mail merge to create email in Office 2007

Russ,

I realized I had changed a search setting:
In tools/preferences/search/search options,
I had changed "Instant Search Pane" to search all folders.

Now that I set it back to only search current folder,
the mail merge works for my selected contacts.

It does however still generate TWO word docs.
But that does not bother me. It's more important that it works.

Thanks again for all your time, patience and help.

Sandra


"SandraNoble" wrote:

Russ,

Thanks. It makes no sense to me either.

But, I kinda got it to work!!

I opened my original profile and tried the mail merge.
It closed the merge initiation pop-up window.
And it opened TWO word docs.
The second one was open to the "Mailings" tab, and "merge to email" was
active.


The reason it worked?
I forgot to select records. So it transferred my entire contact database to
word.

The mail merge fails when I try to do selected contacts.
So, perhaps this is related to my search problem which I fixed by running
scanpst.

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

You have exhausted me with your vague trail of incomprehensible and
inconsistent information. Nothing you post makes sense. I'm going to bed.
Good night.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" wrote in message
...
Every once in a while I make a comment that doesn't take.
Will try this for the third time.
Why are we belaboring a point that is unimportant?

I understand the problem with the contacts.
Has nothing to do with whether the mail merge works or not.

I just pointed to the file that is created when I ran scanpst.
Previously had selected another pst file.


"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Explain "the current pst file was in another folder."
That's not possible.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" wrote in message
...
The problem with contacts was that the current pst file was in another
folder. Once I pointed to correct file, the contacts were picked up.

Have not installed BCM

Mail merge works from word. So back to one of my original comments:
"All documentation and info I’ve gotten from others, show
how to do mail merge starting in Word. This is much more
cumbersome and takes longer."

Had to research how to get to event viewer

Under Application, for Event Id 27:
The operation failed.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

If I click the link:
We're sorry
There is no additional information about this issue in the Error and Event
Log Messages or Knowledge Base databases at this time. You can use the links
in the Support area to determine whether any additional information might be
available elsewhere.


"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

So what was the "problem with the contacts"?
You definitely do not want to install BCM if you haven't got Outlook working
yet. You haven't installed it yet, have you?
What happens if you start the merge from Word?
What error messages do you get (be sure to check Event viewer)?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" wrote in message
...
Russ,

I really do appreciate your willingness to help.

We were apparently typing around the same time.
I found the problem with the contacts.

mail merge still does not work:
same results. One blank word doc open to home page.
Mailings tab has start and selection options available, but other functions
are grayed out.

What do you think about trying the business contacts manager version?

"SandraNoble" wrote:



"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

No. This problem is not in Word, nor would BCM come to your rescue.
Clarify what you mean by "no contacts come up with new profile." Where are
you not seeing Contacts that you should?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I found the problem with the contacts.

mail merge still does not work:
same results. One blank word doc open to home page.
Mailings tab has start and selection options available, but other functions
are grayed out.


"SandraNoble" wrote:
Russ,

No contacts come up with new profile.

When I do tools/account settings, the address book is already listed. So I
go to markd contact folder to use it. The check box is already checked and
grayed out and address book is already selected. Below are instructions I was
trying to execute.
Step 2: Mark your contact folder for use with your address book

1. On the File menu, point to Folder, and then click Properties for your
folder name.
2. On the Outlook Address Book tab, click to select the Show this folder
as an e-mail address book check box, type a descriptive name, and then click
OK.

I do have a disk for Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager.
Never used that, but perhaps it would work better.

Not sure if you're the Word expert also, but perhaps the problem is in Word.

Sandra

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Those instructions appear here almost daily.
http://support.microsoft.com/default...roduct=out2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default...Product=ol2002

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" in message
...
I have no idea how to do #3.
3. Create a new Outlook profile from scratch and connect it to the
repaired
data file. Make sure you configure the Outlook Address Book Service
correctly after you do

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

There are endless possibilities as to what has happened then. I'd do the
routine maintenance that should have been done after any upgrade
installation in this order:
1. Run Office Diagnostics to repair your installation.
2. Repair your Outlook data file with the Inbox Repair Tool
3. Create a new Outlook profile from scratch and connect it to the
repaired
data file. Make sure you configure the Outlook Address Book Service
correctly after you do.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" in message
...
Whether normal or not, for at least 3 years, it has opened two word
documents
with Office 2003 and when it was working in 2007.

