Post card mail merge

[Teresa]

I want to make 4 post cards on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of card stock. The front
side of the card has our return address in upper left-hand corner. The
recipient's address is centered.
The back side of the card contains text. I print each side of the card
separaely (not duplex).
My problem: I merge recipient's addresses from an Excel spreadsheet. Not
all addresses have the same amount of lines--some having 4 lines, some 5 or
6. When an address has, say, 6 lines our return address on the postcard
below that one moves down (one or two lines, depending), thus moving the
return address on the 3rd and 4th cards as well. Thus, the addresses (both
return and recipient) are not aligned with card next to, above, or below
other cards. So when I need to cut the cards, I can't just simply cut into 4
equal cards (5 1/2 X 4 1/4).
I've tried making a text box for the address, but it won't allow me to do a
merge. I don't know why, but think it may have something to do with the fact
that I've selected the post card template.
Any ideas?

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

If you are using a postcard template, the cells of the table that represent
the postcard should have fixed dimensions. That will prevent what you say
is occuring from happening.

Sounds like you created your own template, which is OK, as long as you set
the dimensions of the cells to exact values.

Note, if there are merge fields on the both sides of the cards, you will
need to use a data source for the second side that contains the records in a
different order if you need both sides of the card to draw the information
from the same record.

--
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