Mail merge vs. insert database field

[klav]

I realize that mail merge is for doing merges with a data source in bulk. I
need to do a merge of data from a database and I will be using an SQL
statement to pull only the item from the database that I need -- it will be
data for only one record.

My question is this: Is there any reason to use the mail merge function in
Word versus the insert/field/database function to do this? I can accomplish
this using either function and I'm wondering if one function is more resource
intensive than another or are they the same; is there any good reason to
choose one over the other?

 

[Andrea Jones]

The database field facility is really more aimed at creating tables so mail
merge would probably be better if you are creating a document where
individual 'words' are pulled in from your data source.

Andrea Jones

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi =?Utf-8?B?a2xhdg==?=,

s there any reason to use the mail merge function in
Word versus the insert/field/database function to do this? I can accomplish
this using either function and I'm wondering if one function is more resource
intensive than another or are they the same; is there any good reason to
choose one over the other?

If both work, I'd go with the database field. Fewer steps for the user. The way
the two features connect to the data is basically the same, in the background.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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[klav]

Thanks for the response. Now I have another question on the same topic.

I would rather use the "insert database field" method rather than
"mailmerge" because I hate that annoying confirmation you get upon opening
the document about the SQL statement that will be performed (I know there are
ways around this but it's just one extra thing I need to do) and I don't want
to have to merge to another document and then rename the merged document;
I'm looking to just have fields of data within my document and be able to
update the document with fresh data upon request.

My question is this: I've incorporated the "mergefield" code {mergefield \*
mergeformat) with the "insert database" code and I have been successful with
getting my results on the same line as my text but now I get brackets around
the data result: example: <<John Smith>>

I cannot seem to get rid of the brackets permanently -- if I remove them,
the data refresh still works but I get them back again. Is there any way to
control this and specify how you'd like the data field to be formatted?

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi =?Utf-8?B?a2xhdg==?=,

I would rather use the "insert database field" method rather than
"mailmerge" because I hate that annoying confirmation you get upon opening
the document about the SQL statement that will be performed (I know there are
ways around this but it's just one extra thing I need to do) and I don't want
to have to merge to another document and then rename the merged document;
I'm looking to just have fields of data within my document and be able to
update the document with fresh data upon request.

My question is this: I've incorporated the "mergefield" code {mergefield \*
mergeformat) with the "insert database" code and I have been successful with
getting my results on the same line as my text but now I get brackets around
the data result: example: <<John Smith>>

WHY would you do this? I see no point to it if you're not going to use
MailMerge. If you aren't linked to a database for mail merge, then inserting a
mergefield code makes no sense - it can't deliver any data.

-- Cindy

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
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

 

[klav]

I guess, again, I'm not making myself clear. Instead of using the
"mailmerge" function within Word, I am inserting code into my file by using
the InsertDatabase function to connect to an Oracle database and pull only
the fields I want. I insert these as fields so I can update them at any
point.

I'm linking to an Oracle database by using an .odc file which contains my
connection information. Following the \c command with my connection
information, I have the \s string with my my SQL statement to pull only the
fields of data I need. I am selecting to insert the data as a field so I can
do the update field command. And this works quite well, except for two things
-- one of my text fields is being truncated at 40 characters after it is
imported and it has brackets around it which I cannot remove.

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi =?Utf-8?B?a2xhdg==?=,

two things
-- one of my text fields is being truncated at 40 characters after it is
imported and it has brackets around it which I cannot remove.

A text field in the Oracle database, then? What data-type is this field? Is
the text within the brackets in some way related to this field's name, or
its content? Is it in the database record, or in the database at all?

Actually, what you describe still sounds an awful lot like a mail merge
field, and not a database field. The mergefield name will get truncated at
about 40 characters. And the field name will appear in <<brackets>> if
you're not connected to a valid data source, or if you're not displaying
the data preview. You might press Alt+F9 and check the field codes...

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
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