Mail merge from Outlook opens 2 Word documents

[Cathy.Allington]

Hi:
Using Office 2007. Each time I run a mail merge from Outlook, it opens
up 2 Word documents. This has only recently started happening, and
really annoying. Does anyone know why and what I can do to prevent it?

TIA
Cathy

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Yes, it doesn't seem to be a universal problem (which is probably why no-one
replied to your earlier message).

Not sure this will help, but can you tell us
a. what options you are selecting in the Outlook Tools->Mail merge box
(does it make any difference whether you specify an existing document or a
new document, what kind of merge you are doing, etc. etc.?)
b. What are the titles in the title bars of the two Word windows when
Outlook creates the two documents? (e.g. "Document1" etc.)
c. Whether both documents are connected to a data source (e.g. is
Word->Mailings->Edit Recipient List greyed out or not)

 

[Cathy.Allington]

Hi Peter:
Thank you so much for responding - I have searched everywhere on this
(and I know at least one other person in the US is having the same
issue.
In answer to yur specific questions
1. It makes no difference whether it is an existing docyment, a new
document, or whether mergin to email or letter - 2 documents open each
time.
2. If mergeing to a new document, it creates both "Document 1" and
"Document 2". If merging to an existing document, it opens both the
existing document and creates a "Document 1"
3. All my standard mail merge options are available - it just opens a
second document as well as the original.

Any pointers youhave will be very much appreciated Peter.
Thank you
Cathy

 

[Peter Jamieson]

A quick thought - do you have any addins in Outlook or Word that might have
a bearing on this? (if you are in contact with the other US person, perhaps
you could compare notes)

--
Peter Jamieson
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

Hi Peter:
Thank you so much for responding - I have searched everywhere on this
(and I know at least one other person in the US is having the same
issue.
In answer to yur specific questions
1. It makes no difference whether it is an existing docyment, a new
document, or whether mergin to email or letter - 2 documents open each
time.
2. If mergeing to a new document, it creates both "Document 1" and
"Document 2". If merging to an existing document, it opens both the
existing document and creates a "Document 1"
3. All my standard mail merge options are available - it just opens a
second document as well as the original.

Any pointers youhave will be very much appreciated Peter.
Thank you
Cathy

 

[Cathy.Allington]

Thanks Peter - no add-ons currently installed - I have tried a number
for Outlook, but currently have none. Any other thoughts?? (I've sent
an email to person in US to ask them also)

Cheers
Cathy

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Sorry Cathy, now I try this again I do also get two documents whether I
specify an existing document or not. In fact I wonder if this is currently
the standard experience.

I'll ask around...

--
Peter Jamieson
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

Thanks Peter - no add-ons currently installed - I have tried a number
for Outlook, but currently have none. Any other thoughts?? (I've sent
an email to person in US to ask them also)

Cheers
Cathy

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Hi Peter,

I also get two documents. Word was not running, so it was started by
Outlook and Document 1 and Document 2 were created with Document2 being the
Active Document that I assume is intended to be used as the mail merge main
document. When I closed those two documents, but left Word running and then
selected Mail Merge again from the Tools menu in Outlook, Word created two
more documents - Document 4 and Document 5. What happened to Document 3?
Closing those two and this time telling outlook to use and existing
document, it opened that document and also created Document 7. What
happened to Document 6?

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Hi Doug,

I had a quick chat with Graham and he siad this was also his experience.

I think the whole thing is probably affected by the fact that Outlook 2007
now uses a word-alike as its text editor (i.e. it's not an option any more).
e.g., if Outlook is closed and I start Word, I get Document1. If Outlook is
open when I start Word, I get Document2.

Outlook's handling of Word looks somewhat suspect - e.g. ifyou specify an
existing document, Outlook opens Word invisibly and opens the specified doc.
(you can use e.g. Excel VBA to see that at that point, Word has the
specified document open and another document). If you then cancel the
dialog, the WINWORD process is left there with the two documents open, even
after you quit from Outlook. That said, it may be difficult for Outlook to
get this right. I suspect there is nothing /we/ can do to change this
behaviour except ensure it's reported.

 

[Cathy.Allington]

Thanks Peter & Doug.

But this is also happening on my laptop which runs Office 2003. We
have many clients using both Office 2003 and Office 2007, and this is
not happening for any of them. And they all use mail merge from
Outlook. So it sayd to me there must be something in the settings???

 

[Peter Jamieson]

The only settings I can think of that are likely to impact this in 2003 are
the two "Use Microsoft Office Word.." options in
Outlook->Tools->Options->Mail Format (you no longer get these choices in
2007).

--
Peter Jamieson
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

Thanks Peter & Doug.

But this is also happening on my laptop which runs Office 2003. We
have many clients using both Office 2003 and Office 2007, and this is
not happening for any of them. And they all use mail merge from
Outlook. So it sayd to me there must be something in the settings???