Change data source type

[Nadia]

I know I can create a Word table and open it as a data source for a mail
merge. Is it possible in Word 2003 when you are creating a new list with
Mailmergeto change the data source type from access to good old original word
tables?

 

[Doug Robbins]

Use the data source for a Directory type mailmerge in the mailmerge main
document of which you insert the mergefields in the cells of a one row
table. When you execute that merge to a new document, you will get a table
containing all of the records. If you want to use that as a data source,
inserte a row at the top of the table and populate it with the names of the
mergefields.

--
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

 

[Nadia]

Thanks Doug, that's another work around I can use, so I guess there's no way
of forcing Mail Merge to create the Word table as a default new list.

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Although you cannot change the way the Mail Merge wizard works in this
respect, there is nothing to stop you creating a new Word document
containing a table and selecting that as the data source. If you create the
document as a Word template (and you will need a two-row table with your
default headings in the first row and blanks in the second row), then you
can create new documents based on it fairly easily (File|New) and save them
before proceeding.

Alternatively, you can drag the old Mail Merge Helper from
Tools|Customize|Commands|Category:All Commands to a toolbar, and use the Get
Data|Create Data Source option in there.

Peter Jamieson

 

[Nadia]

Thanks Peter, good to know

Although you cannot change the way the Mail Merge wizard works in this
respect, there is nothing to stop you creating a new Word document
containing a table and selecting that as the data source. If you create the
document as a Word template (and you will need a two-row table with your
default headings in the first row and blanks in the second row), then you
can create new documents based on it fairly easily (File|New) and save them
before proceeding.

Alternatively, you can drag the old Mail Merge Helper from
Tools|Customize|Commands|Category:All Commands to a toolbar, and use the Get
Data|Create Data Source option in there.

Peter Jamieson