Question to MailMerge expert

[Zoska]

Hi,

I have been using MailMerge for some time, usually to get
1 Word page from each Excel record.
Sometimes I use Skip a record if... when I want to skip some
records.

Now I have a new task and problem.
Fields (columns) in an Excel sheet are grouped into 3 groups,
each connected with different subject. Each subject must be
merged into a separate Word page. However in some records
all data for a subject can be equal to zero, so from 1 Excel
record I can get 1 or 2 or 3 Word pages depending on the data.

So the question is: how to get 1 or 2 or 3 Word pages from
each Excel record using the MailMerge?

I still use the MS Office 97 but if necessary I can install w newer
version of the programs.

I would be very grateful if someone could help me.

Regards,
Zoska

 

[Earl Kiosterud]

Zoska,

The mail merge produces one document for each record (Excel row). I think that's immutable.
So I believe you'll have to get your data rearranged so that there's a row for each Word
document you want to be produced in the mail merge. Perhaps a macro that produces another
sheet in the necessary layout for the merge data source.

 

[Zoska]

Virginia,

Thank you very much for your reply.
That is what I was afraid of - there is no simply solution using MailMerge.

I thought about rearranging the data. I would have to make 2 additional
copies of each record and insert them just after the "original" row.
In the first of 3 copies (in the "original") I would have to leave the data
for the first subject only, in the second of 3 copies to leave the data
for the second subject only and in the third copy of 3 copies to leave
the data for the third subject only.
I must admit that it is too difficult for me at the moment. I am not so good
at creating macros. In fact I am not good at it at all :-(
I think I'll have to merge the data for each subject separately and then
put the Word pages in order manually. :-(

Regards,
Zoska

 

[Earl Kiosterud]

Zoska,

One possibility might be to make a three-page word document, with the merge fields from each
group in its respective page. Then do the merge to a document (rather than to the printer),
and throw away the pages that aren't needed. If you don't have a lot of output, this manual
method might be workable.

If you want to send me the workbook, I might be able to write a macro you can use. My
email address can be found in my website below.

Why don't you post this in a Word newsgroup? Someone there might know something that will
help.
--
Regards from Virginia Beach,

Earl Kiosterud
www.smokeylake.com
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[Zoska]

Virginia,

Thanks again.

I thought about the tree-page word document but I have too many outputs to use the method.

At the moment I started to merge to a document for each subject separately and then I sort
the pages manually. It is a nuisance but I don't have any other way out now. The task is rather
urgent.

Thank you very much for your kind offer to write a macro for me. The workbook is big
and the names of columns are complicated (with Polish fonts). When I manage to do
the most urgent tasks first, I'll prepare an example that will show the case and send it
to you. I think that I'll be able to change the macro from you exactly to my purposes.
I suspect that I'll have similar tasks to do in future.

I sent my request to the newsgroup microsoft.public.word.docmanagement but I didn't
get any reply. From the group for newusers I get an answer with links to articles but
with a remark that the problem probably can't be solved using just the MailMerge
(similar to yours). I am going to study the articles but I don't have time to do it now.

Regards,
Zoska