Postal Barcode on Address Label

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Bob Chisholm - 29 Nov 2003 19:51 GMT

Using Word 97 in Windows ME to employ postal bar codes, I get to the
"Setup" step in the Mail Merger Helper window and choose the Avery 5160
label format, and in the Create Labels window insert the desired merge
fields from my associated Excel spreadsheet. When I attempt to insert a
Postal Bar Code, a subsidiary "Insert Postal Bar Code window appears
asking for the "Merge field with ZIP code". I supposed that this meant
the merge field in the worksheet that contained the Zip code. After
providing this field name, the "Sample label:" showed "Delivery point
barcode will print here!" positioned at the top of the sample. I was
unable to move it elsewhere. When I clicked the final OK in the Create
Labels window, the main document displayed in the main Word window with
the phrase "Zip code not valid!" at the top of every label. When I
clicked on "Merge" (to a New Document), the finished merged document was
displayed with the same error phrase displayed.

What have I not done, or done wrong? My Zip Code column in the
spreadsheet is in the zip+4 format, although it contains some Canadian
Post Codes.

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Cindy M -WordMVP- - 01 Dec 2003 14:00 GMT

Hi Bob,

Exactly what is wrong is not certain, but here are some thoughts that
might help:
- The "Mergefield with Zipcode" dialog box should have two fields, one for
the street address, one for the zipcode. If you're using zip+4, then you
need to use both fields, as the +4 refers to the street address
- If your data is in Excel, it can help to explicitly format the column as
text, by using the Data/Text to Columns command. (Just using Format/Cell
isn't good enough). Word will often try to use the hyphen as a minus sign,
and it will also tend to drop leading 0.
- In order to move the location of the zipcode in this dialog box, select
it and press Ctrl+X (cut), move to where you want it and press Ctrl+V
(paste).

It's also important to note that barcodes require a certain width. I can't
remember in which version of Word the functionality became unavailable
when a too narrow label is chosen, but when the label is not wide enough
the zipcode is not valid. You may want to experiment with an envelope,
first, until you're sure the combination of data you're entering is
correct.

> Using Word 97 in Windows ME to employ postal bar codes, I get to the
> "Setup" step in the Mail Merger Helper window and choose the Avery 5160
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> spreadsheet is in the zip+4 format, although it contains some Canadian
> Post Codes.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep 30 2003)
http://www.mvps.org/word

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

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Bob Chisholm - 01 Dec 2003 17:06 GMT

Thanks Cindy -

The zip code data already exists in correct format as zip+4 style in the Zip
column (except for Canadian addressees). When a new row is added to the
spreadsheet, 9 consecutive digits are automatically converted to 12345-6789 by
the software. If I change the column format to zip from zip+4, the
"Mergefield with Zipcode" dialog box still asks for a zip code and a street
field.

Changing to an envelope merge made no difference in behavior.

The only way I was able to control the desired position of the barcode was to
insert it first, then insert desired data fields where I wanted them, above
the barcode location. But in the end, I still get the "Zip code not valid!"
line on every label/envelope. There must be something wrong with the way the
data sits in the Zip column that makes the software hiccup.

Any other thoughts?

Bob
====================
Cindy M -WordMVP- wrote:

> Hi Bob,
>
[quoted text clipped - 44 lines]
> This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
> reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

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