Mailmerge - Word 2007 - Excel 2007

[Sallie]

Hello,

I am using Word and Excel 2007. When I create mailmerge, my data source is
an Excel 2007 document located on the Network and I checked the DDE option in
Word. But since we moved to Office 2007, I cannot use my data base if it is
located on the network but it will work when it is on my "C"?

Can you, please help me with this problem?

Thank you
Sallie

 

[Peter Jamieson]

I've never been able to make the connection work reliably in this case
either. That could mean that
a. there is a way to do it, but I have not found it yet or
b. there is no completely reliable way to do it, and it might be
better to look for a method that does not rely on DDE (and then you
might face other problems).

I'll have a another look.

But
a. is you data source a .xls or a .xlsx/.xlsm (i.e is the old Excel
format, or the new Excel format) ?
b. When you open the file in Excel, do you get warning messages of any
kind? if you get security warnings related to macros in the document,
you will probably need to ensure that the path conting the .xls(s/m) is
listed in Excel's "Trusted locations" (see Excel Office Button->Excel
options->trust Center->Trust Center Settings->trusted Locations.
c. does the following work:
- open Excel
- open the data source you want to use
- open Word
- open the mail merge main document?

I ask because here, Word seems to manage to start Excel, and Excel seems
to manage to open the requested file. it's just that the connection does
not complete. Perhaps there is a timeout problem (i.e. perhaps Word
gives up before Excel has finished processing the request). Opening the
..xls(x/m) in Excel first might solve that problem. However, I'm not sure
that approach is relaible either.

Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk