Number each label in the mail merge step so it is done automatical

[Sagit]

I have a file with 150 names. I would like to number each name 1- 150
automatically in a label mail merge. I go to Insert, Field, click on
numbering, then listnum, then number each label, 1-20, on the mail merge
page, then update labels. After I merge, I get each page of labels numbered
1 - 20. Is there a way to have my labels of names numbered 1 thru 150
without having to manually number them myself after the merge? Thank you for
any help you can give me.

 

[Doug Robbins]

Modify the merge datasource so that it contains a field with the numbers.
Easiest way to do this would be to out it into Excel.

--
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

 

[Graham Mayor]

See http://www.gmayor.com/Numbered_labels.htm

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Sagit]

I did the Insert, Field, {SEQ Label}, but still got labels numbered 1-20 on
each sheet of labels. What did I do wrong?

 

[Sagit]

Doug: The source program that creates the original table is so old, that I
have to go thru 5 steps (delete delimiters, replace paragraph with tab,
convert to text to table, convert table back to text, save as a text file)
just to get it in an acceptable form for Excel. For a Word table, all I have
to do is change the record and field delimiters. I may be forced to use
Excel, but if you have any other suggestions, please let me know. Thanks for
so much.

 

[Sagit]

Doug,
I went ahead and got the file in a format that was acceptable to Access
(Access automatically numbered each record) and did a mail merge with that.
A strange thing happened: the first page of labels was numbered 1-20; the
second page was numbered 2-21, the third page 3-22, etc. Access has each
record numbered 1-150, so I can't figure that one out. Any ideas? Thanks
for you help.

 

[Doug Robbins]

Did you actually execute the merge to a new document?

--
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

 

[Sagit]

yes, I did complete the merge. As a review, i clicked on Insert, then Field,
under categories, numbering, then SEQ, then Label as identifier, then OK.
After I updated labels, I merged to a new document, went to Print Preview,
and saw that all label sheets started over 1-20. I even tried a switch \n
just for kicks.
S Jan

 

[Doug Robbins]

It would appear then that the numbering is restarting at the section break
between each page of labels. Try using Edit>Replace with ^b in the Find
what control and ^m in the Replace with control to replace the Section
breaks with manual page breaks.

--
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

 

[Sagit]

Thanks - I'm going to try it right now.

 

[Sagit]

I tried the replace at every stage of the merge and I kept getting the
message that 0 replacements were made. Thanks for all you are trying to do
for me - I really appreciate your patience!.

 

[Graham Mayor]

Hmmm. This worked when I prepared that web page, but now it doesn't and yes
the numbers restart at the section breaks. Unfortunately swapping the
section breaks for page breaks (or deleting the section breaks) doesn't help
for after the merge the SEQ fields are converted to text. Until I can work
around a solution for this, it looks as though the alternative method will
have to be used

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Sagit]

I tried Plan B described on your web site using Exel (the first time I tried
it I used Access because it numbers automatically when I paste the table into
it) and the result was the same: the labels were numbered 1-20 on the first
sheet of labels, 2-21 on the second sheet, 3-22 on the third, etc. You say
on your website that this plan is ideal for a table where only the number
changes. Of course, with my address file, everything changes. Would this
make a difference? I do appreciate all your efforts in helpiing me. I am
using Word 2002 under Windows XP, if that is any help. S Jan

 

[Graham Mayor]

Using LISTNUM fields rather than SEQ fields, which is where you started, the
fields do carry to the merged document. You can manually delete the section
breaks (if Doug doesn't come up with a macro ) by inserting a temporary
paragraph mark before the first page table and displaying the formatting
(CTRL+* )

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Sagit]

This is interesting: I inserted Section {SECTION} on my labels just to see
what is happening with the section numbers and it printed out Section 1 on
all the pages! I would have expected the section number to change on each
page of labels. I knew Word looks at labels as one long page, but with
numerous sections.
Also, I would have expected the SEQ to be correct if Word thought that there
was only 1 section. Does this shed any light?

 

[Graham Mayor]

Numbering using the Excel method will not cause this problem, but where
other data is required, it relies on having the number list and the data in
the same file.

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Graham Mayor]

There are definitely section breaks between the tables and different section
numbers are shown in the status bar. There is clearly an anomaly here. How
to correct it is another matter entirely

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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