It now opens one blank word document at the "home" tab.
If I click on the "mailing' tab, it's most not active, i.e. not
clickable.

I have the option to click "start mail merge" and "select recipients".
But can never access the contacts I already selected in Outlook.

Used to open to mailings tab. All I had to do was type the email and
select "merge to email" and it generated emails to contacts
previously selected in Outlook.

I had Office 2003 installed prior to Office 2007.
Don't remember if 2003 was uninstalled before the 2007 install.

Have not changed any settings.

When I had trouble searching contacts, I was able to find the records
searching address book. But, I never use address book, unless it's used
when
I "check names". Address book does not search Notes, which is what I
need
to
search on..

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

But it is not supposed to generate two Word documents. That is not the
normal behavior for Outlook 2007.
Still need answers to my questions. If you do not see a Word document
open
to the Mailings Tab, what do you see instead? Was Office 2007
installed
clean or over an earlier version?
Some other things to help troubleshoot: Since this used to work and
now
doesn't, what changes were made to your setup? Does your Outlook
Address
Book function normally?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" in message
...
Russ,

For some reason yesterday's reply never made it, so I will try
again.

As I said, it worked when it generated TWO word docs.

I thought my paragraph answered your first questions:
Now, when I do Tools/Mail Merge and indicate going to
email, it opens only ONE Word document – which does
not contain an active Mail Merge menu. And the Outlook
initiation window never closes.

Not sure how to make this clearer.

I have XP. Installed the entire Office 2007 Suite at one time.

and to repeat again:
It has worked for multiple months since I enstalled Office 2007.

About 3 weeks ago, I even had problems doing the "search all
contacts"
feature. I ran scanpst and the problem was fixed.

At the same time as the search problem,
every time I turned computer off, Windows
seemed to do the same 3 updates. Even if
I had rebooted 30 minutes earlier. This
continued for a couple of weeks.

I think something weird is going on.

Sandra
"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Only one Word document should open, and it should have the
"Mailings"
Tab
active on the Ribbon.
What are you seeing instead?
Do your versions match?
Was this a clean install of Office?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" in
message
...
Below is procedure I have been using for years to do mail merge
to
create
bulk emails.

This has worked perfectly with Office 2003,

Got Office 2007 in May.
This process was still working in August and I believe also in
September.

Now, when I do Tools/Mail Merge and indicate going to
email, it opens only ONE Word document – which does
not contain an active Mail Merge menu. And the Outlook
initiation window never closes.

There appears to be a problem with the interface between Outlook
and
Word.
Is there a setting that will make this work?

All documentation and info I’ve gotten from others, show
how to do mail merge starting in Word. This is much more
cumbersome and takes longer

Procedu

Whenever a mail merge that is started in Outlook fails, it means there has
been a failure to connect the Outlook data source to the merge document in
Word. That happens for a number of reasons, in this order:
1. Version mismatch (still possible even if versions match when an upgrade
installation has been performed because Outlook will continue to use the old
profile's settings).
2. Failure to configure the Outlook Address Book correctly.
3. Failure to select recipients correctly (end user error).

We eliminated the first two. At first, I assumed the third would not be in
play because you had done merges successfully, but it was the only
possibility left. Normally only one document opens when merging to email
from Outlook with a clean install of Office 2007. You might get two if you
are performing a merge for which a merge document already exists or when
remnants of older office versions exist.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" wrote in message
...
Russ,

I realized I had changed a search setting:
In tools/preferences/search/search options,
I had changed "Instant Search Pane" to search all folders.

Now that I set it back to only search current folder,
the mail merge works for my selected contacts.

It does however still generate TWO word docs.
But that does not bother me. It's more important that it works.

Thanks again for all your time, patience and help.

Sandra


"SandraNoble" wrote:

Russ,

Thanks. It makes no sense to me either.

But, I kinda got it to work!!

I opened my original profile and tried the mail merge.
It closed the merge initiation pop-up window.
And it opened TWO word docs.
The second one was open to the "Mailings" tab, and "merge to email" was
active.


The reason it worked?
I forgot to select records. So it transferred my entire contact database
to
word.

The mail merge fails when I try to do selected contacts.
So, perhaps this is related to my search problem which I fixed by running
scanpst.

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

You have exhausted me with your vague trail of incomprehensible and
inconsistent information. Nothing you post makes sense. I'm going to
bed.
Good night.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" wrote in message
...
Every once in a while I make a comment that doesn't take.
Will try this for the third time.
Why are we belaboring a point that is unimportant?

I understand the problem with the contacts.
Has nothing to do with whether the mail merge works or not.

I just pointed to the file that is created when I ran scanpst.
Previously had selected another pst file.


"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Explain "the current pst file was in another folder."
That's not possible.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" wrote in message
...
The problem with contacts was that the current pst file was in another
folder. Once I pointed to correct file, the contacts were picked up.

Have not installed BCM

Mail merge works from word. So back to one of my original comments:
"All documentation and info I’ve gotten from others, show
how to do mail merge starting in Word. This is much more
cumbersome and takes longer."

Had to research how to get to event viewer

Under Application, for Event Id 27:
The operation failed.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

If I click the link:
We're sorry
There is no additional information about this issue in the Error and
Event
Log Messages or Knowledge Base databases at this time. You can use the
links
in the Support area to determine whether any additional information might
be
available elsewhere.


"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

So what was the "problem with the contacts"?
You definitely do not want to install BCM if you haven't got Outlook
working
yet. You haven't installed it yet, have you?
What happens if you start the merge from Word?
What error messages do you get (be sure to check Event viewer)?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" wrote in message
...
Russ,

I really do appreciate your willingness to help.

We were apparently typing around the same time.
I found the problem with the contacts.

mail merge still does not work:
same results. One blank word doc open to home page.
Mailings tab has start and selection options available, but other
functions
are grayed out.

What do you think about trying the business contacts manager version?

"SandraNoble" wrote:



"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

No. This problem is not in Word, nor would BCM come to your rescue.
Clarify what you mean by "no contacts come up with new profile." Where
are
you not seeing Contacts that you should?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I found the problem with the contacts.

mail merge still does not work:
same results. One blank word doc open to home page.
Mailings tab has start and selection options available, but other
functions
are grayed out.


"SandraNoble" wrote:
Russ,

No contacts come up with new profile.

When I do tools/account settings, the address book is already listed. So
I
go to markd contact folder to use it. The check box is already checked
and
grayed out and address book is already selected. Below are instructions I
was
trying to execute.
Step 2: Mark your contact folder for use with your address book

1. On the File menu, point to Folder, and then click Properties for
your
folder name.
2. On the Outlook Address Book tab, click to select the Show this
folder
as an e-mail address book check box, type a descriptive name, and then
click
OK.

I do have a disk for Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager.
Never used that, but perhaps it would work better.

Not sure if you're the Word expert also, but perhaps the problem is in
Word.

Sandra

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Those instructions appear here almost daily.
http://support.microsoft.com/default...roduct=out2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default...Product=ol2002

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" in message
...
I have no idea how to do #3.
3. Create a new Outlook profile from scratch and connect it to the
repaired
data file. Make sure you configure the Outlook Address Book Service
correctly after you do

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

There are endless possibilities as to what has happened then. I'd do the
routine maintenance that should have been done after any upgrade
installation in this order:
1. Run Office Diagnostics to repair your installation.
2. Repair your Outlook data file with the Inbox Repair Tool
3. Create a new Outlook profile from scratch and connect it to the
repaired
data file. Make sure you configure the Outlook Address Book Service
correctly after you do.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" in message
...
Whether normal or not, for at least 3 years, it has opened two word
documents
with Office 2003 and when it was working in 2007.

It now opens one blank word document at the "home" tab.
If I click on the "mailing' tab, it's most not active, i.e. not
clickable.

I have the option to click "start mail merge" and "select recipients".
But can never access the contacts I already selected in Outlook.

Used to open to mailings tab. All I had to do was type the email and
select "merge to email" and it generated emails to contacts
previously selected in Outlook.

I had Office 2003 installed prior to Office 2007.
Don't remember if 2003 was uninstalled before the 2007 install.

Have not changed any settings.

When I had trouble searching contacts, I was able to find the records
searching address book. But, I never use address book, unless it's used
when
I "check names". Address book does not search Notes, which is what I
need
to
search on..

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

But it is not supposed to generate two Word documents. That is not the
normal behavior for Outlook 2007.
Still need answers to my questions. If you do not see a Word document
open
to the Mailings Tab, what do you see instead? Was Office 2007
installed
clean or over an earlier version?
Some other things to help troubleshoot: Since this used to work and
now
doesn't, what changes were made to your setup? Does your Outlook
Address
Book function normally?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" in message
...
Russ,

For some reason yesterday's reply never made it, so I will try
again.

