Merge in Word

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kat - 27 Feb 2007 05:44 GMT

I've created databases in Word in tables for a group I belong to. Since some
day it will be passed along to the someone else, I don't use Excel. Most
people in this group aren't very computer literate.

My problem - some times the merge just doesn't work completely. It will
leave a row out - not matter what I do, some items or people are missing. I
have to compare the results with the database to see what isn't there and put
it in manually. Any ideas on why this is happening? Doesn't happen with
every form I make up - just some.

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Peter Jamieson - 27 Feb 2007 14:18 GMT

1. Which version of Word?

2. If you repeat the "bad" merges, do they always behave the same (bad) way,
or does the behaviour vary?

3. For a data source that causes problems, does it cause problems no matter
what you put in the Mail Merge main document (e.g. if you put a simple list
of all the fields in, and nothing else, do you see the same problem?

4. Do you have examples that you would be able to e-mail? If so, if you
want, take the "KillMAPS" out of my e-mail address and email a couple of
samples.

Peter Jamieson

> I've created databases in Word in tables for a group I belong to. Since
> some
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> it in manually. Any ideas on why this is happening? Doesn't happen with
> every form I make up - just some.

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kat - 28 Feb 2007 02:41 GMT

> 1. Which version of Word?

This has happened once in a while in every Word that I've used going back to
'97 - I'm using '03 now. Has happened on my computer and has happened at
work when I didn't use Excel for the database.

> 2. If you repeat the "bad" merges, do they always behave the same (bad) way,
> or does the behaviour vary?

Once it decides it's not going to add the data - that's the way it is. It
would be the same data always missing.

> 3. For a data source that causes problems, does it cause problems no matter
> what you put in the Mail Merge main document (e.g. if you put a simple list
> of all the fields in, and nothing else, do you see the same problem?

This has happened when the database is a simple address database in table
format to a more complex table (by complex, it holds more data in a cell than
an address). For example, I have created a database to use for a quilt show
that had the maker's name all the way to a description or story about the
quilt. It doesn't happen all the day, but when it starts, there's nothing I
can do. I've tried making a new "form" to use in the merge in case the file
I was using was corrupt. Still would do it and it would be the same one. I
have opened the database up again and have check the recepients again. Other
forms to use various portions of the info work just great - and using the
same info but in a different manner (e.g., a variation in the table perhaps -
most of the time I'm working with names, addresses, etc.). It's frustrating
when it happens. I don't remember it happening when creating labels, but I
could be wrong about that. I get to use "old" as an excuse for memory.

> 4. Do you have examples that you would be able to e-mail? If so, if you
> want, take the "KillMAPS" out of my e-mail address and email a couple of
> samples.

Sorry, but it would be difficult to send you this. As I said, I deal with
addresses, names, etc., and don't wish to send this.

Kat

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Peter Jamieson - 28 Feb 2007 07:08 GMT

> Sorry, but it would be difficult to send you this. As I said, I deal with
> addresses, names, etc., and don't wish to send this.

Understood.

> Once it decides it's not going to add the data - that's the way it is. It
> would be the same data always missing.

OK, over the years there have certainly been one or two problems where (for
example) blank cells cause the data in the row above to be repeated, that
sort of thing, but I suppose the two things I would always look for are:
a. is there anything "unusual" in the problem row (or the row before).
Unusual would most likely be "unusual" characters such as double-quotes, or
in the case of a Word table which can contain all sorts of stuff other than
plain text, it might be something like formatting left in the table, or
field codes, embedded objects and so on.
b. does the problem seem to be associated with the data, or the position of
the data. Position could mean "there's always a problem with row 250 in data
source xyz.doc" or "there's always a problem after around 65536
characters" - that sort of thing.

Not sure I can offer much more than that.

Peter Jamieson

>> 1. Which version of Word?
>
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>
> Kat

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kat - 02 Mar 2007 04:47 GMT

Thanks, Peter. I have never been able to figure out. But I just saw
something in this same forum about missing data and where the "next record"
code is located. I'm wondering if that's part of the problem. I'm going to
check some of my forms out. It's not the same problem this woman was having
(here's was missing at certain numbered entries - mine is variable). I had
this forum set up to notify me of "replies" but I guess that didn't work.
I'm not on this forum very often.

Thanks for you help.
Kat

> > Sorry, but it would be difficult to send you this. As I said, I deal with
> > addresses, names, etc., and don't wish to send this.
[quoted text clipped - 72 lines]
> >
> > Kat

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kat - 02 Mar 2007 16:37 GMT

Peter - that was the problem! I had the "next record" field in the wrong
place. At least it worked on the latest form. Will have to see what it does
in the rest of the forms. Never thought about that field being in the wrong
place.

Thanks again for your time and help.
Kat

> Thanks, Peter. I have never been able to figure out. But I just saw
> something in this same forum about missing data and where the "next record"
[quoted text clipped - 83 lines]
> > >
> > > Kat

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Peter Jamieson - 02 Mar 2007 17:19 GMT

Well spotted!

Peter Jamieson

> Peter - that was the problem! I had the "next record" field in the wrong
> place. At least it worked on the latest form. Will have to see what it
[quoted text clipped - 125 lines]
>> > >
>> > > Kat

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