Mail merge, getting a MAPI unknown error.

[Confused]

All I want to do is print address labels using my business contacts as the
database. If I try to begin in Outlook I get a MAPI error. If I start in
Word and chose Outlook business contacts I get a blank page when I ask it to
merge ... what's up. HELP !

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

What's the exact error message?

As the article at http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=284401 explains, there
is a Propagate Labels step that you might have missed. I'm pretty sure
OL2003 works the same as 2002.

 

[Confused]

Sue... error reads Managed MAPI Catastrophic failure... unknown error. Then
a box comes up that says choose profile ... Outlook, Next box says Select
Contact List Folder ... Business Contacts .... Next box asks me to choose a
Data Link Properties Connection .... so at that point I am way out of my
element ! Still very confused ... this should be a simple process .. my home
computer is just Outlook 2003 minus the Business Manager Component and it
works fine ... tried the propogate labels that you suggested ... nothing .
This is what happens when I try to begin in WORD if I try to begin in OUTLOOK
when it goes to word the Merge button in step three is inactive. Still very
CONFUSED!

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

I always start a merge from Outlook. What step do you count as step 3?

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Confused]

Sue ... I am getting a mailmerge dialog box which sits on top of the blank
page when outlook sends the information to word. the first is chose your
label, second is edit your data, third is merge or query ... merge button is
inactive . Any thoughts ?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

You should have earlier seen a popup message telling you that you need to
click Setup on that dialog. Do that, then click OK on the label dialog,
followed by Close to close the mail merge dialog.

Then edit the document to insert fields in the table cell at upper left,
using the Insert Merge Fields button on the Mail Merge toolbar.

When you have the label laid out, choose View | Task Pane to display the
task pane, if it is not already visible. Click the drop-down arrow at the
top of the task pane to display the Mail Merge task wizard. Click through to
Step 4. THIS IS THE KEY STEP! Click the "Update all labels" button. This
will propagate your design for the first label to all the others. You should
now see the field code <<Next Record>> in each cell besides the first. That
means you're ready to complete the merge.

Let me know how it goes.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers