas for bulk mail.

No, my mother was quite specific about how to spell my name. It's one
word, capital A, and no e anywhere.

And I still say it could be easily done in a few moments. I only edit my
Excel lists in the .xls format, nothing else.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



JoAnne next time put both hands, elbows and feet in the mouth prior to
typing the next reply.

I challange you to try it using Excel - NATIVE no, not CSV, I mean XLS
and to make it simple just use a couple of thousand names.

(thought I had better put an 'e' on so you can learn to spell your name
correctly!!!

 

[JoAnn Paules [MSFT MVP]]

I have XP Pro and Pub 2000, 2002, and 2003 - no problems with any of them.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

What's even weirder (than I ...is that I find it WAY easier to do mail
merges with Excel & Publisher than with Word. I massage all the info first
in Excel, then do the merge...yes with xls.

AND...now that youse guys shamed into actually building the new machine
that was hiding under my desk...I've been fumbling about with XP Pro and
other junk...I'm contemplating whether I should install Pub 2000 or not.
Whaddya think?..any issues? Maybe I'll hit Powerball tonight.

See? I'm not the only person who knows how to use Excel. And there's
still *a lot* I could learn about Excel.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

Can't see why it would be so hard to sort in xls, I do it all the time
for mailings...I sort by zip code then do the merge its then a simple
matter to separate the zip code areas for bulk mail.


No, my mother was quite specific about how to spell my name. It's one
word, capital A, and no e anywhere.

And I still say it could be easily done in a few moments. I only edit
my Excel lists in the .xls format, nothing else.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



JoAnne next time put both hands, elbows and feet in the mouth prior to
typing the next reply.

I challange you to try it using Excel - NATIVE no, not CSV, I mean XLS
and to make it simple just use a couple of thousand names.

(thought I had better put an 'e' on so you can learn to spell your
name correctly!!!

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

Figures that when I wanted to install pub 2000 I can't find disc 1 only
2...sheet. I'll have to stick with serif until I find the damn disc.

I have XP Pro and Pub 2000, 2002, and 2003 - no problems with any of them.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

What's even weirder (than I ...is that I find it WAY easier to do mail
merges with Excel & Publisher than with Word. I massage all the info
first in Excel, then do the merge...yes with xls.

AND...now that youse guys shamed into actually building the new machine
that was hiding under my desk...I've been fumbling about with XP Pro and
other junk...I'm contemplating whether I should install Pub 2000 or not.
Whaddya think?..any issues? Maybe I'll hit Powerball tonight.

See? I'm not the only person who knows how to use Excel. And there's
still *a lot* I could learn about Excel.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message Can't see why it would be so hard to sort in xls, I do it all the time
for mailings...I sort by zip code then do the merge its then a simple
matter to separate the zip code areas for bulk mail.


No, my mother was quite specific about how to spell my name. It's one
word, capital A, and no e anywhere.

And I still say it could be easily done in a few moments. I only edit
my Excel lists in the .xls format, nothing else.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



JoAnne next time put both hands, elbows and feet in the mouth prior
to typing the next reply.

I challange you to try it using Excel - NATIVE no, not CSV, I mean
XLS and to make it simple just use a couple of thousand names.

(thought I had better put an 'e' on so you can learn to spell your
name correctly!!!

 

[Mary Sauer]

Publisher is on disk 2.

--
Mary Sauer MSFT MVP
http://office.microsoft.com/

Figures that when I wanted to install pub 2000 I can't find disc 1 only 2...sheet.
I'll have to stick with serif until I find the damn disc.

I have XP Pro and Pub 2000, 2002, and 2003 - no problems with any of them.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]

What's even weirder (than I ...is that I find it WAY easier to do mail merges
with Excel & Publisher than with Word. I massage all the info first in Excel,
then do the merge...yes with xls.

AND...now that youse guys shamed into actually building the new machine that was
hiding under my desk...I've been fumbling about with XP Pro and other junk...I'm
contemplating whether I should install Pub 2000 or not. Whaddya think?..any
issues? Maybe I'll hit Powerball tonight.


See? I'm not the only person who knows how to use Excel. And there's still *a
lot* I could learn about Excel.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



Can't see why it would be so hard to sort in xls, I do it all the time for
mailings...I sort by zip code then do the merge its then a simple matter to
separate the zip code areas for bulk mail.


No, my mother was quite specific about how to spell my name. It's one word,
capital A, and no e anywhere.

And I still say it could be easily done in a few moments. I only edit my Excel
lists in the .xls format, nothing else.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



JoAnne next time put both hands, elbows and feet in the mouth prior to typing
the next reply.

I challange you to try it using Excel - NATIVE no, not CSV, I mean XLS and to
make it simple just use a couple of thousand names.

(thought I had better put an 'e' on so you can learn to spell your name
correctly!!!

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

It is? It started to install Image something or other so I freaked out and
stopped it...I'll check it again...thanks !!

Publisher is on disk 2.

--
Mary Sauer MSFT MVP
http://office.microsoft.com/
http://msauer.mvps.org/
news://msnews.microsoft.com

Figures that when I wanted to install pub 2000 I can't find disc 1 only
2...sheet. I'll have to stick with serif until I find the damn disc.

I have XP Pro and Pub 2000, 2002, and 2003 - no problems with any of
them.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message What's even weirder (than I ...is that I find it WAY easier to do
mail merges with Excel & Publisher than with Word. I massage all the
info first in Excel, then do the merge...yes with xls.

AND...now that youse guys shamed into actually building the new machine
that was hiding under my desk...I've been fumbling about with XP Pro
and other junk...I'm contemplating whether I should install Pub 2000 or
not. Whaddya think?..any issues? Maybe I'll hit Powerball tonight.


See? I'm not the only person who knows how to use Excel. And there's
still *a lot* I could learn about Excel.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message Can't see why it would be so hard to sort in xls, I do it all the
time for mailings...I sort by zip code then do the merge its then a
simple matter to separate the zip code areas for bulk mail.


No, my mother was quite specific about how to spell my name. It's
one word, capital A, and no e anywhere.

And I still say it could be easily done in a few moments. I only
edit my Excel lists in the .xls format, nothing else.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



JoAnne next time put both hands, elbows and feet in the mouth prior
to typing the next reply.

I challange you to try it using Excel - NATIVE no, not CSV, I mean
XLS and to make it simple just use a couple of thousand names.

(thought I had better put an 'e' on so you can learn to spell your
name correctly!!!

 

[Rob Giordano \(Crash\)]

oh man,,,I'm such an idiot...I had grabbed the FP 2000 disc not
PUB....sheesh I need new glasses. That means I gotta dig through the big
pile and find Pub now! I thought it weird it was trying to install Image
Composer or whatever it was.

Publisher is on disk 2.

--
Mary Sauer MSFT MVP
http://office.microsoft.com/
http://msauer.mvps.org/
news://msnews.microsoft.com

Figures that when I wanted to install pub 2000 I can't find disc 1 only
2...sheet. I'll have to stick with serif until I find the damn disc.

I have XP Pro and Pub 2000, 2002, and 2003 - no problems with any of
them.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message What's even weirder (than I ...is that I find it WAY easier to do
mail merges with Excel & Publisher than with Word. I massage all the
info first in Excel, then do the merge...yes with xls.

AND...now that youse guys shamed into actually building the new machine
that was hiding under my desk...I've been fumbling about with XP Pro
and other junk...I'm contemplating whether I should install Pub 2000 or
not. Whaddya think?..any issues? Maybe I'll hit Powerball tonight.


See? I'm not the only person who knows how to use Excel. And there's
still *a lot* I could learn about Excel.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



message Can't see why it would be so hard to sort in xls, I do it all the
time for mailings...I sort by zip code then do the merge its then a
simple matter to separate the zip code areas for bulk mail.


No, my mother was quite specific about how to spell my name. It's
one word, capital A, and no e anywhere.

And I still say it could be easily done in a few moments. I only
edit my Excel lists in the .xls format, nothing else.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]



JoAnne next time put both hands, elbows and feet in the mouth prior
to typing the next reply.

I challange you to try it using Excel - NATIVE no, not CSV, I mean
XLS and to make it simple just use a couple of thousand names.

(thought I had better put an 'e' on so you can learn to spell your
name correctly!!!

 

[Kelly Crom]

You're correct, it's not an issue with a basic sort. I don't even know if the
type of sort I would need is even possible with excel, unless there is a way
to sort by record number, then using some sort of formula to sort out every 8
records, so that when I cut down my stacks, position 1 would be record #1, 9,
17, and so on.

 

[Mary Sauer]

In Excel, create a new field, high-light records 9-17, drag them over to field b,
create new field, 18-26, drag them over to field 3, and so on.

Setup your page like this:
Click custom,
width 8.14
height 1.25
Click change copies per page
Side margin .18
Top margin . 54
OK out.
In the Publication page, arrange, margins zero, Grid guides 2 columns, 0.1 spacing.
Open the merge wizard, place a text box on the first label, merge field one, a new
text box on the second label, merge field 2
Insert a new page and merge c & d and so on.

I know this is not really clear, but it works...

 

[Mary Sauer]

I don't do well with Excel, you cannot drag and drop, but you can cut and paste...

 

[Ed Bennett]

I don't do well with Excel, you cannot drag and drop, but you can cut
and paste...

I can drag and drop in Excel.

 

[drc023]

Mary,

I've done exactly what you describe and it does work. However, since this is
an 8up sheet the OP is working with, setting the page size to that of a
single badge and doing the merge that way (and using print multiple pages to
same sheet) might be a little easier. What's needed here is being able to
sort the data so it's in order of 1,9,17, etc... for page one and 2,10,18,
etc... for the next page and so on. The sort can be done in Excel if two
additional columns are added. One with sequential numbers and the other
starting with 1 incremented by 8 for the next line for as many times as
there are sheets to be printed. i.e. 96 cards would be 12 sheets, so 12 is
the number of times to increment. Start again with 9 and do it over. The
list is then sorted by that column (assuming that the name are already in
alphabetical order).

I know this sounds a little complicated, but it isn't. I can send you a test
file which does exactly what I've described.

 

[Mary Sauer]

Ed, I probably use Excel once every six months or so. Usually it is in conjunction
with someone's queries. You cannot believe how many personal emails I get wanting
help. I do okay with Access, how hard is a database?
Maybe I will give my Excel problems to you. My son has about 150 different Excel
documents on this computer, it is about the only program he uses. He is no help...
Mom's are rather stupid.

 

[Ed Bennett]

Maybe I will give my Excel problems to you. My son has about 150
different Excel documents on this computer, it is about the only
program he uses. He is no help... Mom's are rather stupid.

It might be worth directing them to a public Excel newsgroup.

I know almost next to nothing about Excel, save how to get what I need done
(normally using the help files)

 

[Mary Sauer]

I would like to see how you are doing it.
The way I described worked for me, when things work I quit trying anything else.
My email
gsauer at columbus dot rr dot com

 

[Kelly Crom]

I think I know what you're describing, but that test file would be very
helpful to actually see it.

My email is kelly At applied-graphics dot com