As I said, it worked when it generated TWO word docs.

I thought my paragraph answered your first questions:
Now, when I do Tools/Mail Merge and indicate going to
email, it opens only ONE Word document – which does
not contain an active Mail Merge menu. And the Outlook
initiation window never closes.

Not sure how to make this clearer.

I have XP. Installed the entire Office 2007 Suite at one time.

and to repeat again:
It has worked for multiple months since I enstalled Office 2007.

About 3 weeks ago, I even had problems doing the "search all
contacts"
feature. I ran scanpst and the problem was fixed.

At the same time as the search problem,
every time I turned computer off, Windows
seemed to do the same 3 updates. Even if
I had rebooted 30 minutes earlier. This
continued for a couple of weeks.

I think something weird is going on.

Sandra
"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Only one Word document should open, and it should have the
"Mailings"
Tab
active on the Ribbon.
What are you seeing instead?
Do your versions match?
Was this a clean install of Office?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" in
message
...
Below is procedure I have been using for years to do mail merge
to
create
bulk emails.

This has worked perfectly with Office 2003,

Got Office 2007 in May.
This process was still working in August and I believe also in
September.

Now, when I do Tools/Mail Merge and indicate going to
email, it opens only ONE Word document – which does
not contain an active Mail Merge menu. And the Outlook
initiation window never closes.

There appears to be a problem with the interface between Outlook
and
Word.
Is there a setting that will make this work?

All documentation and info I’ve gotten from others, show
how to do mail merge starting in Word. This is much more
cumbersome and takes longer

Procedu

changing the search setting solved the problem for me.

My admin assistant, who still has 2003 at home,
followed my procedure and it her system also
opened two emails.

My prior assistant used the procedure and never
mentioned that she got a different result from
what happened at my home office.

Ever since I've used this process, two docs have
opened, so I made a note of it in my procedure.
Same process for 2003 and 2007 and I think 2000.

So, same results on 2 or 3 different computers and
with 2 or 3 versions.

I don't know the theory behind it or how the Office
installs were done. I just reported what happened.

Sandra



"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Whenever a mail merge that is started in Outlook fails, it means there has
been a failure to connect the Outlook data source to the merge document in
Word. That happens for a number of reasons, in this order:
1. Version mismatch (still possible even if versions match when an upgrade
installation has been performed because Outlook will continue to use the old
profile's settings).
2. Failure to configure the Outlook Address Book correctly.
3. Failure to select recipients correctly (end user error).

We eliminated the first two. At first, I assumed the third would not be in
play because you had done merges successfully, but it was the only
possibility left. Normally only one document opens when merging to email
from Outlook with a clean install of Office 2007. You might get two if you
are performing a merge for which a merge document already exists or when
remnants of older office versions exist.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" wrote in message
...
Russ,

I realized I had changed a search setting:
In tools/preferences/search/search options,
I had changed "Instant Search Pane" to search all folders.

Now that I set it back to only search current folder,
the mail merge works for my selected contacts.

It does however still generate TWO word docs.
But that does not bother me. It's more important that it works.

Thanks again for all your time, patience and help.

Sandra


"SandraNoble" wrote:

Russ,

Thanks. It makes no sense to me either.

But, I kinda got it to work!!

I opened my original profile and tried the mail merge.
It closed the merge initiation pop-up window.
And it opened TWO word docs.
The second one was open to the "Mailings" tab, and "merge to email" was
active.


The reason it worked?
I forgot to select records. So it transferred my entire contact database
to
word.

The mail merge fails when I try to do selected contacts.
So, perhaps this is related to my search problem which I fixed by running
scanpst.

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

You have exhausted me with your vague trail of incomprehensible and
inconsistent information. Nothing you post makes sense. I'm going to
bed.
Good night.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" wrote in message
...
Every once in a while I make a comment that doesn't take.
Will try this for the third time.
Why are we belaboring a point that is unimportant?

I understand the problem with the contacts.
Has nothing to do with whether the mail merge works or not.

I just pointed to the file that is created when I ran scanpst.
Previously had selected another pst file.


"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Explain "the current pst file was in another folder."
That's not possible.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" wrote in message
...
The problem with contacts was that the current pst file was in another
folder. Once I pointed to correct file, the contacts were picked up.

Have not installed BCM

Mail merge works from word. So back to one of my original comments:
"All documentation and info I’ve gotten from others, show
how to do mail merge starting in Word. This is much more
cumbersome and takes longer."

