Outlook 2003 Mail Merge

[VistaUser]

When I run the mail merge from Outlook, after I go through the merge dialog
box (specifying the contacts, document file, data file, merge options, etc.)
and I get to the point where I want to click on the appropriate buttons of
the Mail Merge Toolbar, all the buttons are unresponsive. None of the
buttons on any of the toolbars work, even the black X on the upper right
corner that closes the open document. The buttons are not grayed out but
the only button on Word that responds is the red X at the top right corner
that closes Word.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled the entire Office 2003 suite and run all
the Microsoft updates needed to apply the service packs and security updates
to make the product current.

Is there a fix for this annoying problem? BTW, if I leave Outlook open, and
repeat the Mail merge, the buttons on Word work. Grrrr!

 

[Judy Gleeson \(MVP Outlook\)]

Are you merging using these steps?

close Word (never start with it open)
open Outlook
select some Contacts
Tools | Mailmerge | Merge to ... (email or whatever you pick) | OK
Word starts up
on the merge toolbar, use the Insert merge fields button to get to the
Contacts data fields

Regards

Judy Gleeson
MVP Outlook

www.judygleeson.com
www.deskdoctors.com
Want to be more productive? Outlook 2003 user? Read "7 settings all Outlook
2003 users should change" at www.pragmatix.com.au

 

[VistaUser]

Yes.

Essentially, those are the steps that I use. There is a required step that
forces me to click on a setup button to select the types of address labels I
am using, e.g. Avery 5160 address labels - but that is the process I
follow. I have my Outlook contacts marked with different categories, e.g.
vendors, customers, family, holiday cards, etc. I open Outlook, change the
Contacts to Category View, select all the contacts in a category, and go to
Tools, Mail Merge etc., etc. When Word opens, all the buttons on all the
toolbars are dead. I close Word and I have to go through all the above
steps a second time. The second times all works fine but is is a huge waste
of time to have to execute the process twice to get the Mail Merge to work

 

[Judy Gleeson \(MVP Outlook\)]

Read this
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/210565

and then run this:

winword.exe /a

I got it from a Word MVP and it worked when my merging wouldn't work on my
new installation of 2007.

I hope it fixes your problem.

Regards

Judy Gleeson
MVP Outlook

www.judygleeson.com
www.deskdoctors.com
Want to be more productive? Outlook 2003 user? Read "7 settings all Outlook
2003 users should change" at www.pragmatix.com.au