Merging Documents

[Thomas M.]

Word 2003

I've done this in the past, but I just can quite remember how and the
on-line Word Help has been useless (I keep going in circles, and while the
on-line Help hints at WHAT needs to be done, but I haven't found where is
tells you HOW.).

I need to add fields to one document that will pull in data from another
document. I've set up a Word file as the source document, and that file
contains a simple tab with 3 rows--the header row and two rows of data. In
the future there will be more rows. The part that is eluding me at the
moment is how to link the source data document to the main document. Once
the two documents are linked I will also need to insert fields into the main
document and I'm not sure of the exact syntax that is required. Finally, if
at all possible I would like to have an extra blank line inserted, but only
when there is corresponding data in the source document.

In summary, I need help with 3 things:

1. How do I like the source data document to the main document?
2. What syntax do I need for the merge fields in the main document?
3. How can I make it so that a blank line gets inserted, but only when other
data gets inserted too? Is there a way to make a hard return part of the
record that gets inserted?

--Tom

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

You appear to be describing a mail merge. See these articles:

How to create a Mail merge
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MailMerge/CreateAMailMerge.htm

Creating a mail merge Data Source
http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/MailMerge/CreateADataSource.htm

You'll want to choose a Directory merge in Word 2003.

 

[Thomas M.]

Yep, a mail merge is exactly what I am trying to do. I have worked with
these in the past, and even setup a fairly complex one about 3 years ago,
but the interface for doing mail merges seems to have changed since then and
I think that I'm just having problems with the interface itself. In other
words, I feel like I know what needs to be done, but I'm having problems
using the interface to actually do it. Hopefully the articles that you
linked to, along with an article that Graham posted the link to, will help
me figure out the interface and get this done. I don't think it will be
difficult once I get familiar again with the interface.

--Tom

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

If you're comfortable with mail merges in Word 2000 and earlier, you might
want to look at http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/ExpressMailMerges.htm,
which describes how to set up merges entirely from the Mail Merge toolbar,
avoiding the Mail Merge Wizard. Or you can restore the Mail Merge Helper
(see http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/CustomizingWord2002.htm) and use it
just as you have in the past.

 

[Thomas M.]

Those articles are a little dated given the changes to the user interface,
but they still comprise a good primer on mail merging. I was on the right
track, but the last time I set up a mail merge operation for a user the
interface was entirely different--more along the lines of what was shown in
the articles that you linked to. I just needed to figure out the current
interface.

Also, I found another message that you posted which explained the proper use
of the {Next} field, which I needed to in order to make things work for what
the user wanted.

Thanks for your help!

--Tom

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

As I think I pointed out elsethread, it is possible to avoid the Mail Merge
Wizard entirely using the Mail Merge toolbar or Mail Merge Helper.