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Using dates during mail merge



 
 
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  #1  
Old February 1st, 2008, 09:37 AM posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
gjupp
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1
Default Using dates during mail merge

Can anybody help please?

Using Word 2000 (9.0.2760) we are in the process of setting up a mail merge
using a standard letter for the main document. The data source comprises in
each record, name, address and other data fields. Data will accumulate slowly
in each record, but we need to carry out mail merges at frequent intervals.

Letters generated during each mail merge must be dated with the current date,
but each date must be retained in the relevant data source records for
generating ‘directories/catalogues’ at a later time (using separate mail
merges) for review. It would also be beneficial for each mail merge to
produce only those letters with the current date, ie. not all record are
merged.

How can this be done, please?

Many thanks in anticipation.

  #2  
Old February 1st, 2008, 09:58 AM posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
Doug Robbins - Word MVP
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8,239
Default Using dates during mail merge

What are you using for the data source? Frankly, it does not sound to me
like mail merge is really the best option for this. How are you proposing
to retain each date in the data source? In a new record? In separate
fields in each record, or multiple dates in one field?

These sort of things need to be considered in the first instance.

--
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

"gjupp" u41094@uwe wrote in message news:7f127da0d4ac1@uwe...
Can anybody help please?

Using Word 2000 (9.0.2760) we are in the process of setting up a mail
merge
using a standard letter for the main document. The data source comprises
in
each record, name, address and other data fields. Data will accumulate
slowly
in each record, but we need to carry out mail merges at frequent
intervals.

Letters generated during each mail merge must be dated with the current
date,
but each date must be retained in the relevant data source records for
generating 'directories/catalogues' at a later time (using separate mail
merges) for review. It would also be beneficial for each mail merge to
produce only those letters with the current date, ie. not all record are
merged.

How can this be done, please?

Many thanks in anticipation.



  #3  
Old February 5th, 2008, 09:56 AM posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
gjupp via OfficeKB.com
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default Using dates during mail merge

Thanks for the reply.

For the data source we are using a standard word doc generated by mail merge,
using standard fields for names, address, etc, and we assumed that dates
would be retained in separate fields in each record.

For the moment, until the 'system' is set up, we are entering the current
date manually in date fields for relevant records, then using skip-if (not
equal to this date) to merge only those records. This retains the date but is
crude indeed, as the skip-if date criterion has to be changed for each merge.
There must be a better way. Hope you can help to streamline the process.
Thanks.




Doug Robbins - Word MVP wrote:
What are you using for the data source? Frankly, it does not sound to me
like mail merge is really the best option for this. How are you proposing
to retain each date in the data source? In a new record? In separate
fields in each record, or multiple dates in one field?

These sort of things need to be considered in the first instance.

Can anybody help please?

[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]

Many thanks in anticipation.


--
Message posted via http://www.officekb.com

  #4  
Old February 5th, 2008, 10:33 AM posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
Graham Mayor
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 18,297
Default Using dates during mail merge

You can compare a date in a field with the current date with your skipif
field

{SKIPIF {Mergefield DateField \@ "yyyyMMdd"} {Date \@ "yyyyMMdd"}}

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

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


gjupp via OfficeKB.com wrote:
Thanks for the reply.

For the data source we are using a standard word doc generated by
mail merge, using standard fields for names, address, etc, and we
assumed that dates would be retained in separate fields in each
record.

For the moment, until the 'system' is set up, we are entering the
current date manually in date fields for relevant records, then using
skip-if (not equal to this date) to merge only those records. This
retains the date but is crude indeed, as the skip-if date criterion
has to be changed for each merge. There must be a better way. Hope
you can help to streamline the process. Thanks.




Doug Robbins - Word MVP wrote:
What are you using for the data source? Frankly, it does not sound
to me like mail merge is really the best option for this. How are
you proposing to retain each date in the data source? In a new
record? In separate fields in each record, or multiple dates in one
field?

These sort of things need to be considered in the first instance.

Can anybody help please?

[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]

Many thanks in anticipation.



  #5  
Old February 5th, 2008, 11:09 AM posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
Doug Robbins - Word MVP
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8,239
Default Using dates during mail merge

You need to consider whether mail merge is really the right tool for this
job.

Maybe something more along the lines of the method contained in the last of
the following series of articles is more appropriate

Please Fill Out This Form
Part 1: Create professional looking forms in Word
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=22

Part 2: Adding Automation to your Word forms.
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=46

Part 3: Learn more VBA (macros) to automate your forms.
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=119

Part 4: Use custom dialog boxes in your Word forms
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=127

Part 5: Connect your AutoForm to a database to save input time and keep
better records!
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=136


--
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

"gjupp via OfficeKB.com" u41094@uwe wrote in message
news:7f44f2a2e9eb1@uwe...
Thanks for the reply.

For the data source we are using a standard word doc generated by mail
merge,
using standard fields for names, address, etc, and we assumed that dates
would be retained in separate fields in each record.

For the moment, until the 'system' is set up, we are entering the current
date manually in date fields for relevant records, then using skip-if (not
equal to this date) to merge only those records. This retains the date but
is
crude indeed, as the skip-if date criterion has to be changed for each
merge.
There must be a better way. Hope you can help to streamline the process.
Thanks.




Doug Robbins - Word MVP wrote:
What are you using for the data source? Frankly, it does not sound to me
like mail merge is really the best option for this. How are you proposing
to retain each date in the data source? In a new record? In separate
fields in each record, or multiple dates in one field?

These sort of things need to be considered in the first instance.

Can anybody help please?

[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]

Many thanks in anticipation.


--
Message posted via http://www.officekb.com



  #6  
Old February 6th, 2008, 07:24 PM posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
gjupp via OfficeKB.com
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default Using dates during mail merge

Many thanks indeed. This works fine. However, to go one step further: Is it
possible to compare the current date with a DateField that is formatted
(typed) dd+ordinals MMMMyyyyy?


Graham Mayor wrote:
You can compare a date in a field with the current date with your skipif
field

{SKIPIF {Mergefield DateField \@ "yyyyMMdd"} {Date \@ "yyyyMMdd"}}

Thanks for the reply.

[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]

Many thanks in anticipation.


--
Message posted via OfficeKB.com
http://www.officekb.com/Uwe/Forums.a...merge/200802/1

  #7  
Old February 6th, 2008, 07:31 PM posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
gjupp via OfficeKB.com
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default Using dates during mail merge

Doug
This is very much the advanced course for me. It will take me some time to
get my head around this technique, but no doubt, it has considrable
advantages over mail merge. I just need to spend the time working on it.
However, many thanks for taking the time to advise. It is much appreciated.



Doug Robbins - Word MVP wrote:
You need to consider whether mail merge is really the right tool for this
job.

Maybe something more along the lines of the method contained in the last of
the following series of articles is more appropriate

Please Fill Out This Form
Part 1: Create professional looking forms in Word
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=22

Part 2: Adding Automation to your Word forms.
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=46

Part 3: Learn more VBA (macros) to automate your forms.
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=119

Part 4: Use custom dialog boxes in your Word forms
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=127

Part 5: Connect your AutoForm to a database to save input time and keep
better records!
http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=136

Thanks for the reply.

[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]

Many thanks in anticipation.


--
Message posted via OfficeKB.com
http://www.officekb.com/Uwe/Forums.a...merge/200802/1

  #8  
Old February 7th, 2008, 08:34 AM posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
Graham Mayor
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 18,297
Default Using dates during mail merge

I am pretty sure that it is not possible.

--

Graham Mayor - Word MVP

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


gjupp via OfficeKB.com wrote:
Many thanks indeed. This works fine. However, to go one step further:
Is it possible to compare the current date with a DateField that is
formatted (typed) dd+ordinals MMMMyyyyy?


Graham Mayor wrote:
You can compare a date in a field with the current date with your
skipif field

{SKIPIF {Mergefield DateField \@ "yyyyMMdd"} {Date \@ "yyyyMMdd"}}

Thanks for the reply.

[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]

Many thanks in anticipation.



  #9  
Old February 7th, 2008, 10:45 AM posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
Peter Jamieson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,550
Default Using dates during mail merge

You mean compare with things that are in your data source like

7th February2008
1st March2008

etc?

As long as you can use date and numeric field switches that generate
precisely the date format you need to compare with, you should be able to
use a simlar technique, e.g.

{ SKIPIF "{ MERGEFIELD mydatetext }" "{ DATE \@"D" \*Ordinal }{ DATE \@"
MMMMYYYY" }" }

Haven't tried it myself though, and at best you will only be able to do
exact comparisons (equal or not equal), not determine whether one date is
before the other.

--
Peter Jamieson
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

"gjupp via OfficeKB.com" u41094@uwe wrote in message
news:7f567b2bcda89@uwe...
Many thanks indeed. This works fine. However, to go one step further: Is
it
possible to compare the current date with a DateField that is formatted
(typed) dd+ordinals MMMMyyyyy?


Graham Mayor wrote:
You can compare a date in a field with the current date with your skipif
field

{SKIPIF {Mergefield DateField \@ "yyyyMMdd"} {Date \@ "yyyyMMdd"}}

Thanks for the reply.

[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]

Many thanks in anticipation.


--
Message posted via OfficeKB.com
http://www.officekb.com/Uwe/Forums.a...merge/200802/1


  #10  
Old February 7th, 2008, 01:34 PM posted to microsoft.public.word.mailmerge.fields
gjupp via OfficeKB.com
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default Using dates during mail merge

Yes, you are correct. Please see my reply to Peter Jamieson's suggestion. My
thanks to you for the further advice.


Graham Mayor wrote:
I am pretty sure that it is not possible.

Many thanks indeed. This works fine. However, to go one step further:
Is it possible to compare the current date with a DateField that is

[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]

Many thanks in anticipation.


--
Message posted via http://www.officekb.com

 




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