Edit Button in Mail Merge Greyed Out

[Kathi Scearce]

I'm using Office 2003. When I do a mail merge and open up
my data source, the edit button is greyed out and I can't
edit the database unless I open up my Access file and edit
from there.

Has anyone seen this before? Any suggestions?

 

[Peter Jamieson]

I think it is normal in Word 2003 when you are using the default connection
method (OLEDB) unless your data source was created using the facilities in
the Mail Merge Wizard - in that case, the resulting .mdb file has a specific
structure that Word recognises as an "Office Address List" and allows you to
edit. Otherwise, I think your only options are to open the table using the
DDE connection method (in which case Access opens, and you can edit the data
in there, and that's where the Edit button leads you) or the ODBC method (in
which case you have to reply "Yes" when Word asks you if you want to use MS
Query to edit, and you have to have MS Query on your system). To change the
connection method, check Word Tools|Options|General|"Confirm conversions at
open", then re-connect to the data source.