Had to research how to get to event viewer

Under Application, for Event Id 27:
The operation failed.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

If I click the link:
We're sorry
There is no additional information about this issue in the Error and
Event
Log Messages or Knowledge Base databases at this time. You can use the
links
in the Support area to determine whether any additional information might
be
available elsewhere.


"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

So what was the "problem with the contacts"?
You definitely do not want to install BCM if you haven't got Outlook
working
yet. You haven't installed it yet, have you?
What happens if you start the merge from Word?
What error messages do you get (be sure to check Event viewer)?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" wrote in message
...
Russ,

I really do appreciate your willingness to help.

We were apparently typing around the same time.
I found the problem with the contacts.

mail merge still does not work:
same results. One blank word doc open to home page.
Mailings tab has start and selection options available, but other
functions
are grayed out.

What do you think about trying the business contacts manager version?

"SandraNoble" wrote:



"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

No. This problem is not in Word, nor would BCM come to your rescue.
Clarify what you mean by "no contacts come up with new profile." Where
are
you not seeing Contacts that you should?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I found the problem with the contacts.

mail merge still does not work:
same results. One blank word doc open to home page.
Mailings tab has start and selection options available, but other
functions
are grayed out.


"SandraNoble" wrote:
Russ,

No contacts come up with new profile.

When I do tools/account settings, the address book is already listed. So
I
go to markd contact folder to use it. The check box is already checked
and
grayed out and address book is already selected. Below are instructions I
was
trying to execute.
Step 2: Mark your contact folder for use with your address book

1. On the File menu, point to Folder, and then click Properties for
your
folder name.
2. On the Outlook Address Book tab, click to select the Show this
folder
as an e-mail address book check box, type a descriptive name, and then
click
OK.

I do have a disk for Outlook 2007 with Business Contact Manager.
Never used that, but perhaps it would work better.

Not sure if you're the Word expert also, but perhaps the problem is in
Word.

Sandra

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

Those instructions appear here almost daily.
http://support.microsoft.com/default...roduct=out2003
http://support.microsoft.com/default...Product=ol2002

--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" in message
...
I have no idea how to do #3.
3. Create a new Outlook profile from scratch and connect it to the
repaired
data file. Make sure you configure the Outlook Address Book Service
correctly after you do

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

There are endless possibilities as to what has happened then. I'd do the
routine maintenance that should have been done after any upgrade
installation in this order:
1. Run Office Diagnostics to repair your installation.
2. Repair your Outlook data file with the Inbox Repair Tool
3. Create a new Outlook profile from scratch and connect it to the
repaired
data file. Make sure you configure the Outlook Address Book Service
correctly after you do.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" in message
...
Whether normal or not, for at least 3 years, it has opened two word
documents
with Office 2003 and when it was working in 2007.

It now opens one blank word document at the "home" tab.
If I click on the "mailing' tab, it's most not active, i.e. not
clickable.

I have the option to click "start mail merge" and "select recipients".
But can never access the contacts I already selected in Outlook.

Used to open to mailings tab. All I had to do was type the email and
select "merge to email" and it generated emails to contacts
previously selected in Outlook.

I had Office 2003 installed prior to Office 2007.
Don't remember if 2003 was uninstalled before the 2007 install.

Have not changed any settings.

When I had trouble searching contacts, I was able to find the records
searching address book. But, I never use address book, unless it's used
when
I "check names". Address book does not search Notes, which is what I
need
to
search on..

"Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]" wrote:

But it is not supposed to generate two Word documents. That is not the
normal behavior for Outlook 2007.
Still need answers to my questions. If you do not see a Word document
open
to the Mailings Tab, what do you see instead? Was Office 2007
installed
clean or over an earlier version?
Some other things to help troubleshoot: Since this used to work and
now
doesn't, what changes were made to your setup? Does your Outlook
Address
Book function normally?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
"SandraNoble" in message
...
Russ,

For some reason yesterday's reply never made it, so I will try
again.

As I said, it worked when it generated TWO word docs.

I thought my paragraph answered your first questions:
Now, when I do Tools/Mail Merge and indicate going to
email, it opens only ONE Word document – which does
not contain an active Mail Merge menu. And the Outlook
initiation window never closes.

Not sure how to make this clearer.

I have XP. Installed the entire Office 2007 Suite at one time.

and to repeat again:
It has worked for multiple months since I enstalled Office 2007.