How to show date / currency format in mailmerge from Excel?

My database is in Excel and I have dates, percentages and currency
auto-formated in there. When I use mailmerge Word 2007 ignores all that
formating making my documets a mess. If I use Word 97 it keeps all the
formatting intact but that then stops Word 2007 from working. If anyone can
tell me how to make Word 2007 show the correctly formatted data I will be so
happy!

Microsoft has changed the way merges connect to the data from the flaky DDE
method (it actually changed in version 2002). You could still adopt DDE -
From the Word Options Advanced and check the box against the "Confirm
conversions at open" item. Then when you attach the data source to the mail
merge main document, you will be given the option of using the DDE method of
connection which should read the data as you have it formatted in the table.

Or easier still, use formatting switches on your merge fields -
http://www.gmayor.com/formatting_word_fields.htm

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

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


LoreKai wrote:
My database is in Excel and I have dates, percentages and currency
auto-formated in there. When I use mailmerge Word 2007 ignores all
that formating making my documets a mess. If I use Word 97 it keeps
all the formatting intact but that then stops Word 2007 from working.
If anyone can tell me how to make Word 2007 show the correctly
formatted data I will be so happy!

Thanks a lot Graham!

"Graham Mayor" wrote:

Microsoft has changed the way merges connect to the data from the flaky DDE
method (it actually changed in version 2002). You could still adopt DDE -
From the Word Options Advanced and check the box against the "Confirm
conversions at open" item. Then when you attach the data source to the mail
merge main document, you will be given the option of using the DDE method of
connection which should read the data as you have it formatted in the table.

Or easier still, use formatting switches on your merge fields -
http://www.gmayor.com/formatting_word_fields.htm

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

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


LoreKai wrote:
My database is in Excel and I have dates, percentages and currency
auto-formated in there. When I use mailmerge Word 2007 ignores all
that formating making my documets a mess. If I use Word 97 it keeps
all the formatting intact but that then stops Word 2007 from working.
If anyone can tell me how to make Word 2007 show the correctly
formatted data I will be so happy!

I am still struggling with the syntax on word 2007. the merge field appears
as number. Where do i insert the formatting code? eg (\#,###.00) I
have tried various permutationsbut can't get it to work. Worse still,
templates I had in 2003 format have lost the formatting text when converted
into 2007. Seems such a simple and common request and yet no help on line on
this formatting. Can anyone help?

"Graham Mayor" wrote:

Microsoft has changed the way merges connect to the data from the flaky DDE
method (it actually changed in version 2002). You could still adopt DDE -
From the Word Options Advanced and check the box against the "Confirm
conversions at open" item. Then when you attach the data source to the mail
merge main document, you will be given the option of using the DDE method of
connection which should read the data as you have it formatted in the table.

Or easier still, use formatting switches on your merge fields -
http://www.gmayor.com/formatting_word_fields.htm

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

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


LoreKai wrote:
My database is in Excel and I have dates, percentages and currency
auto-formated in there. When I use mailmerge Word 2007 ignores all
that formating making my documets a mess. If I use Word 97 it keeps
all the formatting intact but that then stops Word 2007 from working.
If anyone can tell me how to make Word 2007 show the correctly
formatted data I will be so happy!

Select the field number

Right click and choose 'toggle'

The field will display { MERGEFIELD number }

add the switch before the final bracket - in this case

{ MERGEFIELD number \# ",0.00" }

With the cursor still in the field, press F9 to update.

If the field has not returned to its original display, right click and
toggle the display again

Note ALT+F9 will toggle all the fields in the document.


--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

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




Andy S wrote:
I am still struggling with the syntax on word 2007. the merge field
appears as number. Where do i insert the formatting code? eg
(\#,###.00) I have tried various permutationsbut can't get it to
work. Worse still, templates I had in 2003 format have lost the
formatting text when converted into 2007. Seems such a simple and
common request and yet no help on line on this formatting. Can
anyone help?

"Graham Mayor" wrote:

Microsoft has changed the way merges connect to the data from the
flaky DDE method (it actually changed in version 2002). You could
still adopt DDE - From the Word Options Advanced and check the box
against the "Confirm conversions at open" item. Then when you
attach the data source to the mail merge main document, you will be
given the option of using the DDE method of connection which should
read the data as you have it formatted in the table.

Or easier still, use formatting switches on your merge fields -
http://www.gmayor.com/formatting_word_fields.htm

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

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


LoreKai wrote:
My database is in Excel and I have dates, percentages and currency
auto-formated in there. When I use mailmerge Word 2007 ignores all
that formating making my documets a mess. If I use Word 97 it keeps
all the formatting intact but that then stops Word 2007 from
working. If anyone can tell me how to make Word 2007 show the
correctly formatted data I will be so happy!