Word 2002 Mail Merge - merging to new doc displays blank empty dia

[Steve Vincent]

I have a Word form letter with Word merge fields, and the data source was
created in Word, and is in a separate file in a Word table. When I merge to
a new document, a blank dialog box is displayed -- the only text on the whole
dialog box is on its title bar, which reads "Microsoft Word". There is a
large empty text box with the flashing insertion point inside, and an "OK"
and "Cancel" button. That's it. If I click the OK button a number of times
(probably equal to the number of records in my data file), then I finally get
a merged document. If I type something into the empty text box, the text
that I typed gets entered into the merged document just before the first
merge field in the form letter (I still have to click the "OK" button many
times to finally dismiss the dialog box).

It appears to be some kind of a prompt dialog box, judging by its behavior
after typing text inside (it enters what I type onto the form letter just
before the first merge field).

This looks like a bug. Anybody else have this problem, or know of a solution?

thanks in advance.

 

[Luc]

Steve,
That will most probably be a Fill-in field. Press Alt+F9 and you will see
all the fields including your merge fields. There should be one looking like
this {FILLIN text message \*Mergeformat}delete that one if you do not want
it. You were right about clicking OK for each record in your data file. But
be aware maybe the field was put in to allow you to add some variable info
for each record.
Luc