Using Mail Merge for Creating a Document of Biographies...

Hi,

I am currently creating a word document containing short biographies.
My aim in creating this is to be able to have a page or two for each person,
and on that page are his dates, information about him, pictures, etc.

The way to do this which seems the most obvious is by using mail merge, as
it would mean that each page is exactly the same, and I would just have to
input the data onto the data source. However, I do not have any idea of how
to start creating this document, so any help would be great!

Would it just be easier creating it using simple word (by just imputing the
information?); the only problem is would be that all the pages would have a
different format.

Thanks in advance,
Sam Clarke

Hi =?Utf-8?B?U2FtIENsYXJrZQ==?=,

I guess it depends on what kind of structure you envision for each biography.
Theoretically, you could use mail merge. You'd put the data for each individual
into a Word table (one row per person, one column for each data item, such as
name, birth date, etc.).

Then you set up the main merge document, linking to the document with the
table. Insert the merge fields (1 column = 1 field) where you want the data to
appear, then execute the merge.

If this is too restrictive, then you could set up a document with the basic
given structure (intro paragraph, styles for formatting) and use Insert/File to
bring this into the "book" each time you begin a new biography. Then you just
type in the individual's information.

I am currently creating a word document containing short biographies.
My aim in creating this is to be able to have a page or two for each person,
and on that page are his dates, information about him, pictures, etc.

The way to do this which seems the most obvious is by using mail merge, as
it would mean that each page is exactly the same, and I would just have to
input the data onto the data source. However, I do not have any idea of how
to start creating this document, so any help would be great!

Would it just be easier creating it using simple word (by just imputing the
information?); the only problem is would be that all the pages would have a
different format.


Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Jun 8 2004)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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