Search and Replace

  • Thread starter Thanks for the Help
  • Start date
T

Thanks for the Help

This is probably a crude, brutish way to attack my problem, but given my
limited knowledge, that is all I have. My question is: Is there a way to
search for particular text and replace each instance with a blank Text Form
Field?

Background:
I have made a merge document to fill in data from our client(s). There are
some areas of the document that are not worth tracking in our database and
will need to be filled in manually.

I have found that mergefields and form fields do not play well together
because of the locking requirement for form fields. Our secretaries are not
well-versed in Word, and I am trying to make it as easy and error-free as
possible to complete these documents.

My idea was to complete the merge and then have them run a macro (from a
custom menu) that unlinked the mergefields, replaced "**" throughout the text
with a Text Form Field, then locked the document for the remaining data entry
so that they could tab from area to area and fill in the required missing
information.

Like I said probably crude and brutish in an attempt to be efficient and
helpful.

Thanks for any pointers.
 
C

Cindy Meister

Well, there is a Knowledge Base article that explains how text formfields in
the original mail merge document can be replaced after the mail merge
completes:

WD2000: Text Form Fields Are Not Retained During Mail Merge
http://support.microsoft.com?kbid=211308

Other that that, if you select and COPY a form field, then use Edit/Replace
you can type ^c into the Replace box to replace the search text with the
contents of the clipboard.
 
G

Graham Mayor

You could use macrobutton fields in the merge document which will be
preserved by the merge (but not locked).
Or you could use ASK fields to request the missing data before the merge?
Or you could create a user form to gather your missing data.
All of which would be preferable I suspect.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
 
T

Thanks for the Help

Thank you both. I the early morn, I abandoned the idea and went with the
FILLIN field instead. Maybe ASK would be better . . .
 
Top