preventing duplicate entries

[ladygr]

I am making a merge form in word 97 and the source data was created as a .doc
file using mail merge helper. there are 6 columns, 5 of which can contain
duplicate information. 1 column, however, cannot. The column title is ID#,
and each person has a unique #. How can I prevent entering duplicate entries
of ID#'s in a word table?

 

[Anne Troy]

This would be much easier done in Excel, which could only require a quick
copy/paste (assuming you have Excel). See:
http://www.officearticles.com/excel/dealing_with_duplicate_records_in_microsoft_excel.htm
I am certain that doing it in Word would require VBA, where at least you'll
have a choice with Excel.

************
Hope it helps!
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com
Check out the NEWsgroup stats!
Check out: www.ExcelUserConference.com

 

[ladygr]

The reason I do not use exel is because this form will be used by MANY other
people who may not have exel. I also want it to be "Idiot Proof" as far as
just fill in the blanks and the info is put into the source doc for future
use. Then you can use the "find record" and fill in the forms again as
needed. But I need it NOT to be able to accept duplicate ID#'s. Does anyone
have a VBA that would accomplish this?

 

[Anne Troy]

Well, if no one answers, you may want to try
microsoft.public.word.vba.beginners group.

************
Hope it helps!
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com
Check out the NEWsgroup stats!
Check out: www.ExcelUserConference.com

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

What sort of form are you thinking of? And how is the information that is
being entered into this form by the MANY other people going to end up in the
one place?

There is no doubt that coming up with an arrangement that will assign a
unique entry to a particular field is possible, but the details of how to do
it will depend on how your system is going to be used.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[ladygr]

Doug,

The mail-merge template forms (which are 4 separate files totaling 10 pages
and have repedative inputs) will be in a folder on a shared drive referenced
to the source file (filled in with as many records as I currently have) which
is also on the share drive. Specific department personnel will copy the
folder of templates to their individual computers (that way if they mess up
the templates there is a backup/master copy on the share drive). The persons
involved (about 25 in total) will fill-in a dialoge box asking for the unique
ID# of the needed record (find record?) which, if present, will bring up the
record in a simple form so the person can finish filling in necessary data (A
MeetDate and 3 additional meet dates that are 90, 180, and 365 days from the
first MeetDate (Figured with a formula?) and store it in the original source
file. When that form is completed, all information for that record is
automatically merged from the source file into the forms at the appropriate
mergefields (which includes all the MeetDates and also: LastName, FirstName,
and Birthdate). If not present, I would like another dialoge box to appear in
the form of a simple fill-in the blanks format to input the necessary data
into the source file on the share drive (perhaps the add record?). After the
new record is added, the original dialog box re-appears asking for the unique
ID#, and the progress begins again. The source file on the share drive should
ultimately have about 500 records available for use by any department
personnel. But I don't know if the way to do this is with macros or VBA code
for the ID# column. The dialog boxes must be easy to use, but unable to be
modified other than inputing information, because most of the users are not
computer literate and can mess up a document just by trying to print it.
Also, excel is not a widely used program at my place of employment, but word
is used by all. I am somewhat of a newbie at VBA and ANY/ALL assistance is
greatly appreciated. I look forward to the challenge if I can get pointed in
the right direction and have a place to go for information. I know this is an
ambitious undertaking, but it is all in the name of accuaracy and
streamlining a VERY monotonous task.

Thank you
Deborah