Lesson Plan Merge

[Shoelaces]

I am trying to merge lesson plans I keep in an Access (2003) database to Word.

Look at this template on microsoft.com
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/t...CT012261901033&ac=1&uc=1&WT.mc_id=45#comments

This is similar to the Word doc my district will now require teachers to
use. Each block (periods) of the template will need to contain the following
information:
Topic
Objective
Standard
Procedures
Assessment

The database of my lessons contains this information. Each lesson is a
single record in a table.

What I cannot figure out is how to merge 40 lessons to a single Word document.

I would appreciate any help you can offer.

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

It is not clear how you want to arrange

Topic
Objective
Standard
Procedures
Assessment

into a format like that shown on the website for which you provided the
link.

However, you would do this by use of a directory type main document.

Assuming that you want the data displayed in two columns as on the website,
start with a document that you format to have two (text) columns, and in the
left column, insert a table that has the necessary cells for you to arrange
the information for one lesson in the configuration that you want it. You
will probably need to format the paragraphs in all rows except the last so
that they are kept together with the next and via the Table Properties
dialog, set the rows so that they cannot break across pages. Make sure that
there are two empty paragraphs ¶ after the table so that the data for each
lesson will be in its own table.

You only need to set up for one lesson in this way. When you execute the
merge to a new document, that document should contain a separate table with
the information for each lesson set out in the way that you arranged the
merge fields in the mail merge main document

--
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

 

[Shoelaces]

It is not clear how you want to arrange

Topic
Objective
Standard
Procedures
Assessment

into a format like that shown on the website for which you provided the
link.

I would be okay with a table just like that above. Just to be clear, each
cell would contain that table. Each cell is a different period. So, period
one on Monday would contain a lesson, period two on Monday a different
lesson, period three, a third lesson, etc.

A week has ~40 different lessons, therefore, 40 different records from the
database needs to be contained in one Word document.

Assuming that you want the data displayed in two columns as on the website,
start with a document that you format to have two (text) columns, and in the
left column, insert a table that has the necessary cells for you to arrange
the information for one lesson in the configuration that you want it.

I think I have done this as you suggested.

You only need to set up for one lesson in this way. When you execute the
merge to a new document, that document should contain a separate table with
the information for each lesson set out in the way that you arranged the
merge fields in the mail merge main document

This is where I am confused. I probably am doing something wrong.

I have my ~40 cells, but only the first one is set up with the table to
contain the data from the database. When I merge, the document becomes
multiple pages as each lesson starts a new page.

Also, to further complicate this, it matters where a specific lesson
displays on the page. For instance, Tuesday's math lesson needs to be a
specific time, meaning it needs to be in a specific cell. Thursday's reading
lesson the same, etc. I do not see how this set up is going to provide that,
but I am probably missing something.

Would it be helpful to post screen captures of what I am doing?

I so appreciate the help. I have been struggling with how to set this up
and just am not seeing it.

 

[Shoelaces]

However, you would do this by use of a directory type main document.

I have spent the day futzing around with this and finally got things to work
as I expected. Apparently, the next record is read into the cell beside the
current one, not the one beneath it. After realizing that, I just adjusted
my table and all is set.

I had never even realized there was a directory merge let alone how to use
it. I learned things today. That is good.

Thank you for your help.