Word 2000 - Mail merge helper not there

Hello. I am trying to do a mail merge in Word 2000. I have gone to the
MS web-site and looked for the "How to article, and get the following:

Step 1: Open or Create the Main Document
If you have a document that contains the boilerplate text that you want
to use, open it. Or, if you want to create a new form letter and no
blank document is currently displayed, click New on the Standard
toolbar.
On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.
In the Main Document area of the Mail Merge Helper dialog box, click
Create.
Click Form Letters.

You are prompted to either use the active window for the main document
or create a new main document. Click Active Window. The active document
becomes the mail merge main document.

Word returns to the Mail Merge Helper.
Go to Step 2: Open or Create the Data Source.

However, when I click on the Tools menu, as directed, I do not have a
menu item called "Mail Merge". I have tried re-installing MS Office
2000, but nothing changed. What am I doing wrong? Also, I will attempt
to do the mail merge using names and addresses listed on an Excel
spreadsheet. Should I convert the spreadsheet to an Access file first?
Thanks for any help you may be able to give.


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~~ Message posted from http://www.WordForums.com/

I can't tell you why you can't find "mail merge" in your tools menu, but
you should be able to merge with an excel spreadsheet in 2000 since I
do it all the time in '97. There's a drop-down box somewhere in the
process of choosing the source of your data that will allow you to
choose between several inputs, including Access and Excel.

Hope that helps a little, at least.


------------------------------------------------
~~ Message posted from http://www.WordForums.com/

Thanks. I will try that part later. First, though, I have to get to the
Mail Merge Helper. Thanks again for your quick response.


------------------------------------------------
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"JMattero" wrote in message
...

Hello. I am trying to do a mail merge in Word 2000. I have gone to the
MS web-site and looked for the "How to article, and get the following:

Step 1: Open or Create the Main Document
If you have a document that contains the boilerplate text that you want
to use, open it. Or, if you want to create a new form letter and no
blank document is currently displayed, click New on the Standard
toolbar.
On the Tools menu, click Mail Merge.
In the Main Document area of the Mail Merge Helper dialog box, click
Create.
Click Form Letters.

You are prompted to either use the active window for the main document
or create a new main document. Click Active Window. The active document
becomes the mail merge main document.

Word returns to the Mail Merge Helper.
Go to Step 2: Open or Create the Data Source.

However, when I click on the Tools menu, as directed, I do not have a
menu item called "Mail Merge". I have tried re-installing MS Office
2000, but nothing changed. What am I doing wrong? Also, I will attempt
to do the mail merge using names and addresses listed on an Excel
spreadsheet. Should I convert the spreadsheet to an Access file first?
Thanks for any help you may be able to give.


------------------------------------------------
~~ Message posted from http://www.WordForums.com/

Hi JMattero,

However, when I click on the Tools menu, as directed, I do not have a
menu item called "Mail Merge".

Was your version of Word originally installed as part of the Works
suite? As standalone? As part of Office 2000?

You can try
- Tools/Customize/Commands
- Click on "Mail merge"
- Then drag the Mail Merge Helper button to your Tools button; wait
a while until it drops down (don't let go of the mouse button!);
continue dragging to the position where you'd like to have it.

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

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