Preserving Font of Data Source when Merging

We are using Word 2002 SP3 and have a need to merge a document with a data
source and preserve the font face and font size that is in the data source
in the merged document. I realize this is unusual, because generally you
want the names and addresses to take on the font characteristics of the
letter, but in our case, we need to be able to give the user creating the
data source control of the font. Is there a switch that controls this? If
not, is there another way I can accomplish this?

Thanks in advance,
Allison Orange
Systems Project Consultant
Florida Public Service Commission

Hi Allison,

This can be done, sort of.

1. The data source MUST be a Word table
2. After inserting the merge fields
- Alt+F9 to show the field codes
- remove the term MERGEFIELD from the merge fields
NOTE: there must be at least one field that retains MERGEFIELD, or the
merge will not work
- Alt+F9 to hide the codes

The formatting will come across from the Word table for all fields where
"Mergefield" has been removed. This is because Word is interpreting them as
implicit REF fields and using the mail merge link to bring across the
information.

We are using Word 2002 SP3 and have a need to merge a document with a data
source and preserve the font face and font size that is in the data source
in the merged document. I realize this is unusual, because generally you
want the names and addresses to take on the font characteristics of the
letter, but in our case, we need to be able to give the user creating the
data source control of the font. Is there a switch that controls this? If
not, is there another way I can accomplish this?


Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep 30 2003)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

Cindy,

I did a test and got your solution to work. My only problem is that the
real life situation has only one merge field. I am going to work with my
newfound knowledge and see if I can come up with a workaround.

Thanks for the quick response,
Allison

"Cindy M -WordMVP-" wrote in message
news:VA.00009ab9.015df78d@speedy...
Hi Allison,

This can be done, sort of.

1. The data source MUST be a Word table
2. After inserting the merge fields
- Alt+F9 to show the field codes
- remove the term MERGEFIELD from the merge fields
NOTE: there must be at least one field that retains MERGEFIELD, or the
merge will not work
- Alt+F9 to hide the codes

The formatting will come across from the Word table for all fields where
"Mergefield" has been removed. This is because Word is interpreting them
as
implicit REF fields and using the mail merge link to bring across the
information.

We are using Word 2002 SP3 and have a need to merge a document with a
data
source and preserve the font face and font size that is in the data
source
in the merged document. I realize this is unusual, because generally
you
want the names and addresses to take on the font characteristics of the
letter, but in our case, we need to be able to give the user creating
the
data source control of the font. Is there a switch that controls this?
If
not, is there another way I can accomplish this?


Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep 30 2003)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)

Hi Allison,

I did a test and got your solution to work. My only problem is that the
real life situation has only one merge field. I am going to work with my
newfound knowledge and see if I can come up with a workaround.

Add another field to the data source and just don't type anything into it.
Insert that field at the beginning or end of the main merge document :-)

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep 30 2003)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow question or
reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail :-)