mail merge problem with Zip codes

[Steve]

Hey,

I have Access 2002 and Word 2002.

My problem lies with doing a mail merge from an Access file containing names
and addresses. (Yes, it's my Christmas list. I'm late again this year.
Sigh.) Anyway, for a number of my records I have a 9 digit zip code. For the
rest it's 5 digit, of course, since I live in the US. For most of these
records the 9 digit zip will emerge from mail merge as 123456789 instead of
12345-6789. Access formats it correctly and even accepts, indeed insists, on
taking just the numbers.

Is there some way to get the mailing labels to format the zip correctly? As
it is, I merge into a new document and fix the long zips manually.

TIA,

Steve

 

[Graham Mayor]

See the relevant section of http://www.gmayor.com/formatting_word_fields.htm

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Steve]

Thank you.

If I understand you correctly I will have to stop using the Mail Merge
wizard to do this.

It produces an AddressBlock field that looks like this when field codes are
revealed:



There does not appear to be any obvious way to attach the formatting you
suggest if I use the AddressBlock.



I suppose the way to go is to leave the <<_POSTAL_>> field out of the
address block and then attaching your field

{IF { MERGEFIELD Zip} > "99999" "{MERGEFIELD Zip \#"00000'-'0000"}"
"{MERGEFIELD Zip \# "00000"}-0000"}

before replicating for all the labels. I would probably leave off the final
"-0000" also.



<\gripe This feature does not seem to be fully thought out by Microsoft. How
often does it happen that they provide a shortcut feature with such a
significant limitation that using it becomes such an exercise in frustration
that doing the task the hard way is actually easier? >



Steve

 

[Graham Mayor]

You don't need the wizard - see
http://www.gmayor.com/mail_merge_labels_with_word_xp.htm
Don't use the address block. Insert the individual fields to give you the
required layout.

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Graham Mayor - Word MVP


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[Steve]

Thanks again. I tried it the way I suggested and it didn't work at all.
I shall defer (and refer) to the experts.

Steve