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MS Office Forum / Word / Mailmerge and Fax / April 2005Mail Merge Word 2003 Issue
I am doing a mail merge with Word2003 - the database info is in an Excel 2003 spreadsheet. The mail merge works just like it always has - UNTIL I get to the last step - Update All Labels. At that point only the first three labels and the LAST two labels on the first page and miscellaneous labels on the next page are populated with information. I do not have this problem on my desktop but I do on my laptop and others here at the University have been experiencing the same problem. 11.6359.6360 SP1 is the version of my Word2003 and 11.6355.6360 SP1 is the version of Excel2003. I have received emails from others on the outside that are having this exact same problem. This solution was sent to me also but does not work: "go to options in Word and on the general tab you select the box confirm conversion when opening document when you select this box you will have to select your data file in excel again and you select the DDE option"  SignatureChar Gorak So far, I have not been able to replicate this on my copy of Word 1.6359.6360 SP1, so have not bin able to pin down a likely problem area. Because it worked before, I would be inclined to report this directly to Microsoft (we are only volunteers). My guess is that it /might/ have something to do with the data, which would at least provide an explanation as to why some people are seeing this problem and others are not, and why switching to DDE might improve things in some cases. All I can do is ask a few questions and see if they lead anywhere useful, e.g.: a. is the problem that the field /codes/ (Next Record and Addressblock) are not replicated when you press Update all labels? Or do you see the field codes but not the data when you press preview? b. Does it make any difference if you choose a different type of label layout? c. Are there any "unusual" characters, e.g. double quote characters, in your data source, or unusually large fields, around the point where things go wrong? d. Does it make any difference which version of /Excel/ was (last) used to create/maintain the data? (My guess is that the problem is in Word, and not in either Excel or the OLEDB provider used to get the data from the .xsl, but it might be worth checking that. Best I can do I'm afraid. Peter Jamieson >I am doing a mail merge with Word2003 - the database info is in an Excel >2003 [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > conversion when opening document when you select this box you will have to > select your data file in excel again and you select the DDE option" It looks to me that the AddressBlock is not being replicated across the labels - only across the top (no matter which labels are chosen), the last two at the bottom and randomly in the middle. I can copy the AddressBlock to each of the blank labels and they look fine but that is an unnecessary extra step that mail merge is suppose to elimate. It has nothing to do with the info being imported either as I have tried several different databases from Excel and all have the same problem. At work we have installed the same version of Office2003 to all our machines. Could it be something that is different between the way a laptop installs as opposed to the way the desktop installs? I don't know if this is consistant but it works on the desktops in my department but not on the laptops. We have the Gateway Tablet M275. Could it possibly be a Tablet issue? I don't know if the other people who have reported this to me have Tablets or not... just a thought. Thanks-Char Gorak > So far, I have not been able to replicate this on my copy of Word > 1.6359.6360 SP1, so have not bin able to pin down a likely problem area. [quoted text clipped - 37 lines] > > conversion when opening document when you select this box you will have to > > select your data file in excel again and you select the DDE option" What happens if you abandon the inflexible addressblock field and insert the required fields individually and propagate those? See http://www.gmayor.com/mail_merge_labels_with_word_xp.htm If the same problem occurs with separate fields, then repairing Word might be a useful next step (Help > detect & repair). Next step after that would be to reset the data key in the registry See http://www.gmayor.com/my_toolbars_are_missing.htm -- <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<> Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<> > It looks to me that the AddressBlock is not being replicated across > the labels - only across the top (no matter which labels are chosen), [quoted text clipped - 57 lines] >>> select the DDE option" -- >>> Char Gorak In answer to your questions - Yes it still happens when I enter each field separately I have already tried to repair and that did not help I will try and reset the data key next but I suspect this is a Tablet issue. I will let you know more a little later. > What happens if you abandon the inflexible addressblock field and insert the > required fields individually and propagate those? [quoted text clipped - 73 lines] > >>> select the DDE option" -- > >>> Char Gorak Mr. Mayor, I went to your webiste and followed your directions and it worked. The last time I performed a mail merge was about 1 year ago and it was very simple. This new process is unbelieveable. I am by no means a computer guru and figured out the mail merge last year without any help, but would have had no idea of what the additional steps were without your website. Even the Microsoft Online help features did not explain anything about "Insert Merge Field" or "Propogating". That was absolutely ridiculous. Thanks for your website, it was a life saver. I was almost to the point of typing out each individual address again to make things work. S.Nicks > What happens if you abandon the inflexible addressblock field and insert the > required fields individually and propagate those? [quoted text clipped - 73 lines] > >>> select the DDE option" -- > >>> Char Gorak I think many people preferred mail merge with Word 2000, but for those used to the old ways, Word 2002/3 came as an unpleasant shock until they realise that the older way of doing things remains largely intact - but hidden from the user by default. I am pleased you found my web page useful. Signature<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<> Graham Mayor - Word MVP My web site