Cannot e-mail merge from Word 2003

[Louverril]

Please can you help me access my Outlook contacts during a Word e-mail mail
merge. I cannot get help from Microsoft because I purchased the software from
the British Computer Society!!!!! (On a private use scheme - or similar name).

When I select "choose contacts folder" in the mail merge wizard, if Outlook
is open, I then select the contacts list (there is only one contacts list)
from the contacts list window.

Instead of seeing the contacts I get the following message "the operation
cannot be completed because of dialog or database engine failures. Please try
again later."

I tried closing Outlook and before the contacts list window I have to pick a
profile - again there is only one: "outlook internet settings" - so I pick
this, get the contacts list and proceed as above, the same error message
appears.

I've tried restarting the PC and using a completley new Word document but it
makes no difference. I can pick up data from other sources (eg,. a list of
recipients on an Excel file) but not from Outlook.

BACKGROUND:
I'm running Windows XP professional, Office Professional Edition 2003. Iam
the only user on the stand alone PC - there has only ever been one user.

When Office 2003 was installed it took all the settin s form the pervious
version 2000.

WHAT I HAVE ALREADY TRIED:
Have tried http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HA011186361033.aspx.
I have no other profile to change to so that was no good. Also I checked the
property and the folder was set to Show this folder as an e-mail Address
Book. So nothing else to try on that.

I also tried all the suggestions on
http://support.microsoft.com/error.aspx?aspxerrorpath=/default.aspx/kb/322215.
None of the fixes worked (getting latest MDAC version -already had it) or
repairing word or registering the Jet Engine stuff). The work arounds
suggested in this article are of no use because they do not allow you to
merge to e-mail.

 

[Peter Jamieson]

You shouldn't have to do this, but it's likely to solve this problem:
a. stop trying to use the Merge Wizard
b. go into Outlook
c. open your contacts folder
d. go to Outlook Tools|Mail Merge...
e. take it from there.

Peter Jamieson

 

[Louverril]

Thanks Peter but as far as I could see you cannot initiate an e-mail merge
from here - only a merge to a letter/envelope. file etc...?

Let me know if you know how to mail to e-mail from Outlook (sounds like
something you should be able to do!).

Lou

 

[Louverril]

PS: I have now uninstalled and reinstalled Office from scratch and downloaded
all available updates for everything. Still get teh same problem! I can't
believe it"

Lou

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

See the "Mailmerge from Outlook" item on fellow MVP Graham Mayor's website
at:

http://www.gmayor.com/mailmerge_from_outlook.htm

To mail merge to email, you use a formletter type mail merge main document
and in the final step of the merge, you select email as the destination.
You are then presented with a dialog box in which you select the field in
the data source that contains the email addresses.


--
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

 

[Louverril]

Doug,

I reinstalled everything and updated it all - I then had the option on the
mail merge from Outlook to merge to e-mail - I am sure this was not there
when I was searching for it before although it could have been when I was
looking at someone elses PC, where the problem first arose.

So I have figured it out myself already - not exactly the same as you
describe below however - I have no need to select the field with the e-mail
address it seems to know it already. However I am still annoyed that even on
a completely rebuilt system I cannot merge to e-mail using contacts from Word.

Thanks for your reply.

Lou

I am replying to the newsgroup so I don't feel forced to avail myself of
your services on a paid consulting basis!!! .

 

[Peter Jamieson]

mail merge from Outlook to merge to e-mail - I am sure this was not there

when I was searching for it before although it could have been when I was

The option only appears when the active window in Outlook is a contacts
folder. But there may well be other reasons why it doesn't appear.

However I am still annoyed that even on
a completely rebuilt system I cannot merge to e-mail using contacts from
Word.

It certainly is irritating, but
a. I don't think anyone has found out /exactly/ why it doesn't work. MS KB
articles suggest that you need to ensure your data access software (their
"MDAC") is up to date, but that doesn't appear to fix it for everyone
(although it works OK here). Some Outlook addins are also believed to
prevent it from working. it may be that you have to have some component in
your Outlook profile to make it work, but typically people have at least the
Outlook Address Book and some mail folders.
b. when you initiate the merge from Outlook, you get access to far more of
the data in the Contacts than you do when you start from Word. Frankly, I
see no sign that MS is ever going to improve the "starting from Word" option
so you are probably better off starting the way they clearly intend to
continue.

Peter Jamieson