Mail merge converts text to numbers

[Jena_Rose]

I have an Excel spreadsheet that contains numbers (for identification
purposes) with the column formatted as Text. When I use Mail Merge to import
the data, along with the other columns, the column's data comes in as
numbers, and does not import the data in the field. I have a workaround that
if I add two empty rows to the top of the spreadsheet, the data will then
import properly, but I'd like to fix this . Can anyone help? Thanks...

 

[Peter Jamieson]

You can try this

<<
If you have a mixture of numbers and texts in a column but numbers in the
first 8 rows, you may need to get the OLE DB provider to "see" the column as
a text column. However, selecting the column and using Format|Cells to set
the format as Text does not appear to be enough. One way that does appear to
work is
- select the column
- select the Data|Text to Columns... menu option
- click Next through the wizard until you reach Step 3 of 3, then select
Text as the Column Data Format.
or perhaps the "DDE" approach described at the top of

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk/t0003.htm

Peter Jamieosn

 

[Jena_Rose]

Thanks. We'll give that a try..

You can try this

<<
If you have a mixture of numbers and texts in a column but numbers in the
first 8 rows, you may need to get the OLE DB provider to "see" the column as
a text column. However, selecting the column and using Format|Cells to set
the format as Text does not appear to be enough. One way that does appear to
work is
- select the column
- select the Data|Text to Columns... menu option
- click Next through the wizard until you reach Step 3 of 3, then select
Text as the Column Data Format.

or perhaps the "DDE" approach described at the top of

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk/t0003.htm

Peter Jamieosn

"