Mail merge to print labels

[Comprose]

Version: 2004 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel I have, what I think, is an address list (Addresses.doc) set up with various fields (Title, FirstName, etc.). Using the Data Merge Manager > Data source > Get Data >Open Data Source > clicking on "Addresses.doc" in my documents, I get the message "Word could not open "Addresses.doc" as a data or header source because it is the active data merge main document."

How can I use this document as a data source?

 

[CyberTaz]

Without more details about what you're trying to do, how you're going about
it & how the Address.doc content is structured it's almost impossible to
tell what the problem is. If you provide a full description it most likely
can be resolved rather readily.

Without that info the only guess I can make is that maybe the file was open
when the attempted merge was started. Try opening just that one document
then open the Data Merge Manager's 1st step, click Create New, then select
Restore to Normal Word Document. Close & save then try the merge again.

If that doesn't resolve it reply with the additional information in as much
detail as you can.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Comprose]

Tried your suggestion. Still get the same "Word could not open . . . " message.
The Address.doc is a list of 100+ names/addresses laid out in columns by merge field. I believe that I created this document three years ago for Xmas card labels, and was successful then, and which I'm attempting to do again now without success.
Just discovered that in trying to work this I've lost all the data on that document, so will need to reenter from scratch.

 

[CyberTaz]

Sorry it didn't help, but that's the most likely cause of the error you were
getting. It sounds to me as though that document isn't really the data
source file, but actually is the main document that was used for merging
records from another data file.

Good Luck |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[John McGhie]

You also have that document open as the "Main Document". Close it.

To do a data merge, you need three documents: The Main Document that
contains the text for each letter, the "Data Source" that contains the data
fields in a table with one field in each column, and the Output Document(s)
which are the product you are making.

They must be separate files.

Cheers

Version: 2004 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel
I have, what I think, is an address list (Addresses.doc) set up with various
fields (Title, FirstName, etc.). Using the Data Merge Manager > Data source >
Get Data >Open Data Source > clicking on "Addresses.doc" in my documents, I
get the message "Word could not open "Addresses.doc" as a data or header
source because it is the active data merge main document."

How can I use this document as a data source?

--

The email below is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless I ask you to; or unless you intend to pay!

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[Comprose]

Appreciate the help, and clarifying the process. Now it is data-entry time. Have a good Holiday Season.
Mike

 

[Comprose]

Problem back again, although with some variations.

I have a word file which I've saved as "Addresses Data Source.com", which appears to be set up as a table with the appropriate headers.

To set up address labels I first open a blank document, then go to Data Merge Manager > Main Document > Create> Labels > Avery product 8160. The blank document now shows a series of >.

Then to Data Source > Get Data > Open Data Source > Address Data Source. doc > message comes up "Word cannot open 'Address Data Source.doc' as a data or header source because it is a data merge main document.

So, where to go from here? At least I have the 150+ addresses in 'Addresses Data Source.com', and having had to re-enter them all a few days ago I do not want to risk loosing them.

Advice most welcome.

Mike

 

[CyberTaz]

If this isn't an error in your message, why does your data document have a
".com" extension? It should have a regular .doc extension. Just correcting
that may not correct the situation now that it has occurred, however, so...

Close all ot erh documents, then open the record source document. If the
Data Merge Manager doesn't open automatically launch it from the Tools
menu,then click the Create button in the Main Document section & select
Restore to Normal Word Document. Save & Close the file before attempting to
do the merge.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Comprose]

Thanks, Bob. Everything now working well. Appreciate, and have a good Christmas

 

[Comprose]

Thanks, Bob. Everything now working well. Appreciate, and have a good Christmas

Should have mentioned that the extension .com was in error. File is correctly .doc.