I have completed my form letter and set up my mail merge data (names, addresses, etc.). When I merge the data with my envelopes, all goes perfectly. When I try to merge my data with my form letter, the address header is fine, but the first line of the letter, the "Dear..." shows up as font size 14 when everything else is font size 12. Before merging data, when I place the cursor over the mail merge information just after "Dear..." (<<title>><<last name>>) it shows that it will be size 12.....then when I have it merge, it prints size 14...
What the hay is going on????

Cindy M -WordMVP- - 21 Dec 2003 18:08 GMT

Hi =?Utf-8?B?YmxhY2tjYXQ=?=,

> I have completed my form letter and set up my mail merge data (names, addresses, etc.). When I merge the data with my envelopes, all goes

perfectly. When I try to merge my data with my form letter, the address
header is fine, but the first line of the letter, the "Dear..." shows up as
font size 14 when everything else is font size 12. Before merging data, when
I place the cursor over the mail merge information just after "Dear..."
(<<title>><<last name>>) it shows that it will be size 12.....then when I have
it merge, it prints size 14....

This has been a problem with Word's mail merge for over 10 years. I've never
seen a theory that explains the WHY, but there is a way to force the correct
formatting:

1. Alt+F9 to display the field codes
2. You need a \* CharFormat switch in the field(s) causing the problem. If
there's a \* MergeFormat switch, modify that; otherwise, add the switch.
Example:
{ Mergefield Name \* CharFormat }
3. Alt+F9 to hide the field codes

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

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