Merge selected records

[Judy Southwell]

I have one Word database and one main document. I want to merge three
different types of letters using the same database. The fiield names that
identify the type of letter are: 'letter_a' 'letter_b' and 'letter_c'. Any
suggestions on the preferred field code I should use and the information I
should include for the parameters?

Appreciate your help,
Judy

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Do you mean
a. "What should I store in the field?" or
b. "How should I set up my Mail Merge Main Document to do the merge? or
perhaps
c. both?

If it's (a), I would put a 1 in the field if I wanted to print the letter
and either nothing or 0 if I didn't want to print the letter.

If it's (b), although it's possible to do something like

{ IF "{ MERGEFIELD letter_a }" = "1" "all the text and fields you want for
letter A"
}{ IF "{ MERGEFIELD letter_b }" = "1" "all the text and fields you want for
letter B"
}{ IF "{ MERGEFIELD letter_c }" = "1" "all the text and fields you want for
letter C"
}

and variations on that theme, I think it's generally better to do one merge
for each letter type and use the Mail Merge Selection options to select
letter_a Equals 1 for the first letter etc.

But I would experiment anyway, particularly with the selection stuff, as
WOrd has become more inclined to get that wrong in recent years.

Peter Jamieson

 

[Judy Southwell]

Thanks for getting back to me, Peter. I meant:
a. What should be included in the string, e.g. IF {MERGEFIELD, etc.)
b. Basically the same as the above.

I'll try what you suggested, but in the meanwhile I had success with:
{SKIPIF {MERGEFIELD Letter_Type} <> "A"} for those records with a
corresponding A in the Letter_Type field. Then, I changed the A to a B in
the SKIPIF string for the 'B' letters and the same for the 'C' letters.

Judy

 

[Peter Jamieson]

If SKIPIF works OK for you, I'd stick with it. I tend to avoid it simply
because Microsoft recommends that we use the selection criteria instead!

Peter Jamieson