www.gmayor.com Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org <>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<> > Mr. Mayor, > I went to your webiste and followed your directions and it worked. [quoted text clipped - 92 lines] >>>>> select the DDE option" -- >>>>> Char Gorak > We have the Gateway Tablet M275. Could it possibly be a Tablet > issue? I don't know if the other people who have reported this to me have > Tablets or not... just a thought. Now that is an interesting thought. When you described the problem I tested on Office 2003 SP1 on an XP SP2 desktop (well actually, it's on a VMware virtual machine running XP SP2, hosted on a "real" XP SP2 desktop) and could not replicate the problem. But I am in the middle of setting up an HP Tablet PC here (also Windows XP SP2) and I do see the problem, exactly as you describe, on Word 2003 without SP1, specifically Word version 11.5604.5606. I also notice in response to Graham's question that it isn't just Addressblock fields - ordinary Mergefields behave in a similar way. Based on that info. I would guess it either has something to do with Tablet or Windows XP SP2. If you are either using SP2 on all your systems or on none of them, it looks as if "Tablet" is the problem. i.e. it looks like an error to me, but I can only stress that I am not currently in a position to do much about it. Peter Jamieson > It looks to me that the AddressBlock is not being replicated across the > labels - only across the top (no matter which labels are chosen), the last [quoted text clipped - 72 lines] >> > to >> > select your data file in excel again and you select the DDE option" Hi Peter - Thanks so much for your reply - I am glad you could replicate!!! I DO have SP1 on my Tablet and I STLL have the problem. This is really a problem for our faculty. Please let me know if you figure out a fix. Thanks! > > We have the Gateway Tablet M275. Could it possibly be a Tablet > > issue? I don't know if the other people who have reported this to me have [quoted text clipped - 97 lines] > >> > to > >> > select your data file in excel again and you select the DDE option" "Next step after that would be to reset the data key in the registry" Just tried this and it did not work. > Hi Peter - > Thanks so much for your reply - I am glad you could replicate!!! I DO have [quoted text clipped - 102 lines] > > >> > to > > >> > select your data file in excel again and you select the DDE option" Yes, I had assumed from what you said that SP1 would not fix it. I have now installed it and there has been no improvement. Peter Jamieson > Hi Peter - > Thanks so much for your reply - I am glad you could replicate!!! I DO [quoted text clipped - 132 lines] >> >> > to >> >> > select your data file in excel again and you select the DDE option" I emailed the gentleman who was having the same problem and he also is using a Tablet - an Acer Travelmate C300 so it is consistant with being a Tablet issue. Now - where can I go to get this annoying issue fixed?? Thanks! > Yes, I had assumed from what you said that SP1 would not fix it. I have now > installed it and there has been no improvement. [quoted text clipped - 137 lines] > >> >> > to > >> >> > select your data file in excel again and you select the DDE option" FWIW I used one of my free "support incidents" to report it online. Peter Jamieson >I emailed the gentleman who was having the same problem and he also is >using [quoted text clipped - 171 lines] >> >> >> > select your data file in excel again and you select the DDE >> >> >> > option" Thank you Peter - I truly appreciate your help. > FWIW I used one of my free "support incidents" to report it online. > [quoted text clipped - 175 lines] > >> >> >> > select your data file in excel again and you select the DDE > >> >> >> > option" No non-automated response so far (as far as I can tell there should have been one by now), and eveb when (if?) there is one I do not know what MS will actually do. So I wouldn't hold your breath! Peter Jamieson > Thank you Peter - I truly appreciate your help. > [quoted text clipped - 210 lines] >> >> >> >> > select your data file in excel again and you select the DDE >> >> >> >> > option" Hi Peter, > No non-automated response so far (as far as I can tell there should have > been one by now), and eveb when (if?) there is one I do not know what MS > will actually do. So I wouldn't hold your breath! Do you want to try this via the route you used to take, through me? Cindy Yes please, Cindy. Peter Jamieson > Hi Peter, > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Cindy This is VERY interesting. A gentleman with the same problem emailed this to me today: In relation to the mail merge issues on tablet pcs...If I set the document up with the initial fields then update all labels the missing labels are still there --- then if I add an image to the first label and then press update all labels for the document the fields are in all the labels now. Don't know if this helps but it might narrow the options down as to what is wrong. --Richard Pascoe I tried this - I added a text box and put a *.jpg into it and then clicked on "Update all Labels" and yup!!! the whole sheet filled. This is really strange!! Char Gorak > Yes please, Cindy. > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > > > Cindy Not much progress on my support incident so far, but I'm sure that will help anyone investigating... Peter Jamieson > This is VERY interesting. A gentleman with the same problem emailed this > to [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] >> > >> > Cindy Just to let you know, despite trying various avenues within Microsoft I have had no response on the status of this problem. Although I know the essential details reached an appropriate part of Microsoft I have no idea whether or not they have even tried to replicate the problem on a tablet PC. Peter Jamieson > This is VERY interesting. A gentleman with the same problem emailed this > to [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] >> > >> > Cindy Hi, I've a workaround for this issue which should resolve this problem. - Before clicking "Update all Labels" insert a text box with a small logo or an autoshape inside the first label. - Now click on Update all labels and they will update correctly.. - go back and delete the text box with logo or autoshape and click update all labels again, this time all the labels will be shown but without the text box with logo in it. Kalim |
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