Excel to Word Merge probelm

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Sheila - 06 May 2005 16:52 GMT

I update monthly an Excel 2000 spreadsheet with 45 columns and about 1000
rows, and merge the new data into a Word 2000 document. This month I added a
new column to the spreadsheet and when I did the merge, several of the data
fields were placed in the wrong position in the merged document. For
example, the data from column headed AR merged into the position that should
contain data from BF. This was not just data from the new Excel column.

I tried repositioning the new data column within the spreadsheet and also
deleting it, so that only the columns I had worked with in previous months
were included. Same result, with some mail merge fields containing incorrect
data.

There have been no updates to the software in the prior month and I am at
rather a loss to know where to look next. I'd appreciate any help.

Thanks.

Reply to this Message

Peter Jamieson - 07 May 2005 12:29 GMT

Did you go through the process of attaching the data source again? Sometimes
Word becomes confused if you do not.

Peter Jamieson

>I update monthly an Excel 2000 spreadsheet with 45 columns and about 1000
> rows, and merge the new data into a Word 2000 document. This month I
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
>
> Thanks.

Reply to this Message

Sheila - 09 May 2005 17:06 GMT

I did create a subset of the main Excel file, containing the new data column,
renamed it, and then referenced this new file when doing a mail merge from
the original Word mail merge document into which I had inserted the new merge
field.

Is this what you mean by "attaching" the source file?

I had similar results with the subsequent merged document - data placed in
the wrong positions.

Sheila

> Did you go through the process of attaching the data source again? Sometimes
> Word becomes confused if you do not.
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> >
> > Thanks.

Reply to this Message

Peter Jamieson - 09 May 2005 18:23 GMT

> Is this what you mean by "attaching" the source file?

Yes, in essence I mean that you go through the "open Data Source" dialog
box.

Unfortunately I'll be unavailable for a while so won't be able to follow
this up, but the only other possibility I can think of is that you may have
problems if there are any double-quote characters in your data.

One other thing you could try when you select your data source is checking
the "Select method" checkbox and try one of the other options for connecting
to Excel spreadsheets - in Word 2000 you are probably using the default
method ("DDE") but you may see "via Converter" and "ODBC". Unfortunately,
there are drawbacks to each method - e.g. you may find that you have to add
numeric and date switches in your Word fields to get the results you want.

Peter Jamieson

>I did create a subset of the main Excel file, containing the new data
>column,
[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]
>> >
>> > Thanks.

Reply to this Message

Sheila - 09 May 2005 23:02 GMT

Thank you for your help, Peter. I will follow your suggestions. I have been
meaning to transfer the data to Access for some time now. Perhaps this is
the time to do so!

Again, thank you.....

sheila

> > Is this what you mean by "attaching" the source file?
>
[quoted text clipped - 58 lines]
> >> >
> >> > Thanks.

Reply to this Message

Graham Mayor - 10 May 2005 06:32 GMT

Access and Excel share the same issues when it comes to interfacing with
Word for the purpose of mail merge. See if
http://www.gmayor.com/mail_merge_labels_with_word_xp.htm helps cover the
bases.

Signature

<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP

My web site www.gmayor.com
Word MVP web site http://word.mvps.org
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

> Thank you for your help, Peter. I will follow your suggestions. I
> have been meaning to transfer the data to Access for some time now.
[quoted text clipped - 69 lines]
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks.

Reply to this Message