mail merge

[baffled32]

Hi All

I have WXP - SPK 2 with Outlook 2003.
I tried to mail merge from MS Word addresses from my Outlook contacts list
to set up labels. It would not 'see' my list this way round.
I then went into Outlook and did Mail Merge from here BUT this is when the
problems started.
First off I could not get morethan one record to merge - then only one page,
eventually (I am not sure how) I managed to get all my records to merge BUT
the names were not set out as I had merged the fields.
i.e. I had said Title-First name -Surname
Some records came like this but many did not - they put in TITLE first then
SURNAME then FIRST NAME

I went back into contacts and checked all my settings and how they were
saved in contacts, some needed changing but basically now my contacts are
all screwed up.
i.e I cannot get the Surname to show on the top line - then the first names
with the address, e-mail, telephone numbers, category etc as I always had.

It is just the layout of the names that has gone wrong - any adiea how I can
correct this?

If I did a system re-store would it bring my Outlook & the contacts back to
previous settings or is Outlook not affected by system Restore?

Thanks for any help
baffled32

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Unless you post the precise steps you used, we cannot figure out what you
are doing wrong. Vague statements like "it would not 'see' my list this way
round" tell us nothing.
Creating labels requires an extra step called "propagate labels."

 

[baffled32]

I know what you are saying Russ, but unfortunatley I did so many things in
the end, I could not say in my post exactly what I did! but your propogate
comment will help for the future.

Do you know the answer to my 'restore' point?

thanks

Unless you post the precise steps you used, we cannot figure out what you
are doing wrong. Vague statements like "it would not 'see' my list this way
round" tell us nothing.
Creating labels requires an extra step called "propagate labels."
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hi All

I have WXP - SPK 2 with Outlook 2003.
I tried to mail merge from MS Word addresses from my Outlook contacts list
to set up labels. It would not 'see' my list this way round.
I then went into Outlook and did Mail Merge from here BUT this is when the
problems started.
First off I could not get morethan one record to merge - then only one
page,
eventually (I am not sure how) I managed to get all my records to merge
BUT
the names were not set out as I had merged the fields.
i.e. I had said Title-First name -Surname
Some records came like this but many did not - they put in TITLE first
then
SURNAME then FIRST NAME

I went back into contacts and checked all my settings and how they were
saved in contacts, some needed changing but basically now my contacts are
all screwed up.
i.e I cannot get the Surname to show on the top line - then the first
names
with the address, e-mail, telephone numbers, category etc as I always had.

It is just the layout of the names that has gone wrong - any adiea how I
can
correct this?

If I did a system re-store would it bring my Outlook & the contacts back
to
previous settings or is Outlook not affected by system Restore?

Thanks for any help
baffled32

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Restore points will not affect your data, but performing a mail merge would
never have changed the underlying data source. There must be more at work
here than just the merge.
Mail merges can be confusing. Some general principles to keep in mind when
creating labels from Outlook:
1. You must have your Outlook Address Book Service configured correctly
before you attempt a merge using Outlook Contacts.
2. Always construct your merge using individual name element fields, not
derived fields like "Full Name"
3. When you start the merge from Outlook, make sure you skip any subsequent
steps that ask you to select your recipients. Your recipients are already
selected when you start from Outlook
4. When you start the merge from Outlook, make sure you dismiss the Mail
Merge Helper that appears. Use it only to select the label type. Then
dismiss it and use the Mail Merge Toolbar to complete the merge.
5. There are lots of good sites that provide detailed instructions, like:
http://www.gmayor.com/merge_labels_with_word_2007.htm
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I know what you are saying Russ, but unfortunatley I did so many things in
the end, I could not say in my post exactly what I did! but your
propogate
comment will help for the future.

Do you know the answer to my 'restore' point?

thanks

Unless you post the precise steps you used, we cannot figure out what you
are doing wrong. Vague statements like "it would not 'see' my list this
way
round" tell us nothing.
Creating labels requires an extra step called "propagate labels."
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hi All

I have WXP - SPK 2 with Outlook 2003.
I tried to mail merge from MS Word addresses from my Outlook contacts
list
to set up labels. It would not 'see' my list this way round.
I then went into Outlook and did Mail Merge from here BUT this is when
the
problems started.
First off I could not get morethan one record to merge - then only one
page,
eventually (I am not sure how) I managed to get all my records to merge
BUT
the names were not set out as I had merged the fields.
i.e. I had said Title-First name -Surname
Some records came like this but many did not - they put in TITLE first
then
SURNAME then FIRST NAME

I went back into contacts and checked all my settings and how they were
saved in contacts, some needed changing but basically now my contacts
are
all screwed up.
i.e I cannot get the Surname to show on the top line - then the first
names
with the address, e-mail, telephone numbers, category etc as I always
had.

It is just the layout of the names that has gone wrong - any adiea how
I
can
correct this?

If I did a system re-store would it bring my Outlook & the contacts
back
to
previous settings or is Outlook not affected by system Restore?

Thanks for any help
baffled32

 

[baffled32]

Ross

Sorry for delay in replying. Thanks for all your help, will check what you
suggest and read the link.

Restore points will not affect your data, but performing a mail merge would
never have changed the underlying data source. There must be more at work
here than just the merge.
Mail merges can be confusing. Some general principles to keep in mind when
creating labels from Outlook:
1. You must have your Outlook Address Book Service configured correctly
before you attempt a merge using Outlook Contacts.
2. Always construct your merge using individual name element fields, not
derived fields like "Full Name"
3. When you start the merge from Outlook, make sure you skip any subsequent
steps that ask you to select your recipients. Your recipients are already
selected when you start from Outlook
4. When you start the merge from Outlook, make sure you dismiss the Mail
Merge Helper that appears. Use it only to select the label type. Then
dismiss it and use the Mail Merge Toolbar to complete the merge.
5. There are lots of good sites that provide detailed instructions, like:
http://www.gmayor.com/merge_labels_with_word_2007.htm
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I know what you are saying Russ, but unfortunatley I did so many things in
the end, I could not say in my post exactly what I did! but your
propogate
comment will help for the future.

Do you know the answer to my 'restore' point?

thanks

Unless you post the precise steps you used, we cannot figure out what you
are doing wrong. Vague statements like "it would not 'see' my list this
way
round" tell us nothing.
Creating labels requires an extra step called "propagate labels."
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
Hi All

I have WXP - SPK 2 with Outlook 2003.
I tried to mail merge from MS Word addresses from my Outlook contacts
list
to set up labels. It would not 'see' my list this way round.
I then went into Outlook and did Mail Merge from here BUT this is when
the
problems started.
First off I could not get morethan one record to merge - then only one
page,
eventually (I am not sure how) I managed to get all my records to merge
BUT
the names were not set out as I had merged the fields.
i.e. I had said Title-First name -Surname
Some records came like this but many did not - they put in TITLE first
then
SURNAME then FIRST NAME

I went back into contacts and checked all my settings and how they were
saved in contacts, some needed changing but basically now my contacts
are
all screwed up.
i.e I cannot get the Surname to show on the top line - then the first
names
with the address, e-mail, telephone numbers, category etc as I always
had.

It is just the layout of the names that has gone wrong - any adiea how
I
can
correct this?

If I did a system re-store would it bring my Outlook & the contacts
back
to
previous settings or is Outlook not affected by system Restore?

Thanks for any help
baffled32