MailMerge: Label - Problems (<<Next Record>>)

[FensterBos]

I am trying to "merge" a list of addresses on an Excel sheet (.XLS) to a Word
document (.DOC) using the Mail Merge - Labels tool. Basically, I am trying
to use Mail Merge for what it is suppose to be used for.
When I follow the Mail Merge Wizard, I enter the correct document type
(labels), and then select the specific label option/type/size, then use "an
existing list" for my recipients. At that point, I select the respective
Workbook and Sheet; the wizard shows me a faux list of the addresses I want
to merge into my Word document, everything looks in order. However, when I
click 'OK' and continue to arrange and preview my labels, all I see is a
"<<Next Record>>" message inside the labels, and eventually nothing when I
complete the merge.
Everything seems to be in order, so I do not know what I am doing wrong.
What step am I missing? Is it the Excel file?

 

[Peter Jamieson]

I suspect that the basic problem you have is that you need to say what
fields and text you want to print on your labels. For once, Word does not
try to guess!

<<
the wizard shows me a faux list of the addresses I want
to merge into my Word document,
Does it? At this point, I see two options:-

Select a different list...

Edit recipient list...

This is in "Step 3 of 6" in te Word 2003 Mail Merge Wizard.

If you then click "Next: Arrange your labels", then what you have to do is
a. insert the fields and "trim" that you need
b. click "Update all labels"
c. click "Next: Preview your labels"
d. after you have done anything you need to do in Step 5 of 6...
e. click Next: Complete the merge
f. either
- Print or
- Edit Standard Labels, then print the output document

In step (a) (Step 5 or 6) you need to insert the fields that you want to
print on your labels.

If you have a Tablet PC, step (b) may fail. There is some evidence that the
same may happen with some versions of Windows Vista. In that case, have a
look at

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk/t0005.htm