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Word-Excel 2003 - Mail Merge Recipients problem
Hi Everyone,
I hope I can explain what is happening clearly enough. I have a Word mail merge with the datasource in excel. I have always used the mail merge toolbar functions. Before 2003 (not sure what version I was using), I could use the mail merge recipients button and use the advanced selection to do a filter so that I would only get the merges that met my criteria. This does not work in 2003. Here is what happens now. I select the mail merge recipients button and I set my first criteria - so for example I say I want it to select only the cells that are non blanks, then I pick my second criteria in a different column - for example I say I want all cells that do not match "FRR". Then I pick my third critera in the a different column - for expample - all cells with NO. So basically from my datasource I only want to merge the ones that match this criteria (non blank in column entitled Course selection AND do not equal "FRR" in colunm entitled Status AND equal NO in column member). When I look at the list below still in the box - the answers are correct - it has worked. But when I press the okay button and look at which letters are actually there it is no longer working. I get letters I didn't want. When I go back to the mail merge button and see what has happend to my criteria for some reason it now as OR criteria when I only put in AND critera. does anyone have any idea why this is happening? Glitch in 2003 version? I used this all the time before swtiching to 2003 and I had no problems. I would love to hear if anyone has any solutions has I don't want to make multiple datasources. Thank you. Take Care, Gabbi |
#2
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Word-Excel 2003 - Mail Merge Recipients problem
Hi Gabbi,
On my website, Mail Merge FAQ, the Word 2002 category, you'll find a topic that explains how you can get back the old functionality. What you used before was the "Mail merge..." button (no "recipients" stuff in earlier versions of Word!) I hope I can explain what is happening clearly enough. I have a Word mail merge with the datasource in excel. I have always used the mail merge toolbar functions. Before 2003 (not sure what version I was using), I could use the mail merge recipients button and use the advanced selection to do a filter so that I would only get the merges that met my criteria. This does not work in 2003. Here is what happens now. I select the mail merge recipients button and I set my first criteria - so for example I say I want it to select only the cells that are non blanks, then I pick my second criteria in a different column - for example I say I want all cells that do not match "FRR". Then I pick my third critera in the a different column - for expample - all cells with NO. 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 :-) |
#3
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I am having the same problem as Gabbi with Word/Excel 2003, it only occurs when I select the option "is blank" and I have the same issue about another line with OR added.
I have tried to connect using DDE (confirm conversion on open), but I get the error message "Word could not re-establish a DDE connection to Microsoft Excel to complete the current task" Excel does get opened in the background with the spreadsheet I am trying to link to on the windows taskbar, but after clicking OK it all goes away again. (I have checked the MSKB and made sure that Ignore other applications is off in excel.) I would love some help on either making the DDE connection work, or get the is blank option to work in OLE DB. Anthony Quote:
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I am able to make an update. I can get the DDE method to work as long as I don't use "is blank" in the auto filter in the excel spreadsheet.
It would appear that the mail merge data interface can't cope with "is blank" either in Excel or in Word Reciepients Any suggestions Anthony Quote:
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#5
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For any who follow me, I worked out a work around.
Don't use filters or advanced options to show if blank. I added a field to the mail merge to Skip is the field is not blank (ie print if blank) I guess Word/excel has a problem reading data with only blanks set, but word by itself can sort out the problem. I then went on the add more of the static filters as Skip if, making the whole process simply to run each month. |
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