DYNAMICALLY merging MSAccess Data into Word

[word_novice]

Hi,

I am familiar with merging documents in Word via creating bookmarks and
populating the them from a data source. I am also fairly familiar with
merging relational data into Word.

My current problem is that I am trying to merge some fields in an Access
database table to a Word template document. However, the bookmark only exists
in one paragraph and often there are more than one items in the database
table of the same type.

I will illustrate with an example. If my main document with the
bookmarks/merge fields is this:
=====================================================
Hi XXX,

Here are the details of your enquiry:

1. XXX followed by standard block of text
xxxx followed by standard block of text
=====================================================
If my document needs more than one paragraphs WITH THE SAME TYPE OF MERGE
FIELDS, how can I automate word to replicate this over the number paragraphs
I want without the need for excessive templates or excessive copy and pastes.

You see, if I have just one paragraph, the merge works just fine. If I have
4, i could merge and replicate the paragraphs by copy and paste but if i have
25, I need a way to merge not only the first field but also subsequent fields
with the same standard block of text.

I have spent 3 months trying to solve this. please help. any suggestion will
be highly valued. i dont even mind doing some programming.

Many thanks.

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

I would use a report in Access.

Sounds like you are probably trying to perform a "multiple items per
condition (=key field)" mailmerge which Word does not really have the
ability to do:

See the "Group Multiple items for a single condition" item on fellow MVP
Cindy Meister's website at

http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister/mergfaq1.htm#DBPic


Or take a look at the following Knowledge Base Article

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;211303


http://www.knowhow.com/Guides/CompoundMerges/CompoundMerge.htm


--
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

 

[roccogrand]

After working on this problem for an hour or so myself, I came with one work
around.

Use an Access query to define the extra fields you need and then use them
for your bookmarks. As long as you have a pretty good idea as to the number
of times that you need to use the same text, this should work with a little
error trapping for null strings. I am still experimenting with it myself.

HTH

LDN