Mail merge using Excel for data

[ramsaystreet]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I am trying to create a merged letter using names, address etc already in an Excel document so I don't have to retype the information. But when I select the Excel doc, the field names are AutoMergeField1, AutoMergeField 2 etc. I have labelled the columns First, Surname, Address 1 etc but it's not picking these names up and therefore merge doesn't work properly. What am I doing wrong? I figure I need to label the columns in a way that Data Merge Manager recognises but can't see how to do this. Really appreciate any advice as I'm having to duplicate work.

 

[CyberTaz]

Can't tell for sure, but if the record data, itself, is correct my first
guess is that the captions (field names) in the Excel file are not in the
row immediately preceding the first record.

If the data is *not* correct it may very well be that there is more than one
body of content on the sheet where your records are & the wrong stuff is
being mistaken as the list of records.

If that isn't the problem you'll have to provide a more precise description
of the Excel list you're attempting to use as the record source.

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

 

[Elliott Roper]

Version: 2004
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I am trying to create a merged letter using names, address etc already in an
Excel document so I don't have to retype the information. But when I select
the Excel doc, the field names are AutoMergeField1, AutoMergeField 2 etc. I
have labelled the columns First, Surname, Address 1 etc but it's not picking
these names up and therefore merge doesn't work properly. What am I doing
wrong? I figure I need to label the columns in a way that Data Merge Manager
recognises but can't see how to do this. Really appreciate any advice as I'm
having to duplicate work.

It sounds like you are doing it right, except the field names sound
like you have not set the column headings properly in Excel.

I think you need to declare their headingness by selecting them and
hitting cmd-opt-downarrow
Once that is done and you have set your data source in the data merge
manager, the column headings should be available to you as mergefield
arguments. e.g. MERGEFIELD Surname

note the Address 1 probably won't work. Try Address_1

It has been a while, and I'm a bit rusty and I didn't test this advice.

 

[ramsaystreet]

It sounds like you are doing it right, except the field names sound
like you have not set the column headings properly in Excel.

I think you need to declare their headingness by selecting them and
hitting cmd-opt-downarrow
Once that is done and you have set your data source in the data merge
manager, the column headings should be available to you as mergefield
arguments. e.g. MERGEFIELD Surname

note the Address 1 probably won't work. Try Address_1

It has been a while, and I'm a bit rusty and I didn't test this advice.

Elliott, thanks. I will give this a try as it sounds feasible. One question what key is 'opt', as in cmd-opt-downarrow? Presume 'cmd' is the apple key?

 

[CyberTaz]

Hello Elliott -


Nope - Totally unnecessary

As long as the records & their headings constitute a contiguous range of
cells & the list is the only content on the sheet the software is smart
enough to recognize it - and if it isn't a contiguous range it won't work
for a merge anyway. (Although you can type the actual cell range when you
choose the record source but you'll include null records if there are any
empty rows in the range.)

Besides, Cmd+Opt+Down Arrow just formats the cells with a bottom border.

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

 

[Elliott Roper]

Hello Elliott -



Nope - Totally unnecessary

As long as the records & their headings constitute a contiguous range of
cells & the list is the only content on the sheet the software is smart
enough to recognize it - and if it isn't a contiguous range it won't work
for a merge anyway. (Although you can type the actual cell range when you
choose the record source but you'll include null records if there are any
empty rows in the range.)

Besides, Cmd+Opt+Down Arrow just formats the cells with a bottom border.

Ah, too much time has elapsed since I did my merge data source magic.
Too many brain cells sacrificed in the pursuit of the perfect cab sav.

 

[John McGhie]

Too many brain cells sacrificed in the pursuit of the perfect cab sav.

And the result was.... ???????

Don't leave us hanging, man. Give us the principle findings of your
important, nay world-changing research!!

--
Don't wait for your answer, click here: http://www.word.mvps.org/

Please reply in the group. Please do NOT email me unless I ask you to.

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP, Word and Word:Mac
Sydney, Australia. mailto:[email protected]

 

[Phillip Jones]

On 22/8/08 8:13 AM, in article (e-mail address removed)9absDaxw,


Cmd: It's the one closest to the spacebar. Apple Inc. has always called the
Command key the Command key. Many people called it the Apple key, but on
keyboards for the past year or so the apple symbol has been dropped and only
"command" and the ornate "cloverleaf" character now appear on it. That will
no doubt confound those who have called it the apple key.

Opt stands for the key that's labelled "Option" -- it's the next key out
from Command.

Cheers,

Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
(My time zone is 5-11 hours different from the Americas and Europe, so my
follow-on responses to those regions can be delayed)
====================================================

Some keyboards such as the iKey Ice extended keyboard I have if was
hooked up to a PC the option key would be equivalent to the Alternate
key (yes that confounded key That PC people developed intimate
familiarity with, when you had to reboot the machine every 5 or 10
minutes or so. ;-) ) and we also have a control key
On most apple keyboards, at the very bottom starting at far left keys are:

Control - Option/Alt - (Apple/Cloverleaf)Command - Spacebar
(Apple/Cloverleaf)Command - Option/Alt Control.

On extended keyboard with numeric key pad additional keys left to right
are left arrow down arrow (with up arrow above) - right
zero decimal and enter.
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET |LIFE MEMBER: VPEA ETA-I, NESDA, ISCET, Sterling
616 Liberty Street |Who's Who. PHONE:276-632-5045, FAX:276-632-0868
Martinsville Va 24112 |[email protected], ICQ11269732, AIM pjonescet
------------------------------------------------------------------------

If it's "fixed", don't "break it"!

mailto[email protected]

<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/90th_Birthday/index.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Fulcher/default.html>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Harris/default.htm>
<http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/Jones/default.htm>

<http://www.vpea.org>