The option to "Confirm file format conversion on open" has always been
selected. As I mentioned, I had just previously been successful in merging an
Excel file and sent the first set of emails, but then needed to use a seconde
Excel file with another set of data -- and from that point on I continued to
encounter the same error about not being able to establish a DDE connection.

I have also tried selecting the option for Excel files as OBDC data files
but simply receive an error that the file cannot be opened. The data is in an
Excel 2007 file, not in any other database format, so I do not know how else
to retrieve it. I want the data to merge into the fields exactly as it is
from the Excel file which is why I want the DDE connection established.

"Doug Robbins - Word MVP" wrote:

In Word, click on the Office button and then on Word Options and then on
Advanced and scroll down to the General Section and check the box against
the item "Confirm file format conversion on open". Then try one of the
other connection methods that will be displayed when you attach the data
source to the mail merge main document.
--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP, originally posted via msnews.microsoft.com
"Roberta" wrote in message
...
I am using Word to generate email messages to distribute through mail merge
and the data sources are Excel files. I am having problems when I try to
bring in the Excel file - message comes back saying "Word could not
re-establish a DDE connection." However, I had just completed on mail
merge
and successfully sent the emails but when I tried to bring in a new Excel
file, the error message appears.

All the Word documents and Excel files are on my single laptop - no
network
or server involved. The Excel files have not been opened "Exclusively" and
I
have tried restarting my computer to see if they work but still get the
same
error message.

I am using Vista Professional with Service Pack 3 and all the latest
Windows
/ Office updates have been installed.

I need to use this email (mail merge) program quite frequently and it is
becoming a very frustrating experience when it does not work, particularly
when I just sent one batch of emails and then the next one will not work.

Any suggetions are welcome.